FLOYD W. REEVES 0N CURRICULUM

Thesis for the Degree of Ph. D.
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
BARBARA ANN NICHOLAS
1971

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This is to certify that the

thesis entitled
FLOYD W. REEVES ON CURRICULUM

presented by

BARBARA ANN NICHOLAS

has been accepted towards fulfillment

of the requirements fo
SEC NDARY

Phi. D . degree 111 Education
AND

CURRICULUM

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Date November 30. 1970

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Floyd N. Reeves

ABSTRACT

FLOYD W. REEVES ON CURRICULUM

BY
Barbara Ann Nicholas

Floyd W. Reeves, Distinguished Professor Emeritus
in Education at Michigan State University, formerly Pro-
fessor of Administration in Education and Political Science
for nearly a quarter of a century at the University of
Chicago, has held many important administrative positions
such as the following: Chairman of President Franklin D.
Roosevelt's Advisory Committee on Education; Director of
Personnel and of Social and Economic Research of the
Tennessee Valley Authority; Director of the American Youth
Commission of the American Council on Education; Chairman
of the Conference on Post-War Readjustment of Civilian and
Military Personnel in which he helped draft the "6.1. Bill
of Rights;" and Head of the UNESCO Consultative Educational
Mission to the Philippines.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the

influence and contributions Reeves has made in the curricula

Barbara Ann Nicholas

of all levels of education, including elementary, secondary,
college and adult education.

Materials for this study were gathered from the
following sources: reports and documents from governmental
and non-governmental agencies, minutes of committee and
commission meetings, proceedings from educational confer-
ences, articles in professional journals and newspapers,
unpublished lectures and addresses, taped interviews with
Reeves and with associates of his, personal correspondence
from Reeves' associates who were not available for personal
interviews, and Reeves' personal papers which are now on
file in the archives of the Michigan State University li-
brary. The sources cited for each of the chapters are
organized chronologically according to the dates they were
written.

The study is limited by the fact that the bulk of
Reeves' work was not in the area of curriculum; it is
limited because many of Reeves' ideas were repetitive in
the sources used, which decreased the number of materials
actually cited; and it is limited by the fact that in con-
ducting a study of a living individual there is a danger
of becoming somewhat biased causing the loss of some ob-
jectivity.

The study is divided into seven chapters as follows;
Chapter I introduces Floyd W. Reeves as an authority in

“education, and describes the outline of the study; Chapter

Barbara Ann Nicholas

II describes Reeves' early educational background as a
student and as a public school teacher and administrator;
Chapters III, IV, V, and VI describe Reeves' views con-
cerning the curricula of the elementary schools, secondary
schools, college, and adult education; Chapter VII is
divided into two sections: The first section includes a
summary and the conclusions, and the second section is an
evaluation of Reeves' influence and contributions based on
responses received from some of his associates who are
still living as well as that of the writer.

The findings of the study include the following
general principles applicable to all levels of curriculum:

1. Students perform better when they are given
the freedom to explore their own interests.

2. The individual needs of the students have
priority over any required list of studies.

3. All students should have a common body of
knowledge and understandings, but thereis more than one
way to achieve this end.

4. Students need both general and vocational edu-
cation. They should receive a broad education in order to
function successfully in a changing society.

5. Every individual should learn to be a good
citizen and contribute to a community's political, social,

economic and cultural life.

Barbara Ann Nicholas

6. Every individual should learn effectively how
to use his leisure in an age in which the work-week is
being cut shorter.

The following summarizes Reeves' major influence
on and contributions to curricula:

1. As Director of the Rural Education Project of
the University of Chicago, Reeves had a definite influence
on the curriculum of the rural schools of Illinois. He
recommended programs which were implemented in which the
students were brought out of their rural isolation and
made aware of the larger world community.

2. As Head of the UNESCO Mission to the Philip—
pines he developed programs for the elementary and second-
ary schools that would enable Filipino students to function
in their own community and also become aware of the larger
world community.

3. As Chairman of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's
Advisory Committee on Education, Reeves was able to influ-
ence the President into broadening the committee's study
from vocational education to all aspects of education. As
a result he was able to help bring about federal aid to
education.

4. Reeves had a great influence as Director of
the American Youth Commission of the American Council on
Education. He traveled the country giving hundreds of

lectures on what he believed should be included in the

Barbara Ann Nicholas

curriculum of the secondary schools. He advocated both
vocational education and general education which would be
relevant to students at the present time as well as for
the future.

5. Working with the Institute for Administrative
Officers of Higher Education at the University of Chicago,
Reeves had a great influence on the curriculum of the
junior college. He studied approximately 100 institutions
of higher learning and recommended varying the content
rather than having a "set" curriculum. His idea was to
individualize the instruction to meet the particular needs
and interests of students.

6. Reeves' culminating influence and contribution
was that of a catalyst in initiating the complete reorgani-
zation of the Basic College curriculum at Michigan State
University. He recommended a program of general education
which would again meet individual needs and interests.

In evaluating Reeves' influence and contributions
as seen by many of his associates, it is obvious that he
must share with others the credit for many contributions,
but one fact is clear-~he did influence enough people to

make a difference.

FLOYD W. REEVES ON CURRICULUM

BY

Barbara Ann Nicholas

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

College of Education

1971

© Copyright by
Barbara Ann Nicholas
1971

ii

To Floyd W. Reeves who had the ambition,
the courage, the ego, and the brilliance
to make a difference.

iii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To Dr. J. Geoffrey Moore, Chairman of the doctoral
committee, the writer wishes to express her appreciation
for his guidance in helping to make this study a reality.

To Drs. Wilbur Brookover, George Myers, and
William Sweetland, the other members of the doctoral
committee, the writer wishes to express her gratitude for
their helpfulness and interest in being part of the under-
taking of this study.

To Dean Leland W. Dean the writer wishes to give
recognition for first planting the idea of doing a study
of Floyd W. Reeves.

To the many professors and administrators on the
Michigan State University campus, the writer wishes to
express her appreciation for their time and interest in
the personal interviews.

To the many associates of Floyd W. Reeves with
whom the writer corresponded across the country and
abroad, a special thanks is extended for their prompt
and helpful letters.

To Dr. Floyd W. Reeves and his wife, Hazel, the

writer wishes to express her warmest appreciation for the

iv

many hours of personal conversations, and for leaving his
personal files open to her at all times.

To Sandra Ruth Heberer, a close personal friend
and colleague, the writer wishes to express a sincere
appreciation for being there and listening and offering
helpful suggestions when a sounding board was needed.

To her mother, Loretta Killinger White, the
writer wishes to express gratitude for her interest,

encouragement, and confidence.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter

I.

II.

III.

FLOYD W. REEVES: AN INTRODUCTION

Purpose of the Study . . . . . .
Description of Sources . . . . .
Limitations of the Study . . . .
Overview of the Study . . . . . .

REEVES' EARLY EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Introduction . . . . . . . . . .
The Student . . . . . . . . . . .
Elementary Education . . . . .
High School Education . . . .
College Education . . . . . .
The Public School Teacher . . . .
Hollister School 1908-1909 . .
Swab School 1911-1912 . . . .
The Public School Administrator .
Jefferson School 1915-1917 . .
Gregory City Schools 1917-1920
Winner City Schools 1920-1922
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM .

Introduction . . . . . . . . . .
Rural Education . . . . . . . . .
Education for Democracy . . . . .
Education for the Atomic Age . .

The Three R's Plus Integrated Learning

Experiences . . . . . . . . .

vi

Page

H

O‘U'IU'Inb

10
12
14
15
17
19
19
21
22
22

24

24
25
27
28

31

Chapter

IV.

VI.

VII.

Sequentially Unifying Topics . . . .
smary O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 0

ON SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM . . .

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . .
General Education . . . . . . . . . .
Vocational Education . . . . . . . .
Education for Today and Tomorrow . .
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ON COLLEGE CURRICULUM . . . . . . . .

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . .
North Central Association Study . . .
University of Chicago Study . . . . .
Michigan State College Study . . . .
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ON ADULT EDUCATION CURRICULUM . . . .

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . .
Objective of Adult Education . . . .

The State of New York System of
Adult Education . . . . . . . . .

A Proposed Program of Adult Education
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MEASURE OF THE MAN . . . . . . . . .

Summary and Conclusions . . . . . . .
Reeves' Early Education Background
On Elementary School Curriculum .
On Secondary School Curriculum . .
On College Curriculum . . . . . .
On Adult Education Curriculum . .
Summary of Principles . . . . . .

vii

Page

33
37

40

40
41
47
50
62

64

64
65
67
70
76

79

79
80

81
83

87

89

90
90
92
94
95
96
97

Chapter

An Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The University of Chicago . . . . .
The Tennessee Valley Authority . . .

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's
Advisory Committee on Education

Michigan State University . . . . .
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY . . . . . . . . . . . .
APPENDICES O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 0

Appendix A: A Selected List of Reeves'
Publications 0 O O O O O O O C C O 0

Appendix B: Positions Held by Floyd W.
Reeves 0 O O O O I 0 O O O I C O O 0

Appendix C: Reeves' Family Background

Appendix D: Questionnaire, List of Inter-
viewees, and Selected Letters from Some

of Reeves' Associates . . . . . . .

viii

Page

98
99
100

101
104

114
123
123
146

156

160

CHAPTER I
FLOYD W. REEVES: AN INTRODUCTION

Floyd W. Reeves, Distinguished Professor Emeritus
in Education at Michigan State University, formerly Pro-
fessor of Administration in Education and Political
Science for nearly a quarter of a century at The University
of Chicago, is a spokesman and authority on a variety of
educational subjects.1 He has held many administrative
positions both with the Federal Government and with non-
governmental agencies which have placed him in the arena

to be heard.2

His name became known nationally and in-
ternationally when he served in the following administra-
tive positions: Chairman of President Franklin D.
Roosevelt's Advisory Committee on Education, Director of
Personnel and of Social and Economic Research for the
Tennessee Valley Authority, Director of the American
Youth Commission of the American Council on Education,

Chairman of the Conference on Post-War Readjustment of

Civilian and Military Personnel in which he helped draft

 

1See Appendix A, a selected list of Reeves'
publications.
2See Appendix B, a list of positions held by
Reeves.

the "6.1. Bill of Rights," and Head of the UNESCO Consul-
tative Educational Mission to the Philippines. Seldom
has Reeves had only one position. Most of the time he
has been involved with several tasks at once.

Reeves, through the positions he has held and
through the people he has known, has definitely been in
a position to influence American education. As a result
of the high esteem which many people in institutions of
higher education have held for Reeves, he has received
honorary degrees from the following institutions: Albion
College, Bethany College, Kent State University and Temple
University.

It is necessary to indicate that Reeves' major
area of interest was not in curriculum, but in matters
dealing with finance and Federal legislation.3 However,
both directly and indirectly, he was in a position to
make his ideas on curriculum known. Through his leader-
ship of many important committees and commissions, he
was able to influence the structure and organization of
public school and college curricula both in the United
States and in foreign countries. Though he was not always

known as a "curriculum expert," his ideas were known

 

3Carl T. Pacacha, Floyd Wesley Reeves: Pioneer in
Shaping Federal Legislation in Support of Adult Education,
UnpubliShed doctor’s thesis, College of Education, Michi:
gan State University, East Lansing, 1970, 289 pp., typed.

when the time came for a change in the educational
system.

Reeves was very much interested in the education
of the total student. The nature of his own upbringing
and education influenced his philosophy of "what" a stu-
dent should study. In many ways Reeves was a self-
educated man who was interested in many subjects. The
freedom which he had been given in his own education led
him to stress this aspect in the education of others. As
a teacher Reeves might be considered a facilitator and a
resource person rather than a director of classroom
activities.

Reeves' great influence as a teacher can be ob-
served by viewing the outcome of some of his former
students who have made significant leadership contribu-
tions. Among these students are the following: Francis
Chase, Dean of Education, University of Chicago; Gordon
Clapp, manager and chairman of the board, Tennessee Valley
Authority; Thomas Hamilton, president of the State Uni-
versity of New York and later president of the University
of Hawaii; Henry Harmon, president of Drake University;
David Henry, president of the University of Illinois;
Cyril O. Houle, professor of adult education at the
University of Chicago; John Dale Russell, director of

institutional research, New York University; and Maurice

Seay, formerly director of education for the Kellogg

Foundation.

Purpose of the Study

Reeves' role in public school and college curricula
was that of an educational administrator working with
other professional educators to improve the total educa-
tion of each student. Many times he was involved in sur-
veys of an entire educational system of which curriculum
study was only one aspect.

It is the purpose of this study to consider the
following general questions in determining Reeves' contri-
butions to public school, college and adult education
curricula:

1. Did Reeves' family background and educational
experiences of his early life have a direct influence on
his philosophy of curriculum matters?

2. What happened in Reeves' early teaching experi-
ences to help develop his philosophy of curriculum content?

3. What kind of positions did he have in which he
could develOp his thoughts concerning elementary school,
secondary school, college and adult education curricula?

4. In order to help measure Reeves' contributions
to curriculum and to education as a whole, what did his
associates have to say concerning the practicality of

his ideas?

Description of Sources

Materials for this study were gathered from the
following sources: reports and documents from govern-
mental and non-governmental agencies, minutes of committee
and commission meetings, proceedings from educational con—
ferences, articles in professional journals and newspapers,
unpublished lectures and addresses, taped interviews with
Reeves and with associates of his, personal correspondence
from Reeves' associates who were not available for personal
interviews, and Reeves' personal papers which are now on
file in the archives of the Michigan State University
library. The sources cited for each of the chapters are
organized chronologically according to the dates they were

written.

Limitations of the Study

This study has the following limitations:

1. The study is limited by the fact that the bulk
of Reeves' work was not in the area of curriculum, which
made it difficult at times to reveal his influence on
curriculum matters.

2. The study is limited because many of Reeves'
ideas were repetitive in the sources to be used, which

decreased the number of materials actually cited.

3. The study is limited by the fact that in con-
ducting a study of a living individual it is in danger of
becoming somewhat biased and of losing some of its ob-
jectivity.

On the other hand, this study was helped to a
great extent by the fact that Reeves is alive and could
give much of his time for interviews with the writer.
Reeves also opened his personal files to the writer.

Many hours of research were saved because he was able to

direct the writer to the sources needed.

Overview of the Study

Aside from Chapter I which introduces Reeves and
establishes his authority on the subject of curriculum,
the study is divided into six other chapters.

Chapter II describes Reeves' early educational
background as a student, as a public school teacher, and
as a public school administrator. His early experiences
are tied together to reveal the influence they had on the
development of his philosophy of education.

Chapter III describes Reeves' views on elementary
school curriculum as he saw it in regard to rural educa-
tion, education for democracy, education for an atomic
age, the three R's plus integrated learning experiences,

and sequentially unifying t0pics.

Chapter IV is divided into three sections describ-
ing Reeves' views on secondary school curriculum which he
saw as encompassing general education, vocational educa-
tion, and "education for today and tomorrow."

Chapter V describes Reeves' views on college cur-
riculum as revealed through three studies he made: one
for the North Central Association, one for the University
of Chicago, and one for Michigan State College.

Chapter VI is divided into three sections which
describes Reeves' views concerning the objectives of adult
education, the New York State system of adult education,
and his proposed program for adult education.

Chapter VII is divided into two sections. The
first section consists of a summary and the conclusions
and the second section is an evaluation of Reeves as an
educator as made by some of his associates and by the

writer.

CHAPTER II

REEVES' EARLY EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Introduction

 

Reeves had many unique experiences while growing
up.1 In many ways he is a self-educated man, although he
did have many years of formal schooling. He makes a dis-
tinction between schooling and education. He says school-
ing is the formal type of education one receives, whereas
education is that which one receives outside of school
and includes everything with which one comes in contact.
To him one learns much more from the less formal type of
education. His family contributed to his education and
probably inspired much of his desire for personal achieve-
ment and recognition.

This chapter will examine Reeves' early educational
experiences in order to determine what affect, if any,
they had on the development of his philosophy of educa-
tion. This chapter is divided into three sections--the
student, the public school teacher, and the public school

administrator.

 

1See Appendix C, a sketch of Reeves' family back-

ground.

The Student

 

Elementary Education

 

Floyd spent most of his boyhood tending cattle in-
stead of going to school2 although he did manage to have
a formal education for two or three months of some years.
Not far from the school he attended during a part of one
year was a park where Floyd used to bring his lunch, in-
stead of going home for lunch like the other school child-
ren. He would choose a restful spot in the park, and
read from Carpenter's Geographical Reader, which gave him
a knowledge that there was a world outside the United
States. Also, when living on a ranch for two years he
and his older brother used to go to an old deserted
schoolhouse, where, together they went through Robinson's
Complete Arithmetic working out the problems on the black-
board. He managed to do a great amount of independent
reading while either lying underneath the trees watching
the cattle or delving into his grandmother's library after
she had come to live with his family. The two or three
months of the year that he attended the one-room country
school was minor compared with his self teaching. It was

this independent reading and studying which enabled him

2Time, Volume XXXIII, Number 22, May 29, 1939,
PP- 583-59.

10

to be placed into fifth grade grammar and spelling,
seventh grade history, and eleventh grade mathematics,3

when he was 12 years old during the winter of 1902.

High School Education

 

When Floyd was sixteen years old, he was busy
helping out on the farm. In spite of his farm duties he
did manage to attend St. Lawrence High School a few months
each winter for two years. St. Lawrence did not seem to
make much of an impression on him. He, therefore, con-
tinued his independent reading and studying in books
which he found outside of school. For instance, he delved
into his grandmother's library and read about many of her
real-life experiences which led him to have many conversa-
tions with his grandmother in seeking knowledge that had
meaning to him.

At age 17 young Reeves taught for a year in a one-
room country school before he had even completed his high
school education.4 At the age of 18 he decided to con-
tinue his education and went to the Academy of Dakota

Wesleyan University primarily because his brother and a

 

3Stated by Floyd W. Reeves in an interview with
the writer.

4Described more fully-under the section of this
chapter concerned with his first teaching position. See
Hollister School, p. 15.

11

neighborhood girl had gone there. During two years at
the academy, he was a full-time student for only part of
each year. Being several years older than most of the
other students, he wanted to take as many courses as he
could, so that he would be able to finish quickly. As a
result, he was able to write off some of the courses on
his own without having enrolled in them.5

Reeves had no choice in a major course of study
at Miller, since there was only one course of study which
was taken by everyone. This curriculum included English,
general science and physics, Latin, mathematics, algebra
and plane geometry, American History, and British History.6

He first learned he was a debater while at Miller,
although his main activities in debating were not at
school. In the town of St. Lawrence there lived a Civil
War veteran who, at the age of eighty, passed the bar ex-
amination and had organized a literary society that met
in the evening. Floyd was very active in debating and in
giving his own orations.

One Sunday he was asked to give the sermon at
church when the minister could not be there. He accepted

the opportunity with the help of his neighbor, Jennie

 

5Stated by Floyd W. Reeves in an interview with
the writer.

61bid.

12

Swab, who had also gone to Dakota Wesleyan. The two of
them were rebels who decided to work up a plan to shock
their conservative audience. They read poems of Tennyson,
a few from Browning and organized a speech around them.
This drew the wrath of God from what they called "the old

fogies."7

In the writer's opinion, this was one of the
many times in which Reeves showed his rebelliousness and
non-conformity to the "Establishment."

As salutatorian of his high school graduating class,'
Reeves gave the commencement address in which he stressed
that education should fit the individual rather than the
individual fitting education. One of the customs at com-
mencement exercises was that everyone graduating was given
a joking prize connected with what he or she was expected
to become. Reeves' prize was a pair of glasses and a
candle for the man who was going to become the professor.

He knew at this time that he wanted to go to college and

eventually teach at the college level.8

College Education

 

At the age of twenty-two Reeves enrolled at Huron
College, Huron, South Dakota. Being a few years older

than other members of his freshman class, he decided that

 

7Ibid.

 

8Ibid.

13

he should give limited time to student activities in order
to complete his college work in three years. Speaking of

his decision, Reeves said:

I was too small to play football in college al-
though I had been quarterback in high school, that I
should not play basketball or baseball because I had
unsuccessfully tried both in high school, and that I
should limit my athletic abilities in the only one in

which I had been successfu1--1ong distance running. . .9

Reeves was successful in one track meet during his fresh-
man year in which he won a medal for third place in a
two-mile run. Of the student who won first place, Reeves

stated:

He was so far ahead of me that he gained almost an
entire lap on our quarter mile track. I then drOpped
out of athletics and gave all my spare time to debating.

As a debater, Reeves won the debate prize at Huron
College as a freshman and during each year following. As
a senior he was captain of the debate team when his team
was invited to debate against the team at the University
of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin team was headed by a sopho-
more who was later to become United States Senator Robert
LaFollette, Jr. Reeves was rather unhappy at the outcome
of that debate, because LaFollette's team won. Later on

he said he did not mind the loss as much as he did at

 

the time, because he and "Bob" became very close friends.11
9Floyd W. Reeves, "Reflections."
lOIbid.
11

Ibid.

l4

Reeves was able to graduate from Huron College
after three years of intensive study. At the age of
twenty-five he received a Bachelor of Science degree with

a major in public speaking.12

The Public School Teacher

 

Reeves was not certain when he made the final de-
cision to become a teacher. As a boy the only professions
which he knew existed were law, medicine, and teaching.

He knew a little about teaching simply from having been a
pupil in school and having taught during his high school
days. As for law, he knew very little about the subject.
His mother, a physician's daughter, had hoped he would
become either a doctor or a minister. She had kept many
of her father's medical books which Floyd used to read.
After studying the diagrams in these books, he used to

say that he could not bear the thought of cutting into
people. He knew he could not become a doctor.13

The only opportunity which existed for him to earn
money was either by working on the farm or teaching. He
thoroughly disliked farming. The only way he could see

out of this situation was to become a teacher. In fact,

his mind was pretty much set on teaching from the time

 

lZIbid.

 

13Stated by Floyd W. Reeves in an interview with
the writer.

15

his grandmother moved in with his family, and he began

reading from her library.

Hollister School 1908-1909

 

Though having neither a high school diploma, nor a
teaching certificate, Reeves had the opportunity to teach
in a rural school at the age of seventeen. One of the
reasons he did not have a certificate was because he was
a very poor speller and knew nothing about English grammar.
Consequently, he failed the examinations. In addition,
he was too young to be certified.

At a one-room schoolhouse called Hollister Schooll4
an opening arose for a teacher. The chairman of the
school board visited Floyd's father and said he had heard
that Floyd had some experience in attending high school
and would like to have him come teach at Hollister School.

The problem at Hollister was that there were some
big rough boys who were difficult to handle. One of the
Hollister boys named Harley had thrown an inkwell at one
teacher knocking her unconscious. Harley also broke all
the windows in the school for which he was put in jail.

Floyd knew nothing about discipline, but said he could

learn. He prepared for his first teaching job by learning

 

l4Hollister School was named after the Hollister
family who lived closest to the school.

16

how to box from a champion boxer who was superintendent
of the little school in St. Lawrence.

At the age of seventeen he was hired for this
job at $40.00 per month for seven months.15 Since this
school was located ten miles from his home, he moved in
with a family who lived closeby where he paid for his
board by helping tend the cattle.

Reeves refused to start teaching at Hollister
until all the windows were replaced in the school; so
Harley's father, the chairman of the local school board,
talked to Harley and insisted that he replace the windows.
One week later Reeves began to teach. There were thirteen
students in the school ranging in ages from six to twenty-
three. The school was not graded; however, Reeves knew
very little about grades anyway. His method of teaching
these students of varying ages was to find out what would
be of interest to each one. He encouraged them to broaden
their interests by reading books, which he brought to
school from his grandmother's collection. One day the
county superintendent came to visit the school and asked
Reeves what he was doing. She said it did not seem much
like a school to her, because everyone was doing something

different. In other words, the students did not seem to

 

15This information was taken from a schedule sheet
listing all of Reeves' jobs and salaries in the Reeves

Papers.

17

be following any particular course of study. Reeves said
he knew nothing about a course of study. The superinten-
dent replied that he should know about a course of study
from having passed his own examinations. Reeves, then,
explained that he had not passed his examinations, but
that he was sure he would be ready for them next time.

The superintendent then proceeded to tell him that the
students should be studying the geography of South Dakota,
and that George Hollister, one of the older students, was
to draw a map of South Dakota. George refused to draw a
map, because he could see no use in doing it. It was then
up to Reeves to show the superintendent that he could
manage the class, so he challenged George to a boxing
match. George was not very excited about boxing with

his teacher, and therefore agreed to draw a map of South
Dakota. But he told both Reeves and the superintendent
that he thought it was "God damn nonsense." Later, when
the superintendent was gone, Reeves told George that he
thought it was nonsense, too. In the writer's opinion
this was another example of Reeves' rebelliousness toward

the "System."

Swab School 1911-1912

 

After Reeves' first year of teaching, between
1909 and 1911, he returned to high school to complete

his education. He then took another teaching job at Swab

18

School,16 which was closer to his home than Hollister
School had been. He was hired for nine months for a total
of $540.00, which was $20.00 a month more than he had

17 This school was graded from

made at Hollister School.
the first through the eighth grade; however, its course
of study was much like that at Hollister. Again, the
course of study did not interfere with what he wanted to
do. He gave the children lots of opportunities for out-
side reading and kept the school filled with books, which
they could pick up between classes. He also organized a
literary society at the school in which both the children
and the adults participated. His classes were not formal,
although the students did have to sit in regular seats.
There were about thirty students at Swab School, and
every one of them had to do some reciting. Reeves made
his recitations quite different from the typical recita-
tion of his day in that he started with the assumption
that the students had read their assignment and asked
them if they had any questions about anything they did

not understand. There were only four or five minutes for

a recitation per student; therefore, he let the students

 

16Swab School was named after the Swab family who
lived closest to the school.

17This information was taken from Form 375, which
lists in chronological order Reeves attendance at college,
in the Reeves Papers.

 

19

help each other with the things they did not understand.
Most of the time he let the students do original work,
because it was his philOSOphy that the students' interest
had to come first in order for the learning to have any

value to them.

The Public School Administrator

 

Jefferson School 1915-1917

 

Reeves left Swab School after a one year appoint-
ment and went to Huron College, where he was graduated
three years later. President Harry Morehouse Gage of
Huron College told Reeves that he should not go into public
speaking because his voice was not strong enough, and
thought he would be more successful as a public school
administrator than as a teacher. Upon leaving college,
he had an offer of two jobs--one was to be Assistant
Professor at the beginning but also to start a new depart-
ment of speech, which he would ultimately head, at the
University of Wisconsin and the other was to be principal
of a six-grade elementary school in Huron. At the advice
of President Gage, he turned down the position at Wiscon-
sin and took the job as principal of Jefferson School in
Huron for a salary of $810.00 the first year and $900.00

the second year.18

 

18This information was taken from a schedule sheet
listing all of Reeves' jobs and salaries in the Reeves

Papers .

20

He did not know what "administration" meant at
this time, and asked President Gage why they did not teach
"administration" at the college. Gage said he felt some
day courses in administration would be offered.

At Jefferson School the grades were divided into
upper and lower levels called A and B respectively. Be-
sides being principal of the school, Reeves also taught
the A level of the sixth grade. He taught all subjects
in the sixth grade, except art and music. A teacher came
in one day a week to teach these subjects to his class.

He also coached a football team, but later said he did
not believe in organized play for elementary school-age
children because he thought they should organize their own
play rather than have it organized for them.

While at Jefferson School, Reeves also adminis-
tered an adult evening course program at Huron Senior
High School. Reeves believed that these courses probably
were the first adult education courses in the United
States west of the Allegheny Mountains and east of
California.

Although busy with his teaching and administrative
duties at Jefferson School, be began graduate study at the
University of Wisconsin in the summer of 1916. The fol-
lowing summer he went to the University of Chicago to

begin work on a master's degree.19

 

lgIbid.

