Collection inventory

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Lalage J. Bown Papers

An inventory of her papers at Syracuse University

The adult education holdings are collectively known as the
Alexander N. Charters Library of Resources for Educators of Adults.

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Bown, Lalage J.
Title: Lalage J. Bown Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1961-1980
Bulk Dates: 1971-1979
Quantity: 3.5 linear ft.
Abstract: Papers of the Oxford-educated professor of adult education. Bown spent much of her professional career in Africa, establishing adult education programs at various universities in Ghana, Uganda, and Nigeria. The collection includes organizational materials, correspondence, papers and printed material relating to adult education in Africa, Hong Kong, India and the West Indies. Bulk of material from the African Adult Education Association, Nigerian National Council for Adult Education and UNESCO.
Language: English
Repository: Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Lalage J. Bown was born in Surrey, U.K. in 1927 but spent much of her professional career in Africa, establishing or expanding adult education programs at various universities in Ghana, Uganda, and Nigeria. She attended Cheltenham Ladies' College and the University of Oxford, where she took Second Class Honors in Modern History (1949) and then continued on to an M.A. (1952). She taught briefly at the University of Edinburgh before relocating to Africa where she taught at the University College of the Gold Coast, Ghana; Makerere University College, Uganda; University of Ibadan, Nigeria; University of Zambia; Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria; and the University of Lagos. In most of these positions, she was involved in either establishing or substantially enhancing Adult Education and extension programs and/or departments. She also directed or chaired various short-term programs including an 8-week Peace Corps training program at the University of California, a Carnegie Foundation training program for African diplomats, and a seminar for diplomats working in London.

She was involved in many programs for teaching African literature and arts in the various parts of Nigeria, and among other things in the organization of the first-ever conference on African culture to be held on African soil. She was also the first organizing secretary of the International Congress of Africanists. Her book Two Centuries of African English (Heinemann, 1973) arose directly from efforts to Africanize the curriculum, both in formal education and in the wider community.

In 1975 she was awarded an honorary doctorate from Open University "for services to the education of the underprivileged," and the William Pearson Tolley Award from Syracuse University, the first woman to receive this award. In 1981 she returned to the U.K., accepting a position with the Department of Adult and Continuing Education at the University of Glasgow. In 2002 that institution awarded her an Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.).

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Lalage J. Bown Papers primarily contains material related to conferences, seminars and workshops held by various adult education organizations in Africa. There is also printed material relating to adult and continuing education programs at various colleges and universities in Africa, Hong Kong, India and the West Indies; various issues of African adult education journals and newsletters, and a few photographs (unidentified). The bulk of the material dates from 1971-1979.

Biographical information includes a c.v. from 1979. Associations comprises folders of constitutions, resolutions and other informational documents of various organizations. Conferences contains proceedings and other matter related to various conferences and is organized alphabetically, as are the Meetings, Seminars, and Workshops series. Printed material includes informational material on colleges, universities, and adult education programs in Africa, Hong Kong, India and the West Indies, followed by miscellaneous printed material in alphabetical order.

The following organizations are heavily represented: African Adult Education Association (formerly the Adult Education Association of East and Central Africa, AEAECA); Distance Education Association of Southern Africa (formerly the Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland Correspondence Committee); International Congress of University Adult Education (ICUAE); Nigerian National Council for Adult Education (NNCAE); and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Individuals represented (usually by conference presentation or paper) include A.A. Ali, S.B. Allen, William Cave, J.E. Chilipweli, S. Cooppan, David Crowley, P.O.H. Dada, O.L. Farrag, Soloman Inquai, J.H. Mwanakatwe, A.H. Nasution, J.T. Okedara, J. Paulus, E.A. Tugbiyele, Abdelwahid A. Yousif.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

The library holds a considerable number of collections related to adult and continuing education. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete listing.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Allen, S. R.
Bown, Lalage J.
Cave, William M.
Chilipweli, J. E.
Cooppan, S. (Somarsundarum)
Crowley, David.
Inquai, Solomon.
Nasution, Amir H.
Tugbiyele, E. A.
Yousif, Abdelwahid Abdalla.

Corporate Bodies

Adult Education Association of East and Central Africa.
African Adult Education Association.
Botswana Lesotho Swaziland Correspondence Committee.
Distance Education Association of Southern Africa.
International Congress of University Adult Education.
Nigerian National Council for Adult Education.
Unesco

Subjects

Adult education -- Africa.
Adult education -- China -- Hong Kong.
Adult education -- India.
Adult education -- West Indies.
Adult educators -- Training of.

