Complicating Patriotism in the Elementary Grades: An Examination of Rugg and Krueger's Overlooked Textbooks

Abstract

In the late 1930s several prominent self-described patriotic groups attacked social studies pioneer Harold Rugg as “un-American.” The largest instance of textbook censorship in American history unfolded. Yet little attention was given (and continues to be given by scholars) to Rugg's elementary textbooks that he wrote with Louise Krueger. This article examines Rugg and Krueger's complete “Elementary Series” in light of the un-American criticisms levied at Rugg. It documents how, despite critics’ claims, the books were immediately celebratory of the United States and its people, teaching a traditional patriotism that casts the nation as the supreme level of social analysis through an unquestioning, best-story approach. Furthermore, it shows how the books lack Rugg's justice-oriented philosophy of the “American Problem.” The article concludes by charging elementary social studies teachers, teacher educators, and researchers to consider critical questions related to the teaching of patriotism in the elementary grades.

Keywords:

• Harold Rugg
• elementary social studies
• patriotism
• textbooks

Acknowledgments

This work began under the terrific tutelage of my adviser and colleague, Dr. Kyle Greenwalt. I thank Dr. Murry Nelson, my colleague and teammate, for his thorough and thoughtful reads of multiple versions of this article. I also thank Dr. Jeff Passe, my colleague and fellow E Street-er, for his support.

Notes

1. Since the late 1960s, Rugg and his work have been frequent and constant foci in the scholarly literature of social studies (e.g., Bagenstos 1977; Bisland 2009; Boesenberg and Poland 2001; Carbone 1977; Carbone and Wilson 1995; Dorn 2008; Evans 2007; Kliebard and Wegner 1987; Moreau 2004; Nelson 1975, 1977, 1978; Riley 2006a; Stanley 1982; Winters 1967, 1968; Zimmerman 2002).

2. Bisland's article is a comparison between the elementary textbooks of Rugg and Paul Hanna. It looks at segments of three of Rugg's eight elementary volumes.

3. Krueger was Rugg's second wife and the director of multiple elementary schools in New York City. Although Rugg and Krueger were coauthors, Krueger's role is often obscured in the scholarly literature, and this is, perhaps, partly due to the fact that the entire Social Science Course featured only Rugg's name and Krueger did not contribute to the junior high materials. At some points in this article, I attribute the Elementary Series to Rugg (not Rugg and Krueger) because of the positioning of his name for the larger Course. However, I am mindful that all of his curricular materials over the course of his career were written with collaborators, including practicing educators, faculty colleagues, and graduate students (Evans 2007).

4. Had the un-American criticisms not halted his work, a Senior High Series was planned.

5. I compiled a lengthy list of references and representations in the form of direct quotations and notes, and I kept these in a spreadsheet that allowed me to categorize and thematize my evidence. For both quotes and my notes, I recorded the book and page number of each entry. I also provided contextual information for entries, particularly for quotes, that did not immediately capture the larger, surrounding context. I also recorded themes across the chapters, sections, and books. As Rugg and Krueger repeatedly highlight in the reading books the importance of story as a tool for study and learning, I sought to detail the stories that arc across the books.

6. In this article I sometimes use the words country and nation synonymously. (This is also true for United States and America.) While there is overlap across these words, as well as others like state and nation-state, I am cognizant that contested meanings are attached to each of them, especially when they are considered in relation to each other (Anderson 2006). It is not my purpose here to differentiate between the terms; rather, they all blend into the construction of America/n.

7. Uncharacteristically, compared to the other books, there is no concluding section that transitions to the next volume or links it to the larger Series.

8. It is interesting that the traditional patriotic markers of the American Revolution and ratification of the Constitution—the actual creation of the political state—are not alluded to as “The Westward Movement Continues.” This omission would likely have irked critics, although it is not necessarily un-American.

9. Bigelow specifically refers to “nation-state” instead of “nation”; however, I use the latter word for simplicity's sake, following the rationale in Endnote 6.