21

Gregory City Schools
1917-1920

 

 

In 1917 President Gage of Huron College thought
that Reeves was ready for an administrative job of much
greater responsibility than he had at Jefferson School,
and suggested to him to see what other jobs were avail-
able. It was wartime, during World War I, and there was
a great shortage of teachers. After looking at several
places, he thought Gregory City Schools would be the best
place for him. He was hired as superintendent for $1400.00

for nine months.20

He had a principle which he established
then: every college and school administrator should teach
a class at least once every two years. He did not have
any formal teaching responsibilities at Gregory, but he
wanted to teach, so he taught history and English in the
high school.

During his second year at Gregory his salary was
raised to $1800.00, and for his third year it was raised

to $2600.00.21

The salary raise was a monetary reward
which signified that Reeves was becoming successful and

that Gregory wanted to keep him.

 

ZOIbid.

 

21Stated by Floyd W. Reeves in an interview with
the writer.

22

Winner City Schools
1926-1922

 

 

After three years at Gregory, Reeves felt the
need for a change. The Winner City Schools, almost three
times the size of Gregory, had an opening for a superin-
tendent in which he was interested and wished to accept.
The Gregory Schools did not want him to leave without at
least helping them find someone as capable as he had been
to take his place. Reeves recommended his older brother
to replace him, and the school board hired him as their
new superintendent. Reeves, then, accepted the job at
Winner on a two-year contract paying $3000.00 the first
year and $3800.00 the second year.22

There seemed to be no question at this time that
Reeves was a good teacher and was becoming a good adminis-
trator as well. He was proving to be a success as an

administrator because of his great flexibility and honesty

in working with his colleagues and students.

Summary

Reeves' early educational background had a definite
influence on his future philosophy of education. During
the first two decades of the Twentieth Century Reeves'
philosophy of education was being molded. It was at the

age of seventeen in the one-room school where he taught

 

22Ibid.

 

23

that he felt the need to do away with the uniformity of
the curriculum. He wanted the curriculum to be replaced
with a child-centered education. He did not believe that
the course of study had to be something "fixed," outside
the child's experience, but rather that it could be some-
what free and flexible with his student's interests as
the focal point. He attributed his own success, which he
had achieved academically, professionally, and personally
to be due to the great freedom he had taken and had been
given in his own education.

He believed the job of the teacher was really to
be a co-learner with the student-—to learn about the
student as the student learns about the teacher--to work
together in doing things of interest to both.23

As a student, himself, from elementary school
through college, Reeves had a drive to learn and to be-
come a success. He was fortunate in that he was given
the freedom to work independently and to delve into what
interested him. As a teacher and as an administrator he
gave his students much of the freedom to delve into their
own particular interests as he had been given. He had a
mind of his own with some definite ideas of how he "felt"
about educational matters. He was a rebel, a curious man,

and a continuous learner.

 

231bid.

CHAPTER III

ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Introduction

 

The child must be made to feel that he has an
opportunity to take his rightful place in the world,
that he will grow up not merely to satisfy his needs
in a selfish struggle for existence, but to perform
a useful and needed function in society.

Reeves believed the elementary school years to be
a crucial period in every child's life. These are the
years in which the child builds a foundation for the at-
titudes and values which he carries throughout his life.
Reeves had the opportunity through his work on many com-
mittees to study the elementary school curriculum and to
make some recommendations for such a program of study.

The purpose of this chapter is to indicate what
Reeves considered important in the curriculum of the
elementary school. This chapter is organized into five
sections--rural education, education for democracy, educa-
tion for an atomic age, the three R's plus integrated

learning experiences, and sequentially unifying topics.

 

1Floyd W. Reeves, "Report of the Commission on Edu-
cational Reconstruction of the American Federation of
Teachers to the Annual Convention of the A.F.T. in Boston,
August 18, 1947," Unpublished paper in the Reeves Papers,
p. 12.

 

24

25

Rural Education

 

Reeves believed a more realistic curriculum was
needed in the rural schools. For instance, he thought
greater attention should be given toward helping students
to understand the ways in which the national economy
works and the place in which agriculture fits into the
economy. He also believed that students needed to have
a better understanding of both rural and urban problems
and to be able to intelligently communicate with each
other in bringing about improvements.2

Another curriculum area in need of development in
the rural schools, according to Reeves, is education for

the wise use of natural resources. He said:

Education for the utilization of resources should
give greater emphasis to the development of a com-
prehensive educational program based upon the findings
of science. Education must assist in providing an
understanding of the nature of resources and their
use in sustaining life, because people cannot make
wise choices as to their utilization unless they have
knowledge about the matters they are deciding. Re-
source education might well be integrated into all
levels of, and approaches to, education.

Reeves also stressed the importance of basing a
more realistic rural education program around social,

economic, and political facts. He wanted educational

 

2

Floyd W. Reeves, "Emerging Problems in Rural Edu-
cation,’ in Education for Rural America, Edited by Floyd
W. Reeves, University of Chicago Press, 1945, p. 21.

3

 

Ibid 0

 

26

programs which would avoid wasteful duplication and at the
same time leave no gaps in the needed experiences of
children.4

In reference to the rural schools in Illinois
which Reeves believed to have inadequate curricula, he
said "Curriculum materials should be organized around the
idea of child growth and development rather than as a

"5 Reeves be-

group of more or less unrelated subjects.
lieved the needs of the children should determine the
curriculum. It was his hope that by satisfying the needs
of each individual--whether he be slow, average or
talented--all children would acquire both the tools of
learning and a broad general education.6

In the writer's Opinion Reeves did not want child-
ren in the rural schools to grow up in an isolated en-
vironment without the knowledge that there was an urban
industrial community which they may one day have to face.
He wanted rural children to know the skills they were
going to need for their future work as well as to know

how to function and communicate successfully in an urban

enviornment.

 

41bid., p. 22.

5Floyd W. Reeves, "Implications of the Conference,"
Rural Education Project, The University of Chicago, Un-
published speech in the Reeves Papers, 1946, p. 4.

6

 

Ibid.

27
Education for Democracy

One of the functions assigned to the Commission of
the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) was to set forth
desirable goals for American education and to develop a
program of action designed to assist in attaining those
goals.7 Reeves, being the Chairman of the AFT Commis-
sion, stressed the need for teaching an appreciation of
our democratic heritage in the public schools. In his

report to the AFT he stated:

The public school must acquaint the young with the
history of man's long struggle for democracy, with
its triumphs, its defeats, and its costs; with its
classic documents, its institutions, and its full
meaning--not merely in political terms, but socially
and economically as well. It must also introduce to
them the problems they face in retaining for themselves
the life of freedom, the tasks and opportunities that
now confront democracy as a result of the impact 3f
science and technology on human life and society.

Furthermore, Reeves believed it to be the responsi-
bility of the public school "to equip the young with both
the skills and knowledge necessary to carry on the pro-
gress of science and the spirit to apply such progress to

the development of democracy."9

 

7
Floyd W. Reeves, "Report of the Commission on

Educational Reconstruction of the American Federation

of Teachers to the Annual Convention of the A.F.T. in
Boston, August 18, 1947," Unpublished paper in the ReeveS'
Papers, p. l.

81bid., p. 13.

9Ibid.

28

Finally, Reeves stated in the report:

It is, therefore, vitally important for the public
school to develop an understanding of America's re-
lation to the rest of the world. It must provide
knowledge of other peoples and cultures, of the
international strains and tensions of this period,
and of the efforts being made to organize the world
for security, justice among nations, a higher stan-
dard of living, and the establishment of permanent
peace. 0

Reeves wanted young people to have an understanding
of our country's democratic heritage and to have an appre-
ciation of the freedom which each individual has an an

American citizen.

Education for the Atomic Age

 

For the Commission on Educational Reconstruction
of the American Federation of Teachers Reeves, Kirkendall,
and Kuenzlill made a two-year study to suggest ways to
develop a democratic school program designed to fit the

atomic age.12

They believed the curricula and methods of
instruction had not kept pace with the changing times.
It was their purpose to modernize the school programs to

conform with the new scientific and psychological

 

lOIbid., p. 14.

11Lester A. Kirkendall, Irvin R. Kuenzli, and
Floyd W. Reeves, Goals for American Education, written
for the Commission on Educational Reconstruction of the
American Federation of Teachers, Chicago, 1948, p. 71.

12Benjamin Fine, "Education in Review," in the
New York Times, Sunday, April 4, 1948, p. E9.

 

29

developments of the day.13 Reeves and his co-authors
stated that "The curriculum must be carefully organized

to embody the important objectives for which American

14

democracy is striving." The importance of out-of-class

experiences was stressed as well as course content. All
learning experiences in play and in recreational activi-
ties as well as discussions and informal contacts with

one another were emphasized as being part of the curricu-

lum.15

The commission decided the curriculum should be

administered in accordance with certain principles. Those

principles were stated as follows:16

1. The content of the curriculum should be deter-
mined by two considerations: the needs, inter-
ests, background, ability, and maturity of the
pupils, and the demands and characteristics of
a desirable society, present and future.

2. The curriculum should be flexible and subject
to adaptations to meet changing situations.

3. The curriculum must be planned to take advan-
tage of the natural motivation of pupils and
so far as possible to provide satisfactory
methods for helping the pupil to relate his
school experiences to the attainment of
socially desirable purposes and values. He
should also be helped to appraise his progress
in achieving these goals.

 

13Ibid.

14Kirkendall, Kuenzli and Reeves, op. cit.

lSIbid., pp. 72-73

lerid.

30

4. The curriculum should be planned to insure as
much individualized instruction as possible.

5. The community should be used as a laboratory
for extending the pupils' learning activities
and the school's curricular activities.

6. The curriculum should be a product of joint
effort in which curriculum experts, subject
matter Specialists, specialists in child
development, administrators, teachers, pupils,
and community groups participate according to
their respective backgrounds and experiences.

7. In constructing the curriculum concern should
be had for the mastery of essential knowledge
and skills and the development of an under-
standing which will serve to establish common
goals in community life.

8. The curriculum should be organized to help

children and youth to make effective adjust-
ments to problems of living.

The above eight principles include all the learning ex-
periences, both in and out of school, which the child
goes through each day. The Commission believed every
effort should be made to see that each child's needs and
interests are met. A functional curriculum encompassing
these principles should prepare pupils for all aspects

of living, no matter what particular vocation they should
decide to enter. In the writer's opinion the idea behind
such a curriculum is both flexibility and open-mindedness.
There is no "set" curriculum for all pupils, but many
curriculums to fit the needs and interests of each indi-
vidual. While every pupil is given as much individualized
instruction as possible, there is still a common core of

knowledge and skills which all pupils share in learning.

31

The Three R's Plus Integrated
Learning Experiences

 

 

As Co-Chairman of the National Commission on
School District Reorganization and Director of the Rural
Education Project of the University of Chicago, Reeves
surveyed school districts in selected states. He believed
"The real starting point in any program of school district

reorganization is the decision of the peOple as to the

kind of educational program they need and want."17 Reeves

said the American people expect the schools

. . .to assist in preserving the integrity of the
individual, in nourishing the underlying values of
democracy, and in securing and maintaining world
peace. The schools should combat cultural conflict,
race hatred, ignorance, poverty, and crime. . . .The
American people regard schooling as a remedy for
practically all ills and as TBmeans of resolving most
of their difficult problems.

The educational program, according to Reeves, also
should help

. . .develop insight, cultural understanding, and
a breadth of vision that will enable different groups
to work together on problems of common interest. It
should break down artificial economic and social
barriers and promote the true ideals of democratic
living. It should build up the special interests,
aptitudes, and abilities of each individual and should
seek to correct and remove personal shortcomings. It
should prepare each person to do the job or fill the
position in life that interests him most and for which

 

17Howard A. Dawson and Floyd W. Reeves, Your School
District, The Report of the National Commission on School
District Reorganization, Published by the Department of
Rural Education, National Education Association of the
United States, Washington, D.C., 1948, p. 21.

18

 

Ibid.

32

he is best fitted. It should insure the wise use of
natural resources so as best to prigote the welfare
of present and future generations.

The commission stated that such an educational
program should be developed as a series of closely inte-
grated learning experiences.20 In addition to the teach-

ing of the three R's in the elementary school, the

following courses should be included:21
geography
history
civics and other social studies
literature

oral and written English
nature study and elementary science
manual training

drawing

art

music

dramatics

safety

conservation

cooking

sewing

play and sports

physical education

The commission also stated that the fundamental
purpose of the schools is "to provide an educational pro-
gram that will stimulate and guide each individual in

developing his abilities to their fullest extent for

 

19Ibid., p. 22.

20Integrated learning experiences are defined as
those activities which are coordinated with the three
R's; i.e., the mental and physical well-being of indi-
viduals, preparation for the occupations, wise and effec-
tive use of the resources, the well being of family and
community life, and wise use of leisure.

21Dawson and Reeves, op. cit., p. 23.

33

useful, satisfying living."22 Such a program must be con-
cerned with the following points as stated by the commis-
. 23

Sion:

1. The mental develOpment and the physical and
emotional well-being of individuals.

2. Preparation for the occupations they are likely
to enter and for the conditions under which
they will work.

3. Wise and effective use of the resources of the
community, state, and nation.

4. The well-being of family and community life in
relation to the life of society as a whole.

5. The wise use of leisure.
Sequentially Unifying Topics

As Chairman of the UNESCO (United Nations Educa-
tional, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) mission to
the Philippines, Reeves studied certain aspects of the
Filipino educational system and made recommendations for
its improvement. For the elementary school curriculum,
he recommended more attention be given to the following

objectives:24

Developing an understanding and appreciation of
Filipino traditions and ideals;

 

221bid., p. 73.

23Ibid.

24Floyd W. Reeves, Chairman, Report of the Mission
to the Philippines, UNESCO Consultative Educational Mis-
sion to the Philippines, July 28, 1949, p. 23.

34

Preparing each child to participate effectively in
group and community activities;

Developing a better understanding of the modern
world;

Providing the basic understanding necessary for
the conservation and development of natural resources;

Developing the special abilities of each child;. . .

Along with the above stated objectives, it was

recommended that the elementary school curriculum be

25

organized around "sequentially unifying topics." The

following tOpics were suggested for study in grades one

through seven:26

Grades 1 and 2 Home and Family Life and Living in
Our Schools

Grade 3 Living in Our Town and Province
Grade 4 The Filipino People and Their Past
Grade 5 The Philippines and its Resources,

The Philippines in the Community
of the Eastern Hemisphere

Grades 6 and 7 The Philippines in the Community

of the Western Hemisphere and in
the Emerging World Community

The commission also recommended preparing "child-

ren to participate effectively in group and community

 

25Sequentially unifying topics are defined as those
subjects which logically follow one another, progressing
from the immediate environment of the individual to the
broader world community; i.e., home and family life, a
particular community, and the world community.

26Reeves, Report of the Mission to the Philippines,
op. cit., p. 26.

 

activities.

1.

3.

The

were going

35

. ."27 and urged the Philippine schools

to survey the normal activities in which
children and their families engage at home
and in the community;

to select for practice in school and at home
those activities that can be improved, and to
add practice in activities designed to correct
obvious shortcomings; and

to provide time in the daily or weekly schsdule
for work experience in useful activities.2

commission also believed if Filipino children

to have a modern elementary education, then

more attention should be given to the development of a

better understanding of the modern world. The commission

suggested the following studies to be considered for the

elementary

1.

school curriculum.29

problems in arithmetic involving time saved

by air travel, cost of airplanes, the reading
of air-line time-tables, and similar computa-
tions that fascinate children and prepare them
to become an air-faring peOple;

problems in geographic and social studies in-
volving such topics as the great circle routes,
national and international air routes, the
advantages of air travel in overcoming geograph-
ic barriers, and the need for a world organi-
zation to direct the peaceful use of the
airplane;

problems in science based on numerous scienti-
fic phenomena related to aviation that children
of the modern age can learn as easily as their
fathers learned the practical science of see-
faring.

 

27
28
29

Ibid., p. 24,
Ibid.

Ibid., pp. 24-250

36

The commission further believed the child was being
increasingly affected by the natural and the social
sciences. The elementary school curriculum seemed the
logical place to begin to provide the understandings,
attitudes and skills essential to a successful life in
the modern world. Finally, the commission suggested that
the following four points should help the elementary
school to assist children to understand the need for con-
serving and using the national resources wisely:3o

l. presenting clearly the extent and location of
the Philippine mineral, forest, fish, agri-
cultural, animal and power resources;

2. developing an appreciation of the planning,
initiative, hard work, and technological skills
required to extract and process these re-
sources;

3. exploring the benefits that will accrue to the
Philippines and to the world through the de-
velOpment of these riches; and

4. helping the pupils to understand the meaning
of conservation through ideas such as the
importance of a planned program of replenish-
ing forests, the need of preventing soil ero-
sion and loss of fertility, or the urgent

necessity of replacing fish in inshore waters
at a rate that will maintain an adequate supply.

It is the writer's opinion that Reeves' recommen-
dations to the Philippine schools were those he would
have suggested for any school anywhere. He wanted child-

ren to learn about the environment in which they lived

 

3°Ibid., p. 25.

37

and to be able to function in and contribute to their own
communities. He wanted all children to have a knowledge
of the rest of the world and an understanding of the many

changing developments.

Summary

In this chapter Reeves' ideas concerning the
elementary school curriculum have been organized under
five sub-headings--rural education, education for democ-
racy, education for an atomic age, the three R's plus
integrated learning experiences, and sequentially unifying
topics.

Having done much work with the Rural Education
Project at the University of Chicago, Reeves was con-
vinced that the rural schools needed to come out of their
isolation and become aware of the urban industrial com-
munity. He believed rural children in particular should
learn the wise use of natural resources and that the
educational program should be concerned with social,
economic and political facts.

Reeves believed the child should be given a know-
ledge and an appreciation of our democratic heritage. He
stressed equipping the young with the skills and know-
ledge necessary to carry on the progress of science for

the further development of democracy.

38

Being concerned with "education for the atomic
age," Reeves wished to modernize the elementary schools'
curricula to meet the challenge of changing times. He
believed pupils should be prepared for all aspects of
living. A "set" curriculum for all pupils, according to
Reeves, was outdated. Curricula was needed to fit the
needs and interests of each individual and at the same
time provide a common core of knowledge for all pupils.

"The three R's plus integrated learning experi-
ences" were another mp§E_in the elementary school curricu-
lum. Reeves suggested the following subjects to be
included in the curriculum: geography, history, civics,
literature, English, science, manual training, drawing,
art, music, dramatics, safety, conservation, cooking,
sewing, play and sports, and physical education. He
believed the special interests, aptitudes, and abilities
of each individual should be sought out in the teaching
of these subjects.

Reeves also suggested organizing the elementary
school curriculum around "sequentially unifying topics."
Beginning with the first grade, he believed their study
should include home and family life and as the pupils
moved up to the seventh grade their study should broaden
to include the world community. Reeves believed the

elementary school curriculum to be the logical place to

39

begin the study of conserving the national resources and
of using them wisely. He wanted children to become re-
sponsible citizens who were proud of their national heri-
tage, and who were willing to exchange their knowledge

with those of other communities or nations.

CHAPTER IV

ON SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Introduction

 

The curriculums of many high schools are still
designed primarily to meet the needs of preprofessional
youth. But the vast majority of youth are not and
should not be headed toward the professions. They
need general education to fit them for citizenship
and vocational education to prepare Ehem to enter
vocations of a nonprofessional type.

This chapter is divided into three parts--general
education, vocational education, and education for today
and tomorrow.

Reeves, liberal and self-educated, favored a broad
general education for everyone. He realized, however,
the necessity that some individuals need preparation for
immediate employment. In keeping with his belief of
educating the whole individual, he therefore advocated
a comprehensive general education for everyone and voca-
tional education for those who would seek more immediate
employment. The last section of this chapter, "Education
for Today and Tomorrow," states how Reeves would incorpof

rate both general and vocational education in a curriculum

 

lFloyd W. Reeves, "Federal Relations," The Nation's
Schools, Vol. 21, Number 3, March, 1938, p. 25.

 

40

41

which will be valuable and practical for secondary students

both now and later on in their lives.

General Education

 

Reeves went to the University of Kentucky in 1925
as a professor to teach courses in public school adminis-
tration, school surveys, statistics, educational finance
and higher education.2 Up to this time in his university
experience, he had actually done very little concerning
public school curricula. But in 1926 he had an article
published entitled "Legislation Relating to the Teaching

"3

of the Constitution. In this article Reeves emphasized

the problem of civic instruction in our public schools.

He stated:

. . .the task of working out the details of cur-
riculum construction is not a function of a state
legislature; neither is it a function of the American
Bar Association, the American Legion, the Veterans of
Foreign Wars, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
or the National Security League; it is a function of
the educator; it is a joint task of she scientific
expert.and the practical school man.

Stressing the great need for instruction in the ideals of

citizenship, Reeves indicated that "At no previous time

 

2Stated by Floyd W. Reeves in an interview with
the writer.

3F. W. Reeves, "Legislation Relating to the Teach-
ing of the Constitution," The Kentucky High School
Quarterly, Volume XII, Number 1, January, 1926, pp. 91-98.

4

 

Ibid., p. 95.

42

in the history of American education has such interest in

5 From the end of World War I to

this problem developed."
the time of this article it became apparent that many
citizens in America had little understanding of the basic
principles of American government. "As a result of this
discovery citizenship training has become a matter of the
greatest public concern."6

It appears that Reeves' major purpose in writing
this article was to indicate that the ideals of citizen-
ship were a matter essential to general education and a
must for all secondary school students. He did, however,
leave the decision for including such a course up to the
educators to decide and not for outside organizations of
laymen.

In 1936 President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed

Reeves as Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Education

. . .to study the experience under the existing
program of Federal aid for vocational education, the
relation of such training to general education and
to prevailing economic and social conditions, and
the extent of the need for an expanded program; and
to develop recommendations that would be available
to the Congress and the Executive.7

 

51bid.

61bid., p. 91.

7The Advisory Committee on Education: Report of
the Committee, Floyd W. Reeves, Chairman, United States
Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1938, p.
iii.

 

43

As Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Education, Reeves
and other committee members agreed that the education and
adjustment of youth must be met "by giving youth a broader
knowledge of occupational opportunities and by providing
adequate preparation for entrance upon the activities of
adult life."8 The committee believed the public high
schools did not have adequate programs adapted to the
needs of the pupils, especially for those not going on to
college.9 The committee stated two major causes for the
secondary school's failure to hold its pupils--one is

economic and the other curricular. In reference to these

two causes the committee stated:

The economic cause consists of poverty at home;
pupils drOp out of school in order to go to work, or
stay at home without work because they do not have
the clothing, books, or transportation necessary to
go to school. The curricular cause consists simply
in the failure of the school to provide a course of
study that retains the interest of the pupil, or that
appeals to him as at all useful or appropriate. The
schools are not responsible for the loss of pupils
through economic circumstances beyond their control,
but they must accept a large measure of responsibility
for an unsatisfactory curriculum.

There was much debate over a reorganized curricu-
lum designated as the "core curriculum," which would

provide the basic general education needed by all high

 

8Ibid., p. 97.

91bid.

loIbid., p. 98.

44

school students.11 There seemed to be no justification
for retaining subjects in the curriculum which "have
little other than their antiquity to commend them for

12 The committee also

purposes of general education."
indicated that studies had shown that "no subject studied
in high school possesses unique value as preparation for
successful work in college."13

The committee concluded that the secondary school
would best serve the needs of its students by building a
new integrated and progressive program with suitable
general education as its center and with additional of-
ferings to meet the special needs of its students.14

Thus the door seemed to be left Open as to the
actual courses to be included in this type of curriculum;
therefore, it is assumed that each individual secondary
school shall plan its program around the needs and in-
terests of its particular students.

Speaking before the High School Conference at the
University of Illinois on November 6, 1942, Reeves de-

fined general education as

. . .that education which ought to be provided
all normal youth, irrespective of any occupation

 

llIbid.

12Ibid., pp. 98-99.

lBIbid., p. 99.

14Ibid., p. 100.

45

they may plan to enter . . . the term does not include
specialized training, although I recognize that such
training often contributes to general education, just
as general educigion almost always contributes to
specialization.

Reeves believed general education should give one mastery

of the tools of learning so that learning could continue

16

throughout his adult life. He further stated:

It should also include education for health and
physical fitness, for home and family living, for
occupational adjustment, for leisure, and for citizen-
ship. It should provide youth with knowledge skills,
desirable habits, understanding, ability to think,
and a desire to act in a way that will contribute to
the welfare of others.1

Reeves further believed that since work experience
is no longer available within the home life of most
families, some work experience is needed as part of a
student's education and preparation for life. He believed
the need for work experience was the greatest at the high
school and junior college levels. He said, "Youth of
these age groups are in particular need of the kind of
guidance in the selection of a school program and in the

choice of a vocation that work experience only can give."18

 

15Floyd W. Reeves, "General Education in Relation
to the War Emergency," Unpublished speech in the Reeves
Papers, November 6, 1942.

16Ibid., p. 11.

17Ibid.

18Ibid., p. 12.

46

Reeves also stated that youth need two kinds of work ex-

perience.

They need experience in work of the type that
good citizens perform when they contribute services
to their communities without recompense. And they
need to learn how to carry their own economic weight
by working for wages.

Reeves also indicated education for leisure as an
important aspect of general education. He emphasized
that most individuals feel a need to express themselves
through some form of creative activity. Thus, an important
place in the schools should be made for training youth in
the creative use of leisure.20

Also to be included under general education,
Reeves recommended the teaching of citizenship at the
high school level. Since many students end their formal
schooling at the high school level, he believed the
schools' major responsibility should be to see to it that
they receive citizenship training before completion of
their high school work.21

In the writer's opinion, Reeves believed general
education and occupational training in the overall high

school curriculum were designed to prepare youth to be-

come good citizens.

 

191bid., pp. 14-15.

2°Ibid., pp. 17-18.

21Ibid., p. 18.

47

Vocational Education

 

Reeves believed education is a unitary process in
which the problems of vocational education and the prob-
lems of general education can not be dealt with in isola-
tion of each other. He said, "Every pupil in the
secondary school needs vocational education just as every
pupil needs general education."22 Reeves was aware that
highly specialized vocational training may lead to class
distinctions. With this thought in mind he believed that
education "should not lend itself to the promotion of

n23

such distinctions. He did not think that the American

system of education should have "one set of opportunities

for young people who are to enter the professions and

24

another for the working classes." Reeves wanted an

equal educational opportunity for all young people. Each
student should have the opportunity which would best suit

25

his particular ability. Reeves believed high school

students needed vocational education but not for

 

22Floyd W. Reeves, "What the Federal Government
Might Do to Assist," in Critical Issues in Educational
Administration, Edited by William C. Reavis, Proceedings
of the Seventfi Annual Conference for Administrative
Officers of Public and Private Schools, The University
of Chicago Press, 1938, p. 45.

23

 

 

Ibid., p. 46.

24Ibid.

251bid., p. 47.

48

specialized training. He thought they needed introductory
courses of an exploratory type. The more intensive spe-

cialized training, he believed, should be just prior to

. . 26
entrance into an occupatlon.

As director of the American Youth Commission of
the American Council on Education, Reeves and the other

members of the commission stated:

The secondary school curriculum still fails in
most cases to give the students a familiarity with
local industries or with occupational conditions in
other places. Partly this may be due to a mistaken
notion held by many parents who assume that the only
road to a higher social and economic status for their
children leads through the traditional academic, col-
lege preparatory curriculum. That curriculum is now
being widely challenged even as preparation for col-
lege. Few defend it as preparation for the life most
young people will find on leaving the school . . . the
amount of occupational information and training which
is included should be greatly enlarged. In some cases
this may be done by organizing special courses, but
in all cases the occupational implications of the
regular courses of instruction should be fully de-
veloped. . . .Wherever possible, the curriculum should
make definite provision for further training connected
with the adjustment of youth to the employment oppor-
tunities that are in fact available.2

While serving as director of the Rural Education
Project of the University of Chicago, Reeves delivered an
address on "The Education and Guidance of High School

Youth in Non-Industrial Communities." His major

 

261bid., p. 49.

