History Search Packet. Park Forest Public Library.

 

    The aim of this project is to generate interest and ideas among students in local schools concerning the history of their own Park Forest community. With their needs and suggestions in mind, the Park Forest Public Library hopes to provide resources and guidance for the study of Park Forest, its history, its sense of community, its institutions, its future prospects and its connections with the world beyond it.

 

An Outline. Each unit suggests a theme, a problem set, an historical decade and a concept. Searchers are invited to concentrate on any of these items or a combination of them.

 

1. The Foundations of Community.

    Building a city after a war: non-partisanship, home-rule and village-developer relations.

    The 1940s.

    Utopia.

 

2. The Community of Learning.

    Establishing schools and community services.

    The 1950s.

    Cognition.

 

3. The Community of Protest.

    Civil Rights, Youth and Liberation movements.

    The 1960s.

    Rebellion.

 

4. The Creative Community.   

    Actors, Artists and Writers.

    The 1970s.

    Creativity.

 

5. The Community of Diversity.

    Issues of integration and housing and techniques of negotiation.

    The 1980s.

    Identity.

 

6. The Future of Community.

    Dreams, prophecies, prediction and goal-setting; ecology and regional planning.

    The 1990s.

    History.

 

Suggestions for method of search. To begin your history search project, consider these seven steps:

 

1.     Origins and authors. What prompted your interest in the subject? Do you wish to pursue your own search, or would you like others to join you? Consider others you would like to work with and invite their participation.

2.     Statement of purpose. What would you like to find out about your subject? Write out some goals of your search, keeping in mind both process and product. If others are working with you, encourage everyone to participate in brainstorming, creative listening, gatekeeping, consensus-building.

3.     Sources. List a bibliography and people to interview and places to visit.

4.     Methodology. Consider how you want to proceed. How will you overcome any preconceptions you might have of the subject to reach objectivity? What process might best achieve your goals in the study?

5.     Product. What kind of a product do you anticipate: written? oral? visual? How will it be illustrated: anecdotes? maps? diagrams? photographs?

6.     Audience. Whom do you want to interest in your product? How will you present it, offer it, write it up, stage it, broadcast it, show it, publish it?

7.     Evaluation. Write an evaluation of both process and product. What did you learn about your subject? About yourself as an investigator? About techniques of investigation? What advice would you offer some one bent on a similar search? Devise and administer an evaluation instrument to get audience responses.

 

 

Bibliography

 

Books

1.     American Community Builders Scrapbook, containing history of Park Forest�s early           years. 3 volumes. R977.31 Ame

2.     Miles L. Berger, They Built Chicago: Entrepreneurs Who Shaped a Great City�s Architecture. Chapter on �New Towns: Philip M. Klutznick�. Bonus Books. Chicago. 1992. 720.9773 Ber

3.     Brian J. L. Berry, The Open Housing Question: Race and Housing in Chicago, 1966-1976. Harper and Row. Cambridge. 1979. 301.54 B.

4.     Alan Ehrenhalt, The Lost City: Discovering the Forgotten Virtues of Community in the Chicago of the 1950�s. Chapter 10, �The Joiners�. Basic Books. New York. 1995. 977.31 Her.

5.     Herbert J. Gans, The Levittowners: Ways of Life and Politics in a New Suburban Community. Pantheon Books. New York. 1967. 301.364 G.

6.     Herbert J. Gans, People and Plans: Essays on Urban Problems and Solutions. Basic Books. New York. 1968. 301.364 G.

7.     Art Hodes with Chadwick Hansen, Hot Man: The Life of Art Hodes. University of Illinois. Urbana. 1992. 786.2165 Hod.

8.     Philip M. Klutznick with Sidney Hyman, Angles of Vision: A Memoir of My Lives. Ivan R. Dee. 1991. 973.04924 Klu.

9.     Philip M. Klutznick, Viable New Communities Inside and Outside the Old City. University of Chicago Center for Urban Studies. 18 April 1967. 307.76 Klu.

10. Melvin J. Lasky, Utopia and Revolution: On the Origin of a Metaphor, or Some Illustrations of the Problem of Political Temperament and Intellectual Climate and How Ideas, Ideals and Ideologies Have Been Historically Related. University of Chicago. Chicago. 1976. 321.07 Las.

11. Paul Leinberger and Bruce Tucker, The New Individualists: the Generation after the Organization Man. Harper Collins. 1991. 306.0973 Lei.

12. Larry A. McClellan, Local History South of Chicago: a Guide for Research in the Southern Suburbs. A Project of Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission and Governors State University. Summer 1987. 977.31 McC.

13. Lewis Mumford, The City in History: its Origins, its Tranformations, and its Prospects. Harcourt, Brace and World. New York. 1961. Chapter 16. 301.3 Mum.

