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From Sharon Dolan, Archivist for the St. Louis Public Schools:
The St. Louis Public Schools Records Center/Archives provides student
record search services for genealogy purposes. We hold the student
records on microfilm FOR PERSONS BORN PRIOR TO 1930. For anyone born
1930 or later, contact our Student Record Room directly at 801 N. 11th,
St. Louis, MO 63101, 314-231-3720 to obtain information on their
procedures.
Our procedure is to have the requestor complete a form, providing as
much information as possible about the person being searched. The fee is
$10.00 PER SEARCH. Due to the family Education Rights & Privacy Act
(FERPA), researchers cannot search through the records themselves and we
require a death certificate or other valid proof of death for deceased
individuals born after 1895. We perform the search and mail the record
to the requestor. If the individual being searched is still living,
he/she must request his/her own record. Both my office and the Student Record Room operating with a fraction of the staff we used to have, so I need 15 working days to get these requests completed, and the Record Room doesn’t promise anything close to that. Their main function is to provide transcripts for persons seeking proof of age, college entrance, employment, etc. Payment by cash or money order - no personal checks.
Records on persons born between 1900 and 1919 are in alpha order and
relatively complete; thus, we are usually successful in locating them.
Records on individuals born prior to 1900 are filed BY SCHOOL and are
incomplete at best; in some cases, they are missing altogether. The
earliest student records I have are from the 1860's. Searchers should
understand that when they request a record on persons born prior to
1900, we are less likely to be successful. This is not to discourage
people from inquiring, but to caution them against getting their hopes
too high and wasting their money. It helps to know the name of the
school the person attended.
Searchers can expect to receive a microfilm copy of a student record
card for elementary students. The card contains name, DOB, address(es),
school(s) attended, name and occupation of parent/guardian, and
attendance dates. No academic data are on the records. The high school
records (a separate search) have the same information, and sometimes
have academic data too.
Interested genealogists can contact me for the necessary form(s) via my
new email address, Sharon.Dolan@slps.org or by calling 314-645-2648,
or by writing me at St. Louis Public Schools Records Center/Archives,
1615 Hampton Ave., St. Louis, MO 63139. FORMS WILL BE SENT TO
REQUESTORS BY U.S. MAIL. Again, we are a small staff trying to perform
many services, and regret that we cannot perform on-the-spot searches.
We also provide tours of the Archives Museum by appointment for groups
of up to 20 people. Interested persons should call me to set this up. We
exhibit photographs, vintage school furniture, memorabilia, etc.
Other services are outlined in a handout we can provide upon request. We
can mail or fax it to anyone interested in receiving it.
Sharon A. Dolan
Records Center Supv./Archivist
St. Louis Public Schools
1615 Hampton Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63139
314-645-2648, x 118
Fax 314-781-3378
sharon.dolan@slps.org