Myles Horton RADICAL HILLBILLY Assumptions of Androgogy 1
Myles Horton RADICAL HILLBILLY
Assumptions of Androgogy 1. The Learner’s Need to Know This Power. Point may reveal aspects about Adult Education which may not have been thought of. Looking at the experience of Miles Horton and seeing what sorts of conflicts he faced and overcame 5. The Learner’s Orientation to Learning about Myles Horton will help future educators see an example of someone who dedicated their life to adult education.
Early Life Born in 1905 Savannah Tennessee Raised in a poor family, both parents were school teachers. Grew up with a heavy focus on God and community
Formative Years By 1924 attended Cumberland College in Tenenneesee Taught bible classes to poor people during college After Cumberland he attended the Union Theological Seminary in Manhattan. Heavily influenced by Reinhold Niebuhr, Christian advocate for the poor
Idea Inspired by stories of Danish folk schools Myles decides to learn more This journey eventually took him to Denmark himself Experienced Danish Folk Schools first-hand Inspired to open a “Southern Mountain School”
Economic Situation Company Towns Companies would buy out an area and build a town. Everything in the town would be owned by the company People paid the company for everything Turned residence into indentured servants
Establishment Of Highlander 1932 establishes a small institution northwest of Chattanooga Tired to emphasize traditions of the mountain people. Focus on storytelling, folk songs and drama. Another emphasis was placed heavily upon leadership and speaking out to for the poor.
Expansion of Highlander Began to train union organizers Invited both Black and White to participate in contrast to Jim Crow Exposed to the black revolution By 1950 he had shifted his view from the Union to civil rights issues
Civil Activism Highlander Folk School became a principle meeting location for Civil rights activists Many famous black activists came Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. , Andrew Young etc. “lived in an atmosphere or equality with members of the other race. ”-Rosa Parks
Opposition to Highlander Repeatedly faced accusations of being a communist Was attacked and beaten by the KKK Highlander was raided by the State troopers And repeated attempts at its closure by the state Was tried as a communist by the supreme court
Outcome of Highlander Building was padlocked in 1960 Re-opened in Knoxville Tennessee Eventually moved to New Market By 1971 there was a return to Appalachian focus
Later Life Myles continued to work for others Focusing on empowering the mind of people to have the capacity to make decisions for their communities Staunch advocate of peoples experience, that people can learn from their own experience
Believed so strongly in personal empowerment Facilitating the learning so others can learn for themselves
Myles had strong feelings towards telling people what to do or creating a sense of dependency. “In the first place, I don't know what to do, ' Myles replied, 'and if I did know, I wouldn't tell you because if I had to tell you today, then I'd have to tell you tomorrow, and when I'm gone you'd have to get somebody else to tell you. ”
Convictions "You have to take sides and know why you're taking sides, " Myles often said. "There can be no such thing as neutrality. It's a code word for the existing system”
“To get something like this going in the first place you have to have a goal. That goal shouldn't be one that inhibits the people you're working with, but it should be beyond the goal you expect them to strive for. If your goal isn't way out there somewhere and isn't challenging and daring enough, then it is going to get in your way and it will also stand in the way of other people. Since my goal happened to be a goal of having a revolutionary change in this country and all over the world, its unlikely to get in the way in the near future. ”
Resources Myles Horton. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http: //www. biography. com/people/myles-horton-21385743#beliefsexpansion-and-legacy Retrieved from http: //www-personal. umich. edu/~hfox/horton. html http: //www. uawregion 8. net/Activist-HOF/M-Horton. htm
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