An American way to talk: forums as civic education in the 1930s

One might say, based on concerns over the state of democratic participation and engagement, that while civic education is a perennial concern in America, as with many other similar things, it’s not something Americans have felt the need to legislate or especially organize. Aside from high school civics classes and various celebratory activities (Fourth of July parades, essay contests and so forth), Americans have not developed highly organized civic education, especially for adults. The argument in this paper is that in indirect ways there have been, throughout American history, institutions that functionally provided civic education to adults. I will first review some distinctions about civic education, then look at the historical dimensions of adult civic education, and finally suggest ways in which we might profitably return to the past.