Silenced Sisters: Dewey's Disciples in a Conservative New South, 1900-1940

Abstract

This story of Dewey's disciples in the New South presents two major themes rarely seen in current literature about the South or about the Progressive Era: the influence of educational philosopher John Dewey in the region and the struggles of his disciples—the southern women educators who were major influential forces in reshaping the area's educational systems. These themes come together to produce an unusual and instructive story about these female leaders of southern educational reform during the Progressive Era. In an attempt to correct what educational historian Clarence Karier calls an “inexcusable omission,” this paper showcases two women who were not silenced during their leadership tenure but have since become so, by time and by the masculine interpretation of educational history.