Title: Racine Adult Education Council Records
Inclusive Dates: 1952-1955

Creator:

• Racine Adult Education Council (Wis.)

Call Number: Parkside Mss 7

Quantity: 0.8 c.f. (2 archives boxes)

Repository:

Housed at the Archives & Area Research Center, Library/Learning Center, University of Wisconsin-Parkside; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

UW-Parkside Library / Parkside Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Abstract:

Records of a Racine, Wis., organization designed to study the community's needs in adult education, to coordinate adult education activities, and to plan new experimental projects. The collection includes general correspondence, minutes of meetings of the Racine board of directors, reports on special problems and institutes, and quarterly reports to the National Fund for Adult Education from the Racine Council and other test cities in a nationwide adult education project. Work in Racine ceased in 1955 when the council was unable to secure needed local financial support.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-pks0007

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In 1948, a group of Racine educators and other interested persons agreed that it would be good to have an organization that would provide for adult education in areas other than that offered by vocational and formal university training. The group, however, lacked funds to activate such a program. Then, in 1951, the Fund for Adult Education, an independent organization created by the Ford foundation, offered this group - the Racine Adult Education Council - the opportunity to put its ideas into action. If the Council would agree to become one of the members of the Fund's “Test Cities Project,” the Fund would provide the following assistance: $12,000 for 1952, $8,000 for 1953, and $4,000 for 1954, with the balance of the budget for 1953 and 1954 to be raised locally. It was then expected that the program would be fully community supported by 1955. The organization had as its purpose: (1) to help use more effectively the community's resources in discovering and meeting the community's needs in adult education; (2) to help coordinate adult education activities then being conducted; (3) to stimulate new adult education activities, experiment with new forms, and try new methods for the education of adults; and (4) to emphasize studies in the fields of world affairs, economic affairs, and the humanities.

In November 1951, the Council agreed to become one of the Test Cities. During the following months, the Council was reorganized, and on March 31, 1952, a constitution was adopted defining the objectives and mechanics of the Council. The Council was incorporated May 25, 1954.

The program had a very slow start and in 1953 the Fund found it necessary to increase its financial support in order to keep the project going. In April 1955, the Council voted to discontinue the project because it was unable to secure financial support from the community. On July 15, the Test Cities Project in Racine ceased and the office equipment was turned over to the University of Wisconsin Extension Center in Racine and the balance of the financial assistance given by the Fund was returned to that organization.

The records of the Racine Adult Education Council are comprised of: general correspondence, minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors, reports on programs carried out, and quarterly summary reports to the Fund for Adult Education.

Records of the Fund for Adult Education, 1950-1969, containing correspondence and reports from the Fund's test cities, are held by the George Arents Research Library for Special Collections, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Roger Axford, Racine, Wis.

Box   1	Correspondence, April 28, 1952 - June 13, 1955 Physical Description: 3 folders
Box   1	File on the organization of the Council, 1951-1952 Physical Description: 1 folder
Box   1	Minutes of the Meetings, 1952-1955 Physical Description: 7 folders  Scope and Content Note: Minutes; constitution adopted March 31, 1952; qualifications of the executive secretary; resolution certifying American Bank and Trust Company as depository for the Council, October 1, 1952; financial reports (receipts and disbursements); list of grantees for the Fund for Adult Education as of March 15, 1953; articles of incorporation, May 25, 1954; designation of registered agent, June 30, 1955.
Box   1	Audits of Council books, Oct. 1, 1954 - July 31, 1955 Physical Description: 1 folder
	Community Leadership Institute (Fund for Adult Education) held at Bigwin Inn, Ontario, Canada, June 29 - July 10, 1953 Physical Description: 4 folders
Box   2	File on Community Leadership Institute
	Speeches delivered at Institute
Box   2	“Economic Affairs,” by Robert D. Calkins Physical Description: 12-page mimeo
Box   2	“The Humane and Rational Individual in the Humane and Rational Society,” by R, J. Blakely Physical Description: 11-page mimeo
Box   2	“The Meaning of Community Leadership,” by Layman Bryson Physical Description: 11-page mimeo
Box   2	“Liberal Education and the Adult,” by Richard D. Weigle Physical Description: 11-page mimeo
Box   2	“North America and World Politics,” by Edgar McInnis Physical Description: 9-page mimeo
Box   2	“End and Beginning,” by John Osman Physical Description: 9-page mimeo
	Reports on the Community Problems session of the Institute
Box   2	“Techniques for Community Analysis,” by Eugene I. Johnson Physical Description: 9-page mimeo
Box   2	“Organization for Adult Education,” by Leo Molinaro Physical Description: 3-page mimeo
Box   2	“Program Resources,” by George Connor Physical Description: 3-page mimeo
Box   2	“Organizational Program Planning,” by Carl Bailey Physical Description: 2-page mimeo
Box   2	“Discussion Techniques,” by Per G. Stensland Physical Description: 3-page mimeo
Box   2	“A Framework for Community Program Planning in Liberal Adult Education,” by Irvin V. Shannon Physical Description: 4-page mimeo
Box   2	“Building New Programs,” by John Osman Physical Description: 6-page mimeo
Box   2	“Mass Media,” by John K. B. DeGroat Physical Description: 5-page mimeo
Box   2	Reports on the Community Problems clinics of the Institute
	Programs Physical Description: 3 folders
Box   2	Miscellaneous program material
Box   2	“Ways of Mankind” program file
Box   2	“Racine Lakeshore Development” project file
	Test Cities Reports to the Fund for Adult Education, 1953-1955 Physical Description: 7 folders
Box   3	Correspondence regarding quarterly report outlines
Box   3	Quarterly summary reports from the Test Cities Scope and Content Note: Reports contain the following information: organizational structure, public relations, activities (programs, leaders, coordination, distribution, and mass media), physical facilities, and evaluation. They are present for Akron, Ohio; Bridgeport, Connecticut; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Kansas City, Missouri; Little Rock, Arkansas; Lubbock, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee; Niagara, New York; Racine, Wisconsin; San Bernardino, California; Sioux City, Iowa; York, Pennsylvania; and West Texas Regional.