Adult Education Organizations

Lyndsey Hildenbrand commented on Blogs 4 and 5

Dan W. Royer

Lyndsey Hildenbrand

Amanda Campbell

Ball State University

            Adult education has become the focus of many programs in society. However, it’s not simply programs that have taken an interest in this important group, entire organizations have made their purpose and goal to educate adults.  The Highlander Folk School and UNESCO (The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization) are two such organizations.  These two organizations, which will be discussed at length, both focus on underserved populations, which may have otherwise been overlooked.  The Highlander Folk School and UNESCO have worked to provide educational opportunities for these diverse and underserved groups so that they may use education to advance their lives and the lives of those in their community.  

“The Highlander Folk School”

Background

The Highlander Folk School was established in 1932 by Myles Horton and Septima Clark.  The establishment of the Highlander Folk School came about during the Great Depression.  In its origination, the school was not established with the idea of bringing about interracial cooperation, but rather to deal with the unemployment and hopelessness brought about by the Depression (Hughes, 1985).  According to Hughes, “Highlander was a school for problems.  It taught people how to organize under the Wagner Act, how to get government relief under the New Deal Program, how to better use what they had and how to help one another” (1985, p. 244).

Myles Horton was a white male from Tennessee who studied at Union Theological Seminary and the University of Chicago. When he traveled to Denmark to study their folk schools, he was looking for elements he could bring back to apply in the Appalachian Highlands (Hughes, 1985).  Septima Clark was a black female who was from South Carolina and who had been a long time teacher, also worked with the NAACP prior to her work with the Highland School.

At the conclusion of World War II and prior to the 1948 Presidential Election, the Democratic Party adopted a series of stances based on findings from the Truman Commission.  Based on these positions, President Truman pressed for a national civil rights agenda which included making certain crimes violation of federal law.  Included in this agenda was a plan to make the lynching of African Americans in the south a violation of federal civil rights, because local law enforcement often looked the other way in cases of racially motivated crime.  This agenda was opposed by many of the southern conservative democrats, including future President Lyndon Johnson (Congress, 1948).  Based on Truman’s electoral victory, the agenda survived and a new focus was established to press for desegregation and integration.

Work began at the Highlander School in anticipation of the Supreme Court decision in the Brown v. Board of Education case which struck down the previous practice of racially segregated schools.  The Highlander school went to work training leaders, both black and white, in ways to implement the court’s decision between 1953 and 1957.  The change in emphasis which the Highlander school brought was an insistence that blacks would lead the struggle against social injustice and avoid placing reliance solely on white liberals who might not truly be engaged in the cause (Hughes, 1985).

The work of the Highlander School included assisting minority students to prepare for and successfully pass voting tests and register as citizens.  This forerunner of the Citizens Schools brought the school under increased scrutiny from the authorities in Tennessee, at which point the work of these schools were turned over to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) (Hughes, 1985).

The school’s nonprofit charter was revoked and the land was seized in 1959 based on charges and allegations which appeared as the result of the school ignoring the state’s segregationist laws, as well as its early involvement in the civil rights movement.  In 1961 a new charter was formed and the school relocated, additionally, the nonprofit was granted tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service (MacLean, 1966).

Roles and Responsibilities

The role of the Highlander Folk School originated with them providing economic relief and hope to a group of people who were forgotten and overlooked in the southern culture of that day.  In this initial role of educating workers was emphasized along with connecting them to the resources available for them.  Additionally, with the advancement of civil rights issues to the forefront of the national stage, the school began hosting workshops focusing on desegregation, along with collegiate workshops which annually addressed many of the issues involved in doing away with racial discrimination (Hughes, 1985). 

The school also hosted a workshop which helped the students and activists opposed to racial segregation solidify their thoughts and philosophies when they coalesced around a nonviolent approach to promoting cultural changes.  The choice of using a nonviolent approach meant that when violence was used against the demonstrators, they would choose a nonviolent approach based on a chosen moral principle.  Hughes (1985) quotes John Lewis who said, “If we are going to use a moral principle I think the issue should remain a moral issue . . . to carry love and nonviolence to extreme, it means going to jail and staying in jail and refusing to pay the fine (p. 247).  Hughes (1985) also quotes James Bevel who argued on the grounds of faith, “But wherein a person submits himself as Christ did, you see, and say whatever happens to one just let it happen.  And of course, the idea is that the man who is perpetuating the evil will eventually begin to rethink the situation (p. 247).”

