There was a time when country living was a significant part of American life. That time and place needed an educational system that would work, and whatwas finally made to work is the subject of a new book by Steve Grineski. We Were Pretty Darn Good, a story of progressive education in rural communities, links President Theodore Roosevelt's Report of the Country Life Commission with the need to educate thousands of children born on farms and homesteads. Author Steve Grineki, with an eye for vivid detail, traces the response to that report.
Focusing on the teacher preparation at the legendary Morehead Normal School in Minnesota and the contributions of its graduates to the transformation of America, Steve Grineski traces the results of the teaching efforts over two generations, With verbal sketches of several "darn good" teachers and the specific results of their teaching efforts, he brings into clear focus, the training and dedication of the rural teachers who brought to their students, the world of analytical thought and inspiration, much of it driving bountiful changes to significant measures of the American landscape. We Were Darn Good is a fascinating book and is a long overdue chapter, not just in the annals of American education, but in the wider panorama of American history
Steve Grineski PhD serves as liaison between the Minnesota State University-Morehead Teacher Education and the Moorhead, Minnesota, Alternative Education programs. He has presented and been published widely in diverse areas including cooperative learning and corporate school reform..
We Were Darn Good is available at Barnes and Noble bookstores, Books a Million, BN.com and Amazon and bookstores nationwide.
