Inez Johnson Lewis Papers, 1899-1959, Ms 0231
Gift of E.K. Heath, 1974
Finding aid created 1985 by Judith K. Jordet
Biography
Inez Johnson Lewis was born in 1875, in Stone County, Missouri, the daughter of Mrs. Florence Adah Nelson Johnson and Att. John Mitchell Johnson. Her father was a graduate of West Point and served as a captain in the army during the Civil War. He moved to Colorado Springs, January 12, 1893, where he practiced law as an attorney for over twenty years. Her mother died while she was young and she raised her two younger sisters, Mary Elizabeth Johnson (Stubbs) and Phoebe Rossa Johnson (Mosher). Inez J. Lewis married Harry Lewis on Dec.26, 1910. They had no children. After his death in 1923, she maintained contact with his parents, Mrs. and Mr. Henry Lewis, his two sisters, Ada Evelyn Lewis and Marie Lewis, and his brother J. Frederick Lewis.
She attended Colorado College in 1914, graduated in 1928, and taught summer school at CC in 1929. She received an honorary Doctor of Law degree from Colorado College in 1937. In July/August 1929, Lewis was a delegate from Colorado to the World Federation of Education Association in Geneva, Switzerland. Inez Johnson Lewis later obtained a Masters in School Administration from Colombia University and an honorary doctor of Education degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Inez Johnson Lewis taught eight years in the city schools, Steele and Lowell. She became El Paso County Superintendent of Schools in 1915 and served seven consecutive terms. In 1928 she ran for State Superintendent of Public Instruction and, though defeated in 1928, she won the election in 1930 and remained State Superintendent until 1946.
During her terms as El Paso County Superintendent she inaugurated the system of Consolidated Schools which led to many improvements. The curriculum was expanded to include music and athletics. Also, transportation of children to and from school was developed, a county library system was begun, committees were appointed to investigate text books, a county health program was initiated and hot lunches became a part of the school day in 75% of the county schools. In recognition of her efforts in consolidating the schools, the Inez Johnson Lewis Consolidated School at Monument was named after her and opened in 1920.
While Inez Johnson Lewis held the position of State Superintendent of Public Instruction, she published, in 1936, an Elementary Course of Study for the state of Colorado that was rated by Colombia University as one of the three best in the entire United States. It was revised in 1942. She also developed a High School Course of Study and a course of Study in the Conservation of the Natural Resources of the State (See Lewis, Inez Johnson, Colorado. Department of Education. Colorado's Wealth: a bulletin on conservation of natural resources. Denver: 1941? 136p. illus. 23cm). She also wrote a Safety Course of Study for the Highschools. She initiated Adult Education, Nursery schools program, child care for working mothers, and the State wide library service was extended to rural areas through the use of "bookmobiles".
Between 1943-1945 education bills were introduced in the Colorado legislature such as teacher tenure law, statewide retirement plan for teachers and there was some increase in teacher's salaries.
Lewis served as president of the Colorado Education Association and of the National Council of Women in Administration. She served as vice president of the National Council of Chief State School Officers, composed of the State Superintendents of Public Instruction of various states. For several years she served as a member of the Colorado Child Welfare Board.
Lewis also served as vice-chairman of the school educational committee of the Colorado Congress of Parents and Teachers, Educational Chairman of the State Branch of American Association of University Women, and chairman of Public Instruction. She was a member of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Colonists and the Daughters of the American Revolution. She died in January of 1964.
Sources:
Gazette Telegraph, January 12, 1923. "Go Back 30 Years with H.S. Rogers".
National Society of the Daughters of American Colonists Application, National No. 1927. Inez Johnson Lewis, March 27, 1928.
Dr. Inez Johnson Lewis-Pioneer Woman Teacher, prepared by Rho Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, El Paso County, Colorado Springs, a contribution to the National Pioneer Woman Teachers Preoject, 1946.
Colorado and Its People: A Narrative and Topical History of the Centennial State, Vol. III, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., Inc. New York: 1948. pp.28-30.
Evergreen Cemetery,1001 S. Hancock, Colorado Springs, Colorado, buried Jan. 16, 1964, Lot 23, Blk. 57.
