Guide to the Shoemaker Family Papers, circa 1830s-1976 SPEC.RARE.0374 Finding aid prepared by Casey Blackmore Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
1858 Neil Avenue Columbus, OH, 43210
2026 March This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2026-03-23T11:31-0400 English Describing Archives: A Content Standard Shoemaker Family Papers SPEC.RARE.0374 Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections 2.652 Cubic feet circa 1830s-1976 Jacob W. Shoemaker was born in West Overton, Pennsylvania in 1842, and was a graduate of Millersville State Normal School in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. In 1867, he married Rachel Walter Hinkle, who was on the faculty of the Millersville State Normal School, and later relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The National School of Elocution and Oratory was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1873 by Jacob and Rachel H. Shoemaker, and was later headed by their daughter, Dora Adele Shoemaker. The Shoemaker Family Papers, dated circa 1830s-1976, relate to the family's involvement at the school and contain cabinet cards, correspondence, photographs, scripts, yearbooks, diplomas, fiction writing, and certificates. Other items in the collection include cabinet cards; mainly featuring unidentified individuals and groups known to the family; stereoscopic cards featuring United States, Canada, and European landscapes; and correspondence. (5) oversize folders; (3) 5" letter document boxes; (3) legal file folders; (1) 2.5" letter document box; (1) oversize flat box; (1) card box; (1) flat box English Shoemaker, Dora Adele, 1873–1962 Shoemaker, Jacob W., 1842-1880 Shoemaker, Rachel Walter Hinkle, 1838-1915 Arrangement of Materials

This collection is arranged in two series:

Series 1: Family Papers Series 2: Elocution and Oratory Materials

 Acquisitions Information

Accession No. RARE.2026.0011: Pima County Office of Sustainability and Conservation, 2023 October

 Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Shoemaker Family Papers, SPEC.RARE.0374, Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, Ohio State University

 Access to Materials

Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Thompson Library Special Collections reading room only.

 Use of Materials

Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.

 Processing Information

Processed by: Casey Blackmore, 2026 March; Finding aid written by: Casey Blackmore, 2026 March

 Biographical Note

Jacob W. Shoemaker was born in West Overton, Pennsylvania in 1842, and was a graduate of Millersville State Normal School in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He later taught in West Overton. In 1867, he married Rachel Walter Hinkle, who was on the faculty of the Millersville State Normal School, and later relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Dora Adele Shoemaker (1873–1962) was an American educator, poet, and playwright born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Rachel and Jacob Shoemaker. Dora was a graduate of the Friends Select School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and received her Bachelor of Elocution from the National School of Elocution and Oratory in 1901. Dora later obtained her Masters of Arts at Marywood College in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1932. Dora also received multiple degrees from the National School of Elocution and Oratory, and served as its principal from 1915 until the late 1930s.

The National School of Elocution and Oratory was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1873 by Jacob and Rachel Shoemaker. The school focused on speech arts, rhetoric, and elocution. Elocution is the study of formal speaking, with a focus on pronunciation and articulation. The school closed permanently during the late 1930s at the start of World War II.

From 1915 until its closing, Dora Shoemaker served as principal of the National School of Elocution and Oratory. Under her leadership, the school provided two- and three-year courses in elocution, oratory, and drama, along with weekend and evening courses, and children's programs, fostering skills in rhetoric, reading, and theatrical expression. The school was renamed the Shoemaker School of Speech and Drama sometime after 1922, and its course offerings included journalism and radio technique.

In addition to her teaching and school administration career, Shoemaker was also a published writer, focusing on playwriting and poetry.

 Scope and Contents

The Shoemaker Family Papers, dated circa 1830s-1976, contains cabinet cards mainly featuring unidentified individuals and groups that were known to the Shoemaker family; stereoscopic cards featuring United States, Canada, and European landscapes; correspondence; photographs; scripts used for elocution courses; yearbooks; diplomas; fiction written by Dora Adele Shoemaker; and certificates. Materials related to Dora Shoemaker's work as an instructor and principal of the National School of Elocution and Oratory include readers and booklets used by students in their coursework, event programs, acting notes for classes, instruction diplomas awarded to Shoemaker, and portraits of Dora Shoemaker in her role as principal, most likely used for school publicity.

Materials that date after Dora's death in 1962 have been contributed by unidentified members of the Shoemaker family. While many of the remaining items in the collection can be attributed to Jacob, Rachel, and/or Dora, it is possible that some of items dating from the times each was alive may also have belonged to other, unidenified members of their family.

