BROOKWOOD ENTERS ITS 7TH YEAR

Cook, Clara

Brookwood Enters Its 7th Year By Clara Cook Librarian at Brookwood /UB DAY Just before I came to Brook^-^ wood for its opening In 1921, I was talking to Sam Oompers who was In Baltimore...

...and the answer we found in the vision of such men as "BUI" Fincke, one of the founders of Brookwood, of whom it has been said "It was he who saw the vision of an education that should make human beings free...
...i 5. Editorial Service...
...From time to time it holds debates on live issues, particularly those dealing with science and religion...
...Not only to members who have acquired experience, however, does our Educational Department offer activities...
...one is assistant to the editor of an important labor Journal, one is vice, president of the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union...
...A Social Interpretation of American Literature, and Social Tendencies ta Mtodarh Literature: but the instructor will vary the handling of its material la the various graaps, taking into ccoslderattaa the knowledge of tha peajkns in tbeav...
...Students met at the train by the new Brookwood truck don't appreciate the days when taxis refused to come beyond the safe state road, and the slowly expanding equipment of the school '(the principal additions this year being a new faculty house and a stone garage, both built by student labor) seems sumptuous when compared with the privations of 1921 and 1922...
...Have you any check on the value of Brookwood's work...
...Registration limited Registration at the school is limited eouhanaat' ^aasl * naiatng 9B* ditties...
...A the ......sajt to tha Interacts** j Socialist Society, organised in 1905 by jack tinAw...
...The League began its career under its present name, to tail, with a gstatly aa- j larged psngraoj which, rnrhglarl adugational satin Ij in'the labor as wall as i the collegiate Adds, the stated object...
...Its officers include Robert Morss Lovett, President...
...The only change in the faculty for this year is the position of economics instructor, now filled by Tom Tippett, formerly educational director of sub-district S. United Mine Workers of America...
...The League has a city chapter in New York with a memberi ship of over 500 and similar groups in | Washington and Chicago...
...Us period of probation is at an end...
...These can be obtained at the Educational Department, 3 West 16th Street, telephone .Chelsea 2148...
...two are connected with cooperative enterprises, and so on...
...We arranged lectures and tocnaaons and invited the women to attend...
...Flans are now under way far a two days symposium during the Christmas holidays on Youth in the Labor Movement...
...We worked harder—we had to, or the whole thing would have fallen through: I hadn't been here 15 minutes the first day before I was in overalls and helping unload stoves...
...It is therefore of the atmost importance that the utnaa keep its members informed jg?Rt affatoa...
...Its president is James I. Eyiott, its secretary, Woolsey Teller: its office la at 119 East 14th St...
...has long realised the need of meeting this situation, and therefore, inaugurated a series of educational activities for the wives of our members...
...There he comes to realize that he must make his decisions discriminatingly, and carry them through carefully, for upon him rests the success or failure of his organization's policy...
...It Is now directing a study on Recent Developments in Cap| italism in America...
...The significance of Workers' Educa, tion is far reaching and it will be left to the future to judge the importance of j its results...
...A union is a democratic institution...
...one colored graduate is organizing colored workers...
...Itsprogram is so arranged as to satisfy each of- the various groups composing our International Union...
...Again, education is necessary in order to preserve the constructive plans of tba union Itself...
...That is difficult to estimate, considering the youth and the small number of graduates, and the slowness with which they find their places in the movement...
...Wider Representation of Students Brookwood is now taken for granted...
...The League'* work may be divided into the j following lines of effort...
...2. City Graaps...
...It is there that he assumes a great many functions, those of the voter, the legislator, the judge, the administrator...
...It is the New York branch, of the American Association for the Advancement of Atheism, Inc...
...7. Economic Activities...
...but quite naturajly, each individual is appealed to most by those that an best suited to his needs...
...One graduate is organizing southern ! textile workers—to give a few sample \ cases...
...The League organizes a Student Conference during the winter holidays and a summer conference in late June...
...Norman Thomas, , one of the Executive Directors, serves 130 labor and farm papers every two weeks with, an editorial service on current events which Is constantly Increasing In popularity and in value...
