The University of Chicago Library > The Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center > Finding Aids > Guide to the Native American Educational Services Edith E. Johns Papers 1959-1999
© 2009 University of Chicago Library
| Title: | Native American Educational Services. Johns, Edith E. Papers |
|---|---|
| Dates: | 1959-1999 |
| Size: | 1 linear foot (2 boxes) |
| Repository: |
Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center |
| Abstract: | Edith Emerald Johns (1915-1999), also known as Edith Big Fire Johns, was an advocate of health care and social issues among the Chicago-area Native American community. Johns was one of the founders of the American Indian Center, serving on its Board of Directors from 1960-1971. This collection forms part of the archives of Native American Educational Services, and consists of one linear foot of materials related to Edith Johns' interest in child health care and social issues. The majority of this collection is made up of photocopies or offprints of articles and reports related to medical issues such as vaccinations, child health care and child abuse, and congressional records. The rest of the collection is composed of personal records such as photographs, interviews, and obituaries. |
The collection is open for research, with no restrictions.
When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Native American Educational Services. Johns, Edith E. Papers, [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library
Edith Emerald Johns was born January 19, 1915, on the Winnebago Indian Reservation in Nebraska. She was given the Winnebago name Patche-Ka-Danga, or "Keeper of the Home Fires," and was also known as Edith Big Fire Johns.
As a child, Johns attended boarding schools far from her family and community, then moved on to nursing school in Ft. Wayne, Indiana where she received an R.N. certificate.
Arriving in Chicago in 1939, Johns worked at several areas hospitals, including Bethany Hospital and Illinois Masonic Medical Center. She soon became active in Chicago's Native American community, co-founding the Chicago American Indian Center and serving on its Board of Directors from 1960 to 1971. She also worked as a caseworker at St. Augustine's Center for the American Indian, and was a founding member of the staff of Native American Educational Services College.
Johns was committed to lifelong learning, earning a bachelor's degree from the College of St. Francis when she was in her sixties. At age 65, she joined the Peace Corps and served for two years as a health care worker in the West Indies. After her retirement, she continued to serve as a volunteer at Pacific Garden Mission, the Cook County Court Watcher Program, and Travelers and Immigrants Aid. She traveled extensively to reservations across the United States, as well as to international locations such as Israel, Australia, new Zealand, Italy, and England.
Johns' service was recognized by her inductions into the Chicago Women's Hall of Fame and the Senior Citizens Hall of Fame of the City of Chicago. Edith Johns died on June 10, 1999.
This collection consists of the papers of Edith Big Fire Johns, forming part of the archives of Native American Educational Services. The majority of the collection consists of photocopies and offprints of articles on child care and medical information collected by Edith Johns. This collection consists of four series, all of them arranged alphabetically and then chronologically.
Series I: Medical and Reference, is composed of articles and reference booklets dealing primarily with child health care issues such as vaccinations and sudden infant death syndrome. It also contains several works specifically about Native Americans.
Series II: Child Health Care, comprises the bulk of the collection, and is composed of articles and brochures relating to child health care, child development and behavior, and child abuse.
Series III: Congressional Records, is composed of copies of records from both the Senate and the House of Representatives dealing primarily with child health care legislation during 1974.
Series IV: Personal, is composed of obituary notices and two photographs of Edith Johns. It also includes a transcript of a personal interview taken in 1981.
Series I: Medical and Reference |
Series I contains materials related to vaccinations, sudden infant death syndrome, disease, and genetic and ethnic correlates of health and disease. It also contains reports related to the American Indian Health Project and the misuse of antibiotics. This series reflects Edith Johns' long interest and profession in medicine. This series has been arranged alphabetically and then chronologically.
