ENGLISH for the MASSES: ENGLISH INSTRUCTION at NONTRADITIONAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS by PAULA WEBB BATTISTELLI a Dissertation
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ENGLISH FOR THE MASSES: ENGLISH INSTRUCTION AT NONTRADITIONAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS By PAULA WEBB BATTISTELLI A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY Department of English MAY 2009 © Copyright by Paula Webb Battistelli, 2009 All Rights Reserved © Copyright by Paula Webb Battistelli, 2009 All Rights Reserved To the Faculty of Washington State University The members of the Committee appointed to examine the dissertation of Paula Webb Battistelli find it satisfactory and recommend that it be accepted. ____________________________________ Joan Burbick, Co-Chair Professor of English ____________________________________ Robert Eddy, Co-Chair Associate Professor of English Director of Composition ____________________________________ T. V. Reed Professor of American Studies and English ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I dedicate this work to my husband, my mother, and my father. Your love made this happen. I would like to thank the Walter P. Reuther Library at Wayne State University and the Wisconsin Historical Society at the University of Wisconsin—Madison for allowing me to visit their archives. iii ENGLISH FOR THE MASSES: ENGLISH INSTRUCTION AT NON-TRADITIONAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS Abstract By Paula Webb Battistelli, Ph.D. Washington State University May 2009 Co-Chairs: Joan Burbick and Robert Eddy The premise behind this book is that Working Class/Poverty Class students of today lack a voice in the social and political structures that govern our world. I explore the English methods and subject matter used to instruct Working Class/Poverty Class people of past eras who also struggled to find their voice amidst such foes as class discrimination and racial injustice. By exploring this work and delving into pedagogies of the past, I will illustrate some key methods that can be used to empower students today. The first chapter of the dissertation examines definitions of class, class problems, and Working Class/Poverty Class manifestations in the classroom today. The second chapter explores the history of Brookwood Labor College, an educational institution which was founded in 1921 and had a goal to educate labor union organizers. Chapter 3 provides an analysis of the dominant pedagogical theories and techniques at work in the Brookwood Labor College. In Chapter 4, I examine the historical events that led to the foundation and success of the Citizenship Schools. Also explored is the role that the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee played in furthering the schools. The next chapter examines the pedagogy at work in the Citizenship Schools. In the final chapter, I use the knowledge acquired by analyzing the Citizenship School and Brookwood Labor College courses to construct a hypothetical English iv course that would meet the needs of classrooms where Working Class/Poverty Class students make up the majority of the population. The conclusion argues for a stronger and more in-depth exploration of the potentials of community learning for helping Working Class/Poverty Class students develop into active citizens. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.........................................................................................................III INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................IX CHAPTER 1:..............................................................................................................................1 THE WORKING CLASS TODAY: WHAT INSTRUCTORS NEED TO KNOW.....................1 Exploring Class.......................................................................................................................1 The Case for Class ................................................................................................................10 Class Signs............................................................................................................................15 Class in School .....................................................................................................................18 Conclusion............................................................................................................................25 WORKS CITED .......................................................................................................................28 CHAPTER 2:............................................................................................................................30 EXPLORING THE HISTORY OF A LABOR COLLEGE .......................................................30 Working Class Troubles........................................................................................................30 A.J. Muste.............................................................................................................................37 Brookwood Curriculum and Students....................................................................................39 Trouble at Brookwood Labor College ...................................................................................46 Conclusion............................................................................................................................57 WORKS CITED .......................................................................................................................58 CHAPTER 3:............................................................................................................................59 LESSONS FROM BROOKWOOD ..........................................................................................59 Elizabeth England and Drama by Doing................................................................................59 vi England’s Traditional/Nontraditional Pedagogy ....................................................................63 Josephine Colby and the Catch-All English Course...............................................................67 Analysis of Colby’s Pedagogy ..............................................................................................74 Helen G. Norton’s Labor Journalism Course.........................................................................76 Helen Norton’s Pedagogy .....................................................................................................81 Conclusion............................................................................................................................82 WORKS CITED .......................................................................................................................87 CHAPTER 4:............................................................................................................................88 LABOR, RACE, AND EDUCATION: A CONTEXTUAL HISTORY OF HIGHLANDER FOLK SCHOOL.......................................................................................................................88 The Denmark Folk High Schools ..........................................................................................92 Founding Highlander ............................................................................................................94 Highlander Folk School’s Role in the Civil Rights Movement.............................................106 SNCC’s Involvement ..........................................................................................................117 Looking Back .....................................................................................................................125 WORKS CITED .....................................................................................................................131 CHAPTER 5:..........................................................................................................................133 GRASSROOTS READING AND WRITING FOR MORE ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP: THE HIGHLANDER FOLK SCHOOL AND SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE CITIZENSHIP SCHOOLS ...........................................................................133 Citizenship School Classes..................................................................................................142 Reading Materials ...............................................................................................................145 Training for Future Teachers...............................................................................................149 vii Problems Encountered ........................................................................................................156 Greater Themes, Greater Results.........................................................................................158 WORKS CITED .....................................................................................................................163 CHAPTER 6:..........................................................................................................................164 APPLICATIONS: WHAT WE CAN LEARN.........................................................................164 Working Class Baggage......................................................................................................165 Community Learning ..........................................................................................................175 Creating the Ideal Classroom Environment .........................................................................177