...what's (his all about...
...4. Research...
...Harry Laidler visited It college ! campuses while Kenneth Lindsay of Ox1 ford, England, spoke in more than a : score of universities...
...tion...
...The Labor Movement has now recognized Worker^ Education as an essential trade union activity...
...Its headquarters are at 70 Fifth avenue...
...Stuart Chase, Treasurer...
...tmtan —*—«-'- Osama...
...The educational program of our department is designed to make this experience more effective...
...They can accomplish, this only through organization...
...Joyous, open-eyed, unafraid, creative," and Arthur Gleason, to whom labor education was "a training in the science of reconstruction, a means to the liberation of the ^sVking class, individually and collectively: in pursuit of Which, it uses all aids that will enrich the life of the group and of the worker in the group...
...6. Conferences...
...having a voice and a Vote in its counsels...
...David J. SapoBs, who spent last year investigating French labor conditions for the Social Science Department of Columbia University, has began taken up his classes in labor and trade union organization, and Jasper Deeter, manager of the Philadelphia Hedgerow Theater, who "put across" labor dramatics so successfully at Brookwood last year, has returned...
...It cooperates ! with many other organizations with lit! erature and speakers, j 3. Pamphleteering...
...A statistical study of the student bodies shows a growing tendency for wider geographical and industrial distribution of students, as the school becomes better known and the labor movement grows more confident of its aim and achievements...
...The annual conference of teachers engaged in workers' edujeation are also well known, and the summer institutes of one...
...Last summer, the third in which institutes have been conducted, included the largest ever held, the textile institute of 62 members and a new Women's Institute, sponsored by the Machinists Auxiliary, and attended by 25 workers' wives representing seven different unions...
...It was, for Instance, to a considerable extent, responsible for the formation of the Committee on Justice to' China, the American Committee for Strikers' Relief, which helped to raise over 825,000 for the Passaic strikers and to schedule scores of speakers before strike meetings, and for the organization of the Committee on Coal and Power, which is Just completing a valuable study on the whole electrical power industry in . the United States, under the direction of H. S. Raushenbush...
...Current Topics—Active members of th< rank and file of our union, on the othei hand, will be interested also in knowing the place of workers in history, and ir Keeping abreast of ^tarrent sr^easg St ^Ba* todaatrtei tabnr wttrss* * - - - —mim*m» wn*mim terested in Social Psychology...
...I suppose the best tiling to do Is to try it out and see what hapjpens.'" > One of Brookwood's famous "first fouriteen" told me this recently, and added "That was toe spirit of the first year or two—try it out I'm glad I was here < then...
...These three considerations influenced the initiation of workers' education and are still further Influencing its development...
...1. OasVfjs work...
...Relying not upon awe but upon reason...
...The League was In considerable part responsible for the nisi sty of Socialist Thought recently published by Thomas Y. Crowell and written by Harry w. Laidler...
...Powers Hapgood and three members of the American student delegation to Russia in the summer of 1927...
...Our International Union had the good fortune to be the pioneer in the field of Workers' Education...
...John Haynes ', Holmes, Vladimir Karapetoff, James H. \ Maurer and Vida D. Scudder, Vice-Presidents...
...The discussions will be conducted In the language best understood by the groups, whether English, Yiddish, Italian or Russian...
...It also serves as a social center for Infidels...
...One of the attractions of the evening will be the stimulating music of the Paul Whlteman Piccadilly Players...
...It has organised chapters in more ' than a score of colleges and has corres! pendents in about 120 institutions where i it is loosely affiliated with groups for the i study of social problems...
...In order to make the experiment for the Labor Movement, we were willing to pay the price of the pioneer...
...worker's Education The Garment wor kew By Fannia ML Coha %m" ^anant, LUG.W4J...
...He learns to take responsibility and thus develops his character and personality...
...Unity House Reunion To Be Held Dec...
...ga^s^seen a^B^^*Bl ¦ SB^Bpswee^seewa- ^s«^BiB*wejBaF I 0tro<tert sntf otfaefs, occupies tv BBgfBsl • phMe ta tha saadsatsaal ace of the no...