Inventory
BOX 1: Correspondence-Personal
Folder 1 T. J. Evans correspondence and poems
Foldera 2-13 Correspondence-Personal 1905-1959 and undated
Folder 14 Poems-undated
BOX 2: Correspondence-Professional
Folders 15-30 Correspondence-Professional 1915-1959
BOX 3 Campaign Materials/Correspondence
Folder 31 Campaign Material Undated 57 items
Folder 32 Campaign Material 1928-1946 51 items
Folder 33 Campaign Material 1930 41 items
Folder 34 Campaign Correspondence 1915-1927 5 items Folder 35 Campaign Correspondence 1928 Jan-Aug. 23 items
Folder 36 Campaign Correspondence 1928 Sept. 37 items
Folder 37 Campaign Correspondence 1928 Oct-Nov. 54 items Folder 38 Post Campaign Correspondence 1928 Nov-Dec. 30 items Folder 39-A Campaign Correspondence 1930 77 items
Folder 39-B Campaign Correspondence 1930 29 items
Folder 40 Campaign Correspondence-Congratulations
1930 A 151 items Folder 41 Campaign Correspondence-Congratulations
1930 B 143 items Folder 42 Telegrams 1930 19 items
BOX 4
Folders 43-53 Campaign Correspondence 1932-1939
BOX 5
Folders 54-64 Campaign Correspondence 1940-1946
BOX 6 Speeches, Addresses, Reports, and Articles
Folder 65 SPEECHES 1931-1933
Radio Talk "Proposed State Rural School Choir" 04/13/1931 American Education Week 09/17/1931
Colorado Education Association 10/29-31/1931
Radio Message KOA "Scientific Order and the Social Economic World" 11/18/1931 Mr. Chairman and Fellow Educators 12/04/1931
I Believe in the Colorado Education
Association 01/--/1932
Radio Message "Leisure: gift of the machine age" 01/06/1932 Safeguarding Our Rural Schools 06/28/1932
Colorado in the Education World 11/28/1932
American Education Week 1933
Commencement at Western State College 06/03/1933
The Schools and the Public 12/--/1933
Folder 66 SPEECHES 1934-1936
Adult Education Program in Colorado 05/--/1934
Education in a New Day: Commencement Adams State Teachers College 08/22/1934
Talk over KLZ "Better Housing" 11/01/1934
American Education Week 11/05/1934
National Education Week 11/05/1934
Zontians 04/11/1935
Unemployed Youth-A Challenge 06/29/1935
Reading for Rural People 06/29/1935
President and Teachers of the Nation 07/01/1935
Adult Education 07/--/1935
School-Agent of Society 11/--/1935
Radio KOA "Education: Solution to All Life's Questions" 1936
Adult Education in Colorado 03/30/1936
Logan County Teachers Association 10/03/1936
Folder 67 SPEECHES 1937-1939
Commencement Exercises of Denver University 08/20/1937
Deficiencies in the Curriculum 11/19/1937
Radio Address KVOR Safety Education" 06/07/1937
Safety Outline 12/07/1937
Civic Garden Club 05/18/1938
Greetings to Colorado Education Association 10/--/1938
Tribute to Mary C.C. Bradford (New York, National Education Association) 10/--/1938
Radio Address: Home Garden Club of Denver "Conservation" 02/22/1939
Folder 68 SPEECHES 1940-1952
Written for Mr. Robert Allingham (Denver) 02/07/1941
Woman's Club of Denver-KVOD "Education Law during depression and war" 05/13/1942
Radio Address KLZ "They Also Serve" 05/20/1942
Interview with Mrs. Lewis, "What the schools of Colorado are doing in the War Savings Program” undated
Address by Mrs. Emma Guffey Miller at Convention of General Federation of Women's Clubs 04/12/1944
Woman's Club of Denver "The Woman's Idea" 02/14/1945
Radio Talk-Victory Loan Drive 10/30/1945
Political Talk of Mrs. Inez Johnson Lewis 1946
Adult Education in Colorado 10/14/1946
Administration of Schools (untitled) 10/23/1946 KLZ speech "The Question of a School Board" 10/31/1946
Colorado Education Association 12/09/1949
Lecture "Do We Need a Code of Ethics?" 11/27/195-
Folder 69 SPEECHES UNDATED
Folder 70 ADDRESSES BY MRS. LEWIS (1931-1938) 29 items
To the Teachers of Colorado 02/18/1931
Radio Talk-KOA 04/13/1931
The Need of a Background in Business Education 06/24/1931
Colorado Education Association 10/29/1931
Radio Message over KOA 11/18/1931
American Education Week 11/--/1931
Radio Message over KOA 01/06/1932
For Colorado School Journal 01/--/1932
Safeguarding Our Rural Schools 06/--/1932
Radio Talk on KOA 11/--/1932
Colorado in the Education World 11/--/1932
Commencement at Western State College 06/03/1933
American Education Week 11/--/1933
The Schools and the Public 11/--/1933
Unemployed Youth-A Challenge 06/--/1935
Some Bits of Musical History of Rural Colorado 06/06/1936
Home Making in Colorado 08/13/1936
To the School Directors of Colorado 09/22/1936
For the Parent Teacher Magazine on American
Education Week 10/14/1936
Letter from Mrs. Anna H. Day and Answer March/April 1937
Address given over KVOR Colorado Springs 06/07/1937
Law and the Schools 11/17/1937
Deficiencies in the Curriculum 11/19/1937
Address to Colorado Woman's College 12/09/1937
Greetings to Colorado Education Association 10/27-29/1938
Folder 71 REPORTS (1921-1945)
Reorganizing Rural Communities in Weld County 01/--/1921
Test Bill 1934?
