Political Seminars for Teachers Sponsored B Taft Institute
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I 1978 THE ROBERT A. TAFT INSTITUTE SEMINAR OF GOVERNMENT REPORT THE UNIVERSITYI![. ··-··· OF TOLEDO.. · . __ l Vol. 6 Political Seminars for Teachers Sponsored b Taft Institute The University of Toledo was one of 36 U.S. 'universitiesthat were given grantsby ·the RobertA. Taft Institute of Government to conduct a seminar in practical politics for schoolteachers. Taft Seminars on the American political system are organized for social studies teachers who teach classes in eivjcs or government in elementary or secondary schools. Participants for the 1978 seminar at the University came from · Ohio, Michigan 1µ1dIllinois. , . Taft Seminars are concerned with helping teachers erihance their un derstanding of where decisions are made in government, who makes them and the responsibilities that individual citizens The have for selecting the people who will Taft Seminar was the first meeting· held in the· University's make decisions for them in the' city new Continuing Education Center. Congressional aide Jerry Brown councils,state legislatures and Congress. and John .Gillespie discuss the politics involved in the legislative I process. As Taft Fellows, teachers are given a chance to go beyond the. current in During the past summer, more than Five professors froµi the three formation on bow politicsand government 1,000elementary and high school teachers universities (Ohio Wesleyan, Heidelburg, wor)(. Supplying the information is a spent two, three ·and up to six weeks and U'.J') and a high school social studies uniquefaculty. confronting both the theoretical aspects teacher gav.e academicinput. · and the practical realities of the American 'Of the 35 lecturers,, 10 made their first At The University of Toledo, 24 ex two-partysystem. appearance at a Taft Seminar. Eight were perienced politicians joined six PQlitical As with •all Taft Seminars at 36 there for their second time. Two lecturers scientists and two professional newsmen � universities throughout the UnitedStates, ·were former Taft Fellows-one a mayor to make up the TaftFaculty. In frank give the central source of learning at The and one a school official-to discuss how and-take sessions, the teachers listened to University of Toledo's Seminar was · a the Taft-Seminar works in practice. and questioned Republican and large group of political experts. Elected In lively, give-and-take sessions. for two Democratic party leaders from local to Republican officials included a state weeks, six hours a day, the teachers and national political arenas. The teachers senator, a state representative and a politicians talked about how American ,also had opportunity to probe the former state representative, a judge and democracy works. They shared political viewpoints of judges, political writers and · two city councilmen. Elected Democratic experiences. They studied the essential campaign managers. officials were a U.S. Congressman, a state roles of -the Democratic and Republican · The focus throughout each session was attorneygeneral, a state treasurer, a state parties. They discovered the importance on ways to bring politics into the · representative, a school board chairman, of a strong two-party system. 1tey classroom and to help young people un two city councilmen and three mayors searched for new ways to make classroom derstand the values of democracy and the (Toledo, Rossford, and Fremont). teaching convey the reality of a working role of the individual citizen in the Other partisan politicians included a government whose success is tied to in , Americansystem. ' Republican assistant secretary of state, a· volved citizens. This was the sixth time The University Republican party state chairman and both · of Toledo was sel�cted to offer a Taft a Democrat and Republican party county· Taft Seminar teachers gained · more Seminar. ' chairman. Two congressional aides, two insight into the potential of American At Taft Seminars, teachers and lobbyists, a newspaperman, a TV an democracy and political-experts �arnered politicians meet, often for the first time. chorman, a campaign manager. a public more insight into the role, of: teachers. The result is new excitement in many relations man, and a pollster were also on Together, they ·explored ways to teach· classrooms thr�ughoutthe nation. the program. citizenship responsibility. Taft Seminar At UT _TheRobert A. Taft Institute of Governmentwas foundedin 1961 as a non-partisan, non-profit, tax-exempteducational corporation operating under a charter granted by the Board of Regents of the Stateof New York. It conducted itsfirst pilot Taft Seminar in 1963. When The University of Toledo first offered a seminar in 1968, the numberof seminarsbad increasedto 16. Thisyear the