27The Occupational Adjustment of Youth, Recommen-
dations of the American Youth Commission of the American
Council on Education, a pamphlet, April 15, 1940, p. 5.

49

criticism of the high school curriculum in those communi-
ties was that agricultural and home economics programs
were not reaching enough of the pupils.28

Reeves believed both boys and girls should spend
some time in the study of selected aSpects of agriculture

and home economics. He said:

Both boys and girls need to learn about child
care; both need to study consumers' education; both
need to learn how to furnish a house so that it may
become a home. . .A knowledge of agricultural econom-
ics and of farm management would not only have a
vocational value for the future farm men and women,
but it would constitute an important part of a sound 29
general education for the future residents of cities.

Health education was another aspect of the high
school curriculum which Reeves stressed. Because of the
many rejections which had taken place under the Selective
Service program during World War II, Reeves believed that
this fact made it clear that

. . .all schools, everywhere, should attempt to

make a larger contribution to the health of our young
people. Much can be accomplished through the more
effective programs of health examinations, physical

fitness development, school lunches, and health edu-
cation for children in school.30

 

28Floyd W. Reeves, "The Education and Guidance of
High School Youth in Non-Industrial Communities," Abstract
of an address delivered before the Ninth Annual Guidance
Conference, Purdue University, November 19, 1943, in the
Purdue University Division of Educational Reference,
Studies in Higher Education L, Edited by H. H. Remmers,
March 1944, p. 58.

291bid., p. 59.

3OIbid.

SO

Reeves would include the study of the relations
of this nation to other nations in the high school our-

31

riculum. Due to technological advances, he stated

that it was "impossible in the future for any nation to
remain unaffected by what takes place in other nations."32
And in order to achieve greater understanding of other
nations, Reeves said, the people of each nation needed
to study the history of other countries through "geo-
graphy, economics, social customs, and political prac-
tices. . ."33
While Reeves advocated both general and vocational
education, it is difficult at times to interpret his ideas
in these areas because if Reeves believed the subject to

be worthwhile, he would include it as part of general

education.

Education for Today and Tomorrow

 

The curriculum of our high schools must be more
than a preparation for college entrance; it must
among other things, become a satisfactory preparation
for the life thgz most young people will live after
leaving school.

31
32

 

Ibid.
Ibid.
33Ibid.

34Floyd W. Reeves, "Education and National Defense,",
An address delivered October 31, 1940, at the Biltmore
Hotel, New York, before the Ninth Educational Conference
under the joint auspices of the Educational Records Bureau,
The Cooperative Test Service, The Committee on Measurement
and Guidance of the American Council on Education, and The

 

51

As director of the American Youth Commission,
Reeves approved of the report on "What the High Schools

35 The writer assumes that the ideas set

Ought to Teach."
forth in this report reflect Reeves' philosophy of what
should be included in the high school curriculum. The
commission stressed the need for a reorganized curriculum--
one which would prepare students for intelligent citizen-
ship and for the duties of home life. Many subjects which
were being offered at that time were inappropriate for
many of the students. As a substitute the following sub-
jects were suggested by the commission as being necessary
to the needs of all secondary students: reading as a
subject of instruction, work as a part of the curriculum,
the social studies, instruction concerning personal prob-
lems;36 and to include conventional subjects such as
English, mathematics, foreign languages, history and

. 37
natural sc1ences.

 

Commission on the Relation of School and College of the
Progressive Education Association, Unpublished in the
Reeves Papers, p. 5.

 

35What the High Schools Ought to Teach, The Report
of a Special Committee, Prepared for the AmeriCan Youth
Commission and other Cooperating Organizations, American
Council on Education, Washington, D.C., 1940, 36 pp.

 

361bid., pp. 12-27.

3.7Ibid., pp. 27-29.

52

Reading

The Commission said that "The mistake has long
been made in secondary schools of assuming that pupils
are not in need of post-elementary instruction in read-
ing."38 Students fail in other subjects because they
lack the ability to read competently and also because much
of the material "presented in textbooks is altogether in-

appropriate for the cultivation of reading habits."39

Work

 

Another means of education which is just as important
as reading, according to the commission, is work as a

40 The commission stated that "By

part of the curriculum.
the time a young person reaches adolescence he needs to
have opportunities for work if he is to make the transi-

"41 The com-

tion into adulthood readily and efficiently.
mission suggested that the schools yield some of the hours
which are spent in traditional coursework to a work pro-

gram.

Social Studies

 

History and civics are a necessary part of the

curriculum, according to the commission, in order to help

 

381bid., p. 12.

39lbid.

4olbid., p. 15.

411bid., p. 16.

53

young people form wise judgments based on the knowledge
of facts. Following are a few examples of topics which

might be given:

. . . housing, conservation of natural and human
resources, community planning, cooperatives, pressure
groups and their methods of influencing legislation,
the stock exchange, corporations, labor organizations,
the industries of the nation, various forms of munici-
pal government, governmental services such as those
of the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and
Labor, the origin and nature of money and systems of
exchange, international relations, consumers' needs,
and investments.

Personal Problems

 

A course in personal problems was believed to be
as important as any subject in general education. "Per-
haps the most urgent of these problems is that of main-

43 It would be

taining one's physical and mental health"
worthwhile, according to the commission, to teach the
findings of psychology without getting involved in its
technicalities and abstractions. Students need "an under-
standing of themselves as biological and mental organisms
which will save them from an infinite number of the mis-

44 Students

takes that contribute to human unhappiness."
also need to learn to deal with topics relating to family

life.

 

42Ibid., p. 23.

43Ibid., pp. 24-25.

44Ibid., p. 25.

54

Conventional Subjects

As for the conventional subjects--English, mathe-
matics, foreign languages, history, and natural sciences--
the commission suggested that they "be reexamined and
criticized with a view to injecting into them the same
liberal spirit as that which is exemplified in the new
courses advocated in preceding paragraphs."45

At the annual Round-Up at Illinois State Normal
University in 1942, Reeves delivered an address in which
he discussed general education, education for work, edu-
cation for leisure, and education for citizenship.46 His
ideas on education for work were discussed at the begin-

ning of this section and therefore will not be repeated

again.

General Education

 

Reeves conceived of general education as a broad
and comprehensive study in many areas. He said:

General education should give mastery of the
tools of learning, so that learning may continue
throughout adult life. It should also include educa-
tion for health and physical fitness, for home and
family living, for occupational adjustment, for lei-
sure, and for citizenship. It should provide youth

 

451bid., p. 27.

46Floyd W. Reeves, "Education for War and for
Peace," An address delivered before the Annual Round-Up,
Illinois State Normal University, Normal, Illinois,
December 5, 1942, Unpublished in the Reeves Papers, 25 pp.

 

55

with knowledge, skills, desirable habits, understand-
ing, ability to think, and a desire to act in a way
that will contribute to the welfare of others.47

Education for Leisure

 

Reeves believed a thoroughly educated person to
be one who could utilize his leisure in a worthwhile

manner. On this matter he said:

Most individuals feel the need to express them-
selves through some form of creative activity. But
for many of them, the shift from hand-work to machine
production has resulted in decreased opportunity for
creative expression as an aspect of their work. . .

If people were adequately trained to utilize their
leisure in a creative way, the need for self expres-
sion might be met through activities carried on during
periods of leisure.

Education for Citizenship

 

Reeves believed both general education and occupa-
tional training are designed to prepare youth to become

good citizens. On this matter, he said:

Good citizens need mastery of the tools of learn-
ing. They need vocational competence so that they
may produce goods and services of social value. They
need health and physical stamina in order that they
may do well whatever tasks they are called upon to
perform. They need to know how to use leisure time
in a creative way. They need to be competent in home
and family life. All of these things are aspects of
good citizenship. Training for all of them should
have an important place in general education.4

 

47Ibid., pp. 10-11.

48Ibid., p. 18.

491bido’ pp. 19-200

56

In 1942 Reeves was asked by President James B.
Conant of Harvard University to spend a few days at
Harvard to make a survey of the graduate programs in the
social sciences, the school of business administration

50

and the Litaur School of Public Administration. Shortly

after Reeves reported he was invited to deliver the Inglis

Lecture of 1942.51
Reeves' lecture tOpic was "Education for Today

and Tomorrow." He began by indicating that the secondary

schools were not preparing students either for the world

today or the world tomorrow. He said:

If one looks at American secondary schools, he
finds a great many of them preparing youth for yes-
terday's world, a hopeful few preparing them realis-
tically for today's, and a third group unfortunately
which in effect does not appear to be preparing them
for any real work at all.5

Reeves stated that the secondary school curriculum should
include the following, which is an overall summary of

what he stressed earlier:

 

50Floyd W. Reeves, "Lecture XXII Contact with Har-
vard University, Unpublished lecture in the Reeves Papers,
May 1965, p. 1.

51Floyd W. Reeves, The Inglis Lecture, 1942, Edu-
cation for Today and Tomorrow, Harvard University Press,
1942, p. vi. The Inglis Lectures are given in memory of
Alexander Inglis, 1879-1924. Inglis and his friends had
given to the Graduate School of Education a fund for the.
maintenance of a lectureship in secondary education. The
purpose of the Lectureship is to perpetuate the spirit of
his labors and contribute to the solution of problems in
the field of his interest.

52Ibid., p. l.

 

 

 

57

1. Starting with citizenship training, Reeves

53

believed this should be the major goal. He believed we

should turn out "citizens equipped to deal with the prob-

54

lems of the modern world." Reeves included a knowledge

of natural and human resources, forms and structure of

our government, history or practice of co-operatives,55

and knowledge of work for wages and work without wages in

citizenship training.56

2. Mental and physical health education should

57

be in the curriculum. Reeves suggested that perhaps a

58

course in the elements of hygiene and nutrition should

be offered, and of course, physical training should be
included.59
3. Basic mental skills, i.e., reading, should be
included in the curriculum. Reeves said reading was
needed more in education for the modern world than ever
before. Instruction in p23 to read in the secondary
school was needed, not just the study of English and

literature.60

 

53Ibid., p. 9.

54Ibia., p. 14.

SSIbido I pp. 58.-59¢

56Ibid., p. 63.

571bid., p. 15.

581bid., p. 19.

59Ibid., p. 21.
60Ibid., pp. 24-25.

58

4. Education on marital problems, the family, and

61

the home should also be included in the curriculum. If

teachers are not qualified in these areas, Reeves suggested
that reading materials at least be provided.62
5. Education and preparation for a future work
career were also emphasized.63 Reeves said general voca-
tional preparation is needed rather than specialized
training so that "if the job vanishes through technologi-
cal changes, (the general education) enables them to move
easily to another without serious delay or maladjustment."64
6. Another important aspect of the curriculum
should be education in the use of leisure time.65 Reeves
believed the secondary schools could do two things in
this area. First, he said, "They can encourage an intelli-
gent choice in passive recreational activity, expecially

66

in radio-listening, and in motion pictures." And, fur-

thermore, "They can teach and encourage youth to acquire

personal Skills, both cultural and athletic."67

 

61Ibid., p. 29.

62Ibid., p. 35.

63Ibid., p. 36.

64Ibid., p. 39.

65Ibid., p. 47.

66Ibid., p. 50.

67Ibid.

59

In a lecture given at the Social Studies Institute
in Detroit, Reeves emphasized education as being the key
to unlock the door of understanding throughout the world.68
He stressed that scientific knowledge "has been so rapid
that knowledge of how to organize human beings to live in
a world of machines and atomic energy has not kept pace."69
He urged the need "for people to learn how to organize
their activities so that they can live together in a world

70 He further commented that technological

community."
techniques have not been able to bring about a world com-
munity. As far as he could see this end remained for the
social sciences and the humanities.71 He said the need
in education was not for more knowledge in the natural
sciences or technical processes but was for "more and
better general education in the social sciences and the
humanities for all persons--children, youth, and adults--
everywhere."72

Reeves defined general education as one which

would "deal with the relationships of human beings with

 

68Floyd W. Reeves, "Youth and the World of Tomor-
row," The School Review: A Journal of Secondary Education,
Volume LIV, Number 5, May 1946, p. 266.

69

 

Ibid.

7orbid.

71Ibid.

721bid.

60

one another."73

He believed the barrier to achieving a
world community was the inability of people to understand
and communicate with each other.74 He suggested the
study of anthropology, sociology, social psychology,
political science, and geography to help achieve a "world
community.”5
The study of books, Reeves said, is not enough.

He believed experience also was needed in a sound curricu-

lum, in which we

. . .must recognize the value of action programs,
as well as the value of the study of books and works
of art. Somewhere there must be a middle ground that
offers the values secured through study of the experi-
ences of others and the values obtained through obser-
vation of, and participation in, community activities.76

As Chairman of the Commission on Educational Re-
construction of the AFT, Reeves was in complete agreement
with the report on "Federal Aid and the Crisis in American
Education." The commission issued the following state-
ment on the elements to be included in the public school
curriculum; much of which also was stated in "Education

for Democracy" under the elementary school curriculum.77

 

73
74
75
76

77Federal Aid and the Crisis in American Education,
A report by the CommissiBn on Educational Reconstruction
of the American Federation of Teachers, a pamphlet, 1947,
pp. 3-4.

Ipid.
Ipid.
Ipid., p. 267.
Egg. , p. 268.

61

The public school must acquaint the young with
the history of man's long struggle for democracy,
with its triumphs, its defeats, and its costs; with
its classic documents, its institutions, and its full
meaning--not merely in political terms, but socially
and economically as well. It must also introduce to
them the problems they face in retaining for themselves
the life of freedom, the tasks and opportunities that
now confront democracy as a result of the impact of
science and technology on human life and society.

It is also the responsibility of the public school
to equip the young with both the skills and knowledge
necessary to carry on the progress of science and the
spirit to apply such progress to the development of
democracy. It is no accident that antisocial move-
ments traditionally attempt to undermine the use of
scientific method. For social progress depends on
science, and, conversely, science flourishes best in
an atmosphere of social and political freedom. The
two concepts are interwoven. Whether our youth are
destined for peace or war, we consider the most
thorough training in the methods, disciplines, and
achievements of science to be indispensable.

It is, therefore, actually important for the
public school to develop an understanding of America's
relation to the rest of the world. It must provide
knowledge of other peoples and cultures, of the in-
ternational strains and tensions of this period, and
of the efforts being made to organize the world for
security, justice among nations, a higher standard of
living, and the establishment of permanent peace.

To conclude this section it seems apprOpriate to
state Reeves' answer to the question: What kind of

secondary education tomorrow? His answer is as follows:

Secondary education for tomorrow must teach the
lessons that are essential to intelligent citizenship
in a world at war. It must teach also those lessons
that are essential to citizenship in a world of post-
war reconstruction. At all times it must lead
smoothly into satisfactory employment those whose78
formal education ends with the secondary schools.

78Floyd W. Reeves, "What Kind of Secondary Educa-
tion Tomorrow?" The Bulletin of the National Association

of Secondary-School PrincipaIs, Volume 26, Nufiber 105,
March, I942, p. 98.

 

62

I would include international relations. In this
area I would emphasize economic history and economic
geography. I would teach the relationship of natural
resources and industrial development to war and to
peace. I would include a study of the governments of
other nations. Above all else, I would have youth
learn about the psychology of the people of other
nations, their literature, their art, and their folk
ways, and the relations between their ways of life
and the means whereby they live. Only in this way
can youth be prepared to play well their part in a
world that must be rebuilt.7

 

Summary

In the secondary school curriculum, Reeves recom-
mended programs of general education, vocational educa-
tion, and a combination of these two which would prepare
youth for today's living and for tomorrow's. The content
in a general education program should include health and
physical fitness, education for family living, education
for occupational adjustment, education for leisure, and
education for citizenship.

It was Reeves' belief that every student needed
vocational education as well as general education. He
was against highly specialized training, because he be-
lieved it might lead to class distinctions. Rather than
specialized training, he thought students needed introduc-

tory and exploratory type courses. He also believed

 

79Floyd W. Reeves, "Education for Tomorrow: A
Report from the American Youth Commission," Journal of
the American Association of Collegiate Registrars, Vqume
17, Number 4} July, 1942, p. 512.

 

63

students should learn the responsibility of working with-
out wages as well as for wages.

Reeves' views on "education for today and tomor-
row" included a satisfactory preparation for life. Many
of the courses which Reeves advocated were the traditional
ones such as English, mathematics, foreign languages, his-
tory, and natural sciences. To be included in this list
he recommended reading as a subject of instruction, work
as a part of the curriculum, the social studies, and in-
struction concerning personal problems.

Reeves' education for life program included the
overlapping of both general and vocational education. In
each program we find these areas in common: citizenship,
health and physical fitness, education for leisure, and

education for work.

CHAPTER V

ON COLLEGE CURRICULUM

Introduction

 

The curricula of the junior college division are
being revised to insure a reasonable amount of
familiarity upon the part of students with the world
in which they live. . . .There is a feeling that all
students need a common intellectual world. This
feeling is manifesting itself in common required
courses.

Reeves was more concerned with the curricula of
the first two years of college than he was with the later
two. He believed the first two years of college to be
more closely allied with the functions of the senior high
school than with those of the two later years of college.
His interest, therefore, was to study the main function
of the first two years of college in terms of general

education, and leave the later two years of college for

specialization.2

 

lFloyd W. Reeves, "Current Efforts to Improve
the Liberal Arts College," An address delivered before
the Conference of Iowa College Presidents, the University
of Iowa, May 15-16, 1930, Unpublished in the Reeves

Papers, p. 7.

2Floyd W. Reeves, "Recent Trends in Higher Educa-
tion," The Peabody Reflector and Alumni News, Volume VII,
Number 2, February, 1934, p. 49.

64

65

The purpose of this chapter is to relate Reeves'
ideas concerning the curriculum of the first two years of
college. Based on studies Reeves made relating to the
junior college curriculum, this chapter is organized into
three sections: the North Central Association Study, the
University of Chicago Study, and the Michigan State

College Study.
North Central Association Study

Reeves was concerned with the junior college cur-
riculum as well as with the elementary and secondary

schools' curricula. In a North Central Study he stated:

One of the chief functions of the junior college
is to provide instruction adapted to the wide range
of needs, interests, and capabilities of young people
who seek admission. These include not only students
who wish to pursue a general education with the hope
of specializing later in the university or professional
school but also those who are seeking to satisfy some
practical need through a longer or shorter period of
training.

Reeves believed it was not the function of a
junior college to teach students ypgp to think but to
teach them p23 to think. He would have the junior college
meet this goal by including the following objectives in

the courses offered:

 

3Floyd W. Reeves, "Studies Relating to the Junior
College Curriculum," An unpublished paper prepared as an
introduction to a North Central Conference, August 3,
1929, in the Reeves Papers, p. l.

66

(1) Ability to identify and to use methods of
valid thinking.

(2) Ability to conceive the past of the physical
world as a process of evolution as disclosed by a
study of the natural and physical sciences.

(3) Ability to think of the survey of civiliza-
tion not as a chronicle of events but as a study of
the great movements in human development.

(4) Ability to use the vernacular correctly and
clearly.

(5) Ability to use at least one non-vernacular

language as a means of understanding the racial habits

of thinking employed by other peoples and as a means
of access to the materials of learning and culture.

(6) Ability to appreciate literature, music and
the pictorial and plastic arts.

(7) Ability to apprehend the principles of ethics

and the obligations which the individual owes to so-
ciety, and the active fulfillment of such obligations.

(8) Acquisition of habits conducive to the intel-

ligent maintenance of well-being.4

Reeves believed a balanced curriculum was needed
in the junior college in order to prepare those who
would attend a senior college and to prepare those who

would enter vocational fields.5

He knew this would take
a concerted effort to develOp the formula for a balanced
curriculum. Educators today are still groping with this

same problem. Much of the decision to be made lies in

the degree of general education that students have had

 

4Ibid., p. 4.

5Ibid., pp. 1-2.

67

in high school. The more general education students have
had in high school the less they will need in junior col—
lege. And if the students have had a sparce general edu-
cation in high school, more attention in this area is

needed in junior college.

University of Chicago Study

 

One of Reeves' first assignments at The University
of Chicago was in The Institute for Administrative Offi-
cers of Higher Institutions. This institute was organi-

zed in 1927

. . .to provide a forum for the discussion of
problems of common interest to administrative offi-
cers; to stimulate critical discussion of current
tendencies in higher education; to present the results
of experiments carried on in various institutions;
and to stimulate additional studies of many perplexing
problems in the field of higher education.

One of these perplexing problems in the field of higher
education was the junior college curriculum. In 1929
there was a rapid development of junior colleges followed
by changes in their purpose and content of instruction.

Reeves studied approximately 100 institutions of
higher learning while working at this Institute. It was
his belief that "every institution of higher learning

should set up definite aims and objectives as bases for

 

6William S. Gray, Editor of The Junior College
Curriculum, Volume 1, Proceedings of The Institute for
Administrative Officers of Higher Education. The Uni-
versity of Chicago Press, 1929, p. v.

 

68

the development of curriculums, and that a statement of
these aims should be included in the college catalogue."7
In order to co-ordinate the high school and college cur-
ricula, Reeves suggested a variation in the subject matter
content in first-year college courses. He is not very
specific on this point; however, he believed that by
varying the content, students who had completed a high
school unit in a particular field would not be required
to take the same course in college. And students who had
not taken fundamental course work in high school might do
so in college. Reeves also suggested that the course
work be organized according to the special needs and in-
terests of students. At the time of this study, general
survey courses seemed to be the most significant trend in
the junior college curriculum.8
Reeves made an educated guess in the early 1930's
in stating what he thought would be the major trends of

education in America during the century closing in the

year 2031. He said:

It appears probable that during the century the
school day and the school year will both be lengthened

 

7Floyd W. Reeves, "The Junior-College Curriculum
in Colleges and Universities," in The Junior College
Curriculum, Edited by William 8. Gray, Volume 1, Proceed-
ings of THe Institute for Administrative Officers of
Higher Education, The University of Chicago Press, 1929,
p. 74.

 

8Ibid., p. 92.

69

for the child below the age of eighteen years, and
shortened for young men and women beyond eighteen
years of age. A majority of men and women will par-
ticipate in some form of organized adult education
throughout life. There will be a tendency to make
more extensive use of mass production methods in
education. This will result in a more highly centrali-
zed educational system. Educational centers will be
established for the purpose of broadcasting lectures,
music, art exhibits, and demonstrations of various
kinds. Methods employed in broadcasting will include
the filmophone and television. Travel will have an
important place in formal school programs. Entire
schools and other educational institutions will be
transported by air to distant points, in order that
pupils and students may obtain Sirst hand information
and make personal observations.

Most of Reeves' predictions can be seen happening in the
public schools and colleges today, which is 61 years be-
fore the predicted date. For example, there has been an
expansion of adult education programs, television is mak-
ing a large break-through as a teaching aid, and there
are student exchange programs involving students from many
parts of the world. It appears that Reeves would be
highly interested in the area of communication arts in
college. His idea of achieving a "world community" was
very evident in the above statement. He wanted students
to be educated so they could function in and contribute

to the knowledge of the world.

 

9Floyd W. Reeves, "Probable Major Trends of Edu-
cation in America During the Century Closing in 2031,"
A statement placed in the cornerstone of the graduate
education building at The University of Chicago, early
1930's.

70
Michigan State College Study

In 1943 Reeves first came to Michigan State Col-
lege10 to give a series of lectures on demobilization and
post-war problems of higher institutions. President John
Hannah was impressed with Reeves' vast knowledge and ex-
perience, and, therefore, asked him to assist in the
planning of Michigan State College.11

Hannah believed strongly that the whole Land-
Grant College system had become "ultra Conservative" over
the years and needed some revisions to make it more rela-
tive to the current needs of society. He thought one of
the greatest dangers to any institution was complacency
and decided to correct the situation. "His first move
was to arrange for the services of Dr. Floyd W. Reeves,
of the University of Chicago, who was an authority on
organization and administration, as a consultant for the
operation."12

A faculty meeting at Michigan State College was

held on March 9, 1944 in which President Hannah asked

Reeves to speak on "the possibility of establishing some

 

10Michigan State College became known as Michigan
State University in 1955.

11"The Reorganization of the Michigan COOperative
Extension Service," A committee report in the Reeves

Papers, p. 12.

121bid.. pp. 2-3.

71

common educational experience for all students."13 Reeves'

speech dealt with six related topics:

(1) the desirability of devoting two years to
basic, general education,

(2) an independent examining agency,

(3) possible content for comprehensive courses,

(4) the importance of having a program which pro-
vided well for the student who stays in college but

two years,

(5) the problem of finding teachers competent
to teach such courses as envisioned, and

(6) the desirability of providing machinery to

enable the industrious and able student to advanci4as
fast as his capacities and energies would permit.

After Reeves' presentation, the faculty decided
to have a committee study the problem. This was one of
the most "dynamic periods which come from time to time to
some institutions."15

On the basis of Reeves' recommendations, President
Hannah proceeded to reorganize the undergraduate program
at Michigan State College. This resulted in the establish-

ment of the Basic College.l6

 

13Thomas H. Hamilton and Edward Blackman, Edited
The Basic College of Michigan State, The Michigan State
College Press, 1955, p. 7.

14Ibid.

151bid., p. 8.

16"The Reorganization of the Michigan COOperative
Extension Service," p. 3.

72

As part-time consultant to the President, Reeves
considered his responsibility to the committee "as one of
answering questions, giving his opinion in terms of prin-

ciples of organization and administration, and of raising

provocative questions."l7

Revising the curriculum for freshmen and sopho-
mores was one of the main tasks of Hannah's reorganization

plan. The main change to occur was in establishing a more

. . 18
general course of instruction.

During the World War II years much of the general
education courses "disappeared under the impact of new

technical courses and the impulse to train each student

for as many prospective occupations as possible."19

Reeves believed a change in curriculum was needed in the

first two years of college, and, thus,

. . .proposed a program of basic general education
required rather than optional, for all freshmen and
sophomores rather than those of a particular divi-
sion, and taught by a distinct faculty rather than by
those within specialized departments. He suggested a
board of examiners to prepare comprehensive examina-
tions which would encourage integrated rather than
disconnected learning and would permit the mature
veteran to accelerate his education.

 

171bid., p. 26.

l8Floyd W. Reeves, "Notes on the Office of Junior
College Cooperation," circa 1954 in Reeves Papers, p. 1.

19Madison Kuhn, Michigan State: The First Hundred
Years, Michigan State University Press, 1955, p. 418.

20

 

Ibid., p. 420.

73

Reeves and the committee developed the following
preamble to the committee report which served and up to
this date still serves as the guide for general education

at Michigan State University:

Basic education, as proposed for Michigan State
College, is designed to provide students with a more
sound foundation on which to build an intelligent in-
terest in personal, family, vocational, social, and
civic problems, a better understanding of these prob-
lems, and a greater ability to cope with them. It
includes the study of man's relationship to physical,
biological, and social sciences, an increased know-
ledge of the historical background of present day
civilizations, and an enhanced appreciation of cul-
tures, past and present, that have been expressed in
literature, music and art.

Basic education should give students an opportunity
to explore broad areas, should aid them in the dis-
covery of their interests and aptitudes, and should
equip them better to assume their responsibilities as
individuals and as citizens of a democracy.

Students whose training may eventually become
highly specialized need the foundation of general
education experience that each may have a greater
appreciation of the relationship of his special field
to the needs of society as a whole. 1

Reeves was not totally satisfied with this program
of general education. This was a compromise for him. He
said certain questions were arising such as,

. . .how may the common ideas and ideals of our

culture be appropriately emphasized without at the

same time interfering with meeting the needs of so-
ciety for specialization? How can general education

 

21Floyd W. Reeves, "General Education at a State
University," in Basic College Quarterly, Michigan State
College Press, Fall 1955, p. 7.

74

and specialized training best be related so that each
will support and enrich the other.2

Reeves admitted that most of the problems regarding gen-
eral education still remained unsolved. But one conclu-

sion seemed clear:

The role of general education at the state uni-
versity must be both an expanded and an expanding
one. Developments in this field have been marked,
but they are lagging far behind the needs of society.
Some way must be found to accelerate the development
of general education.

