Impatient Griseldas: Women and the Perpetration of Violence in Sixteenth-Century Glasgow

Learning from the past: An historical perspective on indoctrination and citizenship

“…The defeat of the National Strike in 1926 dealt a severe blow to the labour movement and marked the beginning of the decline of SSSs. By 1935, there were only 34 schools affiliated to the National Council, mainly in Yorkshire and Glasgow (Reid, in Ewan, 2012a: 15).…”

“…In 2012, an event hosted by the Common Guild, a visual arts organisation, celebrated the history of SSSs. It took place in Scotland Street School Museum, an iconic building designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and included visual material (posters, banners, photographs), a printed programme with articles by some of those who had attended SSSs, and a film created by the artist Ruth Ewan (Ewan, 2012a, 2012b). The last of these featured thirteen interviewees who had attended the Glasgow schools (mainly during the 1940s).…”

“…Several had pursued careers in education and other civic services, suggesting a commitment to the public good. Reid (in Ewan, 2012a: 17) suggests the enlightened teaching of SSSs served to inspire subsequent involvement in ‘trade unions, community politics, women's groups, peace protests, disability campaigns and other struggles’.…”

“…There was a formal part, with reading of minutes, voting on motions, and short talks by visiting speakers. But the social side was also important – music, choirs, dancing, drama, outings (Ewan, 2012b). In Glasgow, the big event of the year was the May Day celebration, with decorated floats and a procession to Queen's Park on the south side of the city.…”

“…Among Anderson's Ten Proletarian Maxims are the following, which reveal an unqualified commitment to Marxism: Thou shalt teach Revolution, for revolution means the abolition of the present Political State, and the end of Capitalism, and the raising in their place an Industrial Republic. Thou shalt wage the class war, by pointing out that the history of all recorded societies is an [sic] history of the Class Struggle, and that the emancipation of the working class from wage-slavery must be brought about by themselves. (quoted in Ewan, 2012a: 23) In comparison, most articles in the Young Socialist, launched in Glasgow by Archie McArthur in January 1901, adopted a more measured and reasoned tone. Jane Rosen (2014) has given a useful account of the development of the magazine, covering readership, circulation, content and editorial stance.…”