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First City Attorney for Highland Park, Illinois, 1887-1909, Smoot also served as City Attorney for Lake Forest, Illinois. He served on the township high school Board of Education.

Jesse Lowe Smith (1869-1934) was an educator and naturalist who served as Superintendent of Schools for District 107 and the principal of the Elm Place School in Highland Park, Illinois from 1902 until his death. A devoted, progressive pedagogue, Smith fostered a love and understanding of the natural world, the arts and culture in students during his tenure at Elm Place School. Smith served on the Highland Park Public Library board, as director of the North Shore Arts League, and as President of the Chicago chapter of the National Geographic Society. Additional civic activities included appointments on the Highland Park Tree and Parkway Commission, the Audubon Society of Chicago (Director) and Friends of Our Native Landscape (Director). He was an avid traveler in the United States and abroad.

Jesse Lowe Smith was born in Macon Illinois on November 23, 1869. From a young age, Smith expressed an avid interest in nature and learning. Smith attended DePauw University for one year in 1891 and received his teaching certificate in 1894 at the age of 25. After teaching at several different schools in Illinois including Lexington and Park Ridge, Smith became the principal of the Elm Place School in Highland Park Illinois in 1902 as well as the Superintendent of Schools for District 107. Smith held those posts for 32 years until his death on April 21, 1934 at the age of 65. Jesse Lowe Smith devoted his life to teaching and sharing his knowledge and love of nature with students. He was a proponent of progressive education including the use of the latest technology at the time, such as the lantern slides in this collection, and also by incorporating nature and the arts into the curriculum by including field trips into nature and to museums and cultural institutions. Jesse Lowe Smith was active on the Library board, and director of the North Shore Art League, and as well as president of the Chicago chapter of the National Geographic Society for which he led an expedition to Montana.

Edward “Izzy” Smith (b. Isadore) (1909-1991) grew up in Highland Park with his parents, brother “Sammy” and sisters Lillian and Rose. His father Joseph worked as a peddler, then established a successful junk dealing business in Highland Park. According to the census, Russian and Hebrew were spoken in the home.
Smith used his gift as “life of the party” to establish Edward Smith Manufacturing in 1928, the year he graduated from High School. His party game aids became staples at children’s parties and baby and bridal showers. The games were printed and bound at the manufacturing facility, 1316 Skokie Valley Road.
Smith suspended company operations for three years to serve in the United States Army during World War II. He was reluctant to discuss his years working with tank recovery in Europe as a Sargent. However, he shared tales of the different young women he met across the continent.
Smith played timpani in school and with local ensembles. His high school class voted him “Most Helpful to Class” and “Class Clown.” He placed second for “Noisiest Boy” and “Boy with the Best Line.”