In addition to the issues of desegregation and integration, the Highlander School addressed the question of the role of Southern whites in this movement.  These workshops were led by Septima Clark at the Highland Folk School and concluded that white southerners should become an active part of the movement.  They should, according to these workshops, focus their efforts on building positive relationships with their black participants to build and establish trust.

Impact

To discuss the impact of the Highlander School, it is necessary to reflect on the contributions of Myles Horton, and one particular quote in a memorial dedicated to Horton on his passing.  In Susan O’Malley’s (1991) memorial, she quotes John Lewis who said the Highlander experience “was one of the few places in the South where blacks and whites could come together in an open and free atmosphere and learn.  I’m not so sure we would have had a Southwide movement of voter registration or of nonviolence if it had not been for Highlander (p. 49).”

Additionally, MacLean (1966) quotes Rosa Parks as saying, “Without education and without being able to vote I tried to be a good citizen.  I did attend a workshop at the Highlander School, and I want to tell you that the only reason I don’t hate every white man alive is Highlander and Myles Horton (p. 487).”

These are very powerful statements when given the nature of racial segregation for the decades which this work covers.  Not only was there an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding at the Highlander school, but there was also an underpinning principle of facing down the violence against blacks in the south through nonviolent and peaceful protest.  This civil disobedience was promoted by the teachings of the Highlander school.  Its impact can be witnessed in the ways which civil rights were acknowledged and established legally with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the follow up Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Implications

The Highlander School illustrates the importance of understanding people who are different from our own experience.  It illustrates the power when people treat each other with respect and dignity.  It also illustrates the power in nonviolent protest.  This means that these approaches can transform the culture in which we live.  Through adult education we can promote nonviolent transformation of the social order into a more just and fair society.

“UNESCO”

Background

The second adult education group that we would like to discuss is the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization or more familiarly referred to as UNESCO. UNESCO was founded following World War II in order to reconstruct the educational systems in Europe, once peace was obtained. These countries originally met at the Conference of Allied Ministers of Education during wartime and created the educational and cultural organization on November 16, 1945. This eventually led to the establishment of UNESCO on November 4, 1946. The original founders of UNESCO were Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, France, Greece, India, Lebanon, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States. As a result of other wars and social issues, countries such as Germany and Spain later joined. UNESCO has many notable milestones that they have met since the UNESCO constitution was first signed into effect on November 1946. A few of these milestones are; Recommending that member states make free primary education compulsory and universal in 1948”, in 1990 The World Conference on Education for All launched a global movement to provide basic education for all children youth and adults, and in 1998 UNESCO developed and adopted the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights. The goal of UNESCO is to “achieve global visions of sustainable development encompassing observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty by creating conditions for dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values” and the mission of UNESCO is to “contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information” (“Unesco: Building peace,”).

Roles and Responsibilities

            The organization focuses on five main issues, which are education, natural sciences, societal and human sciences, communication and information, and culture. They focus on these objectives to attain quality education and lifelong learning for everyone, mobilize a knowledge of science for sustainable development, address social and ethical challenges, foster cultural diversity, and build inclusive knowledge societies. By focusing on these areas UNESCO can facilitate the development and promotion of adult education by serving others.  According to our class text UNESCO has had a lot of impact on adult education through supporting four international conferences on adult education and has also focused some of the organizations attention on nonformal education for international understanding, retraining, and continuing education (Merriam & Brocker, p.180, 2007).  UNESCO promotes lifelong learning by trying to constantly reconstruct and further the educational system by extending the process throughout life and by teaching skills and knowledge through various facets and allowing learners to better themselves and fully develop their potential (Merriam & Brocker, p.13, 2007). A book was produced by the organization to explain their visions in adult education from 1946-2005 explaining that adult education attempts to prepare individuals so they can perform multiple roles and functions both in their community as well as the international community, with the appreciation of cultural values. The text also points out that adult education also favors the progress of UNESCO, which shows that the development of both are intertwined and that UNESCO has a large role in adult education (Sebastian 2006, p. 120).