Report (incomplete) 09/--/1936
Legislative-Submitted to Education Committee 04/19/1937
Safety Outline 12/07/1937
Works Progress Administration and State
Department of Education 1937?
Things to Be Done 1938
Colorado Schools at the Crossroads 1940
Suggested Study-Arapahoe County as example 1940?
Article 9, Section 2, Constitution of the State of Colorado 1940?
Evidence of Growth of High School Education in Colorado 1940?
Financing Schools of State 1940?
Statistical Observation 1942
Colorado's Rank Among the States of the Union 1942 State Library 1942
Your State Department of Education Has Grown 1944
To the School Administrators of Colorado 1940-1945
Colorado's Rank with Other States 1945
Education Week 1940-
Transportation Problems in Colorado 1945
Proposed Plan for Organization of a State Council on Education for Colorado 06/07/1946
Adult Education in Colorado 09/20/1946
Surplus Property 1946
Democracy-HOPE of the World 1946?
Folder 72 UNDATED REPORTS
Districts
Education Week
Plan for Increasing the Efficiency of Safety
Education in the Schools of Colorado
Question on Schools
Rhetorical Questions for discussion
Letter to Editor "Students View on Centralization"
Transportation (incomplete)
Retirement System (incomplete)
Other reports (incomplete)
Folder 73 ARTICLES 1927-1939
Journal of Education, "The Teacher Problem
of the Rural Schools 05/02/1927
"Clean Room, Clean Mind, Clean Heart" 1927
Evening Gazette, "Consolidated Schools
Big Factor in Country Life 03/06/1927
To Teachers of Colorado 02/18/1931
Need of a Background in a Business Education 06/25/1931
Schools and the Public 11/2-4/1933
American Education Week (incomplete) 10/11/1934
Article for Labor Advocate-Adult Education 04/09/1935
American Education Week-sent to Colorado
Education Association for
Nov. Journal 10/15/1935
For Colorado Education Journal
"New Course of Study" 03/10/1936
Some Bits of Musical History of Rural Colorado 06/06/1936
Law and the Schools 11/17/1937
Things to Be Done 1938
Folder 74 ARTICLES 1940-1952
Report of the Legislative Chairman
Delta Kappa Gamma Society 05/11/1940
Motion Pictures as an Educational Force 09/17/1940
To Colorado Association of School Boards 1943?
Teacher Shortage in Colorado 05/20/1943
Comments on Colorado's New School Laws 07/14/1943
Denver Post Reporter-State Financing 11/28/1944
Problems of Consolidation of School Districts
In Colorado 11/06/1945
Rocky Mountain News, "It's the State's Job" 11/28/1945
Public Education of the People-For the People-
By the People 01/--/1951
"A Man About Town" (a Column, several articles) 1952
Folder 75 ARTICLES-UNDATED
Adult Education in Colorado
The Beginning of the Conservation Movement in America
American Education Week
Campaign Issues
Growth of the State's Sense of Obligation to Childhood
Spirit of the West
Chapter II - Growth of Schools in the Early Days
Reorganization of State Department
Delinquency and Its Causes
In Education Lies the HOPE of Social Progress and
Economic Security
Should the Business Education Department Insist
Upon Incorporating Consumer Education into its
Curriculum?
Colorado Schools at the Crossroads
Adult Education Program in Colorado
Notes: State Board Of Education.
To the School Directors of Colorado
Where Do We Go From Here? (incomplete)
Other articles incomplete
Folder 76 ARMED SERVICES RECOMMENDATIONS
Folder 77 AVIATION EDUCATION-WWII Correspondence
Folder 78 AVIATION EDUCATION-WWII Material
BOX 7
Notebook 1 TWO RINGED NOTEBOOK "Education 204V/304V"
Points of View of Life and Education
How viewpoints affect us
Current Educational Issues
Class suggestions for Study in this Course
Our World: Its mingled uniformity and uncertainty
Preferences and Precariousness
Philosophy of Education Examination Spring 1929-1930
Meaning: Its basis and function
Meaning: Conscious action, thinking, habit
Thinking and unpredictability in life
Responsibility in action
The Self: Its definition and up-building
The life good to live
Education as the progressive remaking of experience
Bibliography on Moral Education
What about naming subject matter in advance?
