Progressive politics and the training of America's persuaders

At the beginning of the 20th century, Progressive reformers set up curricula in journalism, public relations, and creative writing to fulfill their own purposes: Well-trained rhetors could convince the U.S. citizenry to accept Progressive thinking on monopolies and unions and to elect reform candidates.

In this unique volume, Katherine H. Adams chronicles the creation of this advanced curriculum in speaking and writing during the Progressive era and examines the impact of that curriculum on public discourse. Unlike other studies of writing instruction, which have concentrated on freshman curricula or on a specific genre, this book provides an historical and cultural analysis of the advanced composition curriculum and of its impact on public persuasion. Adams surveys American instruction at state and private schools across the country, with special attention given to the influential Progressive universities of the Midwest.