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" THE ATLANTA SERVICE LEARNING EXPERIMENT A Proposal For A Conference prepared by Joe D. Kimmins Office of Public Affairs/South Region Peace Corps Portions of this paper were developed from materials prepared by William R. Ramsay of the Southern Regional Education Board , by Dr. Edward Holmes of Emory University, by Sam Williams of the Atlanta Urban Corps, and others. Atlanta , Georgia April 23 , 1969 �What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing. ARISTOTLE �THE ATLANTA SERVICE LEARNING EXPERIMENT A Proposal For A Conference The Atlanta area today is alive with the activities of many agencies , institutions, and individuals concerned with the full development of the area's human and economic resources. These activities cut across tradi- tional academic and bureaucratic categories and across traditional social and political organizations and are marked by new alliances including black and white, young and old, powerful and powerless. One of the new allian€es with great potential is the combining of community experience with education. "Service-learning" implies an involvement of students , faculty and practitioner in an arrangement which results in both service to the community and learning by all participants. Recognizing that such an arrangement requires this c ooperative action , and raises difficult questions that pertain t o both education and community devel opment, i t is felt by many that some agent should exist t o serve as a link between the various people and organizations concerned, and as a reposit ory of new experiences. But such an agent does not now exist, which merely reflects the fac t that the activities mentioned cut across traditional organizations of men and thought. Therefore, it is proposed to convene a Conference of interested individuals who represent the agencies, institutions, and other organizations that are affected by or involved in the development of both community and human resources. �The Confer ence will focus on the concept of service-learning for five basic reasons , simply stated: 1. Programs of all kinds are proliferating in response to pressing societal and human needs; 2. Existing development agencies need additional manpower; 3. Students have expressed a desire for more "relevant" educati onal experiences , and are a large pool of well-trained, of t-unused manpower; 4. Educational institutions are reaching out into the community for ways to become more vitally involved in its affairs; and 5. The human and institutional resources exist side-by-side in Atlanta with progressive attitudes which , properly coordinated , can achieve a broad pr ogr am of student intern involvement in service-learning opportunities existing in this metropolitan area. The Conference shall be convened for a nine-month period , extending from April t hrough December, 1969 . I ts purpose shall be: to c ombine the resour ces of institutions and agencies concerned wit h t he rel at ionships bet ween service experi.e nce and higher educat ion in an exploration and development of a conceptual f ramework and pract ical model f or service l ea rning programs for universities and communities. The Conference will provide a s tructure for reflection and exchange among participant s in various community and educat ional programs over the nine-months period. Careful study combined with actual i nvolvement in programs will result in a comprehensive picture and plan for servicelearning in community and on campus. �Participation in the Conference will be extended to any agency or organization whose activities have a bearing on the component concerns of service-learning, or which has a vested interest in the successful outcome of an experimental program in service-learning. In the Atlanta area, where the Conference will have its focus, it is envisioned that the following groups or institutions will be wellrepresented in the body of Conference participants: Students There are more than 30 ,000 college or university students in Atlanta area institutions Educational Institutions Agnes Scott College, Clark College, Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State College, Morehouse University, Morri s Brown College, Spelman College, Oglethorpe College, and the University of Georgia Governments The City of Atlanta, Fulton and DeKalb Counties , the State of Georgia, and the Federal Government as represented by regional headquarters of HEW, HUD, CSC , OEO Peace Corps , VISTA , and others · Other Institutions and Organizations The Atlanta Urban Corps , the Georgia Mmicipal Association, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools , the Southern Education Foundation , the Ford Foundation , the Southern Consortium on International Education , the YWCA, the Concerned Citizens of Atlanta , and many others from the public and private sector Operation and Function of the Conference on Service-I.earning Any experiment , and especially one dealing with an indistinct , newly-conceived project such as the Atlanta Service-I.earning Experiment, comprises many component concerns. The concept of service- learning �involves many functions which are not easily compartmentalized. However , the following are seen as fairly distinct components of the service-learning idea: 1. the service dimension of service-learning 2. the learning dimension of service-learning 3. curriculum design 4. inter-institutional relationships 5. institutional and agency structure , or re-structure , for service-learning 6. financial resources and needs 7. research , of university, community , and agency resources 8. models and programs, existing and foreseen 9. a guiding philosophy for service-learning programs For the working study of these concerns , it is proposed that the Confe r ence create wor k groups , each undertaking to ex plore in depth and produce a report on their assigned area. The collected reports f r om the work groups would be presented in December 1969 at the summary meeting of the Confe r ence . To a ssist t he work groups and the confe r ee s in thei r study, t wo methods would be employed in additi on to work group meetings . I. ~ Practical Laborat ory: t he At l ant a Urban Corps An on-going practi ca l implementation of t he se rvi ce-learni ng concept on as wide a basis as possible in t he Atlanta area during the summe r of 1969 i s al ready begun, unde r the spons orshi p of several groups (joining to form an Atlanta Urban Corps). This operation shall serve as a practical laboratory , whereby the �Conference, through observation and conclusions, shall work towards a continuing service-learning program for the Atlanta area. Furthermore, the Conference will serve as the repository of information gained through experience with Atlanta area service-learning experiments. Similarly, the Conference , because of the collective expertise of its participants , will be a major resource to service-learning groups throughout the summer of 1969. The participants pledge to commit as much of their creativity, time, and resources as possible to the successful completion of a summer of experimentation in servicelearning. II. M:>nthly Conventions of the Conference Monthly sessions of the entire Conference will be convened , at each of which one or more of the component concerns will be the topic of study. Each work group will have an opportunity to "chair" a session of the Conference , and guide the discussion as it sees fit to focus the attention of the entire Conference on its particular component of service-learning . Each work group will organi ze its assigned session , calling in whatever additional r esource people needed to explo r e the topic of concern. ~~ Groups The Conference will f unction pri marily th r ough i t s work groups. membership will be drawn from the body of Confe r enc e participants. Their Work groups will marshall the available re sources , implement the ideas and concepts , guide the progress of the Experiment , coordinate its operations , �study its component concerns , and make recorrnnendations based upon their experiences towards the creation of a comprehensive model and a continuing operation in Atlanta. Individuals , appointed from the Conference participants , will be designated Chairmen of the work groups. The Chairmen will see his work group's assignment is successfully studied and reported to the Conference. Chair- men will have as co-workers other participants in the Conference who agree to serve on his work group. It is proposed that the following work groups be formed: 1. A Service Work Group 2. A Learning Work Group 3. A Curriculum and Inter-Institutional Work Group 4. A Research Work Group 5. A Financial Work Group 6. A Models and Programs Work Group 7. A Guidance Work Group (a steering committee) The membe r ship of the Guidance Work Group shall consist of the Chai rmen of the othe r six work groups , and the Director of the Confe r ence. The membe r ship of the other work groups will be r esolved at the Apr il 30, 1969, Confe r ence Convention. Although t he Chai rman of a par ti cular work gr oup wi ll i nevi t abl y repres ent one of the part i cipating agenci es or instituti ons of the Confe rence, this does not imply domination of that work group's study by the vi ewpoint or vested interests of the Chairman's agency or institution. It is assumed that the membership of any particular work group will consist of individuals from several participating agencies or groups, as their interests and manpower resources allow. �A Timetable It is ervisioned that the Conference be convened on a monthly basis, beginning in April 1969. Following is a suggested timetable for Conference consideration of the components of service-learning: April 1969: first Conference Convention; orientation, general discussion of the Conference proposal and the agenda; and assignment of work group chairs and membership May 1969: a general meeting on Service-learning and the Atla~Experiment; a national meeting of concerned people with the Atlanta participants , to generate national and community interest and to publicly initiate the Conference June 1969: a discussion of service and learning July 1969: a discussion of financial needs and resources ·August 1969: a discussion of curricula, and inter-institutional relationships September 1969: October 1969: a discussion of research considerations a discussion of models and programs November 1969: a discussion of the philosophy of servicelearning, and preparation for final reports December 1969: a summary meeting �Conclusion Although admittedly imperfect, as is the nature of foresightful programs, it is believed that the structure outlined in this paper will at least get the Atlanta Service-Learning Experiment under way in a reasonably workable fashion. It is intended that the reader view all the above as designed for flexibility. Needs will undoubtedly be met on an ad hoc basis as we learn of them. But this is a start. We commit ourselves as individual and group participants in a large-scale , serious approach to meeting important and immediate needs of society. We, like the students who undertake service- learning, must learn by doing.
