Sumerian Game collection

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: 116.sumer

Staff Only

The Sumerian Game collection contains three “scrolls” of teletype printouts of sample gameplay, 39 Kodachrome slides utilized in introducing the game to students, and a research report filed to the Office of Education at the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. (Digital scans of the slides are also part of this collection.) The materials are mainly dated between 1962 and 1965.

The Sumerian Game collection is arranged into three series, one of which has been further divided into subseries. The physical materials are housed in one archival document box; digital files are located on the internal network of The Strong.

Dates

1962-1967
2015

Creator

Unknown (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Due to the nature of the teletype printouts, reference scans of these pages may only be available at the discretion of the library staff.

Please see The Strong's Digital Games Files Access Policy here.

Conditions Governing Use

This collection is open for research use by staff of The Strong and by users of its library and archives. Though the donor has not transferred intellectual property rights (including, but not limited to any copyright, trademark, and associated rights therein) to The Strong, he has given permission for The Strong to make copies in all media for museum, educational, and research purposes.

Extent

0.25 Linear Feet (1 box)

2.5 Gigabytes (Digital files) : Accessible on-site at The Strong.

Additional Description

Abstract

The Sumerian Game collection contains three teletype printouts from the Sumerian Game (also called Sumer), one of the first educational computer games, along with photographic slides and a research report filed to the Office of Education at the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The dated materials are from 1962-1967, though some items are undated. Scans of the slides were created and inventoried in 2015 and are included in this collection.

Historical Note

The Sumerian Game was developed by the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) in Northern Westchester County, New York, in the early 1960s. The game, designed to teach sixth graders basic principles of economics, had participants play as members of Ancient Mesopotamian society. Prior to game play, students listened to an introductory programmed lecture synced to a slide projector. During the introduction, students learned about the land of Sumer around 3500 BC. Then, brief instructions were typed out for the student at a typewriter terminal controlled by a computer. What followed were various agricultural dilemmas requiring action by the player (assuming the role of Luduga I, a priest-ruler of Lagash) and progress reports on harvest and population. Random disasters, such as floods, fires, and grain rot, could occur throughout the game. Further phases of the game added in the development of crafts, trade, and other economic factors.

System of Arrangement

Series I: Teletype printouts, 1964 and n.d.

Series II: Slides, 1962-1965, 2015

Subseries A: Kodachrome slides

Subseries B: Digital scans

Series III: Reference, 1967

Custodial History

Much of the Sumerian Game collection was donated to The Strong in January 2015 as a gift from Devin Monnens and Alexandra Johnson. The printouts and slides were accessioned by The Strong under Object ID 115.146 and were received from Devin Monnens in two envelopes. Library staff added the ERIC report to the collection in 2016.