...The union has an additional problem: As the organisation through which the workers function in our modem society, it has aa aim and a responsibility to keep the workers informed, not only as to the affairs of their organization, but in regard to society as a whole...
...Norman Thomas delivered 79 | addresses before over 5,000 students in 25 colleges...
...The League is constantly stimulating the organization of specific groups to do specific pieces of work...
...Tickets are $1.00 including wardrobe...
...Of interest %»' Women—Trade rntOm women win be particalatljr ia»saa il as a aMaanaaa at' the cagasaai i wh af Women and their place in the labor movement...
...Brookwood has held several successful symposiums, of which a conference on The Negro in Industry was outstanding last year...
...And I think we studied harder too—talked economics and trade union policies while we fed pigs and mended roads...
...This year 13 states and Canada and 14 trades are represented, including bakers, cap makers, upholsterers, shoe workers, textile workers, tailors, coal miners, railway carmen, taxi-drivers, painters andi machinists...
...But there was a great deal of idealism in the background of those beginnings, ¦very day the question was asked, "What the hell are we doing here, anyway...
...However, a rough census of what the 92 graduates are doing shows that 54 can definitely be regarded as active rank and file trade unionists, while 23 others have been employed In official capacities since their graduation...
...AMAJOR FURPOSB of the educational activities of the I. L. G. W. U. Is to provide the Labor Movement with intelligent, well \jjn"ormed, clear thinking men and • women...
...Economics—Thus, members of executive boards, paid and unpaid officers ol the Union and shop chairmen, are more likely than any others to be interested in studying The Economics of our Industry, its influences upon the policies and tactics of the American Labor Movement in general and our own union ir particular, the labor situation in basic industries, the history of our International and shop economics...
...Our Own Activities The trade union is a practical school for the worker...
...10 Only four weeks remain before the Unity House Reunion Dance of the I. L. G. W. U. which takes place Saturday December 1 in the beautiful ballroom of the Manhattan Opera House, at 34th Street and 8th Avenue...
...It is possible, however, that "the good Old days" had their advantages...
...It is a forum of high class where both sides of a subject are heard willingly...
...With this view, our International organized an Educational Department in 1917 and the 1925- Convention authorized an annual appropriation of $17,500 foi the following two years...
...This' organised strength will be much more effective if directed by intelligent leadership...
...The first thing to do is to make sure you will be admitted by securing a ticket at once...
...The League is also constantly sending information and advice to numerous inquiring groups and individuals through' out the country...
...More and mesa we are realising that it is urgently important that the workers should be acquainted with the problems of the industry In which they are engaged and of the world in which they live...
...That is why Brookwood is endeavoring to raise a S2.000.000 building and endearment fund to provide equipment lor 1M students, and an assured income so that the annual budget need not depend on a yearly passing of the hat by imaibvis of the administration who, as the students themselves complain, "should be here at school teaching trade union history...
...Bach member is a fun fledged cltzien...
...Lectures—The Educational Department of our International also provides a program of activities for passive as well as for active members, and even includes in this program the families of our members...
...Unity House Lectures—Our Department arranged for lectures and discussions on economics, sociology, psychology Jfuterature, art, drama and affairs of th^ day at our summer home, Unity House, Forest Park, Pa...
...It is the mission at the workers ta abolish the inequalities which they suffer...
...Ingersoll Forum Carries on Ideals of Famed Agnostic Forrest Bailey, director of the Amerl-f can Civil Liberties Bureau, will lecture on the menace of Fundamentalism before the Ingersoll Forum on Sunday evening, i November 13th, at eight o'clock in the Guild Hall .Steinway/Buildlng, 113 West 57th St...
...In 1926 Paul Blanshard visited in behalf of the Society M colleges and addressed 31,500 ' students...
...or two weeks are now becoming a regular institution...
...Forty students are about all that can be taken care of, considering such items as living and class nam spam, library faculties and' kitchen squlpoMe...
...Harry W. Laidler and Norman Thomas, Execi utive Directors...
...Frequent Lectures The lecture program of the school is well under way...
...It gives members of the union those facts of the social sciences which may serve as a basis for sound conclusions, may help create true social and spiritual values and may train them for active and successful participation in the Labor Movement...
