The Parsons notebooks are a collection of eight binders containing class notes, drawings, and detailed descriptions of stylistic periods, all of which William Pahlmann compiled during his studies at the New York School of Fine and Applied Art (renamed the Parsons School of Design in 1941). Pahlmann entered the New York School of Fine and Applied Art in 1927 to study color and interior design. While there he earned a scholarship to attend the school's Paris Atelier, where he had the opportunity to examine European styles and design firsthand. Pahlmann graduated in 1930 and immediately began working in New York as a freelance interior designer.

The Parsons notebooks provide a brief snapshot of the training New York School of Fine and Applied Art students received during the late 1920's. Researchers can get a sense of a few of the subjects covered in classes, the types of assignments students completed, and the depth of knowledge demanded of them. The Parsons Notebooks clearly demonstrate influence William Pahlmann's education had on his career, especially in terms of his design style.

Materials in these notebooks date from 1927 to 1930, but a majority of the items were completed from 1929 to 1930 while Pahlmann was studying at the Paris Atelier. The notebooks were originally housed in three ring binders but have been removed and placed in folders. Each folder is named according to the labels from the original notebooks.