ORGANIZED LABOR AND OUR COLLEGES
Elder, Arthur A.
Organized Labor and Our Colleges By Arthur A, Elder Director, Workers' Educational Service, University of Michigan £'^T^A'N the colleges and universities ' C A 0t thf Unit<<i SUU'* °ffer 10...
...Universities can and should expand their long-overdue offerings in the field of graduate and undergraduate training for labor leadership...
...A real workers' education program must be concerned with developing the "how" of an everwidening extension of social, economic, and political well-being...
...The service itself must at the outset adapt to the needs of the particular group...
...Recognizing this, it must be apparent that a realistic program of workers' education should be concerned with problems ranging from how a union meeting should be run and the detailed problems of union organization and administration, all the way to intensive consideration of social, political, and economic philosophies and their relation to our society...
...While it Is true that some ! institutions show little evidence of a [sincere effort to discover just what unions and union members want In tie, way of educational services, tho great majority, of the schodls and colleges, I anxloas to.serve in this field, show aa earnest desire to consult and work with representatives of workers' organizations In framing a practical program...
...In other colleges, a division of industrial relations has been set up at the graduate or undergraduate level, which provides^ advanced training for students...
...Ia , several states, advisory committees, on which labor appointed members f unction, ' have a voles in determining the nature and extent of the workers' education program carried on under the college or university auspices...
...They argue that labor must develop its own educational program, depending on its own r resources...
...Thia question ia being asked with inert wing frequency in a number of state...
...And the background and experience of old time union members, as well aa present-day union officers, are helpful in carrying on any workers' education program...
...A local union discussion group may provide the impetus for a community forum...
...Promotion of formal classes is not necessary, unless there is a demand for them...
...It is only reasonable and proper that labor should expect . and receive the type of service that it needs...
...and whether on the right or left, they are to be found in the labor movement itself, as well as in other groups...
...Other factors being equal, union representatives urge that preference in selection of personnel be given to teachers with unioa affiliation and background...
...If tbo Variety of programs being offered in colleges and universities on which the Workers' education label has been pinned may serve as a. criterion, certainly there |s a growing interest in the educational feeds of workers...
...These suspicions of the motives of those interested in workers' education are particularly characteristic of people committed to authoritarian points of view...
...As long as we have trade union organizations with traditions extending back for periods of 80 to 100 years side by side with recently organized unions, it is clear that needs for educational service will vary...
...The trade unionist who is interested in a growing and broadening of interest in all matters affecting labor and its place in our society, is gratified at this increased recognition of labor's need for trained leadership...
...It cannot promote the thesis that the free enterprise system is the best of all possible systems...
...Community, state, national, and International problems can become live issues to workers...
...It demands vision, imagination, and faith in democracy...
...Development ef any type of program without the fullest consultation with tho groups to be served should be avoided...
...Some of these people are on the extreme "right," others on the extreme "left...
...This means that the workers' education department of a university requires a flexible employment policy designed to draw in whoever can best perform a particular service...
...by the same token, it cannot plug for a particular kind of planned economy...
...While tho decisions of state aad mandated power in a democracy ar* left ultimately to the citizenry, formalized education Is reserved for th* young In years...
...And then, If we make oar little contribution, whatever It may be, In assisting unions and universities to develop workers' education programs, w* may be able to better appraise fir*, ten or fifteen years hence ths contrlbt£ tlon that colleges and universities csa make In developing workers' education...
...Because of the crucial events of recent past years, and because of-the urgent need for more adequate adult educational programs, as well as informed discussion as to what constitutes adequate facilities and curricula, The New Ltader has...
...In . this article, "Organized Labor and the Collages," Professor Arthur A. Elder, Director of the Worker's Education Service of ths University of Michigan who has just been appointed to the additional position of Director ef tho labor Education Service of tho U.S...
...Local union educational programs may develop into community or area conferences...
...They offer field service and In-training programs that make no apology for contributing to the rocational, economic and social advancement Of the farm, professional and business interests they serve...
...Consideration of the union program leads to discussion of group relationships...
...I Such a conclusion would be decidedly premature...
...A realistic workers education service, therefore, must dedicate itself to giving the type ef practical service that will promote the social, civic, cultural, and economic interests of the workers...
...This point merits some discussion since many people continue to labor under the delusion that anyone or any organization interested in workers' education must of necessity be promoting a particular economic gospel...
...The first article In this series was by Professor Horace Kallen who discussed \"Tomerrow's Issues In Education...