 National School of Elocution and Oratory Shoemaker (Family) Shoemaker, Dora Adele, 1873–1962 Shoemaker, Jacob W., 1842-1880 Shoemaker, Rachel Walter Hinkle, 1838-1915 Black-and-white photographs Cabinet photographs Correspondence Diplomas Elocution--Study and teaching--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--19th century Elocution--Study and teaching--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--20th century Families--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--19th century Families--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--20th century Family life--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--20th century Family life--Pennsylvania--Phildadephia--19th century Private schools--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--19th century Private schools--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--20th century School yearbooks Scripts (documents) Stereoscopes Women authors, American--20th century Women in education--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--19th century Women in education--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--20th century Women school principals--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--20th century Family Papers Series 1 circa 1830-1939; 1960 February 22-1976 Scope and Contents

The Family Papers series include cabinet cards, mainly featuring unidentified individuals and groups; stereoscopic cards featuring United States, Canadian, and European landscapes; booklets; and correspondence. The papers span several members of the Shoemaker family, include Dora Adele, Joseph, Rachel and Frank. The majority of the cabinet cards and portraits are of unidentified individuals that may have been relations or friends of the Shoemaker family. When possible, cabinet cards with identifiying information have been titled with names or captions provided on the back of the card. Material is dated circa 1830-1939; 1960 February 22-1976.

 Arrangement of Materials

Series 1 is arranged chronologically with further arrangement by folder titles if materials are of the same date.

