Local Civics with National Purpose

This book examines the development of civic education in the United States through the lives of two teachers at Shortridge High School (SHS) in Indianapolis around 1900. After situating civic education at the turn-of-the-century, the book describes the career of Laura Donnan—her influences, teaching, extracurriculars, and civic life—through the lens of her unique epistemology, shaped by negotiating the gendered ideologies of her era. Then, the book re-examines Arthur W. Dunn’s career, focusing on his ten years at SHS, and the influence of Donnan on his popular community civics curriculum and subsequently the 1916 report “The Social Studies in Secondary Education.” Previous scholars have overlooked Dunn’s time at SHS, viewing it simply as a stepping stone for the progressive educator’s career. This book argues that Dunn’s time at SHS was pivotal to his career due to influential colleagues, primarily Donnan. To conclude, Clark discusses the implications of Donnan’s epistemology in shaping civic education in the United States.