Scope and arrangement
In her efforts to write her dissertation on the King-Coit School and Children's Theatre Ellen Rodman collected a variety of materials. Through printed Author's Queries Rodman requested any and all information on King-Coit, which often resulted in a continuing correspondence. Rodman composed a standard questionnaire to probe each person's involvement with the school and/or theater, and both the questionnaire and the variety of answers are included in the collection. This series and Rodman's research materials make up the two largest series in the collection.
In addition to producing a dissertation, Rodman contributed to a 1979 exhibition of King-Coit materials at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Many of the photographs in this collection were in that exhibition, and photographs of the exhibition are also included. Printed materials by or about King-Coit complete this collection.
The King-Coit School and Children's Theatre papers are arranged in six series:
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1978-19971 box
This series contains correspondence between Rodman and various individuals/institutions produced during her King-Coit research. It includes responses to public queries for information regarding King-Coit as well as responses to specific questions posed by Rodman.
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1934-198514 folders
This series contains materials collected by Rodman regarding King-Coit. It includes Rodman's handwritten notes, copies of articles/book excerpts/clippings, copies of financial reports, materials regarding two films about King-Coit, lists of students and of plays performed, copies of speeches and correspondence made by King and/or Coit, and an abstract of Rodman's thesis.
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1976-19792 folders
This series contains materials related to the 1979 King-Coit exhibition at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. There is an array of materials including invitations, press releases and labels from the exhibition.
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1891-19799 folders
This series includes photographs and negatives of Dorothy Coit and Edith King, and the King-Coit School and Children's Theatre and its productions. It also includes photographs and negatives of and from the exhibition at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and of its later mounting in Kansas City.
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1909-19774 folders
This series includes two books written by Dorothy Coit, a copy of the play Aucassin and Nicolete (a King-Coit favorite), and a book about Snedens Landing that briefly discusses the early days of the King-Coit School and Children's Theatre.
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1922-19791 box
This series consists mainly of copies of articles and book excerpts regarding King-Coit. It also includes New York Public Library newsletters listing "The King-Coit Children's Theatre" exhibition, and a poster from the Arcadian School that was originally with interview notes. (Alexander Cortesi, Vice President of the Arcadian School, was a former King-Coit student.)