Initially, the Basic College developed seven
basic courses: Written and Spoken English, Social
Science, Effective Living, History of Civilization,
Literature and Fine Arts, Biological Science, and Physi-

cal Science.24

Of these seven basic one-year courses,
"every student was required to take five during his first
two years."25 Those five courses were to include Written

and Spoken English and either Social Science or Effective

Living, History of Civilization or Literature and Fine

 

22Ibid., p. 9.

23Ibid., p. 10.

24"Basic College Newsletter," Published by the
Basic College Research Committee, Michigan State College,
East Lansing, Michigan State College Bulletin, Volume 44,
November, 1949, p. 1.

25Victor H. Noll, The Preparation of Teachers at
Michigan State University, Michigan State UniversiEy
College of Education, 1968, p. 116.

75

Arts, Biological Science or Physical Science plus one of
the three courses not already taken.

Later on the seven basic courses were consolidated
into four: Communication Skills, Natural Science, Social
Sciences, and Humanities. The principle of election was '
eliminated, because it seemed illogical to let students
concoct their own program, and yet still call their
curriculum general education.26

Another major change in the Basic College which
Reeves initiated was the grading system, which he believed
was the most criticized element. Originally, the instruc-
tors had no voice in the students' grades, because it was
believed that the students and the instructors would have
a better rapport if some outside committee constructed
the examinations. Therefore, at the end of the course,
which was the end of the third term, the students' final
grade was decided by a year-end comprehensive examination.
This grade erased any grade the instructor might have had
for the students. Reeves believed the instructors should
have some voice about the students' grades and the stu-
dents should have some knowledge of their standing in the

course before the end of the year.27 In 1952 the grading

 

26Madison Kuhn, Michigan State: The First Hundred
Years, p. 424. ‘

27Stated by the late Assistant Dean Edward B.
Blackman of University College at Michigan State Univer-
sity in an.interview with the writer, February 6, 1970.

76

system was changed. The revised system combined the in-
structors grades with the term-end comprehensive examina-

tions.28

In this way the instructors had a voice in half
of the students' grades.

There were negative as well as positive reactions
about the two—year Basic College of general education.
Those who were against the idea of spending two years in
the study of general education believed that this took
time away from specialized work and from work on elec-
tives.29 Among all the criticism, however, Reeves ob-

viously had a great influence on the Basic College

curriculum for it is still in existence today.

Summary

Reeves' major concern with the college curriculum
was with the content to be included in the first two
years of college study. He believed the first two years
of college were much more aligned with the functions of
the senior high school than with the later two years of
college. He belieVed the first two years of college
should include a broad general education which would not

duplicate what the student had studied in high school.

 

28Ibid., pp. 423-424.

29Hamilton and Blackman, The Basic College of
Michigan State, p. 4.

 

77

This would enable the student to progress more quickly
through the college curriculum.

Reeves conducted some major studies in the early
1930's which were chiefly concerned with the curriculum
of the junior college. In the North Central Association
Study Reeves declared that the function of the junior
college was not to teach students yp§£_to think but ppy_
to think. He was not as interested in content as he was
in having students develop their critical powers to think.
He listed eight ways in which this function might be car-
ried through, which included the ability to use methods
of valid thinking, ability to use the language(s) cor-
rectly, ability to appreciate the arts, and acquisition
of habits conducive to the intelligent maintenance of
well-being.

In the University of Chicago Study Reeves studied
approximately 100 institutions of higher learning. He
stressed varying the content for each individual student
based on what subjects the student had studied in high
school. At this time in the early 1930's, Reeves made
predictions for the future in which he believed students
would develop all kinds of communication skills and
develop a knowledge of the rest of the world, ultimately
resulting in a "world community."

In the Michigan State College Study Reeves was a

key figure in the reorganization of the Basic College

78

curriculum. He proposed a program of basic general edu-
cation which would be an expanding one. The Basic College
develOped seven basic courses: Written and Spoken English,
Social Science, Effective Living, History of Civilization,
Literature and Fine Arts, Biological Science, and Physical
Science. Of these seven basic one-year courses, all stu-
dents were required to take five during their first two
years of study. Those five courses were to include
Written and Spoken English and either Social Science or
Effective Living, History of Civilization or Literature
and Fine Arts, Biological Science or Physical Science

plus one of the three courses not already taken. These
seven basic courses were not meant to be an all inclusive

general education, but it was a beginning.

CHAPTER VI
ON ADULT EDUCATION CURRICULUM
Introduction

Fewer and shorter working days and the increasing
chances of occupational shifts throughout life combine
with many other factors to make adult education
vitally important. Colleges may expand into this
field through an intensified program for a specific
area as well as through a broad program for an unlimited
area. The intensified program might well consist of
vocational and general courses offered for credit and
of vocational, general, and recreational courses or
activities offered without credit to adults who cannot
take resident work.

Reeves was interested in the education of every
individual at every age from childhood through adulthood.
As a result of his abiding interest in the curriculum of
the elementary school, the secondary school, and college,
he included his ideas on the education of the adult.

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss Reeves'
beliefs concerning adult education. This chapter is

organized into three sections: the objectives of adult

H ~_h..-C<

 

1F. W. Reeves, "The College and Adult Education,"
An address delivered before the College Section of the
Kentucky Education Association, Louisville, Kentucky,
April 11, 1935, Unpublished in the Reeves Papers, pp. 9—10.

79

80

education, a description of the state of New York system
of adult education, and a proposed program for adult

education.

Objectives of Adult Education

 

In order to plan a curriculum of study for any
program, one must first develop a set of objectives. In
an article describing adult education, Reeves listed the
following objectives:2

1. To fill the gaps left by other units of educa-
tion.

2. To maintain the skills and knowledge develOped
during childhood and youth.

3. To keep the adult public in step with the
latest developments in such fields as government,
economics, science and the arts.

4. To deal with problems that can be dealt with
most effectively at the adult level.

5. To give to the older and younger generations
a basis for understanding each other.

Reeves believed education to be a continuing pro-
cess in one's life. He also believed adults needed to keep
in step with progress if they were going to be effective
members of a democratic society. And since the world is

constantly changing, the individual must stay in tune with

 

2Floyd W. Reeves, "Adult Education: What Is It
And Where Is It Going?", Adult Education Bulletin, Volume
II, Number 1, October, 1937, p. 3.

 

81

the times. Both the environment and the individual affect
each other.3

Reeves believed certain studies4 particularly
apprOpriate to adults. As one grows older he develops new
interests, new attitudes, and a new sense of values. In
order to achieve these, Reeves stated it would be wise to
help men and women work out a more effective attitude
toward life. A major task of adult education is to develop
a philosophy which will enable adults individually and
collectively to face life's problems.5

Reeves knew that....

In an age of rapidly growing knowledge and
swiftly changing standards, adult education is
necessary to give both the older and younger
generations a basis for understanding each other.
As each generation grows to maturity another comes

along with greater opportunities for acquiring new
knowledge.

The State of New York System
of Adult Education

 

 

Reeves was in agreement with the state of New York
system of adult education, primarily because the needs
and aims of the program were considered an individual

matter. It was his belief that "Adult education implies

 

31bid.

 

4These studies are discussed on pp. 83-87 of this
chapter.

5Floyd W. Reeves, "Adult Education: What Is It
And Where Is It Going?", pp. 3-4.

 

82

self-discipline and continuity of effort."7 Adult educa-
tion in the New York system did not include study as the
major pursuit of the individual. Also, adult education
was not necessarily confined to mature adults, but was
open to youth who had left full-time school for one reason
or another. Primarily, however, the adult education
program is meant for persons over the compulsory school
age as a supplement to some occupation or as a means of
broadening cultural horizons. For one who desires to go
on learning, adult education Offers him the Opportunity to
broaden his cultural, social, and occupational background.
It also aids one in becoming economically self-sustaining
and in coping with other personal adjustments. Included
in the program are both credit and non-credit courses and
formal and informal work.8 Finally, Reeves stated that
the state of New York system "stresses the training of the
mind, emphasizes the constructive development of habits,
attitudes and emotions, and includes the function Of

9

guidance." And in an age of shorter working days, the

 

7Floyd W. Reeves, "A State Program of Adult
Education," An address delivered before an Institute on
Adult Education for Librarians in Service, August 9, 1937,
Unpublished in the Reeves Papers, pp. 2-3.

 

8Ibid., p. 2.

9Ibid.

\
4

83

program offers one the Opportunity to develop a wise use
of leisure.10

The following is a list stating some Of the reasons

which Reeves believes lead adults to participate in adult

education programs:12
1. To prepare for naturalization.

2. To increase civic consciousness and effective-
ness.

3. To broaden cultural horizons.

4. To make personal adjustments to family and
social environments.

5. To promote health and physical efficiency.

6. To escape from monotony, Obtain recreation,
and secure an opportunity for self-expression.

7. To develop wider knowledge and interests.

8. To prepare for participation in COOperative
enterprises.

9. To increase effectiveness in consumer activities.

10. To increase vocational efficiency.

 

A Proposed Program of Adult Education

After doing extensive research and study in the
field of adult education, Reeves, Fansler, and Houle

analyzed the New York program and published their proposed

 

1olbid., p. 3.

11Ibid., p. 4.

12Ibid., p. 5.

 

84

program of adult education. Their basic program was to
include education for home life and family relationships,
workers' education, and education in communication arts.

First, they defined adult education as

. . .any purposeful effort toward self-development
carried on by an individual without direct legal com-
pulsion and without such effort becoming his major
field of activity. It may be concerned with any or
all of the three aspects Of his life, his work life,
his personal life, and his life as a citizen.13

Reeves, Fansler, and Houle believed that in its
broadest sense, adult education included more than those
studies carried on during and outside of working hours.
They believed the studies ranged from elementary skills
to advanced work on the college, graduate, or professional
level. Also to be included were general Opportunities
Offered by such activities as concerts, exhibitions,
social gatherings, and organized community drives.l4

As a process the authors stated:

. . .adult education may be thought of as that
activity which enables a person more efficiently to
meet his personal needs, problems, or desires; more
effectively to participate as an intelligent function-
ing member of society; and more understandingly to
approach the appreciation and realization of ultimate
values.

 

13F. W. Reeves, T. Fansler, and C. O. Houle, Adult
Education, The Regents' Inquiry, The McGraw-Hill Book
Company, Inc., N. Y., 1938, p. 3.

 

 

14Ibid., pp. 3-4.

l51bid., p. 5.

85
A more detailed description of their program is contained
in the following paragraphs.

Education for Home Life
and Family Relationshipg

 

 

Education for home life and family relationships is
concerned with both personal and social aspects. Parents
are assisted toward the understanding Of the physical and
psychological development of their children. They also
are assisted toward an understanding of themselves and
their relations to each other. And they are given the
Opportunity to study and discuss civic and school problems
affecting their family life as it functions within the

. 16
communlty.

Workers' Education

 

Reeves, Fansler, and Houle stated the following
purposes for a workers' education program:17

1. To train leaders and workers for the trade
union movement.

2. To convey to both organized and unorganized
workers some understanding of the principles
and practices of trade unions to the end
that their activities within and without
labor organization will be more effectively
and intelligently directed toward the reali-
zation Of the aims Of the labor movement.

 

16Ibid., p. 57.

17Ibid., pp. 62-63.

86

3. To provide organized and unorganized workers
with educational, cultural, and recreational
activities in surroundings that will be not
only congenial to them but also generally
sympathetic to the aims of the labor move-
ment.

4. TO indoctrinate both organized and unorganized
workers with one or the other of several
specific social philosophies so that the
labor movement in general will become oriented
along the lines of this philosophy.

Education in the
CommunicatiOn Arts

 

 

Reeves, Fansler, and Houle believed that the press,
the motion picture, and the radio were among the factors
that influence the thoughts and actions of adults.18
Television was not available on a wide scale at the time
Of their study, however, the writer assumes the authors
would include this medium.

Believing in the great influence of the communca-

tion arts, the authors stated:

As long as the principle of freedom of expression
is maintained as fundamental for the democratic con-
cept of life, all public institutions, and especially
those of public education, must recognize in the press,
the motion picture, and the radi agencies of tremen-
dous power for adult education.

Principles Of Adult Education

 

After formulating the previously discussed proposed

program Of adult education, Reeves, Fansler, and Houle

 

18Ibid., p. 66.

19Ibid., pp. 66-67.

87

then stated that the whole program should rest upon the

following body of principles:

1.

20

Adult education is an integral part of public
education; as such it should be a part of each
adult's experience, and as such it is the
means whereby education for youth is made
increasingly effective.

As an integral part of public education,
adult education must share in the principle
of equalization of Opportunity in both a
quantitative and a qualitative fashion.

The administrative machinery established for
adult education must be on a parity with

the administrative machinery at other educa-
tional levels.

Since the character of adult education
parallels the life Of the adult, many different
types of agencies are necessary, the activities
of which must be coordinated to achieve a com-
plete and balanced program.

The character of adult education is such that
democratic methods in the determination of
policies and practices are more essential at
this level than at other levels of education.

The decentralized control and character of adult

education must be maintained through a reason-
able measure of autonomy among local districts.

~Summary

Reeves believed learning to be a continuous pro-

cess. To him, study was not something one did formally

for a specified number of years and‘then suddenly stopped.

He believed that an adult education program had much to

offer individuals who were no longer compulsory school age.

 

20

Ibid., pp. 141-142.

88

Among several Objectives which he listed for adult
education programs, he believed it was necessary for such
programs to fill the gaps left by other units of education,
and to keep the adult public in step with the latest
develOpments in the arts and sciences.

Believing that certain studies appeared to be
peculiarly appropriate to adults, Reeves, Fansler and
Houle analyzed the state of New York system of adult
education and proposed a program of adult education. Reeves
favored the state of New York system because he agreed
with the individual approach which the system adOpted.

The basic proposed program included the following: home
life and family relationships, workers' education, and
education in communication arts.

The proposed program in adult education was one
which had great flexibility in that any adult interested
in furthering his education would have the Opportunity.
The depth Of this study would be up to the individual.
Such a program was a logical extension of formal
schooling, yet could be an informal study as well. The
primary aim of the program seemed to be in getting the

individual "in tune" with the "now" happenings.

CHAPTER VII
MEASURE OF THE MAN

Floyd W. Reeves -- student, teacher, administrator,
educational consultant, and public servant -- has been in
many positions to influence education. One question which
arises is, how does one person measure the influence and/or
contributions of another person? The person doing the
measuring needs to know as well as possible the other per—
son with whom he is concerned. One criterion for measure-
ment is the person's actions. What has this person actually
done? Has he made a difference in some way? Some hierarchy
of importance must be attributed to the work of different
individuals.

It is the purpose of this chapter to tie together
a summarization and conclusion of Reeves' contributions in
the fields of elementary, secondary, college, and adult
education curricula; to include an evaluation of his work
as made by many of his associates who are still living and

the evaluation of the writer.1

 

1See Appendix D which includes a questionnaire,
a list of interviewees, and selected letters from some
Of Reeves' associates.

89

 

 

90

Summapy and Conclusions

 

Reeves' Early Educational
Background

 

 

Reeves' family background and his early years as
a student in public school and college, as well as his
early working years as a teacher and administrator, had a
definite influence in the molding Of his philosophy Of
education.

As a South Dakota boy he learned many things from
books he read in his grandmother's library. As an elemen-
tary school-aged boy, he spent more of his time working
than going to school. However, he did a great amount of
independent reading which enabled him to be placed in
higher grades later on.

During his high school years, he was still busy
working on the farm; but he did manage to get some formal
years of schooling. Continuously digging in his grand-
mother's library, he did not seem to be missing much
academically. In fact, he was asked to teach in a one-
room country school before he had even completed his own
high school education. *On several occasions, when he had
a chance to speak in front of a large group of people, he

tried to shock his listeners by speaking on unusual topics.

91

His non-conformity and rebelliousness to the educational
"system" in these early years were the stepping stones
for his liberal views which he developed in later years.

At Huron College Reeves continued his interest in
debate. After three years of intensive study he received
a Bachelor Of Science degree with a major in public
speaking.

As a public school teacher, Reeves taught in two
one-room country schoolhouses. These were Reeves' learning
grounds. At this time he knew very little about teaching,
was not even qualified to teach, but he was needed. He
took the jobs because he needed the money and because he
hated farming. By bringing many Of his grandmother's
books to school, he got his students interested in many
subjects. He did not follow a "set" curriculum. In fact,
he did not know what the word "curriculum" meant. He
simply started with the students' interest and took it
from there. Again Reeves revealed his non-conformity to
the educational "system" during his early teaching days
when he disagreed with certain studies which the super-
intendent said he should be teaching. Reeves could see no
sense in teaching subjects which he believed were irrele-
vant to the needs and interests of his students.

As a beginning public school administrator, it
seemed Obvious that he was ambitious and was becoming

successful by the fact that he was learning how to deal

 

92

with people. He established a principle at that time that
every college and school administrator should follow --
that is to teach at least once every two years. Thus
Reeves managed to teach some classes while he was a prin-
cipal and a superintendent, because he did not want to
lose contact with students. One of Reeves' traits which
led to his success was that he was generally approachable;
he wanted to be a co-learner along with his students and

never intentionally set himself apart from them.

On Elementarnychool Curriculum

 

Reeves had some definite ideas on the elementary
school curriculum. He was outspoken on rural education
and said all children should be educated to live in a
democracy and in an atomic age. In their course of study
he would include the three R's plus integrated learning
experiences and sequentially unifying topics.

As Director of the Rural Education Project Of the
University of Chicago, Reeves was able to bring about
improvements in the Illinois rural schools. First looking
at the needs Of the children, he believed that children
in rural areas should be brought out Of isolation and made
aware of the rest of the world. As Chairman Of the
American Federation of Teachers Commission he stressed the
need for teaching the skills and knowledge necessary to
continue the progress of science. He believed young peOple

needed to have an understanding of our country's democratic

93

heritage. These things were made known through the
written report which Reeves presented to the American
Federation of Teachers. In this report he stressed the
mastery of essential knowledge and skills which would

serve to establish common goals in community life. A
functional curriculum should prepare pupils for all aspects
of living.

In addition to the study of the three R's plus

 

integrated learning experiences Reeves was concerned with
the mental and physical development of individuals. To

be included in their studies was preparation for work;

wise and effective use of the community, state and national
resources; the well-being of family and community life in
relation to the life of society as a whole; and a wise

use of leisure.

Reeves was able to help develop a program of
studies in the Philippines as Chairman of the UNESCO mis-
sion. What he recommended for the Filipino children
probably was what he would have recommended for most
children. To implement his belief that students should
study sequentially unifying topics, he would have chil-
dren in grades one and two begin their study of home and
family life. In grades three and four the children should
move to the study of their town, its people and its past.

In grades five through seven he recommended the study of

94

Philippine resources along with those of the rest of the
Eastern Hemisphere, and finally the study of the Philippines

in relation to the larger world community.

On Secondary School Curriculum

 

Reeves recommended the study of general education,
vocational education, and "education for today and tomorrow"
in the secondary school. He had the Opportunity to affect
the secondary schools through his work as Director of the
American Youth Commission, and as Chairman of President
Franklin D. Roosevelt's Advisory Committee on Education.
Reeves believed every student should have a general educa-
tion which would include education for citizenship, for
mastery of the tools of learning so that learning could
continue throughout adult life, for health and physical
fitness, and for worthy use of leisure.

As for vocational education, Reeves believed it
was necessary to give students some background for a future
vocation. He was against Specialized training in the
secondary school, because he thought it encouraged class
distinctions, and also because training for certain voca-
tions might become Obsolete very shortly. He believed
both boys and girls needed to learn about child care,
consumers' education, furnishing a home, and agricultural'
economics.

Speaking on "education for today and tomorrow,"

Reeves stressed the place of reading in the curriculum.

95

He believed the secondary school still needed to continue
from where the elementary school left Off and reinforce
good reading habits. He also would include citizenship
training, health education, a personal problems course,
vocational education, a course in the use of leisure, and

a course in the study of international relations.

On College Curriculum

 

Reeves was very much interested in the curricula
of the first two years of college. Since the junior and
senior years were devoted to specialization, his role was
to study what should be included in the first two years.
He favored freshmen and sophomores developing a broad
general education. He had the Opportunity to develop pro-
grams of general studies at the University of Chicago and
at Michigan State University. He believed a balanced
curriculum was needed in the junior college in order to
prepare those who were going on to senior college and to
prepare those who were going to enter vocational fields.
The curriculum should be individualized for each student
since each one had somewhat different high school back-
grounds. He believed students entering college should
not have to repeat the studies they had in high school.
On the other hand, he believed college should offer the
studies which students missed in high school. This would
enable students to proceed in college at their own pace,

some finishing sooner perhaps than others.

96

Reeves was a catalyst in the development Of the
Basic College at Michigan State University. Seven basic
one-year courses were initiated: Social Science, Effective
Living, History of Civilization, Written and Spoken English,
Literature and Fine Arts, Biological Science, and Physical
Science. Every student was required to take written and
Spoken English, and either Social Science or Effective
Living, History of Civilization or Literature and Fine
Arts, Biological Science or Physical Science plus one Of

the three courses not already taken.

On Adult Education
Curriculum

 

 

Reeves believed one should continue education
throughout life. Adult education Offers those no longer
compulsory school-age a chance to keep up with the times,
to learn new skills and to develop new interests.

Through a study for the Regents' Inquiry in the
state of New York, Reeves, Fansler, and Houle studied
the Objectives of an adult education program and the means
of implementing objectives. Reeves and his associates
suggested that adult education offer an individual the
Opportunity to broaden his cultural, social, and occupa-
tional background. They stressed the training of the mind,
constructive development Of habits, attitudes, and emo- -
tions, and the wise use of leisure. Reeves believed adult

education should range from elementary education for

97

adults to post—graduate education for college graduates.
Some of the specific studies which Reeves and his colleagues
suggested were: education for home life and family rela-
tionships, workers' education, and education in the communi-
cation arts. Reeves was interested in a flexible program
whereby the individual could study in whatever he was

interested or believed he needed.

Summary of Principles

 

In analyzing Reeves' views concerning all levels
of curriculum study, from elementary school through col-
1ege and adult education, the writer finds that Reeves
stated some general principles which are applicable to
all of these levels. These principles are as follows:

1. Reeves stressed the freedom which the student
must be given. Students tend to do better when they
are given the freedom to explore their own interests.

2. He vetoed the idea of a "set" curriculum at
any level of education because a "set" curriculum desig-
nates more interest with content than with people. Reeves
was "people" oriented and wanted the individual to come
before any required list of studies. He believed all stu-
dents should have a common body of knowledge and under-
standings, but there is more than one way to achieve this

end.

98

3. He believed students needed both general and
vocational education. He was interested in individuals
receiving a broad education so they could function success-
fully in a changing society.

4. He was interested in citizenship training. He
believed every individual should learn to be a good citizen
and should contribute to a community's political, social,
economic and cultural life.

5. He believed that it was very important that every
individual effectively learn how to use his leisure, especially

in an age in which work weeks are being cut shorter.

An Evaluation

 

To further Objectify this study the writer has in-
cluded an evaluation of Reeves' influence, his strengths and
his weaknesses as seen by many of his associates who are
still living. Using a five-point questionnaire, the writer
interviewed and corresponded with individuals who had worked
with Reeves at the University of Chicago, on the Tennessee
Valley Authority, and on President Franklin D. Roosevelt's
Advisory Committee on Education. Further responses were ob-
tained from his colleagues at Michigan State University who
had worked with him in various capacities including the

Basic College.2

 

2See Appendix D which includes a questionnaire, a
list of interviewees, and selected letters from some of
Reeves' associates.

 

99

The University Of Chicago

Reeves was a Professor of Education at the Univer-
sity of Chicago from 1929-1953. During that time he
worked on many projects both for the university and for
the local, state, and Federal government. Leonard V. Koos,
well known in the field of curriculum, was a colleague of
Reeves at the University of Chicago. He spoke Of Reeves'

major strengths in the following words:

. . .in his prime, he was the examplar among men
with the comprehensive constructive view in education.
He was able to assemble, organize, and analyze the
evidence needed for his projects and by effective
deliberative procedure with his associates arrive at
convictions as to appropriate action. . .3

Another associate of Reeves at the University of
Chicago was John Dale Russell. Russell worked with Reeves
on many projects and also co-authored a number of publica-
tions with Reeves. He is now a Distinguished Professor
Emeritus in Higher Education at Indiana University.
Speaking of Reeves' work in higher education, Russell

said that among Reeves' major strengths

. . .have been the generation of ideas for research
for the improvement of higher education, the stimula-
tion of others toward research in this field, and the
courage to face Opposition by those who sometimes felt
threatened by the research he was proposing or under-
taking.

 

3Stated by Leonard V. Koos in a letter to the writer,

February 2, 1970, in Appendix D.

4Stated by John Dale Russell in a letter to the
writer, January 16, 1970, in Appendix D.

100

The Tennessee Valley Authority

 

Reeves was Director of Personnel and of Social
and Economic Planning of the Tennessee Valley Authority
(TVA) from 1933-1935. One of his working associates was
Maurice F. Seay, who is now Professor of Education at
Western Michigan University. Seay was a one-time student
Of Reeves as well as a fellow faculty member at the Uni-
versity of Chicago and at Michigan State University. He
reported to Reeves administratively during their time with
the TVA. Seay listed the following as seven major strengths
Of Reeves applicable to his work in and out of the academic
realm:5
(l) Skill in evaluating institutions of
higher education (designing new instruments and

implementing them)

(2) Teaching ability - always with special
interest in each student

(3) Ability to accept and profit by criticism -
never thrown on defensive when attempting an inno-
vative program or measurement

(4) Inter-disciplinary interest and study -
a real behavioral scientist

(5) Competence in advising - academic and
personal, including position expectancy, marital
problems, etc.

(6) An activist in problems of our society.
Example: Work with federal government; T.V.A.
and Manpower Commission

(7) Tolerance and appropriate humility

 

5Stated by Maurice F. Seay in a letter to the
writer, January 28, 1970, in Appendix D.

 

101

John E. Ivey, Jr., currently Dean of the College
Of Education Of Michigan State University, was another
associate of Reeves during the time of the latter's work
with the TVA. He spoke of Reeves' general ability by

stating that:

Dr. Reeves, through abundant energy and great
imagination, has been one of the 'idea' people in the
educational profession. He always embraced innovations
and has worked in a manner to help facilitate their
initiation and growth, not only the M.S.U. fabric but
in the country as witnessed by his many surveys and
commission assignmengs as with President Roosevelt
during the New Deal.

 

Ivey also stated that if Reeves had any weaknesses it
might be "his willingness to undertake more assignments

than he should."7

It was Ivey's belief that Reeves was
responsible for more things than he will be given credit,
and finally that "He is probably one of the four or five

most productive people who has developed in this country

in the last twenty to forty years."8

Pgesident Franklin D.
Roosevelt's Advisory
Committee on Education

 

 

 

Reeves was Chairman of President Franklin D.

Roosevelt's Advisory Committee on Education from 1937-1939.

 

6Stated by Dean John E. Ivey, Jr. in a personal
interview with the writer, February 20, 1970.

7Ibid.

8Ibid.

102

Cyril O. Houle, now Professor of Education at the Univer-
sity Of Chicago, was an associate of Reeves during that
time as well as during many other occasions. He perceived

Reeves' unique leadership qualities at that time as

follows:9

(1) A capacity to identify himself with the
intellectual leadership within the Office Of the
President to see how the future of education might
be best fitted within the larger framework of
government planning.

(2) A capacity to work effectively with a
number of intellectual and political leaders in a
wide variety of fields so that many differences
which otherwise might have been the sources Of
tension and difficulty never came to the surface.

(3) A capacity to work with people in a
collective situation to discover the largest
possible area of agreement.

(4) A capacity to come to the right decision
on the basis of insufficient evidence.