14. Glenn Negley et al, The Quest for Utopia: an Anthology of Imaginary Societies. Schuman. 1952. New York. 321.07 N.

15. Dudley Onderdonk, Donald DeMarco, Kathy Cardona, Integration in Housing: a Plan for Racial Diversity. June 1977. 301.54 I.

16. One Day in Park Forest Write-In. Park Forest Historical Society. 23 May 1991. 2 volumes.

17. Richard Severo and Lewis Milford, The Wages of War: When America�s Soldiers Came Home: from Valley Forge to Vietnam. Simon and Schuster, New York, 1989. 355.115 Sev.

18. Chip Shields, Oh, Park Forest: Oral History of Park Forest: an Interpretation. 1981.  977.31 Shi.

19. Helene V. Smookler, Economic Integration in New Communities: an Evaluation of Factors Affecting Policies and Implementation. Lippincott. Cambridge, Massachusetts. 1976. 301.363 S.

20. Carroll F. Sweet, Jr., �Park Forest: the Early Years, 1945-1955�. (Book 4 of  As I Recall: Autobiography of Carroll F. Sweet, Jr.). R977.311 Swe. Also 977.311 Swe, plus copies for sale.

21. William H. Whyte, The Organization Man. Simon and Schuster. 1956. 301.15 Why.

 

Articles

1. �City to Order�, Harry Henderson and Sam Shaw. Colliers, 14 Feb 1948.

2.     �Move to Incorporate Park Forest�, Chicago Heights Star, 30 Nov 1948.

3.     �The New Town of Park Forest�, Architectural Record, 1 May 1951.

4.     �Park Forest Grows into a City of 16,000�, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jun 1952

5.     �He Owns a Town�, Newsweek, 25 May 1953

6.     �The Future, Care of Park Forest�, William H. Whyte, Jr. Fortune, Jun 1953.

7.     �The Outgoing Life�, William H. Whyte, Jr. Fortune, Jul 1953.

8.     �How the New Suburbia Socializes�, William H. Whyte, Jr. Fortune, Aug 1953.

9.     �Meet Park Forest: Miracle Community�, Chicago American. 7 Aug 1953.

10. �The Mass Produced Suburbs�, Harry Henderson, Harper�s, November 1953.

11. �All American City�, Look, 9 Feb 1954.

12. �Park Forest Story�, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 1958.

13. �A City Is Born: Tenth Anniversary�, Park Forest Star, 15 Aug 1958.

14. �Thumbnail History�, Park Forest Star, 4 Aug 1959.

15. �Integration Comes to Park Forest�, Chicago Sun-Times, 9 Jan 1960.

16. �Planning Brotherhood�, Time, 18 Jan 1960.

17. �Planning and Social Life: Friendship and Neighbor Relations in Suburban Communities�, H. J. Gans. Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 1961.

18. �Park Forest: Town in the Gray Flannel Suit�, Chicago American, 23 Feb 1967.

19. �The Two Societies�, Lois Wille, �The Suburb that Turned Its Back�, McCall�s, July 1968.

20. �Park Forest Comes of Age�, Park Forest Star, 9 Nov 1969.

21. �The New Town of Park Forest�, Architectural Record, May 1971.

22. �Park Forest: 25 Years�, Park Forest Star, 28 Apr 1974.

23. �Twice an All-American City�, Park Forest Star, 2 Jun 1977.

24. �Park Forest: Spirit of an Uncommon Suburb�, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug 1978.

25. �Managed Integration�, Arthur Hayes, Black Enterprise, July 1982.

26. �Park Forest at 35�, Ronald Bean. Illinois Magazine. Jan/Feb 1984.

27. �The Organization Man Revisited�, Paul Leinberger with a rejoinder by William H. Whyte. New York Times Magazine, Part 2. 7 Dec 1986.

28. �Racial Shift in Suburbs�, Alex Rodriguez and Jon Schmid, Chicago Sun-Times, 7, 10 February 1997.

29. �Remaking a Failed Mall into Main Street�, Jill Schacher Chanen, New York Times, Real Estate section, page 31, 21 December 1997.

30. �Older Suburbs Are Facing a Survival Squeeze�, Carol Jouzaitis, The Nation, page 6A, 22 December 1997.

31. �A Guest Commentary,�  Judge Anthony Scariano, Park Forest Star, page A9 and     

      A11, 1 July 1999.

32. �Klutznick Left His Mark Here,�  Abdon M. Pallasch, Chicago Sun-Times, Metro

       Section, page 18, 16 August 1999.

33. �Pioneer Blazed Suburban Trails,� Andrew Hermann, Chicago Sun-Times,

      Commentary, page 45, 18 August 1999.

 

Periodicals

 

Park Forest Reporter, 21 January 1949 - August 1976 (microfilm).

Park Forest Star, 1976 - current (microfilm; issues prior to 1976 are filed in microfilm in the Chicago Heights Public Library).

