Tripod collection

The Tripod Collection contains materials from 1971 through 2006 with the bulk of the materials dated between 1982 and 2005.

Materials include correspondence, financial papers, legal papers, organizational documents, notes and speeches, clippings, printed materials, photographic material, drawings, a scrapbook, moving images, ephemera, digital media, and audio.

The Tripod Collection has been arranged into thirteen series, seven of which have been divided into subseries. This collection is housed in 87 archival document boxes, 8 oversize boxes, 1 oversize folder, and 13 additional archival boxes.

Materials in this collection are related to the development, administration, funding, programing, and dissolution of the Tripod school in California. More specifically, financial records document Tripod’s acceptance of donations and grants. Many unique documents from fundraising events include silent auction signs from an annual Casino Night and letters of support from Former President Bill Clinton, Former President George W. Bush, and Hillary Clinton in honor of the Annual Luncheon benefit showing the importance of fundraising to furthering Tripod’s mission. In addition to courting politicians, the school had strong ties to the Hollywood community and employed celebrity support, one of their strongest supporters being Cindy Costner.

Student and personnel records provide documentation of individuals involved in Tripod and show the events that they participated in including a student performance at Delaine Eastin’s oath of office ceremony as California State Superintendent in 1999.

Board meeting materials and minutes provide an important look at the school’s planning process and key individuals that helped to shape its existence.

Tripod brochures, calendars, and newsletters portray Tripod’s marketing and how Tripod disseminated news to its students and their families. Articles provide a look at how the school was perceived in the press and provides records of notable events and historical information.

Program descriptions and related materials provide a look at the variety of programs offered to students, families and the community. Documents describe the Montessori Method, the educational model that was shared at conferences and expanded to other schools. The Grapevine toll-free hotline ads stating, "maybe he isn’t listening because he can’t hear" and fliers describe what the hotline offers. The Grapevine public service announcement featured Jeff Goldblum, Chevy Chase, Herb Larson, and JoBeth Williams, the four of which can be seen in a photograph as well as the original PSA, viewable after the credits of Language Says It All.

Much of the digital media in the collection contains Language Says It All, the short documentary that received an Academy Award nomination. The film is available on DVD as well as through the Legacy website, https://www.rit.edu/ntid/radscc/tripod/, and provides information on the crucial role of communication and context for the creation of Tripod.

In addition to the awards received by the documentary, plaques and awards received from government institutions and politicians show the wide acclaim for Tripod’s teaching methods, its outreach, and staff.

This collection includes photographs, many of which were originally in photo albums that have been scanned and rehoused. Photographs document events, school activities, students, staff, faculty, facilities, and provide a literal glimpse of Tripod.