Moulthrop Movable Langslow Fowler Desk
date: label: date made
content: 1905-1920
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: The last desk form to be developed during the Progressive Period in education was the moveable chair desk which was first created in 1905 by Samuel Parker Moulthrop (1848-1932). Moulthrop was a progressive educator who studied various learning environments as a teacher, a principal, and then a superintendent in Rochester, NY. Fascinated with the work of Maria Montessori, he introduced kindergarten classes and the use of manipulatives to the lower grades and mechanical drawing and choral clubs to older children. He worked with the immigrant community to promote English and Americanization through evening classes, and promoted an early version of scouting involving “knife work’ and wood carving along with nature walks to deter delinquency in young males. He later became very involved with scouting and the Playground league. Girls received sewing and cooking classes. He was passionate about the need for exercise and promoted calisthenics and swimming for mental as well as physical health and in this context, he recognized the need for an easily movable chair desk combination that could be used in a variety of seating arrangements to accommodate the classroom activities such as pageants, plays and marching promoting patriotism, as well as small group activities. By the turn of the century he had already submitted patents for a ventilated school wardrobe and an educational apparatus that seems similar to an easel with a scroll, like found in the Chautauqua desk. During this period he also began to design a new form of desk which he called a chair desk. It featured a scooped seat with a curved back support, a cut out handle on the back, a good sized drawer under the seat for school supplies and an attached moveable desk top that could be angled to take advantage of the light but also positioned for better posture and support in penmanship.
label: Description (Brief)
content: Samuel Moulthrop worked with a local company to produce and promote his desk. Langslow Fowler was a Rochester furniture company founded by carpenter Purdy Fowler, Henry A. Langslow, and Stratton C. Langslow. With a varied immigrant workforce, the company specialized in the manufacturing of chairs, particularly rockers, until Moulthrop came along with his design. By 1905, Langslow Fowler was producing these chair desks using the Moulthrop name. Samuel Moulthrop does not appear to have applied for a patent; however in 1912, Langslow Fowler applied for one which was granted in 1917.
label: Description (Brief)
content: Langslow Fowler promoted the desk at fairs and expositions. They also produced several extensive catalogs featuring the chair desk. The 1909 catalog touted the soundless ease of moving these desks within the classroom due to glides on the back legs and rubber tips on the front. By 1913, the chair desk was becoming the preferred new desk form for purchase because it was sturdy and self-contained, even though the older combination desk models were also in large supply. The chair desk was winning numerous national and international design awards: from being the preferred desk for preventing vision problems to obviating defective discipline.
label: Description (Brief)
content: Langslow Fowler developed modifications such as adding a side book rack. They also worked on providing greater adjustability on the desk top so by the time they applied for the patent they were promoting a couple of models of the “original Moulthrop style moveable chair desk.” They also provided an optional larger surface for drawing. In the 1920s the American Seating Company contracted with Langslow Fowler to sell the Moulthrop chair desk. Within 10 years they were manufacturing and selling them under the American seating name. In 1950, American seating applied for their own patent of a modified chair desk, one that has an open shelf below the seat instead of a more costly drawer.
label: Description
content: Samuel Moulthrop does not appear to have applied for a patent for the desk. However, in 1912, Langslow Fowler applied for one which was granted in 1917. Langslow Fowler promoted the desk at numerous fairs and expositions and produced several extensive catalogs featuring the chair desk. The 1909 catalog touted the soundless ease of moving these desks within the classroom due to glides on the back legs and rubber tips on the front. By 1913, the chair desk was becoming the preferred new desk form, particularly in urban schools because it was sturdy, self-contained, adjustable and easy to move about in the classroom, even though older combination desk models were also in large supply.
label: Description
content: The chair desk won national and international design awards for being the preferred desk for preventing vision problems and obviating defective discipline. Langslow Fowler developed modifications such as adding a side book rack. They also worked on providing greater adjustability on the desk top so by the time they applied for the patent, they were promoting a couple of models of the “original Moulthrop style moveable chair desk.” They also provided an optional larger surface for drawing. In the 1920s, the American Seating Company contracted with Langslow Fowler to sell the Moulthrop chair desk. Within 10 years, the desks were manufactured and sold under the American seating name. In 1950, American seating applied for their own patent of a modified chair desk, one that had an open shelf below the seat instead of a more costly drawer.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, Rochester
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Education
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: The Dr. Richard Lodish American School Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2014.3127.15
label: catalog number
content: 2014.3127.15
label: nonaccession number
content: 2014.3127
objectType: label: Object Name
content: desk
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (support legs material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 21 3/4 in x 18 in x 20 in; 55.245 cm x 45.72 cm x 50.8 cm
label: Measurements
content: desktop surface: 1/2 in x 18 in x 12 3/4 in; 1.27 cm x 45.72 cm x 32.385 cm
label: Measurements
content: drawer: 6 in x 11 1/2 in x 10 in; 15.24 cm x 29.21 cm x 25.4 cm