Paul T. David was Secretary and Assistant Director
of Studies of President Roosevelt's Advisory Committee on
Education and worked very closely with Reeves on this
committee. David is now Professor of Education at the
University of Virginia. Speaking of Reeves' leadership

qualities he said:10

 

9Stated in a letter to Mr. Carl T. Pacacha, June
20, 1969, in Appendix D. '

loStated by Paul T. David in a letter to Mr. Carl
T. Pacacha, July 7, 1969, in Appendix D.

 

 

103

. . .Mr. Reeves is a very remarkable man. He has
extraordinary skill in dealing with other major par-
ticipants in a policy situation. He can achieve
great empathy even with people with whom he is in
fundamental disagreement or substantive policy; fre-
quently they are not aware Of the disagreement until
it comes to the final crunch where people have to be
counted. He has great skill in extracting information
from other people that will reveal their views,
motivation, and probably posture in an oncoming policy
situation. . . .Reeves did not seem to me to be an
articulator of ideas general in the profession at the
time. As an originator of ideas, he was primarily the
designer of a package on which agreement could be
reached. . . .

Lloyd E. Blauch, currently Director of the Curri-
culum Study of the American Association of Colleges of
Podiatric Medicine, also was a member of the staff Of
President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Advisory Committee on
Education. In his judgment Reeves' major strengths have
been the following:11

(a) A forward looking philosophy, a willing-
ness to consider and use new ideas;

(b) considerable imagination in sensing the
trends and courses of new ideas;

(0) ability in organizing work;
(d) ability to work with people;

(d) [sic] ability in communication, parti-
cularly in clear writing;

(f) ability to get into interesting and new
endeavors;

(g) an indefatigable worker;

 

11Stated by Lloyd E. Blauch in a letter to the
writer, January 28, 1970, in Appendix D.

 

104

(h) a very comprehensive view of education,
its purposes and services; and

(i) ingenuity in developing ideas.

Michigan State Universipy

 

Reeves was invited to Michigan State University
by President John A. Hannah in 1953 to help revamp the
Basic College. Hannah was impressed by much of Reeves'
work as an administrator and thought he was the appro-
priate authority to consult in the reshaping of the college.
There are still several professors remaining at Michigan
State University who were on the faculty when Reeves was
appointed to this position. One of these professors
interviewed was William H. Combs, who was at that time

Dean of the all college division. He said that Reeves

. . .was never afraid of innovation. In fact, it
seemed he stressed this in his consultative work here.
Apparently this has caught on with our faculty and
administration because it has been said that the in-
stitution has become known as an innovative institution
and an innovative faculty. He was an indefatigable
worker. He always had time to give serious considera-
tion to the problems brought to him. There are times
when he may have been in error on his views, but he
was a man who was ready to admit any such error.12

Edward A. Carlin, currently Dean of the University
College at Michigan State University, was another associate
of Reeves. Reeves often used Carlin as a sounding board

when he had a proposal he wanted to bring before the

 

12Stated by William H. Combs in a personal inter-
view with the writer, February 16, 1970.

105

Basic College Advisory Committee, his college chairman or
the larger university community. Speaking Of Reeves'

strengths, Carlin said:

He was mainly an innovator, a catalyst, a tremen-
dous fund of experience that had happened Of what had
been tried and found less than satisfactory. He
always approached a new idea with sympafgy but with
skepticism, and constructive criticism.

Carlin spoke of Reeves' weaknesses by first

stating that we all have some weaknesses. He said:

In Floyd's case it may have been a certain im-
patience with the orderly procedures that the admini-
strator who is right on the line had to get done.14

Carlin said that if Reeves thought he had a good idea,

he wanted it done now. However, some things were politi-

cally impossible. He also said that "He (Reeves) had an

ego as big as all outdoors and I'm sure this irritated

some people who came in contact with him."15
James Denison was another associate of Reeves at

Michigan State University. Denison was at that time an

administrative assistant to President John A. Hannah and

 

13Stated by Edward A. Carlin in a personal inter-
view with the writer, February 6, 1970.

14Ibid.

15Ibid.

106

drafted many of Hannah's speeches. He often turned to
Reeves for advice and consultation. Speaking of Reeves'

strengths he said:

It's the amazing broad interest he has. . . .He
was interested in everything he did. That's why he
was interested in general education. Plus he has a
very fast mind and his past experiences he could bring
to bear on things that happened here.16

If it could be called a weakness, Denison said

that Reeves "used to talk on and on about his vast exper-

 

iences, which might detract a little bit from his effi-
ciency. He was very strong-minded on his opinions, but
this could be a strength."17

Paul L. Dressel was another member of the faculty
who worked in helping develop the Basic College. At that
time he was Chairman of the Board Of Examiners and

Director of the Counseling Center. Speaking of Reeves'

contributions, he said:

He was a creative sort Of a guy. He didn't mind
coming out with very radical ideas; many weren't
really accepted, but the fact that they were so
different from what people were thinking that it
moved them out of their ruts a little bit.

 

16Stated by James Denison in a personal interview
with the writer, February 11, 1970.

17Ibid.

 

18Stated by Paul L. Dressel in a personal interview
with the writer, February 6, 1970.

 

107

As for any weaknesses which Reeves might have,

Dressel said:

He looked at structure as some sort of ideal
structure rather than looking at whether this was an
appropriate structure in terms of the kind of indi-
viduals you have at the moment. And it seems to me
structure simply has to be adapted to personalities
that you have around. You can't kick everybody out
and start over.19

Richard L. Featherstone was Reeves' Chairman in
the Department of Administration and Higher Education of
Michigan State University. Speaking of Reeves' strengths,

he said:

He's a fantastic organizer. He is able to ascribe
authority, responsibility and accountability to
specific tasks (jobs) and then link these with other
tasks or jobs. . . .He constantly in these meetings
would move for a plan for a plan. You need a plan
before you start to work on the specific plan. . . .
His sense of humor just won't quit. It's amazing.

He was always available to students no matter time

of day.20

Wilbur B. Brookover, Professor of Secondary Educa-
tion and Curriculum and Professor of Sociology, worked
with Reeves in developing an educational project for
Pakistan. Speaking Of Reeves' contribution to Michigan

State University, Brookover stated:

 

19Ibid.

20Stated by Richard L. Featherstone in a personal
interview with the writer, February 9, 1970.

108

Reeves was probably the most influential person.
in relation to President Hannah as anyone on campus.
. . .His recommendations were not always followed,
but this university has a clear stamp of Floyd W.
Reeves. . . .Throughout his career there had been a
juxtaposition of the educator and the administrator.
He was going back and forth doing both at the same
time, so that you have the constant interrelating of
public policy development and education. And probably
more than any other person in this era in all America
he functioned back and forth continuously both as a
university educator and as a public administrator,
consultant, etc.2

As for weaknesses Brookover said Reeves tended

. . .to see people -- students and others -- in a
sort Of black and white fashion. If he thought a person
was pretty good, then he was very good, and if he saw
him as not good, then there was a tendency for him not
to be acceptable.

Edward B. Blackman, late Assistant Dean of the
University College at Michigan State University, knew
Reeves through their work in the University College and in
the College of Education. He spoke of Reeves' strengths

as

The ease with which he throws off the conventional
way of doing things -- the lack of rigidity. . . .He
had a clear way of being more flexible and changing.
He would almost never be among the first to speak in
meetings. He would puff away at his pipe letting
several other people voice their opinions and then
Reeves would come in and you'd wait for the bombshell
‘to go off. You'd know something very radical was

 

21Stated by Wilbur B. Brookover in a personal inter-
view with the writer, February 12, 1970.

22Stated by Edward B. Blackman in a personal inter-

view with the writer February 6, 1970. His death occurred
in October, 1970 during the writing of this thesis.

109

about to be said. He would come out with some very
far out idea, which at first seemed kind of crazy, but
thinking about it for a while, it seemed to be a
reasonable idea. He wasn't bound intellectually or
emotionally; he was a very liberated man. He never
looked backwards; he was always looking to new ways

of doing things. He enjoyed the company of young
people. They were exciting for him. He enjoys
showing them that his ideas are further out than
theirs.23

As for weaknesses, Blackman believed Reeves

probably "clung to the value of general education too long.

 

Many of the ideas he had he held to for a very long time,

0 O O 24
Wthh is not necessarlly a weakness."

Ernest O. Melby, Distinguished Professor of Educa-
tion at Michigan State University, has known Reeves as a
professional colleague in various organizations on a
national basis as well as at Michigan State Univeristy.

Of Reeves' strengths, he said:

One of the outstanding qualities of the leadership
of Dr. Reeves is his grasp of the total governmental
structure in the country; federal, state and local.

In dealing with educational leadership, he has been
able to paint on a large canvas. . . .At the various
periods in which his leadership has been exercised he
has found his way with great accuracy to the country's
central problems and has been able to relate education
to their solution.25

In attempting to reach some conclusion regarding
Reeves' strengths and weaknesses, the writer had no

difficulty in finding out some of his strengths. On the
23
24

 

Ibid.
Ibid.

 

25Stated by Ernest O. Melby in a letter to the
writer, February 17, 1970, in Appendix D.

110

other hand, people were very hesitant to give forth what
might be called weaknesses of the individual. Therefore,
there were few weaknesses mentioned. This is one of the
problems in studying the activities of a living person.

Several times Reeves' colleagues mentioned that he
was a catalyst. In the writer's Opinion this signifies to
a great extent Reeves' work as an administrator. He was a
catalyst in most Of the committees and commissions on which
he worked. He definitely seemed to be an "idea" man in
that he started the sparks which usually grew into a great
fire of possibilities. He was never afraid to speak out--
even to Presidents of the United States. He was an extremely
hard and dedicated worker. He was hard headed; he believed
strongly; he was impatient; he was an idealist. If he
thought something was wrong, then he wanted it changed im-
mediately. "Red tape" was not meant for Reeves. When he
thought it was appropriate, he made his own rules. He was
a mover. He wrote voluminously. In fact the writer ques-
tions if he was ever saturated. As an eighty-year-old man
living today, one wonders if he has left out something he
wanted to do. The pattern of his life reveals one who
never stops.

As for strengths, Reeves never could have done the
things he did without possessing a great number of strengths.
The influence he has made on education is proof that he was

a giant in the field--almost superhuman.

111

As for weaknesses, Reeves would not be a human
being if he did not possess a few. Two points which many
of his colleagues mentioned as weaknesses were his great
pride and overpowering ego. These might be considered
strengths as well as weaknesses. At times he was treated
harshly by the press because of his "different from the
ordinary" views. All Of which also helped make him a
success.

In summarizing what appears to be Reeves' major
influence in and contributions to curricula, the following
are stated:

1. As Director of the Rural Education Project Of
the University of Chicago, Reeves had a definite influence
on the curriculum of the rural schools of Illinois. He
recommended programs which were implemented in which the
students were brought out of their rural isolation and
made aware of the larger world community.

2. As Head of the UNESCO Mission to the Philip-
pines, he developed programs for the elementary and
secondary schools that would enable Filipino students to
function in their own community and also become aware of
the larger world community.

3. As Chairman of President Franklin D.
Roosevelt's Advisory Committee on Education, Reeves was

able to influence the President in broadening the commit-

tee's study from vocational education to all aspects of

112

education. As a result he was able to help bring about
federal aid to education.

4. Reeves had a great influence as Director of
the American Youth Commission of the American Council on
Education. He traveled the country giving hundreds of
lectures on what he believed should be included in the
curriculum of the secondary schools. He advocated both
vocational education and general education which would
be relevant to students at the present time as well as
for the future.

5. Working with the Institute for Administrative
Officers of Higher Education at the University of Chicago,
Reeves had a great influence on the curriculum of the
junior college. He studied approximately 100 institutions
of higher learning and recommended varying the content
rather than having a "set" curriculum. His idea was to
individualize the instruction to meet the particular
needs and interest of students.

6. Reeves' culminating influence and contribution
was that of a catalyst in initiating the complete reor-
ganization of the Basic College curriculum of Michigan
State University. He recommended a program of general
education which would again meet individual needs and
interests.

Floyd W. Reeves -- student, teacher, administra-

tor, educational consultant, and public servant -- made

113

a large dent in American education. All Of his many contri-
butions have not been mentioned here, but one fact is
clear -- he did influence enough people to make a differ-

ence .

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY

In studying Reeves' early educational background
the best source of information is Floyd W. Reeves, himself.
Many of the very early details of his family life and
public school experience are not written down and cannot
be Obtained from any living persons. Unpublished lectures
in Reeves' personal files offer the best source of written
materials on his early educational background. The titles
Of these lectures are: ("Reflections on Activities of Youth
and Their Contributions to My Understanding of Administra-
tive Theory,") and ("Equality Of Educational Opportunity.")
The best written source of information on Reeves' family
background is an unpublished paper in Reeves' personal
files written by his sister-in-law and brother (Francis
Fugate Reeves and Charles Everand Reeves, "Partial
Account of the Reeves Ancestry in the Nineteenth Century,"
revised June 1, 1960.) A brief account of Reeves' early
life is found in the TIME magazine article, (gimp,

Volume XXXIII, Number 22, May 29, 1939, pp. 58B-59.)
For information on Reeves' attendance at college, there,
is a chronological list in Reeves' personal file, ("Form

375.") And for information of Reeves' early jobs and

114

115

salaries, there is a (Schedule Sheet) listing all of his
jobs and salaries in Reeves' personal files.

For Reeves' views on rural elementary school
curriculum, one of the best sources Of information con-
cerning the three R's plus integrated learning experiences

is (Howard A. Dawson and Floyd W. Reeves, Your School

 

District, The Report of the National Commission on School
District Reorganization, Published by the Department of
Rural Education, National Education Association of the
United States, Washington, D.C., 1948). Other good sources
for Reeves' views on rural elementary school curriculum
are: (Floyd w. Reeves, "Emerging Problems in Rural Educa-

tion," in Education for Rural America, Edited by Floyd W.

 

Reeves, University of Chicago Press, 1945), and (Floyd

W. Reeves, "Implications of the Conference," Rural Educa-
tion Project, The University of Chicago, Unpublished speech
in Reeves' personal files). The following two sources are
very helpful in determining Reeves' proposed program Of
education in a democracy for the elementary school curri-
culum: (Floyd W. Reeves, "Report of the Commission on
Educational Reconstruction of the American Federation of
Teachers to the Annual Convention of the A.F.T. in Boston
August 18, 1947," Unpublished paper in Reeves' personal
files); and for information concerning education for the
atomic age, (Lester A. Kirkendall, Irvin R. Kuenzli, and

Floyd W. Reeves, Goals for American Education, Written for

 

116

the Commission on Educational Reconstruction of the
American Federation of Teachers, Chicago, 1948). The most
comprehensive source of information on Reeves' work in

the Philippines is (Floyd W. Reeves, Chairman, Report of

 

the Mission to the Philippines, UNESCO Consultative

 

Educational Mission to the Philippines, July 28, 1949).
For information concerning Reeves' views on
general education in the secondary school, the best source

Of information is (The Advisory Committee on Education,

 

Report of the Committee, Floyd W. Reeves, Chairman,

United States Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.,
1938). Another good source is (Floyd W. Reeves, "General
Education in Relation to the War Emergency," Unpublished
speech in Reeves' personal files). A minor source which
only deals with one aspect of the elementary school
curriculum is (F. W. Reeves," Legislation Relating to the

Teaching of the Constitution," The Kentucky High School

 

Quarterlyy Volume XII, Number 1, January, 1926, pp. 91-98.)

 

Concerning vocational education in the secondary school,
one of the best sources is (Floyd W. Reeves, "The Educa-
tion and Guidance of High School Youth in Non-Industrial
Communities," Abstract of an address delivered before the
Ninth Annual Guidance Conference, Purdue University,
November 19, 1943, in the Purdue University Division of

Educational Reference, Studies in Higher Education L,

 

Edited by H. H. Remmers, March, 1944). Another helpful

117

source on vocational education is (Floyd W. Reeves, "What
the Federal Government Might Do to Assist," in Critical

Issues in Educational Administration, Edited by William C.

 

Reavis, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference for
Administrative Officers of Public and Private Schools,
The University of Chicago Press, 1938). A minor source
in which to refer concerning vocational education is (Th3

Occupational Adjustment of Youth, Recommendations of the

 

 

American Youth Commission of the American Council on Educa-
tion, a pamphlet, April 15, 1940). And for Reeves' views
concerning education for today and tomorrow, the primary
source to consult is (Floyd W. Reeves, The Inglis Lecture,

1942, Education for Today and Tomorrow, Harvard University

 

Press, 1942). And for additional information dealing
with this lecture is (Floyd W. Reeves, "Lecture XXII Con-
tact with Harvard University," Unpublished Lecture in
Reeves' personal files). Three additional articles which
relate to his Inglis Lecture are: (Floyd W. Reeves,

"Youth and the World of Tomorrow," The School Review: A

 

Journal Of Secondary Education, Volume LIV, Number 5,

 

May, 1946); (Floyd W. Reeves, "What Kind of Secondary

Education Tomorrow?" The Bulletin of the National Associa-

 

tion of Secondary-School Principgls, Volume 20, Number 105,

 

March, 1942); and (Floyd W. Reeves, "Education for
Tomorrow: A Report from the American Youth Commission,"

Journal Of the American Association of Collegiate

 

118

Registrars, Volume 17, Number 4, July, 1942). Two other

 

good sources on education for today and tomorrow are:

(What the High Schools Ought to Teach, The Report of a

 

Special Committee, Prepared for the American Youth
Commission and other Cooperating Organizations, American
Council on Education, Washington, D.C., 1940), and (Floyd
W. Reeves, "Education for War and for Peace," An address
delivered before the Annual Round-Up, Illinois State Nor-
mal University, Normal, Illinois, December 5, 1942,
Unpublished in Reeves' personal files). Two minor sources
dealing with Reeves' views on education for today and
tomorrow are: (Floyd W. Reeves, "Education and National
Defense," an address delivered October 31, 1940, at the
Biltmore Hotel, New York, before the Ninth Educational
Conference under the joint auspices Of the Educational
Records Bureau, The Cooperative Test Service, The Committee
on Measurement and Guidance Of the American Council on
Education, and The Commission on the Relation of School
and College of the Progressive Education Association,

Unpublished in Reeves' personal files), and (Federal Aid

 

and the Crisis in American Education, A report by the

 

Commission on Educational Reconstruction of the American
Federation of Teachers, a pamphlet, 1947).

For information concerning Reeves' views on
college curriculum, the major source dealing with his

North Central Study is (Floyd W. Reeves, "Studies Relating

 

119

to the Junior College Curriculum," An unpublished paper
prepared as an introduction to a North Central Conference,
August 3, 1929, in Reeves' personal files). For informa-
tion on Reeves' University Of Chicago Study, the major
source is (Floyd W. Reeves, "The Junior-College Curriculum
in Colleges and Universities," in The Junior College

Curriculum, Edited by William S. Gray, Volume 1, Proceedings

 

of the Institute for Administrative Officers of Higher
Education, The University Of Chicago Press, 1929). Another
minor but helpful source is Reeves' future prediction of
education, (Floyd W. Reeves, "Probable Major Trends of
Education in America During the Century Closing in 2031,"
A statement placed in the cornerstone of the graduate edu-
cation building at The University of Chicago, early 1930's,
Unpublished in Reeves' personal files). For information
concerning Reeves' Michigan State College Study the major
sources to consult are: ("The Reorganization of the
Michigan Cooperative Extension Service," A committee

report in Reeves' personal files); (The Basic College of

 

Michigan State, Edited by Thomas H. Hamilton and Edward

 

Blackman, The Michigan State College Press, 1955);
(Floyd W. Reeves, "General Education at a State University,"

in Basic College Quarterly, Michigan State College Press,

 

Fall 1955). Minor but helpful sources of information are:
(Floyd W. Reeves, "Notes on the Office Of Junior College

Cooperation," circa 1954 in Reeves' personal files);

120

giving a brief historical account Of the Basic College

is (Madison Kuhn, Michigan State: The First Hundred Years,

 

Michigan State University Press, 1955); giving a brief
listing of the Basic College courses is: ("Basic College
Newsletter," Published by the Basic College Research
Committee, Michigan State College, East Lansing, Michigan

State College Bulletin, Volume 44, November, 1949); also

 

giving a brief historical account of the Basic College is:
(Victor H. Noll, The Preparation of Teachers at Michigan

State University, Michigan State University, College Of

 

Education, 1968).

In consulting Reeves' views on adult education
curriculum the major source of information concerning
Objectives Of adult education is: (Floyd W. Reeves,
"Adult Education: What Is It and Where Is It Going?'

Adult Education Bulletin, Volume II, Number 1, October,

 

1937). In reviewing Reeves' work with the New York system
of adult education, the major and most valuable source is:
(Floyd W. Reeves, "A State Program of Adult Education,"

An address delivered before an Institute on Adult Educa-
tion for Librarians in Service, August 9, 1937, Unpub-
lished in Reeves' personal files). And the major and most
helpful source describing Reeves' views on a proposed
program of adult education curriculum is: (F. W. Reeves,
T. Fansler, and C. O. Houle, Adult Education, The Regents'

Inquiry, The McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., N.Y., 1938).

 

121

Also a concerned reader desiring to delve further into
Reeves' work in adult education might consult, (Carl T.

Pacacha, Flpyd Weslenyeeves: Pioneer in Shaping Federal

 

Legislation in Sppport of Adult Education, Unpublished
doctor's thesis, College of Education, Michigan State
University, East Lansing, 1970, 289 pp., typed).

Key people at Michigan State University who worked
with Reeves in several capacities and who might be of
further help concerning aspects of his work at the Univer-
sity are: John E. Ivey, Dean of the College of Educa-
tion; William H. Combs, Director Of History of the College;
James Denison, Assistant to the President; Paul L. Dressel,
Assistant Provost; R. L. Featherstone, Chairman of the
Department of Higher Education and Administration; Wilbur
B. Brookover, Professor of Secondary Education and
Curriculum and Professor of Sociology; and Ernest O. Melby,
Distinguished Professor of Higher Education and Administra-
tion.

Other key people who might be of further help
concerning Reeves' work in other areas are: Leonard V.
Koos, Visiting Professor of the University of Florida,
who worked with Reeves at The University of Chicago; John
.Dale Russell, Distinguished Professor Of Higher Education
(atLIndiana University, who co-authored many publications
Vvith Reeves and worked with him at The University of

CZhicago; Maurice F. Seay, Professor of Education of

122

Western Michigan University, who knew Reeves both as a
teacher and as a fellow worker Of the Tennessee Valley
Authority; and working closely with Reeves on President
Roosevelt's Advisory Committee on Education were Paul T.
David, Professor of The University of Virginia; and Lloyd
E. Blauch, Director of The Curriculum Study of the
American Association of Colleges of Podiatric‘Medicine

in Washington, D. C.

Reeves' personal files have been placed in the
Michigan State University library. These materials would,
of course, be the most valuable sources to consult for
any additional information pertaining to his work in
public school, college, and adult education curricula,

or for any other related information.

APPENDIX A

A Selected List of Reeves' Publications

A. BOOKS AND MONOGRAPHS

 

Floyd W. Reeves, Author or Co-Author

*The Political Unit of School Finance in Illinois. New
York: The MacMillan Company, 1924.

 

"Some Aspects Of Current Efforts to Improve College
Instruction" Bulletin Of the Bureau of School Service,
University_of Kentucky, Volume I, NO. 2, 1928.

 

 

 

*College Organization and Administration, Indianapolis:
Board of Education, Disciples of Christ, 1929, pp. 324.

 

"The Measurement of College Excellence." Bulletin of the
Bureau of School Service, University Of Kentucky.
Volume I, No. 4, 1949.

 

 

*The Liberal Arts College, Chicago: The University Of
Chicago Press, 1932, pp. 716.

 

*University of Chicago Survey, Chicago: The University of
ChiCagO Press, 1933.

 

 

Vol. I. Trends in Universitinrowth. 242 pages.
Vol. II. The Organization and AdmifiiStration of

 

{He University. i52 pages.
Vol. III. The University Faculty. 326 pages.

 

 

 

Vol. IV. Instructional ProbIems in the University.
246 pages.
Vol. V. Admission and Retention Of University

 

Students. 360 pages.
Vol. VI. The AIumni of the Colleges. 126 pages.
Vol. VIII. UniVersity Extension Services. 174

 

 

 

 

 

 

pages.
Vol. IX. University Plant Facilities. 154 pages.
Vol. X. Some Universipy Student PEOblems. 194
pages. .
Vol. XI. Class Size and University Costs. 230
pages.

* More important items.

123

124

*The Evaluations of Higher Institutions", Vol. VII,
Finance, 1935; Vol. VI Administration, 1936.
Chicago: The University of ChiCagO Press.

 

*Personnel Administration in the Federal Service, Studies Of
Administration Management in the Government of the United
States, Nov. 1, 1937, pp. 76. Washington: U. S. Government
Printing Office.

*Adult Education. The Regent's Inquiry into the Character
and Cost of Public Education in the State Of New York.
New York: McGraw-Hill CO., 1938. pp. 172.

 

*Education for Today and Tomorrow. (The Inglis Lecture, 1942)
Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 1942.

 

American Youth Faces the Future: Responsibilities
and Opportunities for Youth in the World ofTOday
and Tomorrow. Washington: National Education
Association, Committee on Education for Democratic
Citizenship, 1942.

*Education for Rural America. Chicago: University
of Chicago Press, 1945. pp. 213.

Goals for American Education. Chicago: Commission on
Educational Reconstruction, American Federation Of
Teachers, 1948. pp. 130.

*Matching Needs and Facilities in Higher Education:
A Report to the Temporary Commission on the Needi
for a State University. Bureau of Publication.
State Education Department, Albany 1, New York,
1948. pp. 126.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B . COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

Floyd W. Reeves, Committee Chairman

Report Of a Surveyyof the State Institutions of Higher
Learning iH’Indiana. Indianapolis: Board Of Public Printing,
State House. 1927. pp.202

 

 

Report Of a School Building Survey of Danville, Kentucky.
Danville: Board Of Education, 1927.

Report of a Survey of the Public Schools of Shelbyville,
Kentuck . Bulletin of the Bureau of School Service,
Uplvegslty of Kentucky, Vol. I., No. l, 1928.

 

125

Report Of a Survey Of Kentucky Female Orphan School.
Lexington, Ky.: The Bureau of SchOol Service of’the College
of Education, University Of Kentucky, 1928,pp. 70

Report of the Commission on the Cost of College Education.
Association of American Colleges Bulletin, Vol. XIV, NO. 2
iMarch 1928) pp, 83-91.

Report of a Survey of Nine Baptist Educational Institutions
of Kentucky. Louisville: Western Recorder,pux 132.

 

*The Advisory Committee on Education. Report of the
Committee. Washington, D. C.: U.S. Government Pfinting
Office, February 1938.

 

 

*Demobilization and Readjustment: Report of the_§onference
on Postwar Readjustment Of Civiiian and MilitarprersonneIT
National Resources Planning Board, 1943. 106 pages.

 

 

*Your School District: The Report of the National
Commission on School District Reorganization. 1948.
Washington: National Education Association.

 

 

*UNESCO Educational Missions: Report of the Mission to the
Philippines, 1949.

 

 

Survey_of Education in West Virginia, VOl.£V. Institutions
of Higher Education. Charleston, W. Va.: State Department
of Education, 1928. pp. 124

 

Survey of Service, Disciples of Christ. St. Louis:
Christian Board of Publication, 1928. pp. 724.

 

Current Educational Readjustments in Higher Educatigp.
Yearbook No. XVII. The National Society of College Teachers
of Education. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press,
1929. pp. 178

A Study of Financial Reports of Colleges and Universities

in the United States. Urbana, Illinois: National Committee
on Standard Reports for Institutions of Higher Education,
1930.

 

Suggested Forms for Financial Reports Of Colleges and
Universities. Urbana, Illinois: NatiOnal Committee on
Standard Reports for Institutions of Higher Education, 1931.

 

 

126

A Study of Methods Used in Unit-Cost Studies in Higeer
Education. Urbana, Illinois: National Committee on Standard
Reports for Institutions of Higher Education, 1932.

