Literacy in America: Historic Journey and Contemporary Solutions

(Hardback)

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By focusing on people rather than statistics, this study explores the many literacy agents, methods, and materials used at different times and places in American history. This first comprehensive history of how the American people achieved varying degrees of literacy from early colonial times to the modern era demonstrates that literacy education is not synonymous with schooling. By focusing on people, rather than statistics, it explores the many literacy agents, methods, and materials used at different times and places, including literacy among women and minority groups. Before the 20th century, family and church were frequently central to literacy development. Family literacy is essential to awaken the personal responsibility and motivation necessary for children to obtain a love for reading. This effort requires more intensive collaboration procedures between the home and the school, some of which are detailed in this important study. The authors define literacy as the degree of interaction with written text that enables individuals to be productive members of their society. Before the rise of enforced, tax-supported, compulsory schooling, Americans became literate in myriad ways including domestic education, dame schools, subscription schools, moving schools, self-study, and tutoring. Women received fewer literacy opportunities than men until the 20th century. The struggle for African American literacy was also the first step toward individual freedom and dignity. Unfortunately, for Native Americans, literacy in English frequently had negative connotations because it often formed part of the effort to exterminate Native American culture. Based largely on primary materials, this historical survey reveals important lessons from the past that can be applied to achieve higher levels of 21st-century literacy.

Reviews

." . . a fascinating and impressively researched account of America's success (and failure) in what, on reflection, may well be a key to our development as the world's dominant power. It is indeed an "Historic Journey," filled with details of how our constant drive to teach and to learn overcame the demands of everyday labor, the challenges of distance, and the often primitive conditions."-Paul J. Miller Senior Partner Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
." . . [The] book highlights the important role that the family has played in literacy throughout this country's history, particularly the important role of parent as teacher. . .. [it] should be a great resource for all courses on the history of education in the United States and required reading for anyone truly interested in the history of literacy in the U.S."-Noreen S. Lopez Director, PBS LiteracyLink
"Given the many negative reviews of declining literacy in America, it seems as though a book on literacy should be written in a style that readers from diverse backgrounds and/or those with highly biased political views would find engaging. It is my belief that most readers would find this book to be a highly readable, nicely balanced, content-laden, and thougtfully crafted."-Ronald R. Morgan Professor and Graduate Program Director of the Educational Psychology Programs of Study Loyola University, Chicago
"Literacy in America: Historic Journeys and Contemporary Solutions is a masterpiece of cleverly woven narratives and factual information. Edward and Elaine Gordon have blended their talents of educational historian and librarian to create a story of how literacy evolved in the United States. The literacy story is revealed through vignettes of people of the past, some well known and some ordinary people. The Gordons' extensive research is obvious, but their story is presented in a very readable and engaging fashion. I recommend this book for parents, educators, and the general public for a historical perspective on literacy education."-Eunice N. Askov Distinguished Professor of Education Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy The Pennsylvania State University
"We face a grim enough task in maintaining a high level of functionally literate citizens as we enter the 21st century, and our problem is compounded by ignorance about how we could have avoided it. If we're going to reverse current trends, we have to begin by learning why our recent ancestors prized the ability to read so highly and how they managed to beat the educational odds-and how we can, too. The Gordons have now given us the lively and intelligent ammunition we need in the twin wars against growing illiteracy and complacency. As a former teacher, I wish every teacher-and every parent-in America would read this book, and then live by it!"-Benjamin R. Justesen Washington D.C., non-profit administrator author, George henry White: An Even Chance in the Race of Life
"The wonder is that this book on literacy in America took Edward E. Gordon and Elaine H. Gordon only ten years to research and write rather than twenty. No one before them has attempted such a full coverage of the history of literacy in the United States from the colonial period to the present day, using quantitative and qualitative evidence....[a] major contribution to the history of literacy with appeal well beyond a scholarly audience. every teacher of literacy would be enriched by reading it."-Journal of American History
[A] major contribution to the history of literacy with appeal well beyond a scholarly audience. Every teacher of literacy would be enriched by reading it.-Journal of American History
[L]iteracy in America provides a well-documented account of the variety of ways people learned to read and write throughout America's history....[o]ffer intriguing models for addressing the pressing need for more sophisticated and wide-spread literacy in today's population.-Anthropology and Education Quarterly
[T]his will appeal to a broad audience. It gives a comprehensive historical look at the development of literacy in America.-The OLCR News
Literacy in America provides a well-documented account of variety of ways people learned to read and write throughout America's history.-Anthropology & Education Quarterly
The strength of this book is its variety of first person sources. Writings range from Cotton Mather's plan for the education of his children to the eighteenth-century schooling of Hannah Adams....These stories and others of approaches to literacy education add color and credibility to more standard histories of education in the United States.-American Historical Review
The wonder is that this book on literacy in America took Edward E. Gordon and Elaine H. Gordon only ten years to research and write rather than twenty. No one before them has attempted such a full coverage of the history of literacy in the United States from the colonial period to the present day, using quantitative and qualitative evidence....[a] major contribution to the history of literacy with appeal well beyond a scholarly audience. every teacher of literacy would be enriched by reading it.-Journal of American History
"The strength of this book is its variety of first person sources. Writings range from Cotton Mather's plan for the education of his children to the eighteenth-century schooling of Hannah Adams....These stories and others of approaches to literacy education add color and credibility to more standard histories of education in the United States."-American Historical Review
"A major contribution to the history of literacy with appeal well beyond a scholarly audience. Every teacher of literacy would be enriched by reading it."-Journal of American History
"Literacy in America provides a well-documented account of the variety of ways people learned to read and write throughout America's history....offer intriguing models for addressing the pressing need for more sophisticated and wide-spread literacy in today's population."-Anthropology and Education Quarterly
"This will appeal to a broad audience. It gives a comprehensive historical look at the development of literacy in America."-The OLCR News
"[A] major contribution to the history of literacy with appeal well beyond a scholarly audience. Every teacher of literacy would be enriched by reading it."-Journal of American History
"[L]iteracy in America provides a well-documented account of the variety of ways people learned to read and write throughout America's history....[o]ffer intriguing models for addressing the pressing need for more sophisticated and wide-spread literacy in today's population."-Anthropology and Education Quarterly
"[T]his will appeal to a broad audience. It gives a comprehensive historical look at the development of literacy in America."-The OLCR News
"Literacy in America provides a well-documented account of variety of ways people learned to read and write throughout America's history."-Anthropology & Education Quarterly

Author Bio

EDWARD E. GORDON is President of the Imperial Consulting Corporation. He has also taught for 20 years at three Chicago-area universities: DePaul, Loyola, and Northwestern. He is the author of many articles and 12 other books, including Closing the Literacy Gap (1991), Futurework (1994), Enhancing Learning (1998), and Skills Wars (2000). ELAINE H. GORDON is the Vice-President for Research of the Imperial Consulting Corporation. She is the co-author with Edward E. Gordon of Centuries of Tutoring: A History of Alternative Education in Western Europe and America (1990).