James John Harpell: An Adult Education Pioneer
Abstract
This article provides historical insight into an adult education pioneer, James John Harpell. His significant contribution to the Canadian adult education movement in the early part of the 20th century includes starting correspondence courses for industrial workers, study clubs for adults, and promoting self-study and lifelong learning; nevertheless, Harpell has received minimal recognition in adult education circles. Harpell was also an important figure in the co-operative movement, taking a leading role in starting two credit unions, an arts and crafts cooperative, a building co-operative, and two worker co-operatives. The worker co-operatives were started in 1945 when he retired from his firm and converted it to that arrangement—one in Toronto and the other in St. Anne-de-Bellevue. Harpell Press Co-operative was, until recently when financial difficulties forced its sale, one of the leading worker cooperatives in Canada and a leader in that movement. Harpell is part of a small tradition of business owners, starting with Robert Owen of New Lanark, Scotland, who have utilized their firm as a laboratory to promote social and educational innovations. Although he was successful in business, his prolific writings indicate that his primary interests were as a social critic, social innovator, and adult educator, for which he has received some recognition; but he remains largely unknown as an adult educator. This article discusses his contribution to adult education and speculates that his location outside of the university probably reduced the influence of his ideas and the impact of his writings.
RésuméCet article donne un aperçu historique de l'œuvre d'un pionnier de l'andragogie, James John Harpell, dont la contribution au mouvement d'éducation des adultes au début du siècle est importante. Parmi cellesci, notons la mise sur pied de cours par correspondance destinés aux travailleurs industriels, l'introduction de cercles d'étude pour adultes et la promotion de l'apprentissage autonome et de l'éducation permanente. Malgré cela, Harpell demeure pen connu du milieu de l'andragogie. Harpell joua aussi un rôle de premier plan dans le mouvement coopératif, inaugurant deux caisses de crédit, une coopérative d'artisanat, une coopérative d'habitation et deux coopératives de travail. Les coopératives de travail furent fondées en 1945 lorsque Harpell à la retraite transforma son entreprise en coopératives—l'une à Toronto et l'autre à Ste Anne de Bellevue. Jusqu'à sa dissolution récente pour cause de difficultés financières, Harpell Press fut l'une des plus importantes coopératives de travail au Canada et l'une des plus en vue dans le mouvement coopératif. Harpell s'inscrit dans une modeste tradition d'entrepreneurs tels que Robert Owen, de New Lanark (Écosse), ayant transformé leur entreprise en laboratoire de changement social et d'innovation en éducation. Bien qu'ayant connu le succès dans les affaires, les écrits prolifiques de Harper montrent que son identité première fut celle d'un critique de la société, innovateur social et andragogue. Cette dernière vocation cependant lui a valu peu d'honneurs. Le présent article décrit la contribution de Harper à l'éducation des adultes et soutient que son influence et ses idées eurent un impact réduit du fait d'avoir été confinés hors du milieu universitaire.
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