Explores how schools and communities joined forces during wartime to build practical democracy. The history shows how Indiana’s High School Councils and community centers aimed to coordinate local action with national service.
This book traces two parallel efforts to develop democratic organization. One was planned from the central government; the other grew spontaneously in local communities with state support. It examines how school leaders and teachers connected classroom life with the broader community, especially through war service programs and the Patriotic Service League. The text also discusses how the community center idea was promoted as a coordinating device to unite existing groups and expand civic action—both in war and in peacetime.
- Learn how High School Councils of Defense organized student involvement without disrupting curriculum.
- See how schools extended their reach into the community to support war work and local needs.
- Understand the concept of the community center as a coordinating hub for organizations.
- Consider lessons on practical citizen participation and democratic engagement for today’s readers.
Ideal for readers of educational history, civics, and community organizing.