1917 Teachers College Strike

1917 Teachers College Strike was a significant labor dispute involving Teachers College, Columbia University faculty members, including John Dewey, Edward Thorndike, and William Heard Kilpatrick, who were influenced by the Progressive Education movement and the National Education Association. The strike was sparked by issues related to academic freedom, tenure, and faculty governance, which were also concerns for Harvard University and University of Chicago professors, such as John Maynard Keynes and Thorstein Veblen. The 1917 Teachers College Strike drew attention from prominent figures like Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Eleanor Roosevelt, who were interested in education reform and labor rights. The strike's impact was felt beyond New York City, with University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University faculty members, including Emerson Ellick, taking notice of the dispute.

● Introduction

The 1917 Teachers College Strike was a pivotal moment in the history of Teachers College, Columbia University, involving notable faculty members like Ruth Benedict, Margaret Mead, and George Counts, who were associated with the American Anthropological Association and the American Educational Research Association. The strike highlighted the tensions between faculty and administration, with the former seeking greater autonomy and the latter attempting to maintain control, a dynamic also present at Yale University and Princeton University. The dispute drew support from various organizations, including the American Federation of Teachers, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the American Civil Liberties Union, which were also involved in the Lawrence Textile Strike and the Bisbee Deportation. Key figures like Samuel Gompers, Mary Harris Jones, and W.E.B. Du Bois offered their backing to the striking faculty members, who were influenced by the Industrial Workers of the World and the Socialist Party of America.

● Background

The 1917 Teachers College Strike was preceded by a series of events and issues that contributed to the tensions between faculty and administration, including the United States' entry into World War I and the Red Scare. Faculty members, such as Charles Beard and James Harvey Robinson, were concerned about the impact of war propaganda and censorship on academic freedom, which was also a concern for University of Wisconsin–Madison and University of Michigan professors, including Charles McCarthy and James Rowland Angell. The administration, led by Nicholas Murray Butler, was under pressure from trustees and donors, including John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie, who were influenced by the National Association of Manufacturers and the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. The faculty sought greater control over curriculum and faculty governance, which was also a concern for University of California, Los Angeles and New York University professors, including Robert Millikan and Thornton Wilder.

● The Strike

The 1917 Teachers College Strike began in response to the administration's decision to dismiss several faculty members, including Henry Linville, who were seen as radicals or dissidents, a move that was supported by the New York City Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The striking faculty members, who included George Herbert Mead and Charles Hubbard Judd, were joined by students and other supporters, including Norman Thomas and Bayard Rustin, who were associated with the Socialist Party of America and the Congress of Racial Equality. The strike drew national attention, with coverage in The New York Times, The Nation, and The New Republic, which also reported on the Russian Revolution and the Bolsheviks. The dispute was eventually resolved through negotiations, which involved mediators like Jane Addams and John R. Commons, who were associated with the Hull House and the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

● Aftermath

The 1917 Teachers College Strike had significant consequences for the faculty and administration of Teachers College, Columbia University, as well as for the broader education community, including Harvard University and University of Chicago. The strike led to changes in faculty governance and academic freedom policies, which were influenced by the American Association of University Professors and the National Education Association. The dispute also highlighted the importance of labor rights and collective bargaining in higher education, which was a concern for University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University faculty members, including Emerson Ellick and Ira B. Cross. The strike's legacy can be seen in the student movements of the 1960s, including the Free Speech Movement and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, which were influenced by the Civil Rights Movement and the New Left.

● Legacy

The 1917 Teachers College Strike is remembered as a significant moment in the history of Teachers College, Columbia University and the broader education community, including University of Wisconsin–Madison and University of Michigan. The strike's emphasis on academic freedom, faculty governance, and labor rights continues to influence higher education policy and practice, with organizations like the American Association of University Professors and the National Education Association playing a key role in promoting these values. The strike's legacy can also be seen in the work of educational researchers and scholars, including Lawrence Cremin and Diane Ravitch, who have written about the history of education and the politics of education, and have been influenced by the Progressive Education movement and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The 1917 Teachers College Strike remains an important chapter in the history of education and labor rights in the United States, with connections to the Lawrence Textile Strike, the Bisbee Deportation, and the Russian Revolution.

Category:Labor disputes in the United States