Wooden school desk from Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church and School

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

Wood and iron school desk with a foldable seat. The desk is attached at the back, behind the seat. The curved seat is made of five (5) close-fitting slats. Grooves cut into the sides of each slat allow them to link together like puzzle pieces. The seat back consists of a single board, at the very top. Other boards are possibly missing. The desk top contains a single wood board, though others are likely missing. The board has a round hole on the right for an inkwell and an oblong groove in the center for holding a writing implement. The desk top and seat components are attached to two (2) iron side supports with arms to support the desk top and an axle that rotates the seat. A support board connects the two (2) pieces at the back, below the level of the seat.

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