Genres and Forms

Correspondence.
Drafts (documents)
Newsletters.
Notes (documents)
Pamphlets.
Papers (document genres)

Occupations

Adult educators.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Lalage J. Bown Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Lalage J. Bown.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: DLH
Date: Nov 1987
Revision history: 18 Jul 2006 - converted to EAD (MRR); 11 Jul 2019 - style/formatting updates (MRC)

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Inventory

Biographical information
Box 1 Curriculum vitae 1979
Associations
Box 1 Adult Education Association of East and Central Africa (AEAECA)
See also African Adult Education Association (AAEA).
Box 1 African Adult Education Association (AAEA) - resolutions, constitution, accounts
See also Adult Education Association of East and Central Africa (AEAECA); Printed material : African Adult Education Association (AAEA).
Box 1 Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland Correspondence Committee - meeting minutes, newsletters
Box 1 Nigerian National Council for Adult Education (NNCAE) - resolutions, constitution, accounts, organization
See also Printed material : Nigerian National Council for Adult Education (NNCAE).
Conferences
Box 1 Adult Education Association of East and Central Africa (AEAECA) Jan 1968
African Adult Education Association (AAEA)
Box 1 3rd conference Apr 1971 (2 folders)
Box 1 4th conference Sep 1973 (2 folders)
Box 1 6th conference 27 Feb - 4 Mar 1978 (2 folders)
Box 2 Annual Conference/Seminar of Heads of Adult Education Departments in the State Ministries and Universities 24 Jun - 28 Jun 1980
Box 2 Chief Community Development Officers, University Lecturers and Students of AMTC Conference 13 Jan - 3 Feb 1973
Box 2 Conference on Adult Education in Africa 28 Dec 1961 - 6 Jan 1962
Box 2 Conference/Seminar of Heads of Adult Education Sections/Departments in the State Ministries and Universities 4-6 Oct 1978
Nigerian National Council for Adult Education (NNCAE)
Box 2 1st conference, 4th executive meeting, 2d general meeting Mar 1972
Box 2 4th conference Jul 1975
Box 2 5th conference and seminar, 4th general meeting Jul 1976
Box 2 8th conference and seminar Jul 1979
Meetings
Box 3 Ad Hoc Committee on Adult Education: I.I.T.A.
AAEA
Box 3 Executive Committee Meeting 5 Aug 1968
Box 3 4th General Meeting 14 Sep 1973
Box 3 Executive Committee Meeting 26-27 Feb 1978
Box 3 6th General Meeting 2-3 Mar 1978
Box 3 Executive Committee Meeting 28 Jun 1976
Box 3 Working Party Meeting 26-27 Feb 1977
Box 3 Management and Programme Committee Meeting 14-15 Apr 1978
Box 3 Ahmadu Bello University, Adult Education and General Extension Services Unit , staff meetings 30 Oct 1973, 1 Nov 1973
Box 3 Audio-Visual Advisory Committee, 15th meeting 2 Nov 1973
Box 3 International Congress of University Adult Educatio, 1st Regional Meeting 1971
Box 3 NNCAE 14th Executive Committee Meeting, 4th General Meeting 1975
UNESCO
Box 3 Meeting of Experts on Comparative Adult Education (2d International ) 1975
Box 3 Meeting of Experts on Post-Literacy 25 Arp - 30 Apr 1977
Box 3 Meeting of Experts to Review the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) Dec 1974
Box 3 Meeting of Experts on the Use of Mother Tongues in Literacy Programmes in Africa 30 Sep - 4 Oct 1977
Seminars
Box 4 Bauchi State Seminar/Workshop for Adult Educators and Practitioners in Related Disciplines (Nigeria) 5-7 Dec 1978
Box 4 Centre for Cultural Studies, University of Lagos, Nigeria, "The Interrelationship of Art" 12-18 Feb 1978
Box 4 Commonwealth Secretariat, University of Manchester, "Commonwealth Seminar on Adult Educational and National Development" 11-16 Oct 1972
Box 4 UNESCO, "Structure of Adult Education in Developing Countries" 1975
Box 4 University of Edinburgh Centre for African Studies - "Education and Community in Africa 18-20 Jun 1976
Workshops
Adult Education Association of East and Central Africa - adult education workshop 12 Jun 1966
Box 4 Science Association of Nigeria, "Popularisation of Science in Nigeria" 13-15 Feb 1978
Printed material
Box 5 Centre for Adult Education and Extension Services, Adult Education Department 5-30 Jun 1978, 26-29 Sep 1977 - record of proceedings of a refresher course for Adult Education supervisors, record of proceedings of a workshop on Adult Education
Box 5 Institute of Adult Education, University College of Botswana 1978 - annual report, IAE Report by Nnagolo Tau
Box 5 Institute of Adult Education, University of Dar es Salaam 1971 - adult education directory, "Adult Education in Tanzania" (pamphlet)
Box 5 Institute of Extra-Mural Studies 15 May 1979 - report on the approach to the IEMS development project by Donovan Russell