�The following information is provided as background to this
proposal:
I.
II.
III.
The February 1969 Emory Conference on Service-I.earning
The Atlanta Urban Corps
Developments in Curriculum Design at Emory University
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�The Emory Conference
On February 28, 1969, more than two dozen men and one woman, representing
educational institutions, government, and other agencies, met together for
one afternoon at Emory University.
Under the leadership of William Ramsay
of the Southern Regional Education Board, they initiated a discussion of
several aspects of service performed by individuals in the public interest ,
and of the educational dimensions of that service.
Models for the service
concept were as varied as the SREB intern and the volunteer in Peace Corps
or VISTA.
Participants in the Emory Conference agreed that such service both
contributes to the community , welfare and the students' education , and
that it should be encouraged on a large and institutional scale.
Indeed , many participants felt that it is not only in the gene r al
interest to encourage such commitment , but i mperative to do so.
They agr eed further that programs could and should be created by colleges
and universiti e s to encourage the student population to commit itself in
greater pe r centage s to national or international se r vice with st rong educational support.
It was suggested that the agencies and insti tuti ons
r epresented a the Emory Conf erence had the necessary powe r and r esource s
to create such pr ogr ams in At l anta.
As the day's di s cussion pr ogres sed , it became cl ear that the concerns
of the participants we re far broader than service - l earni ng alone .
According
to their individual viewpoint, diffe rent participants felt that the concept
of service-learning carried the seeds of solution to many modern problems.
�stated, some of them are:
student demands for more "relevant" educational
experiences during the college years (a concern
for the active student)
society's needs for large numbers of concerned
people who are willing to give of themselves to
solve great problems ••• and the lack of such numbers (a concern for the passive student)
polarization of the attitudes of racial, ethnic,
economic, and national groups, demanding increased
inter-cultural, or cross-cultural, experiences
both within and between nations (the issue of
peace)
the insensitivity of established institutions
to pressing needs for change; and the slow pace
of institutional change versus the accelerating
rate of social change and needs (the "Establishment")
disagreement, especially by the young, with current
social ordering of priorities in America (the crisis
of values)
It is noteworthy , too, that many modern spokesmen have eloquently
addressed themselves to the same concerns.
Four significant recent
statements follow:
Governor Daniel Evans, in his Keynote Address to the 1968 Republican
Convention:
The voice of youth has served notice that
satisfaction can't be measured alone in
dollars; that there is a need for service and
contribution beyond the attainment of material
success. If these goals require an investment
in patience, then let us invest ; if they require
money , then let us spend.
�Eberly, Executive Director of
••• organizations should offer young people
opportunities to perform needed tasks contributing to the welfare of others; to communicate across racial , social, and economic
barriers; to develop a sense of self-worth
and civic pride; to get involved; and to learn
while serving.
President Richard Nixon , in a radio address on October 17, 1968,
during his campaign for the presidency:
••• school administrators (must) wake up to
the healthy new needs of student participation
and incorporate that activity into the learning
process.
Mark R. Killingsworth, a Rhodes scholar in economics at Oxford , in
the NEW YORK TIMES of February 15 , 1969:
••• the National Commission on Technology , Automation
and Economic Progress has estimated that the country
needs some 5.3 million extra workers to bring public
services -- medical care , education, welfare and home
care , public protection , urban renewal and sanitation
-- up to ' acceptable' levels.
The energy and moral commitment of a gene r ation which
ha s alre ady won civil r ights victor i es , gotten l ongoverdue educ ational reforms and blown a closed political
pr ocess wide open is still available. When will we
decide we want it ?
The Emory Conference participants, and othe rs who will join the
At l anta Experiment as i t evolves , t ake heart in the nat ionwide movement
of thought that supports our sense of dedicati on and commitment.
This sense of dedication and commitment to action was the overriding
result of the Emory Conference.
The participants called upon Bill Ramsay
of SREB to work with an ad hoc committee toward the creation of some
�framework that would marshall the resources in Atlanta to the
They also felt that the City of Atlanta should be the focus and limit
of experimentation at this time , with the idea that what is attempted here
will be done in an atmosphere of open experimentation , searching for ideas
of value for other cities, states, or regions.
We should seek to learn
not only what can be done here, but what can be done anywhere.
Practicality
demands an initial attempt of experimentally manageable scope.
