Tar Kiln School class photograph   Save
Albert J. Ewing Collection
Description: This class portrait of students at Tar Kiln School was taken by traveling photographer Albert J. Ewing, October 19, 1908. Written on the blackboard at the center are the school name, the date, and the name of teacher May Moyers. Like most of Ewing's work, the photograph was likely taken in the region of southeastern Ohio and central West Virginia. Born in 1870 in Washington County, Ohio, near Marietta, Ewing most likely began his photography career in the 1890s. The 1910 US Census and a 1912-1913 directory list him as a photographer. A negative signed "Ewing Brothers" and a picture with his younger brother, Frank, indicate that Frank may have joined the business. After 1916, directories list Albert as a salesman. He died in 1934. The Ewing Collection consists of 5,055 glass plate negatives, each individually housed and numbered. Additionally, the collection includes approximately 450 modern contact prints made from the glass plate negatives. Subjects include infants and young children, elderly people, families, school and religious groups, animals and rural scenes. In 1982, the Ohio Historical Society (now the Ohio History Connection) received the collection, still housed in the original dry plate negative boxes purchased by Ewing. A selection of the original glass plate negatives were exhibited for the first time in 2013 at the Ohio History Center. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV71_B26_F2320
Subjects: Ewing, Albert J. (1870-1934); Photographers--Ohio; School photography; School buildings; Students; Educators
Places: Ohio; West Virginia