Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Guide to the Frank C. Chalfant Language Laboratory Photographs
1910s
PC 48
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
- Creator
- Chalfant, Frank C.
- Title
- Frank C. Chalfant Language Laboratory Photographs
- ID
- PC 48
- Date [inclusive]
- 1910s
- Extent
- .25 Linear feet of shelf space, 1 box, 12 items
- Language
- Collection materials are in English.
- Abstract
- Twelve glass plate negative images of F.C. Chalfant's language laboratory at Washington State College in the 1910s.
Preferred Citation
[Item description] Frank C. Chalfant Language Laboratory Photographs, 1910s (PC 48)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
Biography/History
Frank C. Chalfant studied at France's University of Grenoble in the summer of 1909 and was exposed there to the use of phonographs in a laboratory setting for the study of foreign languages. In 1911, he installed a “language laboratory” at Washington State College, apparently the first in the United States. Students used dictaphones (phonograph recording machines) to playback their own attempts to speak foreign languages, and also listened as a class to recordings of foreign languages via a networked audio system.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of seven 6.5" x 8.5" glass plate negatives, and five 4"x5" glass plate negatives. Four photographic prints created by MASC from these are also included. The images depict Washington State College's language laboratory in the 1920s, and include use of dictaphones. Among the images are ones depicting faculty members Chalfant and Margarete Meinhardt.
Arrangement
Materials are retained in their original order.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections © 2016
http://www.libraries.wsu.edu/masc/
Terrell Library
P.O. Box 645610
Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA
509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Restrictions on Access
This collection is open and available for research use.
Processing Information
Items have been sleeved for protection.
Related Materials
Related Material
A few additional images of the language laboratory can be found in the WSU Photographs Subject File (PC 4), in the Laboratories / Broadcasting and Recording folders, and in the WSU Lantern Slides collection (PC 6).
Names and Subjects
Corporate Name(s)
Subject(s) :
- Washington State University.
- State College of Washington.
Personal Name(s)
Subject(s) :
- Chalfant, Frank C. -- Archives
Subject(s)
- Language laboratories -- Washington (State) -- Pullman.
- Colleges and Universities
- Washington (State)
- Photographs
- Language and Languages