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Bulletin of the American Library Association

Publishing Information

Sample Outline of Adult Educational Programs

1. IN view of interest expressed by librarians in community programs of adult education, which involve library participation, the following program submitted to the Cook County Division of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, is herewith printed in full. The program was formulated under pressure by the Evanston Advisory Council on Adult Education, and is intended to indicate in general the lines to be pursued when the Evanston community survey now in progress reveals needs and interests which should be met. It was understood by all concerned when the program was submitted that modifications or changes in emphasis would be made if and as they seem desirable.

   November 28, 1933

   Dr. Martin Bickham
   Director, Illinois-Cook County Division
   Federal Emergency Relief Administration
   Chicago, Illinois

   My dear Dr. Bickham:

2. A work relief project to be carried out in Evanston under the Federal Emergency Relief Administration for the State of Illinois is herewith submitted jointly by the public educational agencies, namely, the Boards of Education of Districts 75 and 76, the Evanston Township High School, and the Board of Directors of the Evanston Public Library.

3. The program as a whole has been formulated by the Evanston Advisory Council on Adult Education, composed of the superintendents of schools, the public librarian, representatives of the Cook County relief Evanston division, the Family Welfare Association, the Central Council of Social Agencies, the churches, the Big Brother Movement, the American Library Association, Northwestern University-Departments of Sociology, Philosophy, and Recreation, and other interested groups.

4. Each project has been worked out by members of the council in conjunction with other specialists in their particular field. To carry out the various projects and provide clerical help, the services of teachers, librarians, activity workers, nurses, supervisors, file clerks, typists, and stenographers will be needed.

5. All of the agencies represented in the council, as well as many others in the city, have felt the urgent need for such community activities during this period of economic stress. Lack of funds has deterred action.

6. Evanston as a community stands ready to make a substantial contribution to the work. The school boards and private agencies have offered their buildings and equipment, including the additional cost for heating and lighting after regular hours. The library board will put all of its book facilities at the disposal of the workers. The Sociology, Philosophy, and Recreation departments of Northwestern University have already offered their expert advisory services. Other departments of Northwestern as well as the National College of Education and Garrett Biblical Institute have signified keen interest and will render equally valuable advisory service as the needs arise. It is anticipated that space in a downtown office building can be secured as central headquarters for the work.

7. With such expert advisory service available there is every reason to feel that the highest standards for the project can be maintained provided properly qualified workers are assigned to carry them out.

8. In Evanston there is a high percentage of the professional group who have long been out of employment. These persons have now reached the end of their resources and are in real need.

9. Were government funds available to finance the accompanying program of community educational activities, the results would, as we see them, be three fold:
   1. Highly deserving educated persons out of employment would be put to work.
   2. Adults with enforced leisure would be afforded opportunities for constructively utilizing such leisure.
   3. Through pooling the interests of the many public and private agencies of Evanston in the conduct of a government project, a much better understanding of the social structure of Evanston will be had and lasting good for the community will thereby be accomplished.

   PROGRAM OF COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR EVANSTON

   TO BE CARRIED OUT WITH THE APPROVAL AND UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY RELIEF ADMINISTRATION FOR THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

   CENTERS FOR ACTIVITIES

   Daytime and Evenings

10. In envisioning the most appropriate centers for carrying out the following program, the component parts of the population have been given special consideration, that is, the Polish district, the fact that one out of every six persons in Evanston is a Negro, etc. Careful handling of situations which arise because of peculiar differences in population will necessitate more centers and workers than would be considered the average for a city of the size.

11. The activities to be conducted in each center would accord with the needs of the locality.

12. Southwest section, chiefly small apartments: Oakton school.

    South central section, chiefly small apartments: Central school.

    Midwest section, chiefly Polish and other foreign nationalities: Washington school or Youngstown sheet and tube factory.

    North central section, chiefly small apartments: Noyes school.

    North central (west) section, chiefly Negro district: Foster school.

    Northwest section, chiefly smaller homes of industrial workers: Willard school.

13. Special activities to be conducted in both public and private buildings having equipment, that is, swimming and gymnasium, homemaking, etc.

    PROJECT I

14. Program

    Counseling and adjustment service to assist individuals to find themselves under present social conditions, to utilize the available social resources, and to educate them for new job requirements.

    This service is designed primarily for two groups of people: (a) young people out of employment, and others who desire to come in, between the ages of 16 and a5, and (b) older men and women who are unemployed and need readjustment to new social and economic conditions. If possible, the group who are barely getting along, because of bad business conditions, should be included.

    To carry out the program for:

    1. Young people. The names of these young people will be secured through the schools. They will be brought together in groups for interviews and to register. This service will follow up those who drop out of the program as well as give counsel on the individual use of leisure and vocational problems to those enrolled in the community educational projects.

    2. Mature age group. Special help will be given along lines of new job requirements, as well as for the mental disturbances peculiar to this group.

    Personnel Required

    1. Supervisor. A college graduate, trainee in personnel work.

    2. Assistant supervisors. Four college-trained persons for the young peoples group four for the mature age group.

    3. Two capable stenographers; two office workers, and office boy.

    4. Director for training of interviewers.

    Community assistance

    1. Volunteers will form a community committee to guide these workers and a corps of interviewers will be trained in the technique of counseling and adjustment service.
    2. Office space will be provided; three experienced workers (Polish, Negro, and South Evanston workers) will be provided part time by the Big Brothers Association; clinics and various departments at Northwestern University will be donated; some auto service and all office supplies will be secured.

