The Role of Protestant Churches, Jewish Synagogues, and the Roman Catholic Church in the American Adult Education Movement. Background Paper Number One.

This paper presents the findings of part of a larger study entitled "A Study of the Church's Expanding Role in Adult Education." The study has four parts: background and history of Roman Catholic Adult Education in the United States; demonstration research projects; feasibility study of central support services; and identification of diocesan needs and priorities in adult education with development and evaluation of diocesan proposals for implementation. Three papers present the background and history. This background paper presents a current survey of Adult Interest, Program Offerings, Adult Participation, and Adult Motivations for Programs in Religion, Morality or Ethics, together with a Historical Review of the Contributions of Protestant Churches, Jewish Synagogues and the Roman Catholic Church to the Adult Education Movement in the United States from 1600 to 1960. The findings of this paper are presented in two parts: 1. Adult Education: Interest, Programs, Participation and Motivations--Attendance trends are discussed in the context of types of courses chosen, reason for attendance, nature of sponsoring institutions, and research available related to these factors; and II. The Adult Education Movement and the Role of Churches and Synagogues in American Adult Education--Summary sketch of the history of Jewish, Protestant, and Catholic efforts in adult education, with an overview of major trends and the reasons for the trends. (For related document, see AC 014 061.) (Author/DB)