New-York Historical Society

Education Mission

The Education Department at the New-York Historical Society offers a wealth of resources and learning opportunities designed to make history come alive!

Education programs are made possible through endowments established by the National Endowment for the Humanities and The Hearst Foundations. Programs are supported, in part, by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council and by a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency. Additional support is provided by The Barker Welfare Foundation, The Hyde and Watson Foundation, the May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation and Verizon.

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Saturday Academy

The New-York Historical Society in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History offers Saturday Academy, a free, seven-week program for students in grades 8–12 that offers courses in American Studies and SAT prep. With no homework or tests, these courses offer fun and interesting information on the bits of history that don’t always find their way into the classroom. Students may take one class or two. All classes are offered twice, at 10-11:30 am, then again at 11:40 am-1 pm.

Here’s what we’re up to!

Spring 2013 Schedule

Saturdays at New-York Historical:

March 2nd, 2013
March 9th, 2013
March 16th, 2013
March 23rd, 2013
April 6th, 2013
April 20th, 2013
April 27th, 2013

Please note: Saturday Academy will skip Saturday, March 30th for the holiday weekend, and Saturday, April 13th for a private event at New-York Historical.

Class Session One: 10 – 11:30 am
Class Session Two: 11:40 am – 1 pm

Application Information
To register for the Spring 2013 Saturday Academy, please CLICK HERE for our online booking site Ed-Net.

You will request 1-2 classes of interest, and then create a user account, or use your existing account, to submit your request. You will receive an email notification when successfully registered. Please know that simply completing one of these steps does not enroll you in Saturday Academy. Registration will close February 22nd, 2013.

Please note: The SAT Prep classes are open only to students currently enrolled in 10th, 11th or 12th grade. Students who register for SAT Prep must also enroll in a history-based Saturday Academy course. Requests to enroll only in SAT Prep will not be approved until after all students who register for a history-based class and SAT Prep class are enrolled.

Get Involved!

Spring 2013 Classes:

The United States in WWII –Before, During, and After:
Richard Gordon, Ph.D in Political and Intellectual History

War is hell! But sometimes war is necessary in order to defeat an evil greater than war. WWII seemed to be such an event –true good (democracy) confronting absolute evil (Nazism, fascism, imperialism, and militarism). This course will examine the background to war in the U.S.; the domestic effects of the war upon the country and New York City (exploring daily life and culture; the draft; women in the war; civil rights issues; the Holocaust, patriotism and propaganda); and the aftermath of the war (Cold War; U.S. involvement in new wars; terrorism). Visual material, including film clips, posters, comic books, etc., will be used to highlight the dramatic effects of the war upon U.S. society. The current WWII & NYC exhibition at the New-York Historical Society will serve as visual and literary reference points. Finally, a film festival, featuring one or two films relating to WWII will take place at the conclusion of the course. Students in the course will be instrumental in choosing films for the festival.

Dirty Jobs: The History of Dirty, Disgusting, and Dangerous Jobs in New York City
Emma Nordin, Educator, New-York Historical Society

While the popular television show illuminated the dirty jobs of the new millennium, New Yorkers have toiled in dirty, dangerous, and disgusting jobs for centuries. Using the museum and library collection of N-YHS, this course will delve into the history of dirty jobs from the founding of New Amsterdam to the closing of nineteenth-century New York City, exploring why these jobs existed and investigating if and how they changed throughout the city’s progress. Each week you will study multiple ‘dirty’ jobs, including those in the garment industry, military defense, the sea, food manufacturing, and sanitation.

Funny Papers, Serious Subjects: A Comic Book History
Paul Swartz, Educator, New-York Historical Society

From Benjamin Franklin’s “Join or Die,” to Siegel and Shuster’s “Truth, justice, and the American way,” the United States has always been a cartoon country. In this course, you will look at the ways in which comic books and strips have reflected and created our American culture and ideals. In later class sessions, theory will meet practice as you will try your hand at creating some (historically-informed) comics of your own.

Witch-Hunts: An American Tradition
Katie Courtien, Educator, New-York Historical Society

Imagine your closest friends and neighbors accusing you of something you have not done. They have no real evidence, yet a court of law actually believes them! In this class you will learn about “witch hunts” in the United States, focusing on the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and the McCarthy Era of the 1950s. You will get to read actual court transcriptions from the 1600s, see videos of the McCarthy trials, experience what it may have been like to be on trial, and finally, the class will culminate with you creating your own short play about witch-hunts. Sign up… if you dare!

Advertising in America
Jennifer Lagasse, Educator, New-York Historical Society

From subway cars to smartphones, advertising has become a constant presence in our daily lives. In this class, students will break down both historical and contemporary advertisements in order to uncover how advertisers influence their audience, and also investigate the messages advertisements convey about the society they are created for. Students will then get the chance to put their newly acquired skills to the test as they work in groups to develop and pitch an original advertising campaign for the product of their choosing.

Special note: This class will cover some of the same topics and material as when it was offered in Spring 2012 Saturday Academy.

SAT Prep
Andrew Parrish, SAT Tutor & Educator, New-York Historical Society

History buffs are not always known for their math skills. Mathletes do not always become novelists. But the SAT will test your critical reading, writing and math skills, so you better be prepared. Join this class to work on all three and also learn some tips for taking the test. All students registered for these classes will also receive printed practice materials to use on their own as they continue to prepare.