Educational objectives
Rest of notebook are notes from classes on these topics:
Moral Education
Philosophy-Rusk
Modern Educational Theories-Bode
Reconstruction in Philosophy-Dewey
Examination-Philosophy of Education
Public School Publicity-Mr. Miller
State Organization of Schools-Dr. Cubberley
Consolidated Schools-Miss Carney
Curriculum of Rural Schools
Advanced Reading
Grouping as Organizing
New Schools for Old
Rural Education-Dr. Bruner
The Rural Family
Rural Health
Folder 79 LOOSE PAPERS FROM TWO RING NOTEBOOK
Notebook 2 THREE RINGED NOTEBOOK
Retirement plan of Virginia
Dr. Elsburr-Health
Dr. Alexander-Taxes
H.C.McKown-Extra Curricular Activities
Dr. Strayer
Dr. Mort (March 18, 1930)
Dr. Tidwall
Dr. Euglehardt
Folder 80 LOOSE PAPERS FROM THREE RINGED NOTEBOOK
Two scratch pads
Columbia Report-March 1953
Educational Administration
News clippings
Score Card for High School buildings
Folder 81 WOMEN
"These Great Women Have Crossed My Path"
Eleanor Roosevelt
Dorothy Canfield Fischer
Judge Florence Allen
Mary Beard
Katherine Lee Bates
Harriet Polders
News article on Emily Griffith
Tribute to Women Senator Hattie W. Caraway
(Congressional Record)
Radio Program: "The Woman's Idea"
Notes on Women
The Future of Eleanor Roosevelt (1939)
How Women Have Achieved as Citizens
(Journal of American Association
of University Women Volume 33, Jan.1940,
No.2 Dorothy Kenyon)
The Democratic Digest Oct. 1943
Newspaper articles
"Genius Wears the Pants"
"Ruth Millet"
Mrs. Walter Ferguson-column
My Day: Eleanor Roosevelt
(others)
Folder 82 COLORADO COLLEGE
Folder 83 REPORT OF THE CITIZENSHIP COMMITTEE 1926-1927
Folder 84 BIENNIAL REPORTS (dated)
Folder 85 BIENNIAL REPORTS (undated)
BOX 8
Folder 86 PUBLICATIONS
Course of Study in Safety 1936
Dr. Inez Johnson Lewis 1946
Colorado and Its People (excerpts) 1948
The Pen Woman Oct.1944
(others)
Folder 87 KELLOGG FOUNDATION-Health Education Units 1943-1945
Report of the Community Health Education Project
Survey Approach to the construction of a Health
Education program for secondary schools
The Crippled Child Bulletin Aug. 1945, 72pgs.
The Crippled Child Bulletin Sept. 1945
Mental Health and Social Adjustment
Tentative Units of work for use in the School-
Community Health Education Program. units I-VII
Bibliography in Health Education
Folder 88 KELLOGG FOUNDATION-Health Education Units 1946
Bibliography in Health Education
Report of the Community Health Education Project, 1946
Report from Public Health Education Committee
Correspondence (6 letters)
Folder 89 KELLOGG FOUNDATION-Health Education-Organization 1944
Folder 90 KELLOGG FOUNDATION-Health Education-Organization 1945
Folder 91 KELLOGG FOUNDATION-Health Education-Organization 1946
Folder 92 KELLOGG FOUNDATION-Payroll and Expense Account 1944
Folder 93 KELLOGG FOUNDATION-Payroll and Expense Account 1945
Folder 94 KELLOGG FOUNDATION-Payroll and Expense Account 1946
BOX 9
Scrapbook 1 Family Scrapbook 1899-1925
Folder 95 Loose papers 14 items
Folder 96 Loose news clippings
BOX 10 Scrapbooks with folders of loose papers
Scrapbook 2 Red Tied Scrapbook 1925-1957
Folder 97 loose papers 1925-1957 (inventory note in file)
Folder 98 1926-1932 loose papers from a scrapbook (RED) 3 items
Folder 99 1928-1930 loose papers from a scrapbook (BLUE) 14 items
Folder 100 1928-1930 loose news clippings from (BLUE) 20 items
Scrapbook 3 Black Tied Ideal Scrapbook #1 1928-1931
Folder 101 1928-1931 loose papers (Inventory in file) 33 items