Also, it
was felt that necessary resources exist in Atlanta, obviating the necessity
to search far and wide for distant resources and support.
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The Atlanta Urban Corps
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(From THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, Saturday, November 30, 1968:)
"Atlanta city government hopes to have an Urban Corps of up to
college interns working for and with it by the spring semester.
"Dan Sweat, governmental liaison director at City Hall , said Friday
that the city is seeking to employ 100 under the federal College Work
Study Program, and already is negotiating with college officials.
"Sam Williams , president of the Georgia Tech student body last
brought the attention of Sweat and Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr., to the
of the New York intern program last spring."
In the five-month interim since the publication of this article , an
Atlanta Urban Corps has come into being .
It is under the directorship of
Mr. Williams , through a cooperative arrangement between the Atlanta Children
and Youth Services Council of the City and the Souther n Regional Educat i on
Board.
Currently, the Urban Corps , with a strong student partici pation element ,
i s engaged in t he following operations:
1.
Recruitment of st udent i nterns f or summer, 1969, f rom Atl anta campuses through a s tudent member Col lege Rel ations Board.
2.
D=velopment of int ernship positions to meet agency manpower needs in
the Atlanta a rea.
Interviews a r e being conducted by students wit h
department and agency heads t o es t abli sh valid intern posit i ons t o
be f i lled this summer.
It is expected that up to thr ee hundr ed
pos i t i ons will be avai l able f or placement.
3.
A search is underway to locat e individuals to fill approximately
thirty-three permanent and temporary staff positions needed to
manage and operate the Urban Corps.
�Of the
"Our young people and our cities can no longer afford to be
The Urban Corps offers to students a chance to be in the mainstream of
Atlanta's problems and potentials. "
Descriptive and publicity materials, and the charter of the Urban Corps
will be available at the April 30, 1969, convention of the Conference for
examination by the participants.
�Developments in Curriculum Design~ Emory University
Dr. Edward Holmes, Assistant Dean of the General College, Emory
University; and Phillip Rlopp , Director of Institutional Relations, Peace
Corps, on April 9, 1969, met with department chairmen and faculty members
in social sciences and romance languages to survey existing resources at
Emory for developing service-learning programs.
Beyond the single concern
of university resources, they explored the possibility of creating a ·program
of subjects in domestic and international affairs that would encourage and
prepare the student for service in Peace Corps , VISTA, or Teacher Corps,
or in other related voluntary service.
Conversations on that day between Holmes, Rlopp, and Bill Ramsay of
SREB led to a decision to pursue the question of Atlanta area resources
relevant to such a program, and to a proposal for a resource survey.
Accordingly, on April 15 , 1969, Holmes met with Robert C. Nelson ,
Director of the Southern Regional Office of Public Affairs , Peace Corps ,
to discuss in detail what such a survey would involve in terms of personnel
for a contract between Peace Corps and the Southern Consortium for Internationa l Education , for Peace Corps to pr ovi de funds for such a survey.
The fol lowing members of the Cons orti um read and agreed unanimously
to the proposed contract:
Dean Charles I.ester , Emory University ; Dr . George
Part hemos of t he Uni ve rsity of Georgi a ; Dr . Robe r t St emke , Georgi a Institut e
of Technology; Dean Richard Barksdale, Atlant a Universi ty ; and Dr. Ernest
Ogrum, Georgia State College.
On
Apr i l 18, 1969, Dr.
c.
C. Mlrray, Act ing
Di r ector of the Consortium, signed t he proposal and sent it to Peace Corps
in Washingt on, D.
c.
Dr. Sanford Atwood, President of Emory Univer s i ty, has agr eed to
provide office s pace for the survey i n the Cente r for Social Research.
�Atlanta area educators are presently being contacted for references for a
qualified individual to undertake the survey ; Peace Corps approval of the
contract is expected soon.
Dr. Holmes expresses his hope for the survey in these terms:
"If this proposal is successful, a constellation
of interests and resources will converge to make an
outstanding improvement in the Consortium schools
through the internship program with national and local
agencies.
By pooling all these resources, we can have a
major impact on the awareness of problems and the pursuit
of the solution to these problems, and on the discovery
and application of manpower resources.
"The human problems of our time must be treated in a
serious way with all available resources in order to
point toward a future devoid of destructive elements
standing in the way of human development."
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