number scheduledhad doubled to 36 held inuniversities fn 30 states. A Taff Seminar incorporates a variety of learning experienc�s. Sessions include lectures, panel discussions, education film and videotapes,question and answer dialogues, field trips, curriculum - material and technique demonstrations, and socializing of faculty and Taft Fellows. Class meetings are dynamic and candid as . political leaders and social studies teachers probe and analyze the Steve Doerner, chairman of The University of Toledo's political political process. science department,discussed "Americ� Democracyand Political Assigned reading for each day's subject is required of the Parties" at one seminarsession. teachers. This year they read Constitutional Government in the American Setting by Richard H. Leach, Party Leadership in the States by Robert J. Huckshom, The PoHtics of Delegate Selectlon--Similarltles and Differences by Arthur J. Peterson, The Use ofPolls in Political Campaigns by Richard G. Independent Voters_Erode Parties, Smolka, Who Votes and Why by Schley R:Lyons and William J. Mc Coy� County Chairmen Tell Seminar Now it is the Democratic party that is Mr. Brennan told the audience that Cl�se contact with leaders who mad� the politicalsystem work losing_ members to the growing bloc of political parties recruit candidates for is a strong motivating force for teachers to develop a teaching independent voters, local chairmen of the apparently hopeless contests even if it approach for use in their classrooms that will be stimulating, two politicalparties agreed. means drafting "a meatball for cannon exciting and practical for their students. As one of the James Brennan, Republican county fodder" because the opposition candidate requirementsfor earninggraduate credits,each Taft Fellowmust chairman,and William Boyle, Democratic could die before the election. Inany case, county chairman, jointly addressed the be said it is good strategy to � down the develop a teachingunit that willbe used when the teacher returns RobertTaft political seminar. favori� by making him campaign" so be- to bis classroom. can't be helping other candidates get _ Indicating that the situation offers hope elected. And, be added, by not defaulting In addition to the Taft Institute, supporj; for the Seminar came for GOP candidates, Mr. Brennan in any race a party can force the op from The University of Toledo, Taft Fellows and the Seminar reported thatthe national trendof voters position to expend manpower and money shunning political affiliation, which up and down the slate instead of con faculty. The Institute provided all · the instructional materials, plunged the GOP into minority party cen�tingresources on a few races. -· dormitory housing, meals, faculty expenses, staff salaries, status, now is eroding Democratic ranks publicity and other operating costs and tuition for the par here. Fund raising for a county chairman, he ticipants. The University provided meeting rooms and use of said, is a "demeaning chore" whereby the instructional materials: It also-_ provided fpr videotaping the Mr. Brennan disclosed that voter chairman is forced· to spend a \ --- - _,. · · · · · -- registration in Lucas Gounty...m,,w,i& 31 .fi. disproportionateamount of time "begging sessions. , - percent Democratic, 18.5 percent nickels and dimes." Contributors willing Each Taft Fellow paid a $50participation fee: The guest faculty Republican and 49.9 percent independent to give directly to a candidate feel, that "if gave generouslyof their time. with the GOP strength apparently they give to the party it gets lost in the stabilized, while the Democrats' per shuffle."This attitude, he said, means that· centageis dropping. money is a very, very tough thing for a · While not disputing the figures, Mr. political party to come by." Boyle contended that toomuch can beread Seminar Features Women Leaders into the drift of Democrats into the ranks of independents. "People are not voting in Women speakers played an important GertrudeW. DoDJibey,Ohio Treasurer of primaries," Mr. Boyle said, agreeing with Mr. Brennan that "half of the voters want part in making the 1978 Taft Seminar an State, and the Democrats' most popular exciting learning experience for teachers vote-getter, appeared for the first time at no -part in selecting candidates." Mr. '78 Ohio Election from Michigan, Illinois and Ohio. The Universityof Toledo's Seminar. Boyle conceded that there is a trend Sandy Isenberg,a memberof the Toledo _ among voters toward independence,but he Sets Apportionment said independencetilts toward his party. City Council and a member of the Ohio Marilyn Chelstrom, president of ·the Democratic state central committee, Robert A. Taft Institute of Government, "There is no such thing as an in Ohio Republican Party Chairman Earl discussed the role