Learning History the Co-operative Way.

History and citizenship teaching in the early twentieth century

Keith Vernon

University of Central Lancashire

Self-education / mutual instruction

• Principle of working-class self-education• Limited opportunities• Mistrust of authorities (and vice versa!)

• Still needed at start C20?• Expansion of state education

Co-operation and self-education

• To what extent did co-operative movement educate itself?

• What means / models did it draw on?

• Focus on first decades C20

• Formal classes

Co-operative education and the state

• Late C19 accommodation?• No need for elementary education• Public libraries• Technical education too expensive

The need for self-education

• Soured relationships after 1902 Education Act• Removal of School Boards• State support for Voluntary schools• Restrictions on adult evening classes

• Similar after 1918• Limitations of 1918 Education Act• Suspicion of state encroachments on co-operation

Mutual Instruction

• Education for co-operation• Classes in co-operative history and principles• Advice to teachers• Our Story

• Taught by members

• List teachers

Mutual Instruction

• Co-operative Bookkeeping• Taught within stores – by managers• Employer education

Distance Learning

• Education Department / Co-op College• Educational Programme• Citizenship studies / vocational classes• Syllabuses, examinations• Correspondence courses• Weekend classes

Distance Learning

• University Extension; WEA• Printed syllabus• Recommended reading• Examinations

Itinerant Lecturers

• Specialist vocational classes

• Regional / itinerant lecturers

• Taken into societies / relationships with LEAs

Education for Co-operation

• Need to retain education in-house• Fluctuated• Primarily co-operative principles and practice

• Variety methods / models to draw on• Mutual instruction• WEA• Itinerant lecturers

Education for Co-operation

• How effective was it?

• Complaints of limited uptake but large numbers did

• Principles and practices of co-operation were maintained, and flourished