A series of recollections, memoirs, and anecdotes, this short autobiographical sketch focuses on former American Library Association (ALA) President Robert Vosper's involvement in the international library community from World War II until the 1980s. The work opens with reminiscences of acquiring foreign materials in 1944 while working at the…

Issues related to decentralization, with a focus on community involvement, are discussed in this paper. The 20th-century Indonesian experience is analyzed to illustrate the process by which a national administrative reform policy develops, and to identify contributing and inhibiting factors relating to the implementation of decentralization. The…

Since its establishment in 1978, Thailand's Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) has attracted world-wide attention for its innovative, multimedia approach to distance education and for its varied assortment of degree and non-degree programs. Four articles by Dr. Wichit Srisa-an, the founding rector of STOU, are presented in this volume:…

William S. Gray, Professor of Education and Dean of the College of Education at the University of Chicago, began work in 1929 on a major revision of the "Elson Readers," a popular basal series published by Scott, Foresman and Company. Organized around the daily life of two ordinary children, the "Dick and Jane" readers…

This study investigated whether Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate holders in two San Francisco, California, Bay Area counties (Contra Costa and Alameda) felt that CDA certification had increased their professional self-esteem and career development within Head Start. It was hypothesized that the higher the teacher's level of formal…

The Founding Fathers of the United States placed great importance on the learning of foreign languages and on excellence in reading and writing English. Sacrifices in the curriculum in favor of English were justified by the desire that Americans speak and write English as well as the British. Above all, the Founding Fathers were concerned with the…

The evolution and current status of student personnel services in community colleges are examined in this paper. Following introductory remarks concerning the place of student services in the broad mission of community colleges, a historical perspective on student personnel services is provided, covering major influential reports and publications…

An overview of the history of nontraditional programs within the American higher education system discusses the energy and spirit provided by such programs and relates them to the basic principles of American culture (importance of individuality, respect for diversity, and belief in equality). During the development of American culture, the five…

Tracing the history of South Dakota State University's Hilton M. Briggs Library over the past 102 years, this occasional paper describes the development of what is now the largest library (over 1.1 million total pieces) in the South Dakota Library Network from its inception as part of a small land grant college. Administrative eras are reviewed,…

This book describes various aspects of the historical development of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The first chapter, entitled "Origins," sketches the factors leading up to authorization of the BLS in June 1884. A chapter entitled "Carroll Wright: Setting the Course" discusses the views and contributions of the BLS's…

The history of the first public co-educational liberal arts college in New York City, from 1930 to the present is examined as a reflection of American higher education during this period. Part 1, "The Early Years," discusses how free education came to Brooklyn, life in the Borough Hall district, the academic scene, student movements, and…

The birth and evolution of the Normal School that capped the extensive public school system in Newark in 1855 and became Kean College of New Jersey is described. Needed to supply the rapidly expanding schools with competent teachers, the early school reflected the character of the city and affected the development of Newark itself. The quality of…

The origins and early history of a system of regional colleges in Israel are analyzed in the context of an emerging postsecondary system, based on the work of John Meyer and others who look at the institutional side of organization. It is argued that the terms used to define legitimacy, as well as who defines it, are crucial issues in the…

Orthodox medical education for women in the nineteenth century is examined to determine to what extent women's actual experience reflected their stated goals. It is contended that although women successfully founded some medical schools providing creditable, and in some cases outstanding, training to females, women physicians' ambivalence about…

Although there were camps for children as early as 1861, it was not until the post-depression era that professional educators gave serious consideration to the educational values of camping. By the late thirties school camping was beginning to find a foothold in various sections of the country and during the forties this movement continued to…