Folder 102 1929-1956 photocopied scrapbook (papers) 14 items
Folder 103 1929-1956 (news clippings) inventory in file 30 items
Scrapbook 4 Black Tied Ideal #2 (ordered by geography)1930-1932
Folder 104 1930-1932 loose papers (inventory in file) 8 items
BOX 11
Scrapbook 5 Scraps 1930-1944
Folder 105 1930-1944 loose papers (inventory in file) 27 items
Folder 106 1930-1944 news clippings 77 items
Scrapbook 6 Western Federation Education Association 1931
Scrapbook 7 Dotted Scrapbook 1931-1932
Folder 107 1931-1932 loose papers (inventory note in file) 11 items
Folder 108 1932-1933 loose papers from a scrapbook (BROWN) 11 items
(Notes of speeches)
Scrapbook 8 Burgundy Scrapbook 1933-1947
Folder 109 1933-1947 loose papers 21 items
Folder 110 1933-1947 news clippings (inventory in file) 30 items
Folder 111 1934 photocopied scrapbook 22 items
BOX 12
Scrapbook 9 "Scissors" Scrapbook 1934-1938
Folder 112 1934-1938 loose papers (inventory note in file) 3 items
Folder 113 1936-1947 loose papers (from notebook) (inventory in file) 6 items
Scrapbook 10 Black pinch book (ordered by subject) 1937-1952
(subjects found in Black pinch book: Women, Education, Politics and Economics, Law,
Safety, Miscellaneous)
Folder 114 1937-1952 loose papers found in Black pinch book 15 items
Folder 115 1951-1952 found in manila envelope 21 items
BOX 13
Folder 116 PHOTOGRAPHS 14 items
Folder 117 PHOTOGRAPHS OF Inez Johnson Lewis 6 items
Folder 118 FINANCIAL 1915-1946 44 items
Folder 119 FINANCIAL 1947-1959 41 items
Folder 120 FINANCIAL Tax Returns 1940-194735 35 items
Folder 121 DAUGHTERS OF AMERICAN COLONISTS-Correspondence 14 items
Folder 122 APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP Daughters of American Colonists (inventory in file) (one inch thick)
Folder 123 AWARDS, CERTIFICATES, and CITATIONS 25 items
Folder 124 LARGE PHOTOGRAPH
BOX 14
FOLDER 125 OVERSIZE PHOTOGRAPHS AND AWARDS 9 items
Inez Johnson Lewis newspaper articles in the Colorado Springs Gazette:
1910 Oct.19, Wed. page 8 "One Good Term Deserves Another"
Nov. 4, "Miss Johnson has Worthy Record"
1914 Oct.18, Open Parliament (letter to the editor) "The County Superintendency"
Oct.24, Open Parliament (letter to the editor) "Commends Mrs. Lewis"
Oct.28, Wed. "Vote it Straight"
Oct.29, "The Country Schools"
Nov. 8, Page 14 "Woman Polls More Votes than Any Other"
1916 Oct. 28, Sat. page 4 "Mrs. Lewis for Superintendent" "Mrs. Lewis Foremost in Nation in County School Work - Dr. Winship"
Nov.10, Fri. page 8 "Surprises in the County"
1918 Nov.14, Thurs. "Announce Official Count on Election"
1920 Oct. 29,30, (advertisement) "Mothers and Fathers of Colorado Springs"
Oct.30, (advertisement) "An Appeal for Fair Play"
Nov.12, "Mrs. Lewis is Winner by 74"
1922 April 23, Sun. page 16 (photo) "Music Festival Will Bring 1,000's of Children to Stratton Park on Friday"
Sept.15, Fri. "School Heads to Meet with County Chief"
1922 Oct.22, Sun. (two advertisements, photo) "Vote for Mrs. Inez Johnson Lewis"
Oct.29, Sun. (two advertisements, photo) "Mrs. Lewis Always Has Carried the Rural Vote"
Oct.29, Sun. (front page) "Name Mrs. Lewis State Chairman Child Welfare"
Nov.17, Fri. "Sheafor's Own County Gave Him Handsome Endorsement"
1924 Nov.11, "Official Count Completed; No Big Changes Are Shown"
1929 Jan. 6, Mrs. Lewis Retires
Jan. 8, Number of votes lost
1930 Nov. 16, "Poorly prepared teachers..."
1931-1932 Mrs. Lewis wrote column for Gazette, "Know Your Local School"
maintained by Special Collections; last revised, 8-2026, jr.