This Happened in America

Evan’s guides the reader through the events leading up to Rugg having to defend himself against charges of communism by the local school board. He suggests that Rugg’s portrayal of corporate America as malevolent when corporations were subsidizing school programs pushed him into an unfavorable spotlight. For example, the superintendent of Bayonne New Jersey schools removed a social studies series from the schools to avoid offending Standard Oil company executives after Rugg implied that working there shortens a man’s life by 20 years. Rugg’s action was taken as a slight against capitalism. Coupled with the fact that Standard Oil paid over $1 million dollars in local taxes, a percentage of which goes to fund schools, it was not taken lightly (146).

Another major event occurred when the American Legion in 1935, requested that two of Rugg’s books be removed from classrooms on the grounds that they were unpatriotic and promoted a communist agenda (147).  His questioning of the government’s role in society and his views on the founding fathers led to this incident. However, Rugg was vindicated of the all charges that he sought to teach or promote communism in textbooks by a committee appointed by the school district (148).  His books were allowed to remain the schools.

Efforts to purge Rugg’s influence from schools have firmly implanted him into the annals of educational history.  This Happened in America: Harold Rugg and the Censure of Social Studies is an interesting and timely book which exposes the tensions between academia and society especially when suggested reforms are at odds with the status quo. Scholars interested in the Progressive Era, the history of education, and anyone interested in reading about the rise and fall of a spirited thinker will be interested in this book.

Reviewed by Dr. Stephanie Nicole Robinson, PhD, online faculty multiple universities