...These people are committed to a particular end, and have scant sympathy or understanding of any program not dominated by their philosophy...
...Otherarticles In the series will appear soon...
...These may be in a labor history, labor legislation, social security, or current economic problems, offered either on the campus, or as extension service courses...
...What shall the university-sponsored workers'education program include...
...Informal discussion of current and immediate problems almost inevitably lead to the consideration of broader and long-term interests...
...In order to fully satisfy our brothers to the left, it would be rather difficult, if not well nigh impossible, to accomodate a workers' education program to the delicate shifts in program and procedure that might be suggested by latter day disciples of the several Marxist groups...
...It is important that these labor people not only serve on thesa committees, but that tbey make it their concern to know the manner in which public institutions can best meet the educational needs of their members...
...In •ome instances, they are limited to two or three courses at the undergraduate level...
...In giving this service, it must be fair and objective...
...They point out the tremendous .deficiencies that exist in the curricula of the public elementary schools, high 1 schools,, and colleges, and conclude that the sudden interest of certain colleges ^and, universities in workers' education stems from ulterior motives...
...Beginnings are being made by our colleges and universities...
...Some leaders in education, labor, industry, and the church, would have us do the former...
...Organized Labor and Our Colleges By Arthur A, Elder Director, Workers' Educational Service, University of Michigan £'^T^A'N the colleges and universities ' C A 0t thf Unit<<i SUU'* °ffer 10 WOrk> p1--^ ers the kind e| educational provgr*ras they want and need...
...It Is true that these beginnings came much later than those which resulted in the establishment of the Workers Education Association in Britain...
...Nor should the defenders of private enterprise object if an equally honest appraisal of other* systems leads to the conclusion that we would have much to gain through adoption of what one or all of them have to teach us, either in whole or in minute part...
...No workers' education program worthy of the name can assume the responsibility for promoting a particular kind of economic society...
...It has no reason for assuming that the private enterprise system is the beat possible system beyond such reason as the facts and evidence may warrant...
...Yet ths tardiness of our universities in offering to develop similar services In this country is probsbly the result of th* slower development of our labor movement...
...A satisfactory geaeral answer might be that a university program should include all types of services that will aid the worker in becoming a more effective citizen and member of his group...
...Department of Labor, examines a portion of existing programs...
...More serious criticism may be anticipated of the proposal to delve more deeply into social, political and economic issues that have fared people throughout the ages and continue to face us today...
...EDUCATION FOR ADULTS FoR too long the overall problem of workers' and adult education has been shabbily treated...
...Workshops, forums, conferences, discussion groups, movies, or classes may be the means...
...leelnnln-gs Made GlVEN the personnel, colleges snd universities must be prepared to take the service Into union halls add meeting places...
...Certain universities— all too few of them it may be granted— ars now offering educational services' to workers...
...A workers' education program has a responsibility for placing all possible alternatives before its patrons...
...School people who have these qualities should be drawn into service^wherever possible...
...A moment's consideration, however, should show him that the universities are at long last assuming some of the responsibility for labor leadership training that they have "commonly recognized and assumed for years in the training of students for business and professional and agricultural callings...
...These services differ widely...
...While it is true that unions may wish to assume the responsibility for what may l>e termed the basic or bread-andbutter aspects of the union educational program, there should be no reason why workers' educational departments within colleges should not be of great assistance to them in carrying on the much-needed program of rank-and-file trade union education...
...A study of Caroline Ware, recently . Issued under American Labor Education Service auspices, points to soma |0 universities and colleges which offer ' cervices in the field of workers' education...
...It la obvious that the development of such a program for workers within our colleges and universities constitutes a tremendous challenge...
...Professional people, too, may make a contribution to such a program...
...Some of these students hope to become personnel directors for management, while others look forward to assuming executive positions in unions...
...Personnel and material resources of Federal and State departments should be drawn upon in building the service for workers...
...As citizens we support these universities snd as workers and union members we should expect services from them comparable to those offered to other groups In society...
...No specific answer to fit all situations ap.» peara to be possible at this time...
...Workshops may lead to ths publication of a labor paper, organization of a poster service, or the development of a speaker's bureau...
...scheduled an important series of articles by leading educators, educational philosophers snd psychologists, -and others...
...With close to 15,000,000 organized workers, universities now have a responsibility to the labor movement, however, extending beyond service to a few leaders...
...Mew Colleges Can Serve /There are many union members who Insist that the labor movement can place tie reliance on capitalist-controlled institutions...
Vol. 30 • February 1947 • No. 6