| Box 1 Folder 1 | Reports and reference, "American Indian Health Project – Final Report," 1973 |
| Box 1 Folder 2 | Reports and reference, "American Indian Health Project – Final Report," 1974 |
| Box 1 Folder 3 | Reports and reference, "A Glossary of Health Care Terms," 1975 |
| Box 1 Folder 4 | Medical information, "Alcoholism and Birth Defects," photocopy, 1973 |
| Box 1 Folder 5 | Medical information, "An American Travesty," photocopy, 1976 |
| Box 1 Folder 6 | Medical information, "Chronic Disease Management Introduction," draft, 1974 |
| Box 1 Folder 7 | Medical Information, "Crib Death – Some Promising Leads but No Solutions Yet," by Jean L. Marx, photocopy, 1976 |
| Box 1 Folder 8 | Medical information," Determinants of Health Beliefs and Behavior – Psychological Determinants," by Eugene L. Hartley, photocopy, 1959 |
| Box 1 Folder 9 | Medical information, "Determinants of Health Beliefs and Behavior – Sociological Determinants," by Robert Straus, photocopy, 1959 |
| Box 1 Folder 10 | Medical information, "Determinants of Health Beliefs and Behavior – Cultural Determinants," by Margaret Mead, photocopy, 1959 |
| Box 1 Folder 11 | Medical information, "Disease as a Way of Life," draft, no date |
| Box 1 Folder 12 | Medical information, "Gene Frequencies of Erythrocytic Enzymes of Alaskan Eskimos and Athabaskan Indians," photocopy, 1973 |
| Box 1 Folder 13 | Medical information, "Immunization: Updated Guidelines for Smallpox, Tetanus, Polio," photocopy, 1973 |
| Box 1 Folder 14 | Medical Information, "Preventing Birth Defects Caused by Rubella," photocopy, no date |
| Box 1 Folder 15 | Medical information, "Recommended Procedures for Immunization," photocopy, 1973 |
| Box 1 Folder 16 | Medical information, "Restoring Parents' Equilibrium After Sudden Infant Death," photocopy, 1976 |
| Box 1 Folder 17 | Medical information, "The More Common Birth Defects," table of information, photocopy, no date |
| Box 1 Folder 18 | Medical information, "The Northern and Southeastern Ojibwa – Serum Proteins and Red Cell Enzyme Systems," photocopy, 1974 |
| Box 1 Folder 19 | Medical information, "Use and Misuse of Antibiotics in Treating Children," photocopy, 1974 |
| Box 1 Folder 20 | Medical information, "We Can Do More to Prevent the Tragedy of Retarded Children," by Richard Koch and Jean Holt Koch, photocopy, 1976 |
Series II: Child Health Care |
Series II contains information related to birth defects, child abuse, child behavior, and child development. It also contains information related to foster care and childhood illnesses. This series comprises the bulk of this collection and Edith Johns' interest in child care and reform in child health care. It has been arranged alphabetically and then chronologically.
| Box 1 Folder 21 | Birth defects, March of Dimes, packet of information on child birth defects, 1972 |
| Box 1 Folder 22 | Child abuse, Caring, volume 3, number 2, published by The National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse, offprint, 1977 |
| Box 1 Folder 23 | Child abuse, "Child Abuse," by Robert Blum, speech draft, 1977 |
| Box 1 Folder 24 | Child abuse, "Child Abuse – A Plea for Helping Parents," Dear Abby, photocopy, 1977 |
| Box 1 Folder 25 | Child abuse, "Child Abuse and Neglect Activities," United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, offprint, 1974 |
| Box 1 Folder 26 | Child abuse, "Child Abuse and Neglect, Research and Demonstration Grants Programs," United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, offprint, 1977 |
| Box 1 Folder 27 | Child abuse, "Child Abuse – Legal Perspectives," by Charles Levy, speech draft, 1977 |
| Box 1 Folder 28 | Child abuse, "For Many Foster Kids, Adoption Never Comes," by Peter Gorner, photocopy, 1975 |
| Box 1 Folder 29 | Child abuse, "Indian Child Welfare Act of 1976," Congressional Record, photocopy, 1976 |
| Box 1 Folder 30 | Child abuse, "Judge Lisa Richette says Victims of Child Abuse Should Not Be 'Throwaway Children'," photocopy, 1976 |
| Box 1 Folder 31 | Child abuse, "Legislative Approaches to Child Abuse – A Pragmatic Approach," by Brian G. Fraser, photocopy, 1974 |
| Box 1 Folder 32 | Child abuse, "Life Crisis as a Precursor to Child Abuse," by Blair Justice and David F. Duncan," photocopy, 1976 |
| Box 1 Folder 33 | Child abuse, "On Children," from The Prophet, photocopy, 1975 |
| Box 1 Folder 34 | Child abuse, "Professional Papers – Child Abuse and Neglect," compiled by National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse, photocopy, 1973-1974 |
| Box 1 Folder 35 | Child abuse, "Proposed Fiscal Year 1978 Child Abuse and Neglect Research and Demonstration Priorities," United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, offprint, 1978 |
| Box 1 Folder 36 | Child abuse, questions and answers on child abuse, newspaper clipping, 1975 |
| Box 1 Folder 37 | Child abuse, "Stunted Growth, Low Intelligence Linked to Habitual Child Abuse," by Brenda Stone, photocopy, 1975 |
| Box 1 Folder 38 | Child abuse, "Suffer the Little Children," photocopy, 1975 |
| Box 1 Folder 39 | Child behavior, "Growth – 45 Crucial Months," by Barbara Wyden, photocopy, 1971 |
| Box 1 Folder 40 | Child behavior, "I Won't! I Won't!" photocopy, no date |
| Box 1 Folder 41 | Child behavior, "In Praise of 'Invulnerables'," by Maya Pines, photocopy, 1973 |
