Science Education and Citizenship: Fairs, Clubs, and Talent Searches for American Youth, 1918–1958 (Historical Studies in Education)

Sevan G. Terzian traces the changing civic justifications for science clubs, fairs, and talent searches for American youth from World War One to the Cold War. Science fairs, clubs, and talent searches are familiar fixtures in American education, yet little is known about why they began and grew in popularity. In Science Education and Citizenship, Sevan G. Terzian traces the civic purposes of these extracurricular programs for youth over four decades in the early to mid-twentieth century. He argues that Americans' mobilization for World War Two reoriented these educational activities from scientific literacy to national defense - a shift that persisted in the ensuing atomic age and has left a lasting legacy in American science education Cover 1 Half-Title 2 Title 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 List of Figures and Tables 10 Foreword 12 Acknowledgments 14 Introduction 17 1 Origins of Science Clubs and Fairs 24 2 Building a Network 47 3 Showcasing Young Scientists at the New York World’s Fair 71 4 Enlisting Science Education for National Strength 94 5 Sustaining Mobilization in an Atomic Age 115 Conclusion 151 Notes 158 Selected Bibliography 221 Index 236 Front Matter....Pages i-xv Introduction....Pages 1-7 Origins of Science Clubs and Fairs....Pages 9-31 Building a Network....Pages 33-56 Showcasing Young Scientists at the New York World’s Fair....Pages 57-79 Enlisting Science Education for National Strength....Pages 81-101 Sustaining Mobilization in an Atomic Age....Pages 103-138 Conclusion....Pages 139-145 Back Matter....Pages 147-235