    PROJECT II

15. Program

    General education to include formal and informal instruction and guidance in:

    1. Citizenship and elementary school subjects.
    2. English, literature, history, economics, etc.
    3. Vocational and business subjects in so far as equipment will permit.
    4. Advanced adult education primarily for high school graduates out of employment.
    5. Discussions on topics of special group interest, current social problems, etc.

    Personnel Required

    Fourteen teachers especially qualified to conduct classes and discussion groups in the special subjects assigned.

    Three clerical assistants.

    PROJECT III

16. ProgramHomemaking and health education to include instruction and guidance in:
    1. Home economics, cooking, sew-in", family budgeting, etc.
    2. Parental education.
    3. Child care and nutrition.
    4. Community health projects.

    Personnel Required

    A staff distributed as follows:

    1. Six persons, three for cooking, three for sewing and family budgeting.
       Qualifications. Training or experience in dietetics, visiting, housekeeping, nursing, domestic science.
    2. Three persons with education in a kindergarten, normal school, or college (majoring in education, psychology, or sociology) or experience in teaching or leading study groups or both.
    3. Three nurses-preferably with public health experience.
    4. One clerical assistant.
    5. One office worker.

    The importance of training in home economics and the lack of such knowledge in all economic and social groups has been vividly brought out in these times by the inability of families to manage their households on minimum budgets-as social workers, nurses, and others can well testify. The stresses and strains in family relationships caused by hard times point to the need for better understanding and more knowledge of education for parenthood. This should include both instruction in health education and physical care, and methods of developing the emotional life of children. The desire and need for the above program was indicated by the large number of requests for sewing and cooking which a tentative survey revealed.

    PROJECT IV

17. Program

    Leisure time activities to include:

    1. Physical education.
    2. Music.
    3. Art.
    4. Dramatics
    5. Hobbies.
    6. Educational activities such as conducted tours to museums, galleries, industries, etc., local and regional.
    7. Nature study.
    8. Handicraft.

    Personnel Required

    A staff of sixteen teachers and leaders is needed. These to be assigned to the existing agencies best prepared to carry out such a program. These agencies as well as the churches and schools, are willing to provide gymnasiums, swimming pools, and other equipment.

    Two clerical and general helpers will also be needed.

    Community Assistance

    The Boys' Work Committee and Girls' Work Committee, affiliated with the Evanston Council of Social Agencies, and the Recreation Department of Northwestern University, will serve as advisory committee in this project.

    The value and need of leisure time activities has been clearly shown during this period of unemployment. To teach people to live--to participate in creative activity--seems the real purpose of the leisure time activities as outlined above. A preliminary survey of the interests of unemployed persons which is being conducted at present will serve as a basis for specific programs.

    PROJECT V

18. Program

    Library service.

    1. To coordinate book work with each of the preceding projects through:
       1. Specialized reading guidance to individuals.
       2. Preparation of reading lists for discussion groups and study clubs.
       3. Collections of books for home use to be circulated at each activity center.
    2. To carry library service to the people:
       1. Through visits to factories, laundries, and other centers of industry.
       2. Through a library visitor-who will work in conjunction with community health nurses and school visitors to reach shut-ins and handicapped persons in need of direct library service.

    Personnel Required

    Three readers' assistants, one bibliographer, two library visitors, one exhibit and library publicity person, and four clerical assistants to send books to centers and issue them for home use.

    Qualifications. The readers' assistants and library visitors in addition to knowing library methods and books should have an understanding of human nature and an ability to anticipate reading needs.

    The exhibit and publicity person should be able to recognize values and approaches suitable to the various racial groups.

    Community Assistance

    The Evanston Public Library will permit its stock of books to be used in this work and in so far as funds will permit will purchase needed volumes. Its branch library facilities and delivery service will also be available for the work.

19. COMMUNITY STUDIES

    In order to further the work of the civic agencies which are coordinated in the advisory group for community educational projects for Evanston, it is desired that a community study be made of two concrete social problems.

    PROJECT VI

20. Program

    A study of Negro education in Evanston. With one-sixth of the population of the city Negro, an understanding of the type of education best suited to their needs is essential.

    Personnel Required

    One investigator to gather data, two assistants for field work and two clerical assistants.

    Community Assistance

    Resources of the Sociology Department of Northwestern University and the cooperation of all agencies composing the Evanston Council on Adult Education.

    PROJECT VII

21. Program

    A Study of Evanston Youth. (a) The "gang" problem. (b) Continued educational needs of graduates of grammar schools and high schools.

    Personnel Required

    Two investigators to gather data and two assistants for each investigator for field work and one clerical appointee for each part of this project.

    Community Assistance

    Resources of the Sociology Department of Northwestern University and the cooperation of all agencies composing the Evanston Council on Adult Education.

    PERSONNEL SUMMARIZED

22. Executive Directors and Assistants

    1 general director.
    1 assistant to general director.
    5 supervisors--one each for projects I-V.
    3 research directors for Projects VI and VII.
    2 executive assistants assigned to the agency which will become headquarters for the program.

    Teachers, activity Workers, etc.

    8 counselors and adjustment service workers.
    18 teachers (especially qualified in subjects to be taught).
    22 activity leaders (especially qualified in the activities to be directed).
    3 nurses (especially qualified for public health work).
    7 librarians (especially trained in work assigned).
    6 research assistants.

    Stenographers, Typists, and File Clerks

    73 for projects I-VII.
    4 for executive directors and agency which becomes headquarters for program.

    General Office Workers

    6 for projects I-V.

    _________

    Total 99 assistants of all types.