 

Recommended Classification of Expenditures by Object. Urbana,
Illinois: National Committee on Standard Reports f6r
Institutions of Higher Education, 1932.

Illustrations of the Use of Financial Report Forms Recommen-
ded by the Committee. Urbana, Illinois: National Committee
on Standard Reports for Institutions of Higher Education,
1932.

 

Suggested Forms for Internal Financial Reports eiColleges
and Universitites. Urbana, Illinois: National Committee on
Standard Reports for Institutions of Higher Education, 1932.

 

Discriminations in Higher Education. Francis J. Brown, Floyd
W. Reeves, and Richard B. Anliot. Ed. Washington: American
Council on Education, August 1951. pp. 87.

Initial Report of the Council for the Study of Higher
EducatiOn’in Florida. Board Of Control, Florida Institutions
of Higher Education, Tallahassie, Florida, January 20, 1955.

C. BOOKS AND MONOGRAPHS

Edited and Forewords
written by Floyd W. Reeves

*University of Chicago Survey, 12 Vols., 1933. Chicago:
UniVersity Of Chicago Press.

Studies of the American Youth Commission of the American
Council on Education, Washington, D.C.

Bell, Howard M. Matchipg Youth and Jobs. 1940.
277 pages.

Davis, Allison and John Dollard. Children Of
Bonda e. 1940. 299 pages.

FraZler, E. Franklin. Negro Youth at the Crossways.
1940. 301 pages.

Graham, Ben G.and others. What the High Schools'
Ought to Teach. 1940. 36 pages.

Kirkpatrick, E. L. Guideposts for Rural Youth.
1940. 167 pages.

Reid, Ira DeA. In a Minor Key. 1940. 134 pages.

 

 

 

127

Atwood, J. Howell and others. Thus be Their
Destiny. 1941. 96 pages.

Folson, Joseph K. Youth, Family, and Education.
1941. 299 pages.

Johnson, Charles S. Growing Up in the Black Belt.
1941. 360 pages.

Warner, W. Lloyd and others. Color and Human Nature.
1941. 301 pages.

Wrenn, G. Gilbert and D. L. Harley. Time on Their
Hands. 1941. 266 pages.

*American Youth Commission: Youth and the Future.
1942. 296 pages.

Brunner, Edmund deS. Working with Rural Youth.
1942. 113 pages.

David Paul T. Barriers to Youth Employment. 1942.
110 pages.

Holland, Kenneth and Frank Ernest Hill. Youth in
the C.C.C. 1942. 263 pages.

Sutherland, Robert L. Color, Class, and Personality.
1942. 135 pages.

David Paul T. Postwar Youth Empleyment. 1943.
172 pages.

 

 

 

 

Employment Problems of College Students by Samuel Clayton
Newman. Washington: American Council on Public Affairs,
1942.

D. ARTICLES, CHAPTERS IN BOOKS
AND MONOGRAPHS AND BOOK REVIEWS

1922:
Review of Edmondson, "Problems of Juvenile Delin-

quency," The School Review XXX (1922), pp.
555-56.

"Measurements in a Public School System," (Book
review of Psychological and Educational Tests
in the Public Schools of Winchester, Va.)

The School Review. Vol. XXX, No. 7 (September,
1922), pp. 553-i4.

1925:
"The Senior College Program in Kentucky," The Kentucky
High School Quarterly. Vol. XI, NO. 3 (July,
1925), pp. 34—39.

 

1926:

1927:

128

"The Teaching Load of a College Faculty," Bulletin
of the University of Kentucky, Proceedings of
the Third Annual Institute for Registrars,
Vol. 17, No. 11 (November, 1925), pp 30-44.

"The Constitution and Education," The Kentucky High
School Quarterly, Vol. XII, NO. 1, TJanuary,
1926), pp. 91-9 .

"What Should Education Cost in an Effective College?"
Association of American Colleges Bulletin,
Vol. XII, NO. 3 (May, 1926), pp. 144-55.

 

 

"The Professional Duties of the Registrar" Bulletin
of the Universityef Kentucky (Proceedlngs of
Ehe Fourth Annual InstituteifOr Registrars),
Vol. 18, No. 7 (July, 1926): PP. 14-26.

 

"The Cost of Education in an Effective Junior
College," Proceedings of the American Asso-
ciation of Junior Colleges, Seventh Annual
Meeting (November, 1926), pp. 52-59.

 

 

*"Standards for Accrediting Colleges," Bulletin of
the University of Kentucky, Proceedings Of
the Fifth Annual Institute for Registrars,
Vol. 19, NO. 12, (1926), pp. 16-39.

 

 

"Educational Inequalities in Kentucky," Kentuck
School Journal, Vol. V, NO. 5 (January, I§27),
pp. 40-46.

 

"The Professional Duties of a Registrar," Bulletin
of the University of Kentucky, Proceedings of
the Fourth Annual Institute for Registrars,
Vol. 18, No. 7, (July, 1927),pp.14-26.

 

*"Standards for Accrediting Colleges," Bulletin of
tpe American Association of Collegiate
Registrars, New Series Vol. 3, No. 1 (July,
1927), pp. 94-117.

 

 

 

*"The Cost of Education in Liberal Arts Colleges,"
The North Central Association Quarterly, Vol.
II, NO. 3 (December, 1927), pp. 248-61.

 

1928:

1929:

129

"Standards for Accrediting Colleges," Bulletin of
the University of Kentueky, Proceedings Of
the Fifth Annual Institute for Registrars,
Vol. 19, NO. 12, (December, 1927), pp. 16-39.

 

 

*"Financial Standards for Accrediting Colleges,"
Proceedings of the Thirty-second Annual Meetipg
of the Association of American Colleges and’
Secondapy Schools of the Southern States.
Ti927). pp. 284-300.

 

 

 

*"Financial Standards for Accrediting Colleges,"
North Central Association Quarterly, Vol. II,
No. 4 (March, 1928), pp. 372-88.

 

"The Cost of College Education," Bulletin of the
American Association of University Professors,
Vol. XIV, No. 5 (May, 1928), pp. 326-27.

 

 

*"Standards for Accrediting Colleges," North Central
Association Quarterly, Vol. III, No. 2
iSeptember, 1928), pp. 214-15. (Reeves and
Russell)

 

 

"A Critical Summary and Analysis of Current Efforts
to Improve College Teaching," Phi Delta Keppan,
XI (October, 1928), pp. 65-71.

 

Book Review, "The Technique of Research in Education,"
by C. C. Crawford. Association of American
Colleges Bulletin. Vol. XIV, No. 6 IDecember,
1928), pp. 490-92.

 

 

"Standards for Accrediting Colleges," Bulletin Of
the American Association of Collegiate
Registrars. Proceedings of the Fifteenth
National Convention, New Series, Vol. 3,
NO. 11, pp. 94-117.

 

 

 

"Experiments in the Improvement of Instruction in
the Junior College," Proceedings of the
American Association of Junior Colleges, 1928.

 

 

"A Technique for Estimating the Adequacy of Teachers
Salaries Locally," American School Board
Journal (February, I929) TReeves and others)

 

 

130

"Relation of the Independent Junior College to the
University and the Evolution of the Weak Four-
Year College into a Strong Junior College,"
Bulletin of the Department Of Secondapy School
Principals of the National Education Associa-
EiOn (March, 1929), pp. 318-28.

'"How to Improve Instruction in the Junior College,"

The Nations Schools III (April, 1929), PP. 69-
75.

 

"The Colleges of the Disciples of Christ," Christian
Education, Vol. XII, No. 7 (April, 1929), PP.
433-38.

 

 

"Uses and Abuses of Standardization," Assoeiation
Of American Colleges Bulletin, Vol. XV, NO. 2
(May, 1929), PP. 230-49.

 

 

"The Computation of Unit Costs in Schools of Higher
Education," The Nations Schools, Vol. IV,
NO. 4 (October, 1939), pp. 29-36 (Reeves and
Russell)

"Survey of Educational Institutions, Plans and
Methods," The Educational Association of the
Methodist Episcepal Church (1929), pp. 27-41.

"Constructive Activities in Improving Instruction
in Eighty-seven Institutions," The North Central
AssociationyQuarterly, Vol. IV ii929), pp. 371-
76.

 

"The Junior-College Curriculum in Colleges and
Universities," Proceedings of the Institute
£9r Administrative Officers of Higher
Institutions,_Vol. I (1929), pp. 74-92.

 

"The Relation of the College Library to Recent
Movements in Higher Education," The Library
Quarterly, Vol. I, NO. 1 (January, 1930).

 

*"Current Efforts to Improve College Teaching,"
Proceedings Of the Forty-third Annual Conven-
tion of the Association of Land-Grant Colleges
and Universities (April, 1930), pp. 143-49.

"The Liberal Arts College," Journal of Higher
Education, Vol. I, No.i7 (October, 1930),
pp. 373-80.

 

1932:

131

"The Student's Working Load," Journal Of Hi her
Education, Vol. I, No. 2 (1930), pp. 35-90

(Reeves and Russell)

"Critical and Constructive Suggestions from Surveys
of Higher Education," Penneylvania School
Journal, Vol. LXVIII (19307, pp. 403-408.

"The Survey of Educational Institutions Of the
Methodist Episcopal Church," Proceedipgs Of
the Educational Association of the Methodi§t
Episcopal Church (1930), pp. 15-23.

 

*"The Relation of the College Library to Recent
Movements in Higher Education," The Library
Quarterly, Vol. I, No. 1 (January, 1931)
pp. 57-66 (Russell and Reeves)

Book review, "Higher Education in America," by
Raymond A. Kent, The LibraryQuarterly,
Vol. I, NO. 1 (January, 1931), pp. 117-20.

 

"Proposals as to the Future of Standardizing
Agencies," Zeta News, Vol. XVI, NO. 4 (August,
1931), PP. i2-17.

 

*"The Need for New Methods of Accrediting Institu-
tions of Higher Learning," Bulletin of the
American Association of University Professors,
Vol. XVII, NO. 7 (November, 1931), pp. 522-30.

"Final Summary of Surveys," Proceedings of the
Educational Association of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, (January, 1932), pp. 32-39.

 

*"Finance and Business Management in Institutions of
Higher Education," Review of Educational
Research, Vol. II, No. ZiTApril, 1932), pp.
116-33; 171-73.

 

"Stated Aims of Liberal Arts Colleges," School and

Societ , Vol. 36, No. 922, (August, 1932),
pp. 28g-85.

*"The Administration Of the Library Budget," The
Librar Quarterl , Vol. II, NO. 3 (July,
1932), pp. 268-78 (Reeves and Russell)

1934:

132

"Report on the Study of College Administration,
Plant Facilities, and Finance," The North
Central Association Qparterly, VOI. VII, NO.
2 (September, 1932), pp. 199-203.

 

"Report on the Cornell College Experiment," The
North Central Association Quarterly, Vol. VII,
NO. 2 (September, 1932), pp. 172.

Book review, "State Higher Education in California,"
The Junior College Journal, Vol. III, No. 3
TDecember, 19327, pp. 157.

 

*"Report on Financial Standards for Catholic Insti-
tutions," The North Central Association
Quarterly, Vol. VIII, NO. i (June, 1933),
pp. 70-76.

 

*"A New Type of Standard and Its Explication
Relative to Administration," The North Central
Association Quarterly, Vol. VIII, No. 2
TSeptember, 1933).

 

 

*"The Management Of Endowment Funds" in W. S. Gray,
editor, Needed Readjustments in Higher
Education: Proceedings of the Institute for
AdminiEtrative Officers of Higher Education,
Vol. V, pp. 171-96. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press. 1933.

 

 

"Selected References on Higher Education, 1933,"
Supplementary Educational Monographs, NO. 41,
January, 1934.

"Recent Trends in Higher Education," The Peabody
Reflector and Alumni News, (February, 1934),
pp. 49-50; 61-64.

 

*"Personnel Policies of the TVA," The Federal
Employee, Vol. XIX, NO. 5, (May, 1934), pp.
10-110

 

"The Scope of the Tennessee Valley Development,".
The Peabody Reflector and Alumni News (May,
1934): Pp. 179-80; 185-87.

*"The Social Development Program of the Tennessee
Valley Authority," The Educational Record,
Vol. 15, No. 3 (July, 1934), pp. 296-309.

 

1935:

1936:

133

"Stated Aims of Liberal Arts Colleges," School and
Society, Vol. XXXVI, NO. 922 (August, 1934),
pp. 283-85.

 

*"The Social Development Program of the Tennessee
Valley Authority," The Social Service Review
(September, 1934), pp. 445-57.

*"Personnel Selection and Management," Proceedin s of
the Twenty-sixth Annual Meetingjof the Civil
Service AssemBiy of the United States and
Canada, (October, 1934), pp. 60-71.

 

 

 

"How the TVA Gets Its Men," The University Of
Chicago Magazine (November, 1934), 5-8.

 

 

"Employee Service in the TVA," The University Of
Chicago Magazine (December, 1934), pp. 61-63.

"TVA Training," Journal of Adult Education, Vol. VII,
NO. 1 (January, 1935), pp. 48-52.

 

*"Social-Economic Development in the Tennessee
Valley," The Journal of Educational Sociology
(January, 1935), pp. 266-77.

"Education in the TVA," The Application of Research
Findings to Current Educational Practices
Tjuly, 1935i, pp. 100-107. American Educational
Research Association, Official Report of the
1935 meeting.

 

"Rural Educational Problems in Relation to New Trends
in Population Distribution," Social Forces,
(October, 1935).

 

*"Personnel Administration in the Tennessee Valley,"
The Southern Economic Journal, Vol. II, NO. 4
(April, 1935), 61-74.

Review of "Integration of Adult Education", by
Stacy, The Elementapy School Journal, Vol.
XXXVI, No. 10 (June, 1936).

 

"Adult Education as Related to the Tennessee Valley
Authority," School and Society, Vol. 44,
No. 1131 (August, 1936), pp.—257-266.

 

1937:

1938:

134

*"Essentials of a Model Personnel System," The
Annals of the American Academy of POliEical
and Social Science (January, 1937), pp.
134-41.

 

 

"Purposes and Functions of the Advisory Committee
on Education," School and Society, Vol. 46,
No. 1179, (July 31, 1937), pp.’i52-55.

 

"The Advisory Committee on Education," School Life,
Vol. 23, NO. 1 (September, 1937), pp. 1-2.

 

"The Advisory Committee on Education," The Journal
of the National Education Association of the
United States, Vol. 26, No. 6 (September, 1937),
pp. 176.

 

 

"The Purpose and Functions of the Advisory Committee
on Education," The Education Digest, Vol. III,
No. 1 (September, 1937), 10-11.

 

"Adult Education: What Is It and Where Is It
Going?" Adult Education Bulletin, Vol. II,
NO. 1 (October, 1937), pp. 3-6.

 

"The Advisory Committee on Education," The School
Executive, Vol. 57, NO. 3 (November, 1937),
pp. 121 ff.

 

"Adult Education: What Is It and Where Is It
Going?" Proceedings, Education Congress of 1937.
Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Dept. of Pubiic
Instruction, pp. 119-31.

*"The Adult Education Program of the Tennessee
Valley Authority," In Louis R. Wilson (ed),
Library Trends, pp. 134-57. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press, 1937.

 

*"A State Program of Adult Education," in Louis R.
Wilson (ed), The Role Of the Library in Adult
Education, pp. 143-55. Chicago: University
of Chicago Press, 1937.

"Federal Relations," The Nations Schools, Vol. 21,
NO. 3 (March, 1938), pp. 25-27.

 

"Federal Relations to Education," Official Report,
American Association of SchoOI Administrators,
TFebruary-March, 1938), pp. 29-36.

 

1939:

135

"Federal Relations to Education," School and
Society, Vol. 47, NO. 1210 (March, 1938),
pp. 298-303.

 

"Should There Be Federal Subsidy for Public
Schools?" by Floyd W. Reeves and Malcolm S.
MacLean. Bulletin of America's Town Meeping
of the Air (March 21, 1938) Vol. 3, No. 20,
pp. 5-29.

 

 

"The Place of Vocational Education in the Secondary
Schools," Chicagernion Teacher (April,
1938)] pp. 5-7.

 

"Federal Aid for Vocational Education," Youth
Leaders Digest (October, 1938), pp. 82-86.

 

"Federal Aid for Rural Schools," in The Nation's
Agriculture (November, 1938), pp. 7, 11.

 

 

"What's Behind the Recommendations of the Advisory
Committee?" Educational Trends, Vol. VII, No.
l (January-February, 1939), pp. 9-14.

 

"Federal Aid to Education", The Illinois Teacher,
XXVII, No. 6, (February, 1939), pp. 165-7,
182-83.

 

*"The Relation of the Federal Government to Educa-
tion," The North Central Association Quarterly,
XIII, NO. 4 (April, 1939), 473-83.

 

"Youth in a Changing World," The American Teacher,
Vol. XXIV, No. 2 (October, 1939). pp. 6-11.
Also The Education Digest, Vol. V, NO. 1
(September, 1939), pp. 9-11.

 

 

"The Federal Government and the Secondary School,"
Proceedings of the Twenty-second Annual
Meeting of Secondary-School PrinCipals of the
National Education Association, Vol. XXII,
NO. 73 TMarch, 1938), pp. 27-31.

 

 

"Federal Relations to Vocational Education,"
American Vocational Association Journal and‘
News Bulletin, Vol. XII, No. 2 (May, 1938),
pp. 91-96, 98.

 

 

136

"Maintaining the Proper Balance Between General and
Vocational Education in Urban School Systems --
What the Federal Government Might DO To
Assist," in William C. Reavis (ed), Critical
Issues in Educational Administration: Pro-
ceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference for
Administrative Officers of Public and Private
Schools, pp. 45-55. Chicago: University Of
Chicago Press, 1938.

*"The Social Philosophy of Teachers," appearing in
the following: Business as a Social Institution:
Proceedings of tHe University of Chicago Con-
ference on Business Education, 1938, pp. 51-66;
Elementary School Journal, XXXIX, NO. 2
(OCtober, 1938), 97-111; Education Digest,

IV, No. 4 (December, 1938)7'23-25, taken from
the Elementary School Journal; B. C. Teacfier,
XVIII, No. 4 (December, 1938 , 172-74, and
XVIII, No. 5 (January, 1939), taken from the
Elementarnychool Journal.

 

 

*"Some General Principles cmf Administrative
Organization," Current Issues in Library
Administration (papers presented before the
Library Institute at the University of
Chicago, August, 1938), pp. 1-22. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press, 1939, pp. 392.

"What's Behind the Recommendations Of the Advisory
Committee?" Educational Trends, VII, No. l
(January-February, 1939), pp. 9-14.

*"The Relation of the Federal Government to
Education" North Central Association Quarterly,
XIII, NO. 44(Apri1, 1939), 473, 83.

"Youth in a Changing World," American Teacher, XXIV,
No. 2 (October, 1939), 6:11, also in
Education Digest, V, No. 1, (September, 1939),
9-11.

 

*"Principles (pf Democratic Administration," Demo-
cratic Practices in School Administration
(papers presented before the Eight Annudi
Conference for Administrative Officers of
Public and Private Schools, July, 1939), pp.
16-28, Chicago: University of Chicago Press,
1939, pp. 214.

 

1940:

137

*"Government Support of Higher Education," Tpe
Outlook for Higher Education (papers presented
before the Institute for Administrative Officers
Of Higher Institutions, July, 1939), pp. 110-
22. Chicago: University of Chicago Press,
1939, pp. 256.

 

*"After the Youth Surveys -- What?" Occgpations,
Vol. XVIII, No. 4 (January, 1940i77pp- 243-248.

 

*"Youth Today" The Bulletin Of the National Associa-
tion of Secondary-School Principals, Vol. 24,
NO. 88 (February, 1940), pp. 5-14.

"The Program of the American Youth Commission", The
High School Journal, Vol. XXIII, NO. 3 (March,
1940), pp. 101-105.

 

"The Special Problems of Negro Youth," Opportunity,
Journal of Negro Life, Vol. XVIII, No. 3
(March, 1940) pp. 68-71. (Floyd W. Reeves
and Robert L. Sutherland.

 

*"National Coordination of Guidance Activities,"
The Educational Record Vol. XXI, NO. 2
(April 1940) pp. 148-159.

 

"The Needs of Youth in Modern America," The Bulletin
of the National Association of Secondary-
SchooI Principals. Vol. 24, No. 90, (April,
I940) pp. 7-14(Floyd W. Reeves and Howard
M. Bell)

 

 

"The Problem of Federal Aid," The American Teacher,
Vol. XXIV, No. 8 (April, 1940) p. 6.

 

*"Education and National Defense," The Educational
Record, Vol. XXII, NO. 14 (January, 1941?,
pp. 12-22.

 

Report on the Training Program, Defense, Official
Bulletin of the National Defense Advisory
Commission, Vol. II, No. 2, January 14, 1941.

"Adult Education and National Defense," Adult
Education Bulletin, Vol. V, NO. 2, January,
1941, p. 43.

1942:

138

"Let Us Be Realists About Youth," Youth Leaders
Digest, Vol. 3, NO. 6 March i941, pp. 212-13.

 

"Youth and Their Needs," National Parent-Teacher,
Vol. XXXV, NO. 8, April, 1941. pp. 17-19.

 

"University Extension and Total Defense," Pro-
ceedings of the Twenty-Sixth Annual CEHvention
Of the National Universitnyxtension Associa-
EiOn at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, May 5-7:
1941. Vol. 26, pp. 129-137.

 

*"Planning for Youth - Past and Future," The Educa-
tional Record, Vol. XXII, NO. 3, JuIy I94I,
pp. 344.

 

*"Education for Social and Economic Planning,"
The Educational Record, Vol. XXII, No. 4,
October, 1941. pp. 479-490. Also published
in the American Teacher, October 1, 1941 and
Frontier of Democracy, November 15, 1941.
Vol. 8, NO. 61, pp. 54-56.

 

 

 

*"Youth in Defense and Post-defense Periods," The
Journal Of Educational Sociology, Vol. 15,
No. 2, October, 1941, ppo93-100.

"Relations Between Schools and Youth Work Programs",
The Bulletin of the National Association of
Secondary-School Principals, Vol. 26, NO.

103, January 19T2, pp. 49-59.

"Youth and the Future," Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. XXIV,
NO. 6, February, 1942. pp. 244-246.

 

"What Should We Teach Our Youth Now?" University
Of Chicago Round Table, February 2, 19 2,
NatiOnal Broadcasting Company.

 

"What Kind of Secondary Education Tomorrow?" The
Bulletin Of the National Association of -_—
Secondary-School Principals, Vol. 26, No.
105, March 1942. pp. 98-108.

 

 

*"Youth -- in the War Crisis and After" Survey
Graphic, April 1942.

"A New Threat to Rural Schools" - The Journal of the
American Association of University Women,
June 1942.

 

1943:

139

"Youth and the Future" -- Educational Record,
July 1942.

 

Editorial, Journal of Educational Sociology (issue
on Youth and Postwar Reconstruction, Floyd W.
Reeves, Issue Editori May 1942, VOI. 15,

No. 9, pp. 509-514.

 

 

*"Regional and National Resources of Use to
Localities in Solving School and Community
Problems," The School and the Urban Community
(Edited by William C. ReaviS) 1942.

 

*"Education for Tomorrow: A Report from the
American Youth Commission" Journal Of the
American Association of Collegiate Registrars,
July 1942. Vol. 17, NO. 4, pp. 504-515.

 

"War Comes to the Farm" The University of Chicago
Round Table, July 26, 1942.

 

 

*"Problems Created for Colleges by the Manpower
Situation" The Colleges in Wartime - New
Responsibiliiies, Proceedings Of a Conference
of Invited College Representatives held at
the University of Chicago, December 29, 30,
1942. (Edited by John Dale Russell) pp. 5-19.

 

 

*"Youth and Education" in National Resources
Development" Report for 1942. NatiOnal
Resources Planning Board) 1942.

 

 

"Schools and Manpower" The American Teacher
(March, 1953)pp. 12-14.

 

"The Schools and Postwar Manpower Demobilization"
in War and Postwar Responsibilities of American

Schools, Edited by William C. Reavis, pp.
23-35. 1942.

"Schools and Manpower" The Education Digest (May,
1943) PP. 46-47.

 

"When Johnny Comes Marching Home" The University
Of Chicago Round Table, September 5, 1943.
National Broadcasting Company.

 

 

140

Equal Access to Education," National Re-
sources Development Report for 1943. National
RESources Planning Board, United States
Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
pp. 68-74. (The chapter, "Equal Access to
Education" was reprinted in full in The
American Teacher May, 1943 and The Hi—H
School Journal May 1943, and the Illinois
School Board Journal, Vol. IX, No. 5. Total
No. 47, September, October, November, December,
1943.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purdue University, The Division of Educational 1

 

*"The

Reference, Stfidies in Higher Education, Pro-
ceedings of the Ninth Annual Guidance Confer-
ence, held at Purdue University, November 19
and 20, 1943. "Demobilization and Readjustment
of War Workers and Members of the Armed Forces",
pp. 22-32, and "The Education and Guidance of
High-School Youth in Non-Industrial Communi-
ties," pp. 55-63.

 

Utilization Of Educational Institutions in the
Demobilization after the War," Higher Educa-
tion under War Conditions -- Proceedings Of
the Institute for Administrative Officers of
Higher Institutions, 1943. (Compiled and
Edited by John Dale Russell) The University
of Chicago, December 1943. Vol. XV. pp.
47-62.

 

 

 

 

"Educational Preparation for the World of Tomorrow,"

*"The

Reprinted from Education for Today and
Tomorrow ("The InglisLectureTr Harvard
UniverSlty Press, 1942) in Frontier Thinking
in Guidance. Ed. John R. Yaie, Science
Research Association, Chicago 4, Illinois,
1945. pp. 7-16, Also "Equal Access to
Education" reprinted in same volume (from
The Journal of the National Education
Association of the United States, May, 1943).
pp. 16-20.

 

 

 

 

 

Rural Community and the Rural Church in
Postwar Readjustment." American Agriculture.
and the Rural Church. Address given at the
Annual Meeting of the Council of Bishops Of
the Methodist Church, Princeton, New Jersey,
December 14, 1943.

 

 

1944:

141

"Equal Access to Education -- National Resources
Planning Board," Illineis School Board Jour-
nal. Vol. IX. No. 5 Total No. 47 September,
OEEOber, November, December, 1943.

 

"Demobilization and Readjustment" The American
Teacher, Vol. XXVIII, No. l, p. 14 ff.
(October, 1943)

"Rehabilitation and its Implications for Education,"
The North Central Association Quarterly, Vol.
XVIII, No. 2, October 1943. pp.l47-53.

 

"Education for War and for Peace" Illinois State
Normal University Bulletin. Education in a
War and Post-War Period. Report of the
Sessions of the Tenth Annual Round-Up of
School Administrators of Central Illinois.
Vol. XLI, No. 183, November, 1943. pp.27-37.

 

"Demobilization and Readjustment" Proceedings,
Postwar Planning Press Conference, sponsored
by the Public Administration Clearing House,
1313 East 60th Street, Chicago, Illinois.
December 9-11, 1943. pp.l9l-l93. (Address
by Floyd W. Reeves) pp. 194-199 (Questions
and Comments)

 

"The Utilization of Educational Institutions in the
Demobilization after the War" Higher Eduee—
tion under War Conditions -- Proceedings of the
Institute for AdminiStrative Officers of
Higher Institutions, 1943. Compiled and Edited
by John Dale Russell. The University of
Chicago, December 1943. Volume XV, pp. 47-62.

 

"The President's Messages" Published Radio Dis-
cussion (January 16, 1944) The University
of Chicago Round Table.

 

"Should Labor be Drafted?" Published Radio Dis-
cussion, The Northwestern University Reviewing
Stand, January 30, 1944.

"Demobilization and Readjustment and the Library"
discussion, Floyd W. Reeves, with Mr. Carl Vitz.
A.L.A. Bulletin, Conference in Print, 1943-44.
Vol. 38, February, 1944. NO. 2, pp. 43-53.
Comments by Stephen M. Jenks, Glen Burch,

Alice M. Farquhar, Jean C. Roose, Margaret
Fulmer.

