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Adult Education History Project
Introduction
In 1986, under the leadership of Dr. Roger Hiemstra, Chair, the Adult Education Graduate Program, Syracuse University received a large grant from the Kellogg Foundation. This funding began the Syracuse University Kellogg Project. It was designed to "tap the potential" of a large university library archival collection, the world's largest compilation of English-language materials on adult education. These two organizations, the Adult Education Graduate Program at Syracuse University and the Kellogg Foundation of Battle Creek, Michigan, shared a bold vision: to create a "library for the world," using leading edge technologies to provide access to these materials and, in various ways, to facilitate research and an exchange of ideas and knowledge. While clearing new paths for adult education that would benefit scholars and practitioners in the US and elsewhere, the project also was intended to create new models for information access and management that could be applied in other fields.
While the project achieved many of its initial objectives (see the final report), financial difficulties at Syracuse University during the late 80's and early 90's resulted in several detrimental circumstances: (a) The closing of the Adult Education Graduate Program, (b) the inability of the university to contribute adequate financial support to fully support and sustain the project, (c) and the loss of faculty trained in Adult Education who would have expanded the Adult Education archives' potential through continued scholarship, new initiatives, and promotion of historical research.
Fortunately, there were a few continuing or new efforts related to the archives and the promotion of historical research in the decade after the Project ended (1993-2002). For example, Terry Keenan worked tirelessly for several years to promote the archives, oversee the acquisition and processing of new collections, and provide an "adult education" presence in the University's library system. Michele Combs, Librarian for Manuscripts and Archives Processing, began working with and has expanded the effort since 2006. In addition, a few scholars visit the archives each year to glean new information from the records kept there. Roger Hiemstra and Alex Charters have also promoted the archives as a valuable research resource at various professional meetings.
An adult education professor (Dr. Waynne James, Professor, Adult Education, University of South Florida), visited the archives in early 2002 to carry out research on the Commission of Professors of Adult Education and other areas. She and Roger Hiemstra talked further about the under-utilization of the archives and the potential still remaining for scholars, graduate students, and others interested in the history of the Adult Education field. She urged Roger (currently Professor Emeritus) to combine his prior experiences with the Kellogg Project, ongoing interest in the archives, and expertise in technology to create a web site that might benefit future scholars. Thus, this Adult Education History Project was born.
Project Procedures
The Syracuse University Library of Archival Resources for Educators of Adults (Adult Education archives) have been developing for several decades. Under the leadership of individuals like Alex Charters, Rae Rohfeld, Terry Keenan, various individual associated with the Kellogg Project, and many others, a large collection of materials stands ready for future study by scholars, graduate students, and others interested in better understanding the Adult Education field through historical research. In essence, many theses, dissertations, journal articles, and books are waiting to be researched and written based on the enormity of the Adult Education archives.
During the life of the Kellogg Project considerable information pertaining to the archival collections was digitized. Unfortunately, the Project's closing a decade ago due to financial difficulties resulted in this information being unavailable to others. However, Roger Hiemstra volunteered to extract this information from storage devices and make it available on this web site. In addition, Michele Combs has created links to many of these collections, as well as others. It is hoped those future research projects noted above will be enhanced through these data sources.
Using the Adult Education Archives at Syracuse University
The information contained in this web site shows a more detailed explanation of the boxes of materials outlined through the Syracuse University Library's description of their vast archival collection related to Adult Education. A scholar interested in significant historical research still will need to journey to the university and make arrangements with library staff to view appropriate collection items for research purposes. Here are two other helpful resources pertaining to what is at Syracuse University: 1. The full text of several adult education publications and 2. A chart showing the historical connections between various adult education associations and organizations. In addition, here is an index to some Commission of Professors of Adult Education records in the archives at Syracuse University that have been scanned.
Furthermore, many collection materials are warehoused away from the main archival location (the sixth floor of the University Library). Thus, it is necessary to contact library staff before each visit to receive permission to use the archives and request that desired materials be transported to the sixth floor. Allow for several days in this transportation process. Materials can be examined in an area reserved for visiting scholars and copying requests or digital photography can be utilized to record certain of these materials based on permission granted by library officials.
To see an associated project designed to provide the vitae of various individuals associated in some way with the adult education movement, including some of those associated above, click here.
Roger Hiemstra
Modified thanks to the assistance of Michele Combs, October 16, 2008