...Twenty-six are con•nected with workers' education enterprises, one of them, as secretary of the j very-much-alive Philadelphia Labor College...
...most people do not take advantage of the democratic machinery which has been established...
...The proceedings of the summer conferences are kept for permanent record and have gained for the League a wide reputation in the world of economic thought...
...This year we shall continue the plan of having lecturers speak at local meetings on some labor, social or economic problem of interest to the audience...
...c a, The wives at oar m mill m may be Interested in stiatying the power Of women as consumers, bow to acquaint chfldren with the labor movement, tha contribution of trade unionism to the welfare of the family, the part the trade unionist's wife can play In the labor movement...
...Already the students have been addressed by A. Coppock, head of the building trades in Oreat Britain, and by Helmuth Niendorf, German fraternal delegate to the A. F. of L. convention...
...It it still experimenting, however, with new methods of teaching, new courses, new personnel, and always new and more representative students...
...He .said, 'I've heard such a school Is go'mg to open...
...Questions and speeches from the audience are welcomed...
...The Educational Department of the I.L.G.W.U...
...Shortly after ha reorganisation, | the fteajgje ana fortunate in adding to) ,11b staff Norman Thomas, one of the most afgettgs recruits to the whole ad- j ; vanced movement In the country sinaa i the war, and Paul Blanshard, the elo- j gaant field sssretary of the League...
...Like other social institutions, however, the union has only a small active citizenry...
...pragressive this them nation rpHZ League far TiiilisasttSI DasntaaMBl...
...It was- active in the Sacco and Vanzettl case' and Is now assisting the coal miners in West Virginia...
...The aim of our experiment has been achieved with this recognition...
...The League is I building up a valuable pamphlet liter| ature on problems of industrial democi racy of both a scientific and popular ' nature...
...stpc* even the passive gawp, by its power of suffrage, can, if it is left uninformed, destroy all the constructive plans of the organization...
...one is vice-president of a state federation of labor and running successful workers' '.classes at the same time...
...All its activities, art of course, open to our entire membership...
...The League eaah year sends a number of lecturers among colleges and universities from the Atlantic) to the PaaJtV ta address students at college assemblies, before economics classes, at students' meetings, etc...
...Under tha Swiss ryshUi of Barry W. Laidter, the Ltt carried on an eataaatte aaacsananS rampstgn among the colleges for man* sears...
...The Ingersoll Forum, named in honor of Robert G. Ingersoll, "America's mightiest foe of dogma and supernaturalism", undertakes to complete the work which he carried on and to be a living monument to his memory...
...The League ar\ ranged many other lectures by its friends j who were passing through university ; towns...
...The tenth annirarsary of the Russian Revolution was celebrated with a program of speakers Including Robert W. Dunn...
...These talks usually last from 30 to 40 minutes, and will again be followed by a short period of questions...
...Brookwood Enters Its 7th Year By Clara Cook Librarian at Brookwood /UB DAY Just before I came to Brook^-^ wood for its opening In 1921, I was talking to Sam Oompers who was In Baltimore speaking, and I asked him what <fbe thought about this Brookwood...
...being "education for a new social order, j based on production for use and not for j profit...
...Opens 7th Tear As Brookwood opened its seventh year this tall, with thrice fourteen students and a faculty of eight members, its doubts and limitations of the first years seem unreal...
...He learns also how to defend his position before the employer, the public and his own fellow workers, when he must explain to them the aims, tactics and policies of the union...
...There's a limit to Brookwood's equipment at present," as somebody put it | "but well use that equipment up to the ! limit...
...90 informed, they wlB be willing to place at tha dtipsaal of the labor movement their will-power and practical common sense and Influence, to aid tbafe- husbands in their dally struggles...
...After Graduation The question is often asked, "What are the graduates doing...
...We read in early minutes that "the executive board's recommendation that all classes be held in the dining room, was amended to read 'wherever possible' and adopted as amended," and who wouldn't rattier meet in the airy, sunny dining room than in the coal-dusted basement room jl- used for classes...

Vol. 4 • November 1927 • No. 21


 
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