142

"Should the Federal Government Provide Financial
Aid?" No, Paul J. Misner, "Yes", Floyd W.
Reeves,_Educational Digest, April, 1944.
Vol. IX, No. 8. pp. 44-48.

 

"Postwar Readjustment of Civilian and Military
Personnel" abstract Of an address delivered
before the Annual Meeting American Society of
Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, LaSalle
Hotel, Chicago, Monday evening, November 29,
1943. Journal of the American Society of
Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, Vol. VIII,
NO. 1 April, 1944. pp. 33-34.

 

 

"The Future and Boys" Association Boys' Work Journal,
published by AssodiatiOn ofBoys' Work Secre-
taries, Young Men's Christian Association, 40
W. Long St., Columbus, Ohio. Vol. XVII, NO.

3 May, 1944. pp. 3-6.

 

"The Contribution of Higher Education During the
Transition from War to Peace". Journal of
the American Association of Collegiate Regis-
trars. Vol. 19, No. 4, July, 1944. pp. 451-
470.

 

"Postwar Readjustment" Farm and Rurel Life After
the War -- Proceedifigs of the Twenty-fourth
American Country Life Conference, Sponsored
by tfie American Country Life Association,
Inc., Chicago, Illinois. April 11-13, 1944.
Edited by Joseph Ackerman. The Garrard
Press. Champaign, Illinois, September, 1944.
pp. 17-28.

 

 

 

*"A Program of Democratic Education for the Postwar
Period." Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual
Conference for Administrative OffiCers of
Public and Private Schools, 1944. Vol. VII.
Sidnificant Aspects Of American Life and Post-
war Education. Compiled and Edited by
William C. Reavis. The University Of Chicago.
October, 1944. pp. 96-112.

 

 

 

*"Planning for Postwar Manpower Readjustment." .
Public Management. November, 1944. Address
deliVered at a Ifincheon session Of the Blst
annual conference of the International City
Managers' Association at Chicago on October
14, 1944. pp. 330-336.

 

143

"Shall We Have Compulsory Military Training?" Pub-
lished Radio Discussion, The University of
Chicago Round Table, November 19, 1944.

 

 

"Educational Programs and the Veteran" Proceedings,
Press Seminar on Demobilization andiVeterans.
Sponsored by the Public Administration Clearing
House. 1313 East 60th Street, Chicago 37,
Illinois. December 6-9,1944. pp. 65-77.
Discussion, pp. 78-85.

 

*"Civil Service as Usual" Public Administration
Review, Autumn 1944. Vol. IV, NO. 4, pp.
327-340.

 

"Democratic Education in the Postwar Period" The
Education Digest, December, 1944. Vol. Y7—
NO. 4 (Reported from Significant Aspects of
American Life and Postwar Education, Pro-
ceedings of the 13th Annual Conference for
Administrative Officers of Public and Private
Schools. Chicago: University of Chicago,
1944. pp. 96-112.) PP. 1-6.

 

1945:
"Planning for Post-War Manpower Readjustment"
Minnesota Municipalities, January, 1945.
Vol. XXX, NO. 1 pp. 20-23.

 

"How Can Education Promote Greater Unity?" (summary)
Home Front Unity in Chicago. Proceedings Of
the Chicago Conference on Home Front Unity,
May, June, 1945. Published by the Mayor's
Committee on Race Relations, 134 North
LaSalle St., Chicago 2. pp. 34-35.

 

1946:

"Reorganization -- An Educational 'Must'" Published
in Montana Education, Vol. XXII, NO. 7, March,
1946. pp. 9-11; Kansas Teacher, April, 1946,
Vol. 54, No. 8, pp. 2 ff; Kentucky School
Journal, Vol. 24, NO. 8, April, 1946, p. 8 ff;
The Journal of Arkansas Education, March, 1946,
pp. i5-16; The MisSissippi Educational Advance,
May, 1946, Vol. 10, No. 8, p. 10 ff;—The ,
Educational Digest, Vol. XII, NO. 3, member,
i946. pp. 7-9.

 

 

 

 

1947:

144

*"Federal Aid to Education" in Library Extension
Problems and Solutions, Carleton B. Joeckel
(ed) Papers presented before the Library
Institute at the University of Chicago,
August 21-26, 1944. The University of Chicago
Press, 1946. pp. 212-221.

 

"G.I. Education" Published Radio Discussion, The
University Of Chicago Round Table, No. 410,
January 27, 1946.

"Implications of the Conference" Toward the Improve-
ment of Rural Education in Proceedings Of the
Governor's Conference on Rural Educaticn
Centennial Building, Springfield, Illinois,
January 18-19, 1946. Printed by authority of
the State of Illinois. An Invitational Con-
ference sponsored by Hon. Dwight H. Green,

The Governor of the State of Illinois and The
Illinois Rural Education Committee. pp. 104-
110.

 

 

"Youth and the World of Tomorrow", The School Review,
Vol. LIV, No. 5, May, 1946, pp. 263-269.

 

"Current Educational Problems and the Work of the
AFT Commission on Educational Reconstruction"
American Teacher, Vol. 31, pp. 12-19, October,
i946.

*"Faculty Personnel Management in Higher Institutions,"
(In Institute for Administrative Officers of
Higher Institutions, Proceedings, 1946. pp.
134-46.i

"Statewide Planning for Higher Education in the
State of New York" Printed in the Pregram
of the Forty-third Annual Meeting of the
Federation of Illinois Colleges, Northwestern
University, April 18, 1947. pp. 7-26.

*"The Report Of the A.F.T. Commission on Educational
Reconstruction" by Floyd W. Reeves, Chairman
in the American Teacher, October, 1947. .
pp. 16-21.

1950:

1955:

1959:

145

*"Barriers to Higher Education" in The Phi Delta
Kappan, Vol. XXXI, No. 5, January, 1950.
pp. 214-224, and in Discrimination in College
Admissions, Edited by Francis J. Brown,
American Council on Education Studies, Series
I, NO. 41, Vol. XIV, April, 1950.

 

 

 

 

*"UNESCO and the Philippines" in Leadership in
American Education, Edited by Alonzo G. Grace,
1950. pp. 7-2ii

 

 

"General Education at a State University" in Basic
Eellege Quarterly, (Published at Michigan
State University), Fall, 1955, Vol .I, pp.
5-10 0

 

Ernest O. Melby and Floyd W. Reeves, "Education
and the Evolving Nature of Society," in
Personnel Services in Education, National
Society for the Study of Education (NSSE)
Yearbook, Part 2:15-40, 1959.

 

APPENDIX B

Positions Held by Floyd W. Reeves

EXPERIENCE

 

Institution Subjects Rank Dates

 

Elem. & Secondary:

 

Rural School in S.D. Elem. Grades Teacher 1908-1909
II II II II II II II 1911_1912
Hur°n' S'D° City Grade 6 School Prin. 1915-1916
School
" " " Grade 6 Prin. Elem. &
Evening School 1916 1917
Gregory, S.D. , History & Supt. & H.S. _
City Schools English Teacher 1917 1918
II II II II II 1918-1919
II II II II II 1919-1920
Winner, S.D., Psychology & " " _
City Schools Sociology 1920 1922
Transylvania Univ. Education Prof. & Dir., _
Sch. of Educ. 1923 1924
Transylvania Univ. Education Same as above,
also Dean of 1924-1925
Admin.
Univ. of Kentucky Educ. Admin. Head, Dept. of 1925_1927
Educ. Admin.
Univ. of Kentucky Educ. Admin. Same as above,
also Dir., _
Bur. of Sch. 1927 1929
Service
Univ. of Chicago Higher Educ. Visiting Prof. Summers,
1926-1929
Univ. of Chicago Higher Educ. Prof., Educ.
& Dir., Univ. _ ‘
of Chicago 1929 1933
Survey

146

147

 

 

Institution Subjects Rank Dates
Univ. of Chicago Prof. of _
Educ. 1933 1936
Univ. of Chicago Adult Educ. Prof. of 1936-1938
Educ.
Univ. of Chicago Educ. & Prof. of Admin.
Pol. Sci. in Educ. & 1938-1953
Pol. Sci.
Univ. of Chicago Rural Educ. Same as above 1944-1947 "4
Univ. Study Center, .
Florence, Italy Education Instructor 1945
Claremont College Educ. & Pol.
Economics Professor 1953
Michigan State Univ. Theory &
Practice of Prof. of
Administra- Educ. Admin.
tion, and & Consultant 1953-1954
Administra- to the
tion in President
Higher Educ.
Michigan State Univ. Same as above Same as above 1954-1955
Michigan State Univ. Same as above Same as above 1955-1956

148

I. Positions Held by Floyd W. Reeves with the Federal
Government

A.

Advisory Committees and Commissions and Consultant-
ships

1.

2.

10.
11.

12.

President Hoover's 1929-1930 White House
Conference on Child Health and Protection.
Director of Study of Personnel Administration
in the Federal Government for President
Roosevelt's Committee on Administrative Manage-
ment, 1936-37.

Chairman, President Roosevelt's Committee on
Vocational Education, 1936-37.

Chairman, President Roosevelt's Advisory
Committee on Education, 1937-39.

Member, Advisory Committee on Administrators of
President Roosevelt's Committee on Civil
Service Improvement, 1939-41.

Member, Report Committee, White House Conference
on Children in a Democracy, 1939-40.

Member, President Roosevelt's Committee on
Selective Service, 1940-45. (This committee
drafted the legislation for Selective Service
in 1940, operated Selective Service until a
director had been appointed and then served as
an advisory committee to the director until
1946.)

Member, National Commission on Children and
Youth (formerly National Commission on Children
in Wartime) 1942-47.

Chairman, Conference on Postwar Demobilization
and Readjustment of Civilian and Military
Personnel, in the Executive Office of the
President, 1942-43. (This conference developed
the plan which was later enacted into law
designated as "the G.I. Bill of Rights.")
Consultant on Education and Youth Problems,
National Resources Planning Board, 1941-43.
Consultant on Secondary Education, Department_
of Health, Education and Welfare, 1953.

In addition to the positions with the Federal
Government listed above, I have served at
various times as Consultant to the following
Federal Agencies: U. S. Office of Education;
U. S. Childrens Bureau; U. S. Bureau of the

149

Budget; U. S. Department of Agriculture; Work
Progress Administration; National Youth
Administration; Civilian Conservation Corps;

U. 8. Employment Service; Office of Production
Management; Office of Price Administration;
Atomic Energy Commission; War Department;
Secretary of National Defense; Department of
Health, Education and Welfare; Federal Housing
Administration; Institute of Nuclear Studies,
Oak Ridge; Nuclear Study Project at Los Alamos.

Administrative Positions with the Federal Government

1. Director of Public Relations for the Office of
Price Administration, 1942.

2. Tennessee Valley Authority, Director of Per-
sonnel, 1933-35; Director of Social and Economic
Research and Planning Division, 1934-35; Con-
sultant 1936 to 1956.

3. Director of Labor Supply, National Defense
Advisory Commission, 1940.

4. Director of Labor Supply, Office of Production
Management, 1941.

Positions with State Governmental Agencies

1. Educational Advisor, State Efficiency Commission
of Kentucky, 1923-24.

2. Survey Director, State Higher Educational
Institutions of Indiana, 1926-27.

3. Director of Study of Adult Education, Regents'
Inquiry into Character and Cost of Education
in the State of New York, 1936-37.

4. Consultant, Michigan State Conservation Comm-
ission, 1944-45 and again in 1953.

5. Director of Studies, New York State Temporary
Commission on Need for State University, 1946-48.
(Result -- Establishment of State University of
New York in 1948 and now operating on 54 campuses.)

6. Consultant to State Educational Commissions in
Missouri, Illinois and Kansas and to the Kansas
Legislature Council, 1945-46.

7. Member, Advisory Board on Vocational Education,
Illinois State Chamber of Commerce, 1945-58.

8. Consultant to Governor and later to State Board
of Financial Control for Educational Institu-
tions, State of New Mexico, 1950-51.

9. Consultant to President University of South
Florida, 1958-59.

10. Consultant to Governor and President University
of N. Mexico, 1959-60.

150

Positions with Government-Related Agencies

4.

Head, UNESCO Consultative Educational Mission
to the Philippines, 1949. (Report published

by UNESCO in Spanish, French and English).
Consultant, Southern Regional Education Board,
1950 to date.

Consultant on Higher Education Studies, Council
of State Governments, 1950-52. (Report pub-
lished as book entitled Higher Education in the
48 States, Chicago, lQSZYT

Consultant to the Board of Control, National
Project in Agricultural Communications, 1952-53.

 

 

Service of Floyd W. Reeves as Consultant to Heads
of Government or Heads of Ministries

1.

Consultant to President Republic of the
Philippines on Financial and Educational Matters
1949-50, and 1958-59.

Consultant to the President of South Vietnam,
1957-58.

Consultant to the Prime Minister of Thailand,
1949.

Consultant to several ministries in Pakistan,
1955-57.

Chief Consultant on Administration to Lieut.
General Ridgeway, Commander of Allied Forces,
Mediterranean Theater, 1945.

Positions with Private Industry

1.

Consultant on Post-War Planning, Radio Corpora-
tion of America, 1943-44.

Consultant on Personnel Policies and Procedures,
General Electric Company, 1944-48.

Consultant on Investment of Trust Funds,
Continental Bank and Trust Company, 1944-4S.
Educational Consultant to National Dairy
Association, 1944-45.

Former Memberships on College and University Boards

of

Trustees

Huron College (Alumni representative).

Roosevelt University (member of Executive
Committee).

Howard University (Vice-Chairman of Board and
Chairman of the Board's Committee on Instruction
and Research).

151

4. Chicago Central YMCA College.
5. Antioch College.

H. Consultant to Foundations Since 1940

1. Ford Foundation.
. Kellogg Foundation.
. Carnegie Corporation.

. Hayes Foundation.

. Rockerfeller Foundation.
. General Education Board.
. Russell Sage Foundation.
. Commonwealth Fund.

9. Detroit Metropolitan Fund, Inc.
10. Rosenwald Fund.
11. Field Foundation.

CD\IO\UI:bUJN

I. Miscellaneous Positions

1. Member of Research Committee American Society
for Public Administration 1957 ff.

Chairman, Donald C. Stone, Dean of the
School of Public and International Affairs,
University of Pittsburgh.

Members included among others:

John A. Perkins, Under-Secretary, U. S.
Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

Lawrence L. Durisch, TVA

Ward Stewart, Division of Higher Education,
U. S. Office of Education

Norton Long, Harvard University

Shelby F. Harper, Director, Colorado
Legislative Council

John J. Corson, Princeton University

Robert W. French, Director, Port of New
Orleans

2. Member of the Advisory Board of the American
Camping Association 1940 ff.

Members included among others: David W.
Armstrong, Executive Director, Boy's Club
of America

3.

152

David W. Bauer, American Medical Association

C. M. Chester, Chairman of the Board, General
Foods Corp.

Mrs. J. S. Corbett, Dominion Camp Advisor,
Canadian Girl Guides Association

Norman H. Davis, Chairman, American Red
Cross

Fred K. Hoehler, Director, American Public
Welfare Association

James E. West, Chief Scout Executive, Boy
Scouts of America

Ray Liman Wilbur, President, Stanford
University and former Secretary of Interior

President, National Folk Festival, 1935-1940
Members of the board included:
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt

Homer T. Rainey, President, University of
Texas and former Director of the American
Youth Commission

Educational Consultant, Michigan Constitutional
Convention of 1961.

Secretary and member of the Executive Committee
of the White House Conference on Youth Prob-
lems, April - June, 1940.

Member Board of Directors, National Institute
of Public Affairs 1961 ff.

The National Institute provides training
for non-political high level staff members of
federal, state and municipal governmental
agencies. The program is financed in part by
the Ford Foundation. The training programs are
conducted by universities which in turn are sub-
sidized by the NIPA. At present (1965) programs
are conducted at Harvard, Princeton, Virginia,
Chicago, Stanford and Indiana Universities.
Study grants have also been made to Detroit
Metropolitan Fund, Syracuse University, Cornell
University and University of California.

8.

153

Member, the American Council of Public Affairs

This council is designed to promote and

spread the authoritative facts and significant
Opinions concerning contemporary social and
economic problems throughout. My membership
dates from 1941.

Former and present members included among
others:

Harry Elmer Barnes, Historian
Dr. John Haynes Holmes
Dr. George F. Zook

Lowell Mellett, Assistant to President
Franklin Roosevelt

Professor Max Lerner
Fanny Hurst
Clarence Pickett

Professor Hadley Cantril

Consultant to Committee on Government and
Higher Education, 1957-59.

Milton S. Eisenhower, Chairman

Members of the committee included among
others:

Ambassador James B. Conant former President,
Harvard University

Dr. Arthur S. Flemming, President, Univer-
sity of Oregon and former Secretary of
Health, Education and Welfare

President Virgil M. Hanshire, University
of Iowa

Sargent Shriver, Junior, Director of the
Study

Dr. Malcolm Moos who later became assistant
to President Dwight Eisenhower

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

154

Chairman of the Planning Committee of the Mid-
West Conference of President Dwight Eisenhower's
"Committee on Education Beyond the High

School".

Chairman of the "Committee on Discrimination in
Colleges and Universities of the American
Council on Education" which later became the
"Committee on Equality of Opportunity in

Higher Education." 1948-1958.

Editorial Work on Journals.

a. Associate editor, Journal of Higher Educa—
tion.

b. Public Personnel Quarterly

c. The Elementary School Journal

d. The’School Review

e. School Shop

 

 

 

Member, Consulting and Advisory Board of the
National Youth Guidance Institute 1942.

Member of the National Committee sponsoring
the National Conference of Christians and Jews,
1940.

Chairman of the Pepsi-Cola Scholarship Board
and President of the Corporation

Members of the board included:

Alvin Eurich, Vice-President of Stanford
University and later President of the State
University of New York and still later
President of the Fund for the Advancement
of Education of the Ford Foundation.

Henry Heald then president of the Illinois
Institute of Technology, later President
of New York University and still later
President of the Ford Foundation

Dr. John M. Stalmaker, Director of the
Pepsi-Cola Scholarship Board

Walter Mack, President of the Pepsi-Cola
Co. and Chairman of its Board.

155

These persons constituted the executive
committee of the board. Other members of the
board were either presidents of leading
colleges or universities or leaders in secondary
education. The Pepsi-Cola Scholarship Board
provided four-year scholarships on a merit basis
covering all college and university costs and
some were selected from every state and terri-
tory of the U. S. They were selected on the
basis of merit. The Pepsi-Cola Scholarship
Board and Corporation was the forerunner of
the present Merit Scholarship Board which
operates under the same director John M. Stal-
maker.

APPENDIX C

Reeves' Family Background

156

Reeves' Family Background

Floyd W. Reeves' grandfather, George Fred Reeves,
immigrated from England to Schenectady, New York at the
age of eighteen. In 1845 he moved west and settled in a
suburb of Chicago.1 Chicago at that time was a small
settlement called Fort Dearborn located about fifty miles
west of what is now the center of Chicago. Reeves'
grandmother, Emily Marion Howard, also came from England
to New York along with her family at the age of eight.
Emily and her family moved west and settled at Fort Dear-
born, where she eventually met her husband. Grandmother
Reeves was an ambitious and creative woman who wrote novels
which were organized largely around her own experience in
the early days when she lived in Iowa and in South Dakota.
She also was a woman of strong convictions who believed in
and actively worked toward bringing about prohibition,

. . 2
women's suffrage, and ant1-mormonism.

 

1Floyd W. Reeves, "Reflections on Activities of
Youth and Their Contributions to My Understanding of
Administrative Theory," An unpublished lecture in Ehe
Reeves Papers. .

 

2Stated by Floyd W. Reeves in an interview with
the writer.

157

Reeves' grandparents lived in Illinois for twenty-
eight years, and then moved to the northwest part of Iowa
where they lived for thirteen years. They decided finally
to settle in South Dakota, where his grandfather, his two
uncles, and his father formed a partnership and opened a
flour mill in Castalia. While the men worked in the flour
mill, Floyd's grandmother operated a trading post largely

for the early settlers and also for the Indians who lived
3

 

on the reservation across the river from the post.

Reeves' father, Charles Edward, married a school-
teacher named Ella T. Oglevee, a physician's daughter from
Ohio. When she was thirteen years old, her mother died and
a few years later her father remarried. Not wanting to
live with her stepmother, Ella went to Lone Tree, Iowa to
finish her elementary education and later attended an
academy at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. After leaving the academy
she became a teacher in a school located about twelve
miles north of Castalia.

In the small village of Castalia, South Dakota,
Floyd Wesley Reeves was born on November 16, 1890. Castalia,
which does not exist today, was located in Charles Mix
County, South Dakota.4

Floyd was the second of three sons and two

daughters born to Charles and Ella Reeves. The oldest
3

 

Floyd W. Reeves, "Reflections."

Francis Fugate Reeves and Charles Everand Reeves,
"Partial Account of the Reeves Ancestry in the Nineteenth
Century," revised June 1, 1960.

158

was named Charles Everand, then came Floyd Wesley, Fay, Alta
May and the youngest Son, Ellis Marion.5

His earliest years were spent in close contact with
the Crow and Sioux American Indians. In fact, two or three
years before his birth in 1890, the Battle of Wounded Knee
had taken place in the Badlands of South DAkota, which was
part of the Indian Territory where his father ranged several
hundred head of cattle and horses.6

An incident which happened at the age of three is
his earliest remembrance. In his words the incident occurred
as‘follows:

. . .each Saturday night a group of White men who
designated themselves as the Five Milers came to Cas-
talia to drink beer and moonshine sold in the two
saloons in the village, then they proceeded to do what
they called shooting up the town. My older brother and
I and our baby sister were at home with my mother one
Saturday evening when this occurred. We assumed, as did
a number of others in the town, that this particular
evening the shooting was being done by Indians instead
of Whites because for sport the white men had dressed
themselves as Indians. I remember that my mother, my
brother and I were squatting below the window so that
we could peak [sic] out to see what was going on.
Suddenly, a crash, and we were covered with glass from
the window; it had been shot out by the riders. That
is my earliest memory.

 

5Floyd W. Reeves, "Reflections."

6Floyd W. Reeves, "Equality of Educational
Opportunity," An unpublished lecture in the Reeves Papers.

 

7Floyd W. Reeves, "Reflections."

159

Grandmother Reeves described this incidentjinf
great detail in a full-length novel which she published
titled Under the Stars and Stripes. Many of the events
which Floyd thinks he remembers he probably actually

learned from reading many of his grandmother's writings.8

Ibid.

APPENDIX D

Questionnaire, List of Interviewees, and
Selected Letters from Some of Reeves'
Associates

QUESTIONNAIRE

The following five-point questionnaire was used

both in the personal interviews with and in personal let-

ters written to close associates Of Reeves.

1.

Please comment on what your affiliation(s) with
Floyd W. Reeves has or have been.

For an objective evaluation of Floyd W. Reeves
as an educator, what in your estimation seemed
to be his major strength(s)?

What in your estimation seemed to be Reeves'
major weakness(es) as an educator?

Please comment on his work in public school
administration or as Director of studies of
agencies operated primarily for purposes other
than education.

Please comment on any other aspects of Floyd W.
Reeves which would be of interest and relevant
to an assessment of his activities in and con-
tributions to public school and college curricula.

160

*1.

10.

11.

*12.

161

LIST OF INTERVIEWEES

Honorable Senator Helen Beneitz (correspondence) Concern-
ing Reeves' work with the UNESCO educational Mission to
the Philippines.

Dean Edward B. Blackman (personal interview--deceased)
concerning his work with Reeves at Michigan State Uni-
versity.

Dr. Lloyd E. Blauch (correspondence) concerning his work
with Reeves on President Roosevelt's Advisory Committee
on Education.

Dr. Wilbur B. Brookover (personal interview) concerning
his work with Reeves at Michigan State University.

Miss Laverne Burchfield (correspondence) concerning
Reeves' work on President Roosevelt's Advisory Committee
on Education.

Dean Edward A. Carlin (personal interview) concerning
his work with Reeves on the Basic College of Michigan
State College.

Dr. William H. Combs (personal interview) concerning
his work with Reeves on the Basic College of Michigan
State College.

Dr. James B. Conant (correspondence) concerning his
work with Reeves at Harvard.

James Denison (personal interview) concerning his work
with Reeves on the Basic College of Michigan State
College.

Assistant Provost Paul L. Dressel (personal interview)
concerning his work with Reeves on the Basic College
of Michigan State College.

Dr. R. L. Featherstone (personal interview) concerning
his work with Reeves at Michigan State University.

Miss Katherine A. Frederic (correspondence) concerning
her work with Reeves on President Roosevelt's Advisory
Committee on Education.

13.

14.

*15.

16.

*17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

*24.

*25.

*Did

162

Dr. John A. Hannah (correspondence) concerning his
work with Reeves on the Basic College of Michigan
State College.

Dr. Cyril O. Houle (correspondence) concerning his
work with Reeves at the University of Chicago.

Dr. Antonio Isidro (correspondence) concerning his
work with Reeves on the UNESCO educational Mission
to the Philippines.

Dean John E. Ivey Jr. (personal interview) concern-
ing his work with Reeves on the T.V.A. and at Michigan
State University.

Dr. Mordecai W. Johnson (correspondence) concerning
his work with Reeves especially on the American
Youth Commission.

Dr. Harry H. Kimber (personal interview) concerning
his work with Reeves on the Basic College of Michigan
State College.

Dr. Leonard Koos (correspondence) concerning his work
with Reeves at the University of Chicago.

D; Ernest O. Melby (correspondence) concerning his
work with Reeves at Michigan State University.

Miss Fredlyn Ramsey (correspondence) concerning her
work with Reeves especially on President Roosevelt's
Advisory Committee on Education and on the American
Youth Commission.

Dr. John Dale Russell (correspondence) concerning his
work with Reeves especially at the University of
Chicago.

Dr. Maurice Seay (correspondence) concerning his work
with Reeves especially at the T.V.A.

Dr. Ralph Tyler (correspondence) concerning his work
with Reeves especially at the University of Chicago.

Dr. Durward B. Varner (correspondence) concerning his
work with Reeves both at the University of ChicagO-
and at Michigan State University.

not respond.

163

.1

"c (L:

d
9

THE CURRICULUM STUDY
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES
OF PODIATRIC MEDICINE

llfilrl -‘\I|tt\
RI \| H“ H
\I K\I( I

 

20 CHEW CHASE CIRCLE, N.W., WASHINGTON, D. C. 20015 202 — 362-2707

LLOYD E. BLAUCH, Ph 0. ROBERT W. OLIVER
Director Administrator

ABE RUBIN. 0.? M. ELIZAIE‘I’H A. DEADV
Associate Director Research Assistant

January 28, 1970

Miss Barbara Nicholas
Michigan state University
College of Education

East Lansing, Michigan

Dear Miss Nicholas:
This letter is in response to yours concerning Floyd W. Reeves.

I have quite distinct memories of Dr. Reeves. However, my
connections with him were primarily in the field of higher
education: They were (1) In an inspection visit for accred-
itation visit to Emmanuel Missionary College at Berrien
Springs, Michigan; (2) Member of the staff for the Survey of
Methodist Colleges; (3) Secretary of the Curriculum Committee,
American Association of Dental Schools (He was an educational
adviser); (4) Member of the staff for the President's Advisory
Committee on Education. The first named connections were in
higher education; the last had to do with education in general
but largely elementary, secondary, and vocational education,
including vocational rehabilitation of the physically
handicapped. I have to thank Dr. Reeves for getting me into
these connections, so my judgments concerning him may be some-
what biased.

In my judgment, among his major strengths have been: (a) A
forward looking philosophy, a willingness to consider and use
new ideas; (b) considerable imagination in sensing the trends
and courses of new ideas; (c) ability in organizing work;

(d) ability to work with people; (d) ability in communication,
particularly in clear writing; (f) ability to get into
interesting and new endeavors; (g) an indefatigable worker;
(h) a very comprehensive view of education, its purposes and
services; and (i) ingenuity in developing ideas.

