1938: Adult Education

Adult education, which has been defined by Frederick P. Keppel as 'the process of learning, on the initiative of the individual, seriously and consecutively undertaken as a supplement to some primary occupation,' gained a satisfactory number of new proponents during 1938. It has been estimated that there are now over 27,000,000 individuals participating in educational activities conducted by libraries, forums, settlements, churches, workers' education classes, evening schools, and other agencies and institutions.

A recent development that has gained strength during the last year throughout the country is the establishment of schools for adults held in public school buildings in the late afternoon and evening. In an increasing number of cities and towns, classrooms, workshops, and gymnasiums of public schools are being opened to adults, many of them parents whose children attend day classes, for courses in almost any subject for which there is sufficient demand. Classes are taught by members of the regular public school faculty, by laymen with a broad knowledge of the subject, or by faculty members from near-by colleges and universities. Sometimes a small fee is charged; sometimes courses are provided by the local board of education without charge.

During 1938 eleven regional adult education conferences for the purpose of discussing local problems were held under the joint auspices of the American Association for Adult Education and regional adult education councils. There are now some fifty state, city, and regional councils of adult education agencies, whose membership is composed of social workers, librarians, representatives of men's and women's clubs, museum workers, and others interested in the education of adults. These organizations serve as clearinghouses of information about local educational activities. Some of them carry on publicity campaigns and make surveys of community resources for adult education.

Chiefly because of the number of Works Progress Administration classes, there are now more publicly supported adult education classes than heretofore. About 1,250,000 persons are enrolled in WPA classes. It is possible that the percentage of federally supported programs will increase in the near future, for at present in Washington a series of proposals has been formulated which provide for the heavy subsidization of adult education by the Federal Government.

Much printed material on adult education was issued during the year by the university presses and commercial publishers. The American Association for Adult Education published eight volumes in the series on the social significance of adult education begun in 1937. These included studies of libraries, men's and women's clubs, special schools, parent education, the drama, and music in relation to adult education.

Workers' education during 1938 was curtailed to some extent by the continued strife between the Committee for Industrial Organization and the American Federation of Labor, although it is estimated that there are over 100,000 workers enrolled in classes.

In Europe adult education was adversely affected by present political and economic conditions. However, the work in the British Isles and Scandinavia, where the movement for many years has been powerful, continued to go forward without interruption.