On January 3, 1909, Emily Hamilton and Louis Overstreet wrote to President Theodore Roosevelt begging his "leave to work under your Committee for the relief of the sufferers of Italy." The two were engaged and were willing to rush their marriage plans if the president needed them. Their letter was prompted by the powerful earthquake that…

The limits of amateurism in the Stevenson campaign for the U.S. presidency in 1952 are examined. Both Stevenson and his volunteers lacked political and organizational skills and thus failed to win over wealthy contributors and powerful politicians. (RM)

Describes the achievements of Frank Laubach, founder of Laubach Literacy International, pioneer of a pragmatic method of literacy instruction and advocate of volunteer literacy tutoring. Compares Laubach's ideas with those of Paulo Freire. (SK)

Traces the history of volunteer literacy tutoring in Queensland. Addresses contemporary issues arising from national training initiatives: funding, changes in the volunteer population, ideology, and the attempt to link literacy skills to employment outcomes. (SK)

Guy Henson, first director of the Adult Education Division for Nova Scotia (1946-56), was instrumental in forming a regional library system. His focus on adult education for a revitalized postwar democracy involved citizen education and increasing political awareness. (SK)

Discusses the historical role of adult education in educating Black people and illustrates the strong social justice aspect of Black adult education. This article attempts to add knowledge to the field and provide practitioners with a basis for current program development to meet Black needs. (CT)

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)

Examines Black fraternities from historical perspective, focusing on their founding and the impact of social action and community service on their development. Concludes that Black fraternities are at crucial juncture and must adapt to environmental changes to survive. Notes that, historically, these organizations have developed service endeavors…

Traces the history of the six United World Colleges (UWC), founded by Kurt Hahn to provide experiential learning opportunities for youths, aged 16 to 19, from 100 countries. Outlines UWC philosophy of education which requires all students to engage in community service each week to qualify for the final diploma. (NEC)

The origins of local news in the United States country press between the 1840s and 1870s are discussed and traced in this monograph. Specifically, it deals with why local news reporting in standardized form began when it did, who provided the news, and what the news items revealed about the patterns of life in rural areas and towns in the United…

This book presents an autobiographical look at one man's first-hand experience with the evolution of national service from 1945 through 1988. Throughout the account significant documents and articles by the author and others are included such as newspaper and magazine articles, significant correspondence from national and government leaders, and…

Current rationales for volunteering are seen as marketing strategies developed by organizers in the independent sector and used to help recruit volunteers for particular causes. Voluntarism in America was once thought to be a civic duty, but it is now seen as a vital component of adult education. (MLW)

In the early 1920s, the small Appalachian community of Damascus, Virginia, used private subscriptions and volunteer labor to build a 15-classroom school made of rocks from a nearby river and chestnut wood from nearby forests. The school building's history, uses for various community activities, and current condition are described. (SV)

This paper describes the role of gender in the politics of American education, as carried out in Philadelphia and its suburbs from 1905 to 1930. It discusses volunteerism as a way of life for middle-class American women in the 19th century, particularly within the realm of education. Women were able to act as advocates of school reform through…

This collection of essays describes women's ongoing search for equity at Brown University, Rhode Island, since their first entrance there in 1891. After a preface by Joan W. Scott and an introduction by Polly Welts Kaufman, the volume contains the following 10 essays: "The Woman's Club Movement Creates and Defines the Women's College" by…