164

Miss Barbara Nicholas -2- January 28, 1970

I do not feel able to comment on any major weaknesses he may
have.

I know nothing about his ability to direct studies of agencies
for purposes other than education; I have had no connections
'with him in such activities.

In my judgment Dr. Reeves' work as chairman (and director) of
the President's Advisory Committee on Education was outstand-
ing. The worth of the Committee was the first comprehensive
analysis of the relations of the federal government to the
entire education enterprise. Although the hoped for immediate
actions on the findings were somewhat minimal; largely because
of the political situation at the time and President Roosevelt's
reluctance to move into education (this is my own judgment)
many of the ideas set forth in the reports and studies have
since then been adopted in whole or in part by the federal
government and the states.

I wish I could be more helpful to you but I hope that what
has been said above may be of some use to you.

Good luck with your dissertation!
Sincerely yours,
4’,
Kama WJXMLv/L/
Llow E. Blauch

LEB:SR

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA 22901
Telephone 703-924-3358

Woodrow Wilson Department
of Government and Foreign Affiars
232 Cabell Hall

July 7, 1969

Mr. Carl T. Pacacha
4718 Olivia Avenue
Royal Oak, Michigan 48073

Dear Mr. Pacacha:

I have been thinking about your inquiry of June 8 and will
respond as best I can. This is the kind of thing on which an
interview might be better, and I would hope there might be some
Opportunity for a personal discussion at some time if you get
your dissertation to the point where you are considering book
publication.

I was associated with Floyd Reeves from 1933 to 1942 in
four different sets of connections. When we first met, I was
already employed by the Tennessee Valley Authority, He was
Director of Personnel and also Director of the Social and
Economic Division, where I was assigned after the initial
organizing period. In 1936, Mr. Reeves joined the senior staff
of the President's Committee on Administrative Management
(Brownlow Committee) and took me along for the summer of 1936
as his assistant; together we produced the report published as
PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION IN THE FEDERAL SERVICE, by Reeves and
David. On that job, he did all of the interviewing, handled
all relationships with the three members of the Committee, and
produced most of the basic ideas that gave structure to the
report. I did substantially all of the drafting of the suc-
cessive versions of the report, and the relationship was one
in which I was concentrating on the writing while he did
everything else.

We moved directly from that experience to the President's
Committee on Vocational Education, which a few months later
became the Advisory Committee on Education. I was with the
Committee from its initial organization late in 1936 until we
closed the office as of the end of June, 1939. By that time
it had been agreed that Mr. Reeves would take over in place of
Homer Rainey at the American Youth Commission, and I went along
as Associate Director of that organization, where I continued
until we wound up the operation.

165

166

At both the Committee and the Commission, our relationship
on the reports, documents, and books that were issued as having
been adopted by the Committee or Commission was much like that
on the staff report for the Brownlow Committee. Reeves was the
front man, maintained virtually all of the external relation-
ships, produced most of the ideas on what was desirable and
feasible, and kept the show on the road. I was the anonymous
civil servant who listened carefully, studied the verbatim
transcript of all Committee or Commission discussion with
meticulous care, and wrote and revised the successive drafts
of what we thought might get adopted as the common View of the
largest possible number. When Reeves discovered that he was
being credited in the profession as author of the Report of
the Committee, in which no drafting credits were included in
the front matter, he apologized to me and it was at his insist-
ance, I think, that the credits in his Foreward to my book on
BARRIERS TO YOUTH EMPLOYMENT included a reference to my work on
the Committee Report as well as that of the Commission.

My personal relationship to Mr. Reeves was inevitably some-
what complex. I know now that it had most of the complications
of the "assistant to" position that Thomas Whisler had written
about. For years, Reeves was much more of a father figure to
me than my own father, who was still living at the time. He
wanted to treat me as a colleague, but I always saw him as the
boss. He asked me to call him "Floyd" somewhere along the way,
but for me he was "Mr. Reeves" as long as I was a member of
his staff.

Turning to your specific questions, I might as well continue
on No. 3, my responsibility to the Committee. Officially Reeves
was Chairman ang_Director of Studies, and he was in fact the
chief executive officer for all purposes. During the Committee
period as I recall it, he was commuting back and forth from
Chicago, where he had returned to the faculty after his TVA
period. It is my impression that he worked full-time at the
Committee during his off quarter at Chicago and was typically
with us from one to four days a week during the other nine
months. This would have varied as the Committee progressed
through its various stages: his participation was intensive
and nearly full-time while we were getting started during the
winter of 1936-37, while we reorganized during the spring of
1937, and during the big staff push of the summer of 1937.
During the fall and early winter that followed we had succes-
sive committee meetings and successive drafts of the report
until it was adopted and then transmitted on February 18,-1938.
From then on we had a modest amount of legislative activity
with little or no White House help, and were running an editing
and publishing business until we had all of the monographs pub-
lished or in press and closed out the Committee offices and
staff. From April of 1938 to June 1939, Reeves was with us
only intermittently and as seemed necessary.

167

My title was Secretary and Assistant Director of Studies;
the appointment was approved by the Committee at its first
meeting, and I was the principal full-time employee of the
Committee throughout its existence. I was the acting direc-
tor in fact if not also in title when Reeves was away, and
handled most of the administrative detail of the operation
at all times. The world of professional education, however,
was almost completely strange to me when I started, and I
had no significant role in recruiting the high level staff
of consultants and authors of staff studies that Reeves put
together. I did have quite a bit to do with trying to keep
them all busy on non-overlapping assignments that might get
finished in time to be useful, and in the end under his
supervision, functioned essentially as the chief editor of
the monograph series for more than a year.

Your question Nos. 1 and 2 on Reeves' role and on his
unique leadership qualities can porbably best be taken to-
gether. As you have doubtless discovered, Mr. Reeves is a
very remarkable man. He has extraordinary skill in dealing
with other major participants in a policy situation. He
can achieve great empathy even with people with whom he is in
fundamental disagreement on substantive policy; frequently
they are not aware of the disagreement until it comes to the
final crunch where people have to be counted. He has great
skill in extracting information from other people that will
reveal their views, motivation, and probable posture in an
oncoming policy situation. Reeves is also a great adminis-
trator in terms of how he handles his own time; he could
always make time for his top priority jobs, and somehow or
other he got everything else delegated that had to be
delegated to give him time for what he had to do himself.

The fact that I could usually write the stuff the way he
wanted it was of course a major point in his ability to dele-
gate during the period that we were working together.

As a Committee Chairman, Reeves was highly skillful as a
presiding officer. He did not inject many of his own ideas
while the Committee was actually meeting, let the discussion
run free, and produced a summarizing comments that gave di-
rection on many occasions. The Committee always had an agenda
and documentation in front of it in which Reeves had already
made his impact.

I do not recall ideas of any great originality that came
out of other members of the Committee. Zook was an able.
spokesman for those favoring federal aid. Judd was a power-
ful voice, always on the side of God and the angels. Moehlman
was a professional educationist who was always trying to find
the compromise. Others had identifiable special interests
for which they were protective and had something of a veto
power.

168

Reeves did not seem to me to be an articulator of Commit-
tee ideas except as he was an articulator of ideas general in
the profession at the time. As an originator of ideas, he
was primarily the designer of a package on which agreement
could be reached. The first form of the eventual Committee
report was a list of proposals that Reeves wrote by hand on
the back of an envelope, and gave to me for expansion into
a draft after a long conversation on objectives and strategy.

Somewhere in William S. White's book CITADEL there is a
discussion of what other Senators mean when they say that a
Senator is "creative." Reeves was highly creative in a
policy situation in the sense that White discusses. He al-
ways did his substantive homework adequately, he had a very
sharp awareness of the limits within which other participants
were thinking, he did what he could with them individually
and privately in shifting or adjusting those limits, and
then came up with his own proposal of what to do. Frequently
his proposals were innovative in the sense that he had in-
vented some unsuspected formula for satisfying everyone while
getting the major substance of what he wanted himself.

Your 4th question, requesting a retrospective evaluation
of the contributions by Reeves and by the Committee, is in
many ways the most difficult. What I have already written
amounts to an evaluation of the kind of contribution that
was-made by Reeves while the work was in process. He was the
presiding genius of the whole affair. I have no reason to
think that any other person then living could have done more
with the assignment, or as much. In the end it was the
President's decision not to go ahead; I think Reeves had done
all that could have been done by anyone to pull along the
President and the relevant members of the Cabinet and the
federal establishment. The fight over the Supreme Court was
preempting the attention of top policymakers throughout most
of the period, and we were merely one of the many casualties.

As for the longer term impact of the Committee and of its
Report and other publications, I have little basis on which
to speak. So far as I was aware, the Report of the Committee
promptly became the leading document in its field among pro-
fessional educators, replacing the previous proposals of the
National Educational Association. It did not seem to me that
the Report had any very powerful direct impact on Capitol Hill;
the effect was mainly negative in the sense of killing off the
competitive proposals and putting those by the Committee first
in line for consideration. For the time being, however, and
with a negative attitude at the White House, the result legis-
latively was stalemate and no action at all during the inter-
val before we entered World War II.

169

During the War, I served in the Bureau of the Budget
and for a time was somewhat involved in planning a postwar
program of federal aid to education. The Committee Report
was certainly a point of departure in that activity.
Eventually; I suppose, it must have had some influence,
perhaps much influence, on the provisions written into the
federal programs for education that were finally enacted.
Presumably the influence arose mainly from the effect on
professional thinking that resulted from the Committee
Report and the various monographs as they were read and
studied across the country and over the years by those
most interested.

I left the Bureau in 1946 and have had very little con-
tact since that time with people, events, and affairs in
professional education. I was not involved at all in the
legislation when it eventaully passed, have made no special
study of it, and hence can only speculate along the lines
of the previous paragraph. I am sure that Mr. Reeves can
guide you to much better sources for that part of your
inquiry.

Sincerely,

Paul T. David
Professor

PTD/ghb

EEEIEI

 

 

170

THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
5835 XIIIDAIK AVENUE
CHICAGO ' ILLINOIS 60637

January 20, 1970

Miss Barbara Nicholas
College of Education

238 Erickson Hall
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Dear Miss Nicholas:

Last June Mr. Carl T. Pacacha sent me a request
for a statement about Professor Floyd W. Reeves.
Perhaps you are associated with Mr. Pacacha and the
two of you are writing affiliated theses. If not, I
am sending along a Xerox copy of my response to him.
It seems to me that it deals essentially with all of
the questions which you have to raise except those
which are concerned with Professor Reeves' work in
elementary and secondary school curricula, on which I
have had no association with him, and therefore should
not respond. The only other possible point which seems
to be left out is some assessment of his weaknesses, and
I have no desire to deal with this topic, particularly
since, if I did so, I would probably be telling you more
about myself than about him.

Sincerely ours,

air/z --

gril O . Houle
Professor of Education
COH/df
Enclosure

171

June 20, 1969

Mr. Carl T. Pacacha
4718 Olivia Avenue
Royal Oak, Michigan 48073

Dear Mr. Pacacha:

It is very good to know that you are writing a dis-
sertation on the contributions of Dr. Reeves to the
development of education.

My own close association with Dr. Reeves began in
1935 when I enrolled as his first student in adult education
here at The University of Chicago. In 1936 I went with him
to Albany where I served as his assistant on a major study
of adult education in the state of New York, and followed
that as an assistant on the staff of the Advisory Committee
on EducationinflWashington, where I was, by the way, much
less than a "consultant." Following that I returned to
Chicago to complete my degree with Dr. Reeves, and when he
left Chicago to go to the American Youth Commission I suc-
ceeded to the teaching of his classes, a post which I have
held ever since. On his return to Chicago he found me so
firmly entrenched in adult education that he had to turn to
the lesser field of educational administration--and I had
the benefit of continuing contact with him as a colleague
until he left Chicago to go to Michigan State University.
I put in this long recitation of my associations with him
partly out of pride, partly because I would have difficulty
in making any separate evaluation of his work with the
Advisory Committee on Education which would not be influenced
by the other associations which I have had, and partly to
indicate that my own association with him was so close
over so long a period of time that I find myself inarticu-
late to sort out my thoughts. With this background, however,
let me try to respond to your direct questions.

1. I was so junior a research assistant at the time
of the Advisory Committee on Education that I really had no
opportunity to perceive Dr. Reeves operating in his role as
chairman. While he and some of his associates were kind
enough to talk with me on some occasions and it fell to my
lot to work up various bodies of data which went into the
total information-gathering process, it could not be said
that I ever got near the end-product of that process: the
sifting out of those data which were significant in the mak-
ing of judgments concerning them. At that time I perceived
of Mr. Reeves as being the guide and balance wheel of the
Committee, operating in terms of ethical standards (concern-
ing race relations, for example) which were extraordinarily

172
Mr. Carl T. Pacacha June 20, 1969

advanced at that time. He seemed to be able to draw together
the ideas of diverse people and to work out a program for
action which would move national policy forward but would

not be too visionary to stalemate all hope of further deve-
lopment.

2. As I perceived Dr. Reeves' unique leadership quali-
ties at that time, my certainly immature observation might
have singled out these: (1) A capacity to identify himself
with the intellectual leadership within the Office of the
President to see how the future of education might be best
fitted within the larger framework of government planning.

(2) A capacity to work effectively with a number of intel-
lectual and political leaders in a wide variety of fields

so that many differences which otherwise might have been

the sources of tension and difficulty never came to the sur-
face. (3) A capacity to work with people in a collective
situation to discover the largest possible area of agree-
ment. (4) A capacity to come to the right decision on the
basis of insufficient evidence. This last quality of leader-
ship may sound negative, but I believe it to be the true
basis of all innovative leadership, For the pioneer must
act before all the data are in. And as a young man I was
constantly astounded by Dr. Reeves' capacity to do just
that--and then to be proved right.

3. I have already suggested the area of my responsi-
bility in regard to the Committee. I was a junior gatherer
of data on one of the sub-staffs of the Committee.

4. I thought then and I think now that any success
that the Committee might have had grew from the leadership
of Dr. Reeves. The fact that the Committee did not have
its recommendations translated into immediate action by
Congress were more attributable to World War II than to any-
thing else. But the report of the Committee was very widely
read, was thought about and served as a basis for the re-
thinking of education which occurred after World War II and
subsequently. I have not read the reports of the Committee
for a good many years, but my feeling would be that if I
went back to them now I would find that much current legis-
lation, even here in the sixties, is still working away at
the problems to which the Committee addressed itself using,
by and large, methods which the Committee either forecast
or would have found congruent with its plans.

173
Mr. Carl T. Pacacha June 20, 1969

5. I have no other comments to make, but if you
would like to raise any further questions I would be happy
to try to answer them.

Sincerely yours,

Cyril O. Houle
Professor of Education

COH/df

.174

COLLEGEOFE‘H'CH'O" umveasnv or FLORIDA

goinesvilqularida - 3260i

February 2, 1970

Miss Barbara Nicholas

238 Erickson Mall

College of Education
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan #8823

Dear Miss Nicholas:

Your letter about your dissertation, which is to be a biographical study
of “the activities of Floyd H. Reeves in elementary_and secondary school
curricula including the Junior college,“ has been forwarded to me here in
Gainesville where we have stayed during the winter months for a number of
years. Because of the high esteem in which I have always held Dr. Reeves,
I am quite willing to make a try at answering your questions in a general
way, although the lapse of years since seeing him often and the unreli-
ability of memories over such a long span of years are almost certain to
subtract from the usefulness of my responses.

Dr. Reeves came to the Department of Education at the University of Chicago
after I had already been there some years and stayed on after I had re-
tired, and there was quite a span of years while we were there together.
Also, although both of us were often away from campus on separate projects,
there was considerable opportunity for association. Our becoming well ac-
quainted was facilitated by the fact that for several years we lived in
apartments across the street from each other and our children, who were

not far from the same age-span, attended the same school (the University
Laboratory School) and had many interests in common and were friendly,

all of which was an aid to having the parents understand each other.

Asked to put in as few words as possible Dr. Reeves' major strengths I would
say that in his prime he was the exemplar among men with the comprehensive
constructive view in education. He was able to assemble, organize, and
analyze the evidence needed for his projects and by effective deliberative
procedure with his associates arrive at convictions as to apprOpriate action.
My admiration has been such that I cannot recall having sensed anything like
a real weakness.

175

Z-Miss Barbara Nicholas

If my memory does not fail me, the areas in which he did most of his work,

at least during our years of association, was on policies in public admini-
stration and in the organization and administration of higher education. I
think of his work as member of President Roosevelt's Advisory Committee on
Education, his work in New York State (where the proposal for a system of

junior colleges emerged), and his numerous surveys in the field of higher Ii
education, in many of which he was associated with John Dale Russell.

I am frank to say that your plan to emphasize my old colleague's contributions
to elementary and secondary school curricula has me a little puzzled. I do
not recall his working extensively at lower school levels, except during his
early professional years when he was principal and superintendent. That he
made substantial contribution at the junior college level can hardly be
questioned. Examination of the files in the College of Education Library
and in the Graduate Research Library here finds numbers of cards listing his
writings on public administration and higher education but few if any that
relate to curriculum at the lower school level. If he wrote extensively in
that area, the product did not get into print, or at least did not find its
way into these libraries which are relatively complete and satisfactory.

 

My impression that the area you are emphasizing was not Dr. Reeves' forte
seems to be borne out by my memory of an event relating to the dissertation
of one of our doctoral candidates at Chicago who subsequently became

Chairman of the Department of Education there, was with the Kellogg Foundation,
and later has been on the faculties of Michigan State and Western Michigan
Universitis, that is, Dr. Maurice Seay. Dr. Seay, while a graduate student,
worked as member of a staff, with Drs. Reeves and Russell, on a survey of
higher institutions maintained by one of the Protestant denominations. His
special assignment was the secondary schools of the denomination and it was
planned for him to deveIOp the project as his dissertation. An important
section of the dissertation was on curriculum. It was arranged that I, as
professor of secondary education, would be his advisor. Perhaps this arrange-
ment was made only out of courtesy to me, but at the time it was emphasized
that it was because Drs Reeves and Russell were working mainly in higher
education.

Of course, I may be wrong about Dr. Reeves' field of emphasis, and I would
assuredly appreciate your supplying the information that will set me right,
especially as I would be happy to add this dimension'CD my appreciation of him.
i will also be happy to try to answer further specific questions about him
insofar as memory permits.

Sincerely yours,

I
Leon V. Koos
Visiting Professor

176
F L.C) FBI C>l\ lk'T'L.l\IV T'|(3 [J P4 |\/IE F253 l1'\/

BOCA RATON. FLORIDA 33432

 

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
CENTER FOR COMMUNITY EDUCATION

February 17, 1970

Miss Barbara Nicholas
College of Education

238 Erickson Hall

Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan 48823

Dear Miss Nicholas:

I am.glad to respond to your letter of February 9th in connection with
the study you are making of Dr. Reeves. I am very happy that someone
is making such a study since a record should surely be made of the out-
standing contributions Dr. Reeves has made to American Education. I
shall try to reply to your questions as you list them below:

1. Before I came to Michigan State University in 1956, I had, of course,
known Dr. Reeves as a professional colleague in various organizations on a
national basis. I was already fully aware of his great contribution to the
TVA, to organizational problems in higher education and the teaching of
courses to the breadth of his participation in governmental directions.

2. Dr. Reeves' contribution to the basic college curriculum had
already been made when I came to Michigan State University. He had been
an.Advisor to President Hannah for sometime before he finally moved to
Michigan State. I am.sure that many of the contributions he made are
completely unrecorded and unheralded, such as advising President Hannah
about a multitude of specific problems from time to time. Probably neither
he nor President Hannah have a record of such advisement at the present time.

3. Dr. Reeves has made a tremendous contribution to the College of
Education at Michigan State University. Not the least of this has been his
participation as a member of the various committees of the faculty and the
policy-making groups together with the fact that he has been called in for
advice from all the Deans of the College during the last fifteen years.
There are probably few programs we have carried on that have not in one way
or the other benefitted from his contribution. It would be very difficult
to list these at the present time since they have appeared one after the
other during each of the fourteen years that I have been associated with the
College of Education.

SOUTHEASTERN REGIONAL CENTER FOR MOTT FOUNDATION PROJECTS

177
-2-

4. One of the outstanding qualities of the leadership of Dr. Reeves
is his grasp of the total governmental structure in the country; federal,
state and local. In dealing with educational leadership, he has been able
to paint on a large canvas. In part this grows from his experience at the
various governmental levels. It also comes from his broad outlook about
education and society in general. At the various periods in which his
leadership has been exercized he has found his way with great accuracy to
the country's central problems and has been able to relate education to
their solution.

5. It would not be very helpful or fitting to point out petty weak-
nesses in the career of a man as outstanding as Dr. Reeves. In my own
view, his only shortcoming thus far is that he has not left a greater
written record of his work. He could have written much more voluminously
and with much.more basis for his observations than most of our educational
writers. Perhaps he has been too modest to record these contributions.

6. Here I would like to express my appreciation of the fine Oppor-
tunity that has been mine to be associated with Dr. Reeves during the past
fourteen years. He has been a sounding board on which I have tried out a
great many of my problems and quandaries. I am sure that the role he has
played in relation to my own experience has been multiplied dozens of times
in relation to the large faculty of the College of Education as well as in
relation to faculty members in other colleges of Michigan State University.

If I have not commented on the problems as you would like, please feel
free to write me again. May I tell you again how happy I am that you are
making this study and I wish you the best of success in the endeavor.
Cordially yours,

,, 97‘ 7
E. 0. Melby ,

EOM:din

 

178

JOHN DALE RUSSELL
R. R. 2, BOX H, RUSSELL ROAD
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA ”7401

January 16, 1970

Miss Barbara Nichols

238 Erickson Hall

Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan 48823

Dear Miss Nichols:

It is interesting to learn from your letter of
January 12 of your project for a biographical study of Dr.
Floyd W. Reeves, to be used as a doctoral dissertation.
Although he has been a close personal friend and erstwhile
colleague of mine for more that 40 years, our relationships
professionally have been almost exclusively related to the
field of higher education, rather than to the field of
elementary and secondary school curricula with which you
are concerned. I hope you will understand that my attempts
to answer the questions in your letter are qualified by
this limitation.

Question 1. I first came to know Dr. Floyd W. Reeves
in 1926, when he came to Indianapolis to direct a survey of
state-controlled higher education in Indiana. I was then
director of research in the Indiana State Department of
Public Instruction, and he asked for and received a good
bit of my time for work on the higher education survey. In
the fall of 1927 he went to the University of Kentucky as
Director of the Bureau of School Service, and I went with
him as Assistant Director. We did some studies of local
public schools in Kentucky at that time -- I recall par-
ticularly the surveys of the Danville and Shelbyville City
Schools -- and also of the colleges and secondary schools
maintained by the Baptist Church in Kentucky. Much of our
work there, however, was for colleges and universities. He
and I both moved to Chicago in 1929, for two major projects:
(1) a survey of the liberal arts colleges and secondary
schools of the (northern) Methodist Episcopal Church; (2)
an intensive study (or survey) of the University of Chicago.
Both of us were officially staff members of the University
of Chicago; for the first two years he divided his time
about equally between the two projects, while 90 per cent
of my time was given to the Methodist study and 10 per cent
to Chicago. At the conclusion of the Methodist study in
1931 we were both full-time faculty members of the Univer-
sity of Chicago. When the Tennessee Valley Authority was
organized, he took extended leave from Chicago to assume
important responsibilities in the TVA. Later he returned
and we were again colleagues on the faculty of the Depart-
ment of Education at Chicago, both teaching courses in the

 

179

Barbara Nichols 1/16/70

field of higher education. I left the University of Chicago
in 1946, and our professional collaboration since then has
been rather limited. He and I have published a good many
things in co-authorship either as Reeves and Russell or as
Russell and Reeves, and also with other co-authors joined in
some instances.

Question 2. Among his major strengths have been the
generation of ideas for research for the improvement of
higher education, the stimulation of others toward research
in this field, and the courage to face opposition by those
who sometimes felt threatened by the research he was pro-
posing or undertaking.

 

Question 3. The only weakness I could mention is a
series of health conditions, first one thing and then an-
other, that have from time to time sapped his energies.

 

Question 4 and 5. I have not had any contact with his
work in public school administration or on elementary and
secondary school curricula that would provide a basis for a
response to these questions.

 

Now I am wondering if some other person is going to
write a biography of Dr. Reeves from the point of view of
his contributions to the field of higher education. I
could be much more helpful on such a project than I have
been on yours, for I consider higher education is the area
where the major impact of his professional life has been
felt.

Sincerely yours,

John Dale Russell

180
WIDTIII IICIIIOAI IIIIVIISITY

SCHOOLOFEDUCATTON KALAMAZOO,MICMIOAN
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP 4900!

 

January 28, 1970

Miss Barbara Nicholas

238 Erickson Hall

College of Education

School for Teacher Education
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Dear Miss Nicholas:

My delay in answering your recent letter is due to absence
from this campus making a North Central accreditation visit.

I shall answer the questions which you listed.

1. Please comment on what your affiliation(s) with Floyd W. Reeves
has or have been.

(1) Undergraduate student at Transylvania College, 1922-24.

(2) Graduate student at Transylvania and the University of
Kentucky, 1924- 26 (Part- time).

(3) His assistant in surveys of Disciplizaskahrist and
Methodist Colleges, and secondary schools, 1926- 30
(Part-time, except full-time, 1928-29).

(4) Reported to him administratively when Chief, Training
Division, T. V. A., 1934-37.

(5) Advisee in Doctoral program, University of Chicago, 1929-43.

(6) Fellow faculty member at University of Chicago, 1950-54.

(7) Fellow faculty member at Michigan State University, 1964-67.

2. For an objective evaluation of Floyd W. Reeves, what in your

estimation seemed to be his major strength(s)?

(l) Skill in evaluating institutions of higher education
(designing new instruments and implementing chemo

(2) Teaching ability - always with special interest in each
student

(3) Ability to accept and profit by criticism - never thrown
on defensive when attempting an innovative program or
measurement.

181

(4) Inter-disciplinary interest and study - a real behavioral
scientist

(5) Competence in advising - academic and personalIincluding
position expectancy, marital problems, etc.

(6) An activist in problems of our society. Example: Work
with federal government; T.V.A. and Manpower Commission

(7) Tolerance and appropriate humility

What in your estimation seemed to be his major weakness(s)?

I'm "stumped." This man does not have a weakness.
Of course, he is better in some activities than in others.
For example, he is not a great "platform man," not a
"spell-binder." But his scholarly, thoughtful, and sincere
public presentations are effective. '

Please comment on his work in public school administration
or as director of studies of agencies operated primarily
for purposes other than education.

He has lived, taught, and written as an advocate of
continuing education. With him, schooling and education
are not synonymous. Especially relevant to this question
are his experiences in T. V. A., in other governmental agencies,
and in American Council on Educational projects.

Please comment on any other aspects of Floyd W. Reeves which
would be of interest and relevant to an assessment of his
activities in and contributions to elementary and secondary
school curricula including the community college.

(1) A teacher of professional courses in Education for
undergraduate students who were preparing to teach in
elementary and secondary schools and in community
colleges.

(2) A teacher of graduate courses in Education, and in
Political Science for students who were preparing for
administrative and supervisory positions in school
systems and in community colleges.

(3) A director of studies concerned with programs in elementary
and secondary education, and in community colleges.
Examples: American Youth Commission of A.C.E., National
Vocational Education Commission, Federal Aid to Education
Commission, Rural Education Committee of the Farm Foundation,
Junior College surveys, school surveys, T.V.A. projects.

182

(4) Consultant to many school and non-school agencies.
Examples: North Central Association of Colleges and
Secondary Schools, the Board for Fundamental Education,
federal agencies.

I wish you success in your study. You chose a great
"subject" - to me the greatest.

Sincerely,

Professor of Educa ion

MFS/lkh