Impact

            UNESCO is involved with Leading Education for All via global coordination to promote and reach education-related goals. For example, the international community has pledged to achieve Education for All by 2015 by reaching six goals. These goals are to expand early childhood care and education, ensure that all children can access free primary education, increase access to learning and life skills programs for youth and adults, improve literacy rates by 50%, eliminated gender disparities in education, and improve all aspects of education quality. UNESCO is working to achieve these six goals through political routes as well as the efforts of stakeholders. The steps the organization has taken include assisting countries in formulating and implementing educational policies, directing attention to underdeveloped countries in need that contain more than two-thirds of illiterate adults and 40% of children not in school, targeting AIDS and HIV through education, and encouraging special measures to provide education in situations of conflict or emergency. UNESCO is also developing best practices, manuals and teacher training packages for adult education, supporting the development of technical and vocational education and training programs for work-ready adults, creating quality standards on the recognition of qualifications in higher education, and brokering partnerships between private and non-government bodies. Although UNESCO promotes education for all (adults and children), by targeting the child population they create a greater interest in adult education.

UNESCO is also the lead agency for the UN Literacy Decade and the UN Decade for Sustainable Development. The UN Literacy Decade creates awareness for literacy to improve the literacy programs that are currently offered, so that the number of illiterate adult and children is reduced. The UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development helps pursue sustainable development. In 127 countries UNESCO was able to create facilities for research, training and international cooperation for adult education. These laboratories develop programs to promote quality education. Today UNESO has a total of eight institutions or networks that are focused on specialized education, and how to better it.

Implications

            UNESCO was originally founded to create a balanced education system, for a new emerging world, during chaotic and trying times. Over time the organization has highlighted the importance of offering free and equal education to both children and adults to maintain peace. This education covers a span of cultural relationships, scientific knowledge, and environmental sustainability. UNESCO has also had a large role in creating and developing best practices, manuals, teacher educations and research on all aspects of education, for both children and adults.

As has been discussed, The Highlander Folk School and UNESCO both have worked to advance the lives of those in underserved populations.  Their efforts have not only changed the lives of those involved, but the effects can be seen worldwide in the interpersonal relations between cultural groups, educator best practices, manuals, along with educational research.  The two organizations have proven to be exemplary examples in regards to their success in working to change the world, one adult at a time.  

Highlander Folk School

Area	Highlander Folk School
Year it was founded	1932
Missions and Goals	Provide education for adults trapped in poverty which would help them to connect with resources available to them and provide them with the skills to become voting citizens
Roles and Responsibilities	Teaching and training workers who were disadvantaged in the midst of the great depression, eventually focusing on desegregation and civil rights education in the South
Impact	Can be seen in the way the Civil Rights Movement followed a path of nonviolent protest and civil disobedience.  Can also be seen in the way the individuals could identify with the founder Myles Horton (a white man)
Other Important Information	A lasting impact through Civil Rights Legislation and equal treatment under the law.  An end to states discretionary disobedience of constitutional amendments granting equal treatment.

UNESCO: United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization

Year it was founded	1946
Missions and Goals	contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information
Roles and Responsibilities	focuses on five main issues, which are education, natural sciences, societal and human sciences, communication and information, and culture. They focus on these objectives to attain quality education and lifelong learning for everyone, mobilize a knowledge of science for sustainable development, address social and ethical challenges, foster cultural diversity, and build inclusive knowledge societies.
Impact	assisting countries in formulating and implementing educational policies, directing attention to underdeveloped countries in need, targeting AIDS and HIV through education, and encouraging special measures to provide education in situations of conflict or emergency. Developing best practices, manuals and teacher training packages for adult education, supporting the development of programs for work-ready adults, and creating quality standards on the recognition of qualifications in higher education.
Other Important Information	Implications: Creating the provision of equal and free education for adults and children.

References

Congress, U.S. (1948).  The outlook for 1949.  Congressional Digest, 27, (12), 291-292.

Hughes, C.A. (1985). A new agenda for the south:  the role and influence of the highlander folk

school 1953-1961. Phylon, 46, (3), 242-250.

MacLean, K.T. (1966).  Origins of the southern civil rights movement: myles horton and the

highlander folk school. Phi Delta Kappa International 47,(6), 487-489.

Merriam, S., & Brocker, R. (2007). The profession and practice of adult                             

education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

O’Malley, S. (1991).  In memoriam for myles Horton.  Radical Teacher 40, 49.

Sebastian. (2006). What is adult education? unesco answers. (1st ed.). UNESCO Training

Centre-Florida Eskola. Retrieved from

http://uil.unesco.org/fileadmin/keydocuments/AdultEducation/Confintea/en/WhatIsAdultEducationUNESCOAnswers.pdf

Unesco: Building peace in the minds of men and women. (updated in 2012). Retrieved from

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/