A lifelong advocate for children, Edelman was taught that she was obligated to struggle to change the world's problems. In "Families in Peril," she wrote that "the tide of misery that poverty breeds and that blacks have borne disproportionately throughout history has now spread to a critical mass of white American families."…

Scrutinizes the use of biographical narrative as a device for constructing leadership models for schools. The historic figure of Che Guevara (as reconstructed in Peter McLaren's article) is not appropriate as a model for contemporary school leadership, due to outdated ideologies. More wide-ranging aesthetic criticism should undergird school…

Merrill Hartshorn, for three decades the driving force behind the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), died in 1985. This tribute, written by a former NCSS president and longtime friend of Hartshorn, describes Hartshorn as "the torchbearer of a social studies tradition." (RM)

Hermann Krusi, born in 1817 in Switzerland, was the first drawing and art teacher at what is today Oswego State College. His most outstanding achievement was the development of a program of "Inventive Drawing," adopted by thousands of schools throughout the nation. Krusi's life and contributions are discussed. (RM)

This book presents biographical profiles of 10 athletes of interest to readers ages 9 and above and was created to appeal to young readers in a format they can enjoy and readily understand. Biographies were prepared after extensive research, and each volume contains a cumulative index, a general index, a place of birth index, and a birthday index.…

Dennie Palmer Wolf's career has taken her from teaching in a two-room schoolhouse to groundbreaking research on portfolios and alternative assessments. Today she directs PACE (Performance Collaboratives for Education) and is a senior research associate at Harvard Graduate School of Education. In an unequal society, schools are obligated to help…

The article uses quotes and family pictures to illustrate the early life of educator and psychologist Leta Hollingworth (1886-1939) and influences on her life. It is concluded that her roots in Nebraska were preparation for her pioneering work in psychology, women's issues, and education of the gifted. (DB)

Comenius has his place in educational history but is not the greatest educationalist who ever lived, as Gundem claims in another article in the same "Journal of Curriculum and Supervision" issue. Plato, Rousseau, and Dewey are more frequently mentioned at AERA meetings because their work has contributed significantly to constructing or…

Profiles Floyd Wiggins, Jr., veteran school security chief for Richmond (Virginia) Public Schools. Besides a security force, the district uses hand-held metal-detectors and police-dog raids in its secondary schools and is considering use of student identification cards, security video cameras, and a larger parent volunteer force. Wiggins feels…

Presents the story of how Charlotte Bronte and her sister, Emily, experienced their own education and how Charlotte pursued education as a career because of duty, need, and fate. The article suggests that Charlotte was a woman of extraordinary genius and noble virtue, though she was actually a reluctant teacher. (SM)

Biographies can inspire students to reach their goals and explore various literary elements (turning points, cause and effect, and figurative language). This reading and writing workshop presents resources and strategies for introducing students to biography. A student reproducible has students examine why people are their role models or mentors.…

This paper discusses the life and work of Lawrence A. Cremin (1925-1990), an important historian of U.S. education. One of Cremin's most notable works was the 1961 "Transformation of the School: Progressivism in American Education, 1876-1957." Cremin was on the faculty at Teachers College, Columbia University (New York) for 41 years.…

Discusses the life of William Billings, an early American composer and a leader in one of the earliest forms of organized music education in the United States: singing schools and singing societies. Examines his contributions to the U.S. musical heritage and briefly surveys his publications. (GEA)

Examines the life and memoirs of Janusz Korczak (1878-1942), who attained considerable recognition as author, pediatrician, lecturer, publicist, philosopher, and educator. His greatest achievements were founding a unique, progressive child-raising method and directing an orphanage in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II--until all were gassed by…

Recounts why the author became interested in writing about Mina Shaughnessy, an outstanding teacher who was from a working class family. Describes briefly the life and works of Shaughnessy. (PA)