| Box 2 Folder 1 | Child behavior, "Listen to Show if Your Child has a Serious Emotional Problem," draft, no date |
| Box 2 Folder 2 | Child behavior, "Suggestions for Observing Children," guidelines, no date |
| Box 2 Folder 3 | Child behavior, "When Your Child is Contrary," photocopy, 1972 |
| Box 2 Folder 4 | Child behavior, "Why Children Don't Eat and What to Do About It," photocopy, 1971 |
| Box 2 Folder 5 | Child behavior, "Your Children and Discipline," photocopy, 1971 |
| Box 2 Folder 6 | Child development, "Becoming a Child Development Associate – A Guide for Trainees," booklet by the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, 1975 |
| Box 2 Folder 7 | Child development, Day Care, number 8, "Serving Children with Special Needs," by the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, 1972 |
| Box 2 Folder 8 | Child development, "Developing Toilet Habits," brochure, 1972 |
| Box 2 Folder 9 | Child development, "Emotional and Mental Development of Pre-School Children," by Lorraine B. Wallach, questionnaire, 1975 |
| Box 2 Folder 10 | Child development, "How a Baby Grows," poster, no date |
| Box 2 Folder 11 | Child development, "How Children Grow," by the Clinical Research Advances in Human Growth and Development, 1972 |
| Box 2 Folder 12 | Child development, "Infant Care," booklet by the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, 1973 |
| Box 2 Folder 13 | Child development, "Main Dimensions of Normative Pre-adult Development," chart, no date |
| Box 2 Folder 14 | Child development, "Memorandum From Your Child," draft by International Adlerian Study Group, 1968 |
| Box 2 Folder 15 | Child development, "Nature Puts Brakes on Baby Growth," photocopies, 1978 |
| Box 2 Folder 16 | Child development, "Sequences in Human Development," draft, no date |
| Box 2 Folder 17 | Child development, "Solving Learning Disabilities was an Education (and a New Life) in Itself," by Donna Joy Newman, no date |
| Box 2 Folder 18 | Child development, "The Phenomena of Early Development," brochure, 1969 |
| Box 2 Folder 19 | Child development, "The Subsequent Child," by Carolyn Szybist, brochure, no date |
| Box 2 Folder 20 | Child development, "They Learn the Same Way All Around the World," by Dan I. Slobin, 1972 |
| Box 2 Folder 21 | Foster care, "Indian Family Defense," Number 6, photocopy, 1976 |
| Box 2 Folder 22 | Foster care, "Indian Family Defense," Number 7, photocopy, 1977 |
| Box 2 Folder 23 | Foster care, "Medical Review of Foster Children," draft of report, 1976 |
| Box 2 Folder 24 | Illness and care, "Kids and Coughs," "Children Learn What They Live," "Infant Care When Traveling," "Fever and Your Child," "When Baby is Ill…," "Baby's Eating and Sleeping Habits," information brochures, 1969-1972 |
Series III: Congressional Records |
Series III contains copies of congressional records. The majority of these records are related to legislation dealing with child health care during 1974. It is separated into records for the House of Representatives and the Senate, and then arranged chronologically.
| Box 2 Folder 25 | House of Representatives, Congressional Record, copy and photocopy, June 25, 1974 |
| Box 2 Folder 26 | House of Representatives, Congressional Record, copy, June 26, 1974 |
| Box 2 Folder 27 | House of Representatives, Congressional Record, copy, July 24, 1974 |
| Box 2 Folder 28 | House of Representatives, Congressional Record, copy, July 30, 1974 |
| Box 2 Folder 29 | House of Representatives, Congressional Record, copy, September 16, 1974 |
| Box 2 Folder 30 | House of Representatives, Congressional Record, copy, September 17, 1974 |
| Box 2 Folder 31 | Senate, Congressional Record, copy, June 24, 1974 |
| Box 2 Folder 32 | Senate, Congressional Record, copy and photocopy, June 25, 1974 |
| Box 2 Folder 33 | Senate, Congressional Record, copy, June 25, 1974 |
| Box 2 Folder 34 | Senate, Congressional Record, copy, July 30, 1974 |
| Box 2 Folder 35 | Senate, Congressional Record, copy, August 1, 1974 |
| Box 2 Folder 36 | Senate, Congressional Record, copy, August 22, 1974 |
| Box 2 Folder 37 | Senate, Congressional Record, copy, September 16, 1974 |
| Box 2 Folder 38 | Senate, Congressional Record, copy, September 17, 1974 |
| Box 2 Folder 39 | Senate, Congressional Record, copy, September 19, 1974 |
| Box 2 Folder 40 | Senate, Congressional Record, copy, September 23, 1974 |
Series IV: Personal |
Series IV contains personal materials related to Edith Johns, such as an interview from 1981 and obituary notices in the Chicago Tribune. It also contains photographs of Edith Johns, one of her in her nursing uniform, and one of her around 1999. This series is arranged alphabetically and chronologically.
| Box 2 Folder 41 | Interview with Edith Johns, "Chicago History," 1981 |
| Box 2 Folder 42 | Obituaries, funeral home fliers, 1999 |
| Box 2 Folder 43 | Obituaries, Chicago Tribune, photocopy, June 11, 1999 |
| Box 2 Folder 44 | Obituaries, Chicago Tribune, "Native American Advocate Edith Emerald Johns," photocopy, June 13, 1999 |
| Box 2 Folder 45 | Obituaries, "News From Indian Country ," The Independent Native Journal, "Edith Big Fire Johns, Respected Elder," July 1999 |
| Box 2 Folder 46 | Photographs, Edith Johns in nurse's uniform, Edith Johns circa 1999 |