Rich East Reveiller, 22 September 1967 - 21 October 1977

 

 

Oral History Tapes and Transcriptions. *Asterisks indicate transcriptions of the oral interviews are available bound:                    

                                                                     37. Anna Leweling

1.     *Aqua Center                                             38. Henry F. Leweling    

2.     Barbara Folb Amster                                  39. Thomas McDade

3.     Ivan Baker                                                 40. Josephine A. Maeyama

4.     Ellen Barthoff                                              41. James E. Marzuki

5.     Julius Barthoff                                             42. D. Stanley Moore

6.     *Richard Bennett                                        43. Philip Mundt

7.     David Berger                                              44. Blaine (Bud) Osterling

8.     *Etel Billig                                      45. James Patterson

9.     *Lynn G. Brenne                                        46. Char Priest

10. Harold Brown                                            47. *Alice Racher

11. Linus Carroll                                               48. Jack Rashkin

12. Larry W. Clark                                           49. *Georgiana Raygor

13. *Elmer Coogan                                          50. Joan L. Retzlaff

14. *Maureen Cribbs                                       51. *Leona Ringering

15. *Bernard G. Cunningham                            52. Yvonne Robinson

16. *Leona DeLue                                           53. Edward P. Sainsbury

17. *Ross DeLue                                             54. James D. Saul

18. Robert Dettbarn                                         55. Anthony Scariano, Sr.

19. *Henry X. Dietch                                       56. Jacob Schlenker

20. *Robert A. Dinerstein                                 57. Florence McCoy Schumacher

21. *Gerson Engelmann                                    58. Roy C. Schumacher

22. John J. Flaherty                                          59. Connor B. Shaw

23. H. Laurance Fuller                          60. Betty Showalter

24. Elaine Garretson                                         61. William Simpson

25. *James L. Garretson                                   62. Mayer Singerman

26. Adele and Alvin Glassner                            63. Eleanor Sloane

27. Harriet Marcus Gross                                 64. Lucille (Sue) Sonduck

28. William Hamby                                           65. Jack Star

29. Dewey Helmick                                          66. *Carroll F. Sweet

30. Doris Hill                                                    67. *Clarissa Stanis Sylvester

31. *Art Hodes                                                68. *Robert Tweedell

32. Harriet Kaage                                             69. Edward L. Waterman

33. Minard Klein                                              70. Shirlee Wheeler

34. *Philip M. Klutznick                                   71. *Harold Yost

35. Jerry Knight

36. Alberta Kunde                                           

 

Videocassettes (V) and Audiocassettes (A)

V All-America City. Presentation of the All-America City award to Park Forest. 917.731

A All-America City Presentation in Williamsburg, Virginia. 917.731 All

V American Community Builders: Interview of Philip Klutznick. 977.3 Hot

A Analysis in Wonderland: a musical review about life in Park Forest, by Jerry Myrow. 782.81 Myr

A City Planning: an address of Emanuel Berk. 917.731 Ber

V Clubs and Service Organizations: early history: a panel discussion. 977.3 Ser

V Community Arts Council: program by and about artists and musicians. 700 Com

V Henry Dietch interviewed by Leo Goodman-Malamuth on Park Forest history. 977.3 GSU

V Robert Dinerstein interviewed on integration in Park Forest 977.3 Rob

V Past Presidents of Park Forest Interviewed; panel discussion. 977.3 Par

V Religious Leaders of Park Forest: panel discussion on the religious history of Park Forest. 977.3 His

A Follow-up to William H. Whyte�s address to Park Forest. 917.731 F

V Forty Years of Fire Safety: history of Park Forest Fire Department. 977.3 For

V Philip Klutznick interviewed by Leo Goodman-Malamuth. 977.3 Gov

V Was Park Forest the Hotbed of Higher Education? Panel discussion on the proposed Park Forest College and Governors State University: John Malone, Jerry Knight, Leo Goodman-Malamuth. 977.3 Was

V Human Relations and Integration 1950�s to 1960�s in Park Forest. 977.3 Hum

V Revitalization of the Park Forest Plaza. 977.3 Lea

V Beautification Efforts in Park Forest. 977.3 Par

V Junior Canteen at Illinois School. 790 J

V Philip Klutznick�s Induction into the Park Forest Historical Hall of Fame. 977.3 Phi

V Philip Klutznick�s Speech after his Induction (supra). 977.31 Phi

V Women�s Organizations in Park Forest. 977.3 Wom

A Media Memories: history of newspaper and radio reporting in Park Forest. 977.3 Par

V A Night of Remembering: on the origins of Park Forest Schools. 977.3 Par

V Oh! Park Forest: a Work in Progress. 977.3 O

A Park Forest: 20 Years After, by William H. Whyte. 917.731 Why

V Park Forest On Stage: Park Forest and theater. 977.3 Par

V Park Forest Public Library 30th Anniversary. 977.3 Par

V Lively Arts Festival. 700 Par

V Second Generation Park Foresters. 977.31 Par