Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series of novels tells the story of her life through narratives developed around housing; male traditions of buying and building; and female traditions of furnishing, housekeeping, and preservation of culture. Wilder made Great Plains houses a central metaphor of U.S. culture. (KS)

Acknowledges the late Professor Emeritus William G. Walker's contribution to educational administration. Describes major advances in epistemological perspectives and metatheoretical frameworks underlying recent educational administration research in Australia. A progressive research agenda should focus on preserving systems, empowering schools,…

Biography and other forms of life writing have been neglected sources in teaching educational administration, chiefly due to the field's positivistic orientation. Changing ideas about organizational realities, administrative values, the management/leadership dichotomy, and reflective practice should create new openings for biography in…

The reversals (including two harrowing racial incidents) confronting Ben Canada on the way to becoming Atlanta's chief educator have strengthened his convictions. Despite numerous achievements, he was bounced from Jackson (Mississippi) Schools over a school-prayer fiasco. In Atlanta, he has dealt with a school closing situation and now faces…

The use of biographies in counseling young men who are gifted is recommended, to assist them in dealing with such issues as underachievement, self-inflicted pressure in athletics, cultural alienation, and father-son relationships. Biographical works that may be used and strategies for using this counseling approach are examined, including case…

Surveys U.S. historiography dealing with Christopher Columbus from the eighteenth century to the present. Traces the changes in interpretation, treating Columbus as a hero, a victim, a visionary, a genius, and a mariner. Discusses past textbook treatments of Columbus and the portrayal of minorities in descriptions of his expeditions. (DK)

Tupelo (Mississippi) Superintendent Mike Walters eschewed his former "happy bureaucrat" role for a facilitative role allowing teachers to reinvent curriculum and instruction. Inspired by Deming's continuous-improvement precept and aided by a $3.5 million grant from the area's Fortune-500 business community, this superintendent finds…

At lifewriting workshops held in Maine schools and senior citizen centers, participants learn to turn their memories into written vignettes. Writing memoirs helps older people celebrate who they have been and helps younger people explore who they are. (LP)

Mary Leue started the Free School, an independent, alternative elementary school in inner-city Albany (New York), based on open democratic education dedicated to the authentic lives of children. Other accomplishments include a community-investment organization, a magazine of alternative education, a magazine for empowering families, and a…

Draws on an array of historical documents to delve into the history of genetics and the lives and scientific accomplishments of female geneticists that include Nettie Stevens, Rosalind Franklin, and Barbara McClintock. (Contains 20 references.) (Author/WRM)

Examines contributions by Mary Ritter Beard and Marion Thompson Wright to inclusive social education curricula. Beard established the field of women's history; Wright promoted the application of black history. Both saw social betterment as the goal of knowledge and sought inclusive understanding of the nature of legitimate knowledge in schools.…

Discusses author Karen Hesse's books for children and young adults; suggests ideas for related activities that include appropriate Web sites; and presents an annotated bibliography for books for young readers, books for older readers, audio, video, Web biographical information, print biographical information, and additional sources. (LRW)

Offers a bibliography that provides suggestions for further information on the First Ladies. Types of information sources suggested include general overviews of the First Ladies, biographies and autobiographies of First Ladies, specialized studies, White House social history resources, and books for young people. (CMK)

The history of black women's social reform work remains unrecognized in the academy and the general culture. The contributions of courageous black feminist authors such as bell hooks, Nikki Giovanni, and Audre Lorde are important for all students. Hooks works with educators to denounce sexist and racist stereotypes, Giovanni stresses the concept…

This article tells the stories of four middle class, white, English women whose participation in educational policy making is little known: Annie Leigh Browne (1851-1936), Margaret MacDonald (1870-1911), Hilda Miall-Smith (born 1861) and Honnor Morten (1861-1913). In doing so, it provides a perspective on the circumstances that enabled or…