English as a Vocation

Reading and ownership

“…146 As has been argued, The uses of literacy was 'a book that spoke to, and was shaped by, the adult education movement'. 147 University extra-mural departments and voluntary bodies like the Workers' Educational Association grew substantially after the war, supported by the Labour government. As Hilliard has shown, Hoggart's methods as an extra-mural teacher in Hull after the war were strongly influenced by 'the currency of left-Leavisism' and promoted a discriminating close reading in pursuit of '"appreciating real literature"'.…”

“…Hilliard has persuasively argued that his critical procedure differed from Leavis's. 150 Writing post-Penguin Hoggart could not avoid pointing to the availability of cheap quality books to the 'earnest minority' of working-class readers, in addition to the promotion of educative reading via the expansion of adult education. Furthermore, there was already evidence that the very divisions in culture and reading practices he detected were changing and narrowing.…”

‘Experimental’ secondary modern education in Britain, 1948–1958

“…119 David Holbrook made the case for freedom from 'chalk-and-talk' methods in a series of texts for secondary modern English teachers published in the 1960s. 120 He argued that the school's aim should be to 'supply new positives' to the social and cultural lives of its pupils, increasingly plagued by advertising and mass culture. 121 He hoped that such changes would lead to 'demands for sound popular culture established in the school experience' .…”

An English School for the Welfare State: Literature, Politics, and the University, 1932–1965

“…112 Ford had been involved with a number of other socially minded pupils and colleagues of Leavis, including Denys Thompson and David Holbrook, in editing the journal Use of English from 1951, which was published by ABCA's successor the Bureau of Current Affairs. 113 Despite a number of detractors, obsessed with the malign Leavisite presence among contributors, 114 the Pelican Guide reflected a new spirit within the expanding profession of English Studies. 115 Though, of the figures discussed, only Knights contributed to the volumes (Dobrée, who knew Williams from his ABCA days, was Allen Lane's first choice but was passed over for overall editor in favour of the younger Ford), 116 a large number of their former students wrote chapters for the project.…”

“…113 Despite a number of detractors, obsessed with the malign Leavisite presence among contributors, 114 the Pelican Guide reflected a new spirit within the expanding profession of English Studies. 115 Though, of the figures discussed, only Knights contributed to the volumes (Dobrée, who knew Williams from his ABCA days, was Allen Lane's first choice but was passed over for overall editor in favour of the younger Ford), 116 a large number of their former students wrote chapters for the project. The Pelican Guide was written for the growing number of sixth formers and English undergraduates at new universities who appreciated the direct social relevance of the subject, which the books amply provided.…”