History of Reading News. Vol.XX No.2 (1997:Spring)

Peter Fisher, National-Louis University and Sheila Shapiro, Northeastern Illinois University, are presenting a paper entitled "Representations of Family and Motherhood in the McGuffey and Other Readers," at The Center for the History of Print Culture in Modern America. They will be presenting in Madison, Wisconsin, May 9-10, 1997, at a conference entitled "Defining Print Culture for Youth: Children and Reading Since 1876. Peter states, "I seem to recall that I saw the call for papers in the last issue of the History of Reading News." The conference is cosponsored by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Alexis Weedon, University of Luton, UK, reports her research interests include Economics of publishing in Britain: 1800-present and Consumption of print media and changing reading patterns.

H. Alan Robinson, retired, has been asked to write an article about himself for the Reminiscences series to be published in a future issue of the News. He writes that he is Historian for the Reading Hall of Fame and has completed a summary of the first ten years of its existence. He plans to continue in an effort to bring the summary up to date within the next year and a half as he organizes Hall of Fame archives. He will present an expanded and up-to-date version of the paper he delivered at the History of Reading SIG in New Orleans last year and at the Atlanta meeting this year as an opening of the Reading Hall of Fame program. In October, Alan, along with IRA personnel and selected SIG members, participated in a committee meeting focused on the history of reading at IRA headquarters.

Harvey J. Graff, University of Texas at Dallas, spoke on the history of literacy at Teachers College, Columbia University in May, 1996. His research/publication activities during the past year included a revision of his article on Microsoft Encarta on literacy; an article on literacy for the Oxford Companion to U. S. History; and publication of the first in a series of international comments on the first International Adult Literacy Survey in Literacy Across the Curriculum (Montreal Literacy Centre), 12, 2 (1996).

Allen Berger, Miami University, was recently featured in The Cincinnati Enquirer concerning his work in the Cincinnati Public Schools. The article praised the work Berger is doing in two middle schools where he has observed more than 200 hours of classes. He believes "There are a lot of good things happening inside those buildings." Berger watches and writes about teachers working in what he considers tough schools that serve students from predominantly low-income neighborhoods. The article cites a number of instances when Allen's work and his presence have made a difference in the lives of the students.

John Elkins, The University of Queensland, Australia, is engaged in two research projects: The history of remedial education in Australia and the use of Queensland Graded Readers.

Janet A. Miller, Northern Kentucky University, was appointed Assistant Chair of the School of Education beginning fall 1996. She will also work with graduate students as Director of Graduate Programs in Education.

E. Jennifer Monaghan, Brooklyn College of CUNY, will speak on "Public Opinion, Professionalism and Ideology: A Historical Look at Controversies on Phonics Instruction," at the plenary session of IRA's "Reading Research '97," at Atlanta.

Douglas K. Hartman, University of Pittsburgh, will teach a doctoral seminar this summer at his university titled "The History of Reading Research and Instruction." (SIG members received an abbreviated version of the syllabus for his course in an earlier edition of the News). He will serve as discussant for the History of Reading SIG in Atlanta.

Luther B. Clegg, Texas Christian University, reports his book related to teaching in one- and two-teacher schools will be available soon. The Empty School: Memories of the One-Room Texas Schools is scheduled for release in June from Texas A & M University Press.