 "A Little Toy for Girl or Boy" reader 1 1 circa 1830 "Duties of Children" reader 1 2 1836 "Brothers and Sisters" tract 1 3 1839 "Patty Parsons and the Plum Cake" booklet 1 4 1840 "Infant Hymns: Designed for Young Children" reader 1 5 1844 Canada stereoscope cards 1 6 circa 1860s-1890s Europe stereoscope cards 1 7 circa 1860s-1890s United States stereoscope cards 1 8-9 circa 1860s-1890s Shoemaker (Jacob) discharge paper 1 10 1863 Temple (Reginald) cabinet card 1 11 1865-1866 American Freedman's Aid Commission award 1 12 1866 Noles (Marie) cabinet card 1 13 1876-1883 Kodak camera paper envelope and photographic negatives 1 14 1877-1881 Un-named individual portrait cabinet cards 1 15 1877-1884 Ackers (Maude) cabinet card 1 16 1878 Positam (Roger) cabinet card RARE Shared 6 1 1880-1885 Hund (Dr. Miller) cabinet card 1 17 1880-1887 Errfayor (Millie) cabinet card 1 18 1880-1892 Pedrick (Sallie) cabinet card 1 19 1881-1882 Hund (Laura) cabinet card RARE Shared 6 2 1885-1889 Grimsby Park cabinet cards 1 20 1885-1890 Shoemaker family member portraits 1 21 1885-1900 Unidentified portrait cabinet cards 1 22 2 1 1885-1905 Tourist cabinet cards 2 2 1885-circa 1910s Pyle (Alice) cabinet card 2 3 1886-1890 Heron (Susan) cabinet card 2 4 1888-1890 Shoemaker (Frank H.) cabinet card 2 5 1889 Grimsby Park cabinet cards 2 6 1889-1891 Christ's Sermon on the Mount booklet 2 7 circa 1890s-1900s "Mr. Baldwin" cabinet card 2 8 1890 Cafnell (Barbara) cabinet card 2 9 1890-1895 Harvey (Laurette) and Amanda Lauders cabinet card 2 10 1890-1895 Shoemaker (Dora Adele) early portraits 2 11 1890-1905 "There are three of us" cabinet card 2 12 1891 "We are all right" cabinet card 2 13 1891 August 8 "Yizah in Balthasar" cabinet card 2 14 1891 December 19 "Youth in competition" cabinet card 2 15 1892 Grimsby Park cabinet cards 2 16 1892-1903 Narvar (Sallie H.) cabinet card 2 17 1893 April 28 Baldwin (Carol) cabinet card 2 18 1895-1898 Burns (Ralph) cabinet card 2 19 1895-1900 "This is where Maude wins all" cabinet card 2 20 1895-1900 Unidentified group of people cabinet card 2 21 1895-1900 Warforth (Chas R.) cabinet card 2 22 1895-1898 Shoemaker (Dora Adele) standing portrait 2 23 1895-1898 Williams (Cal) cabinet card 2 24 1895-1899 Shoemaker (Dora Adele) sepia portrait 5 1 1896-1898 "Compliments of Charlie Tatters" cabinet card 3 1 1897 "Rose Between Two Thorns" cabinet card 3 2 1897 "Day of Ill Fortune" cabinet card 3 3 1898 "Oh, I don't know" cabinet card 3 4 1899-1900 Letter from an unknown sender 2 10 circa 1900s Shroud (Ed) photograph 3 6 1900-1905 Unidentified man portrait 3 7 1901-1902 Unidentified Shoemaker family member portrait 5 2 1901-1905 Shoemaker (Dora Adele) seated portrait 3 8 1902-195 Unidentified man seated wearing riding books photographs 3 9 1902-1906 "Photographs Pan American" booklet 3 10 1902-1907 "The Columbian Hotel" cabinet card 3 11 1905 Kuab (Maurice) cabinet card 3 12 1905-1910 Shoemaker (Frank W.) cabinet card 3 13 1905-1910 Unidentified man with glasses portrait 5 3 1905-1910 Unidentified woman seated photograph 3 14 1905-1910 Unidentified woman with two infants photograph 3 15 1905-1910 Unidentified portrait cabinet cards 3 16 1905-1911 "To Miss Shoemaker from Charles M. Killior" cabinet card 3 17 1907 Postcards addressed to Dora Shoemaker 3 18 1907; 1954-1961 "The Bible and It's Story" booklet 3 19 1909 Unidentified man seated reading a book photograph 3 20 1909-1910 Unidentified group of women in white cabinet card RARE Shared 3 3 1910-1915 Unidentified two girls portrait 5 4 1910-1915 Unidentified woman seated wearing a sweater portrait 5 5 1910-1915 Birth announcement of Mabel Francesca Shoemaker 3 21 1911 October 1 Shoemaker (Dora Adele) portrait 5 6 1915-1920 Shoemaker (Dora Adele) photographic portraits 3 22 1915-1930 Letter to Dora Shoemaker 3 23 1920 July 22 Unidentified group of students photograph 3 24 1921-1922 Unidentified woman standing with long necklace portrait 5 7 1924 Unidentified young woman portrait 5 8 1924 Handmade birthday card from Joe Giesler 3 25 1925-1930 Unidentified group of young people by tree photograph 3 26 1925-1930 Personal writings by Dora Shoemaker 3 27 circa 1930-1939 Rosemary Hall yearbook 3 28 1937 Rosemary Hall yearbook 3 29 1938 Rosemary Hall yearbook 3 30 1939 Shoemaker (Ruth) to Dora Shoemaker letter 4 1 1960 February 22 Calligraphy poem by John David to John and Mary Shoemaker RARE Shared 3 2 1976 Elocution and Oratory Materials Series 2 circa 1873-1937 August; 1960-1961 December 1-2 Scope and Contents

The Elocution and Oratory Materials series, dated circa 1873-1937 August; 1960-1961 December 1-2, includes readers and booklets used by students in their coursework, scripts used for elocuation exercises, event programs, acting notes for classes, instruction diplomas awarded to Dora Shoemaker and student Charlotte Dittrick, and portraits of Dora Shoemaker in her role as principal, most likely used for school publicity.

 Arrangement of Materials

Series 2 materials are arranged chronologically, with further arrangement by folder titles if materials are of the same date.

 Shoemaker (Jacob W.) school business card 4 2 circa 1873 Diploma awarded to Charlotte Dittrick 1 1880 June 8 Company shares certificates 4 3 1880-1889 School event program 4 4 1893 Instruction diploma awarded to Dora Adele Shoemaker 2 1900 May 21 Instruction diploma awarded to Dora Adele Shoemaker 3 1901 May 21 Acting notes 4 5 circa 1910s Choral speaking readers RARE Shared 3 1 circa 1910s "From Darkness to Dawn" oratory thesis 4 6 circa 1910s Pennsylvania county laws school book 6 1 circa 1910s Shoemaker (Dora Adele) principal portraits 4 7 circa 1915-1917 "Two Slatterns and a King" play script 4 8 1921 "Waiting for the Trolley" playscript 4 9 1922 The Book Adman's planning calendar 7 1 1931 "The Nationalite" newsletter 4 10 1937 August School newsletter 4 11 1960 "Our American Cousin" play script 4 12 1961 December 1-2