Not-for-profit cooperative which encouraged parental involvement to foster the educational, social and physical development of preschool children. Founded as the Cookie Monster Day Care Cooperative in l972. Closed in 1982.

Collection contains organization documents, by-laws, minutes, annual reports, photographs, curricular records, children and personnel records, and grant and contractual program records documenting the Cookie Monster Day Care Center's organizational structure, history and development, objectives, operations and policies, membership standards and rates, publicity, curriculum, day-to-day operations and activities, compliance with state regulations, and finances. Its relationships with the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), the Springfield Public Schools, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, the Illinois State Board of Education's Child Care Food Program, and the Illinois Department of Public Aid are recorded.

SERIES I: The General Administrative and Curricular Records, l974-82 (Boxes l-3), consist of alphabetically arranged bylaws, minutes, annual reports, contracts, agreements, photographs, roster, curricular material, song sheets, attendance reports, evaluations, manuals, and time, sign-up, supply, and rate sheets. The series documents the organization and operation of the Center, including its history and development; administrative structure and leadership, objectives and policies; curriculum; membership standards and rates; publicity; financial situation; and day-to-day operations and activities. Of special note are the curricular-related material, which include songs, games and educational objectives of the Center; and two folders (Box l, Folder 24; Box 2, Folder l) of photographs of children who attended Cookie Monster. Also included are records of two of the organizations with which Cookie Monster had grant and contractual programs: the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) and the Springfield Public Schools.

SERIES II: Department of Children and Family Services Compliance Records include forms and correspondence made in compliance with standards set by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services which licensed and regulated the Center (see Box 3, Folder 7, "Working at Cookie Monster" for a list of the records required to be kept).

SERIES III: Child Care Food Program Records include forms, memos and manuals involving Cookie Monster's compliance with and operation of the Child Care Food Program, a federally-funded nutrition program operated by the State Board of Education which provided free and reduced-price meals for needy children.

SERIES IV: Department of Public Aid Contractual Records include contracts, invoice vouchers, grouping sheets, and other forms documenting the operation of a contractual program whereby the Illinois Department of Public Aid paid Cookie Monster for services the Center provided to needy persons.

SERIES V: Financial Records include bookkeeping records, bank statements, canceled checks, financial statements, receipts, deposit tickets, account books, and tax forms documenting the routine financial transactions and operations of the Center.