In 19th-century England, mutual improvement societies developed, through which working class men attempted to educate themselves and engage in political discussion. Many were associated with groups that did not conform to the Church of England. (SK)

In nineteenth-century Britain, adult education for the working classes was provided by Sunday schools, working men's colleges, university extension, and mechanics' institutes. Similar efforts in colonial Australia laid the foundation for twentieth-century adult education initiatives. (SK)

The social ideology that gave rise to the Reading University Extension College in 1892 eroded as the college became more conventional and lost touch with the working class people it was designed to reach. (SK)

Discusses the life and work of Marian Wharton, a socialist and feminist who helped shape the English curriculum at the People's College in Fort Scott, Kansas. Develops a rich, historical-situated conception of how the rhetorical activities of women and other marginalized people are a complex interweaving of alliance and antagonism, of free choice…

Discusses the history of the American Vocational Association in terms of its relationship to organized labor as both promoted the rights and welfare of the working class. (CH)

The movement to establish socialist Sunday schools during the early twentieth century is one of the best kept secrets of American socialist and educational historiography. During these years many working-class radicals provided their children with a formal, weekend education that lacked strong capitalistic biases dominant in the public schools.…

Explores the Mechanics' Institutes of nineteenth-century Britain as a voluntary movement beset by problems of social class, conflicts over the perception of educational needs, and failure to meet those needs. Draws implications for professionalism and volunteerism as part of adult education today. (SK)

The "1919 Report" on education in Britain recognized women's educational needs in light of the social, economic, and political changes following World War I. Despite the liberal and humanitarian attitudes expressed, the separate spheres of men and women and distinctions between working class and other women were maintained. (SK)

During the 19th century, America was transformed from an agrarian to an urban-industrial society. America became divided into a nation of rich and poor. Peter Cooper assumed the role of a reformer and became the spokesman for the poor. Cooper's reform efforts and his views on unions are discussed. (RM)

In the context of contemporary questions about higher education and the working class, describes the background and the particulars of a debate at Ruskin College, Oxford University (1908) among worker-students, the university chancellor, and representatives of the Workers Educational Association. Offers a comparative analysis of the three…

The creation in London of single-sex institutes for the education of women offered increased educational opportunities but did not widen their horizons. For working class women, educational policy regarding these institutes tended to support their domestic roles. (SK)

Notes how early junior college compositionists sought to socialize a largely working-class student body into a middle-class sensibility. Argues that educators must make time to create historical narratives of two-year colleges as a valuable precursor to fighting for institutional reforms within institutions. Analyzes the manner that curriculum…

Discusses the history of the National Council of Labour Colleges, the Chartist Movement, and Ruskin College. All were involved in the development of higher education for the labor force. (CH)

Discusses New Lanark, the nineteenth-century utopian community organized in Scotland by David Dale and Robert Owen. Underscores the centrality of child care, housing, health care, and ongoing education within the community. Recommends applying New Lanark principles in addressing the great disparities of the 1990s, particularly as they affect young…

Presents a history of the Saturday Evening Girls' Club and other associated library clubs that were developed for immigrant and working-class women and girls in Boston around 1900. Examines the role clubs and social reform organizations played in advancing intellectual, educational, and economic agendas using primary documents. (Contains 111…