Box 5 Republic of Kenya Board of Adult Education 1960-1970 - various reports
Somali Democratic Republic National Adult Education Center
Box 5 Annual report 1971
Box 5 Miscellaneous 1971
Box 5 University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland - Report of Seminar on National Objectives at Independence 3 Mar - 5 Mar 1967
Box 5 University of Cape Town, Department of Extra-Mural Studies 1966-1970 - reports
Box 5 University College of Addis Ababa, Extension Division 1961-1962, 1975-1976 - pamphlet, annual report
Box 5 University College of Swaziland, Department of Extra-Mural Studies 1976-1979 - Triennium Development Plan
Box 5 University of Lagos, Continuing Education Centre 1 Nov - 15 Dec 1979 - staff development Program
Box 5 University of Lovanium Extension Program 1961-1966, 1969-1970 - printed information
University of Hong Kong, Department of Extra-Mural Studies
Box 5 Programme, "First Ten Years" pamphlet, application for enrollment 1963-1966, 1967
Box 5 Preliminary report, memos re proposals for Leverhulme, conference on Extra-Mural Studies 1963-1964
Box 6 Newsletters 1962, 1963, 1969, 1974
Box 6 Prospectus 1964-1965, 1966-1967, 1968-1969, 1696-1970
Box 6 University of Rajasthan, Jaipur 1965-1975 - miscellaneous
University of the West Indies, Department of Extra-Mural Studies
Box 6 Report on Adult Education; St. Lucia News 1964
Box 6 Miscellaneous 1961-1973
Box 6 Adult Education in National Development Planning: Notes Towards an Integrated Approach, by Herbold Green 1977
Box 6 Adult Education in Nigeria: Journal of the Nigerian National Council for Adult Education vol. 1, no. 1 1975
See also Printed material : NNCAE.
Box 6 Adult Education Program in Liberia (Elizabeth K. Collins)
Box 6 African Adult Education: Journal of the Adult Education Association of East and Central Africa (AEAECA), News Sheet No. 1 1967
AAEA
See also Journal of the AAEA, v. 1 no. 1.
Box 6 AAEA Newsletter; People's Education Association PEA News 1976, 1978, 1979
Box 6 Draft Proposal for an African Training and Research Programme for Adult Education 31 Jan 1978
Box 6 Project for training and research for environmental education through Adult Education Programmes
Box 6 Project request for United Nations fund for population activities Jul 1978
Box 6 Association des universités partiellement on entièrement de langue français, "Éducation permanente"
Box 6 Botswana Adult Education Newsletter vol. 1-3 (lacks 1/1, 1/3, 3/3 and 3/4) 1979
Box 7 Centre for Management Development, Advisory Service
Box 7 Department of Adult Education, University of Manchester - "Role of Broadcasting in National Development: Nigeria Case Study" Jan 1974
Box 7 Federal Ministry of Education, Lagos - "National Operational Training Seminar on Functional Literacy" 12 Jul - 24 Jul 1976
Box 7 Federal Schools Broadcasts - lessons and teacher notes
Government Printing Office, Trinidad
Box 7 "Future of the West Indies and Guyana" 13 Mar 1963 - address by Hon. Dr. Eric Williams, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago
Box 7 "Some Thoughts on Economic Aid to Developing Countries" 19 Feb 1963 - address by Hon. Dr. Eric Williams, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago
Box 7 Guides to universities and states - pamphlets
Box 7 H.S. I. University, Adult Education Newsletter 1971-1972
Box 7 Information Bulletin Concerning Programmed Learning Research in Central Africa 1965-1966
Box 7 Institute of Adult Education, University College, Salisbury, Rhodesia, Newsletter on Adult Education in East and Central Africa (no.s 2 and 4) 1964-1965
Box 7 Journal of the AAEA, v. 1 no. 1 1979
See also Printed material : AAEA.
Box 7 Kenya Journal of Adult Education (some issues missing) 1971-1977
Box 7 Makerere Adult Education Journal v. 1 no. 1 1977
Box 7 Ministry of Education Adult Education Newsletter 1978
Box 7 "New Policy on Education in Nigeria" - address by Chief A.Y. Eke, Federal Commissioner of Education
Box 7 Nigerian Library Association, Northern States Division 1973 - annual conference, "Educational Role of the University Library" (M.A. Parfitt)
Nigerian National Council for Adult Education
See also Associations : Nigerian National Council for Adult Education; Adult Education in Nigeria : Journal of the Nigerian National Council for Adult Education v. 1, no. 1
Box 7 Report of the assessment and interviewing panel for posts of Administrative/Office Secretary and Stenographer 1975
Box 7 Study commissioned at 5th annual conference 1975
Box 7 "Role of Adult Education in Political Awareness" (Dr. S. Egite Oyovbaire) 30 Nov 1976 - paper presented at Centre for Adult Education, Ahmadu Bello University
Box 7 Swaziland International Education Centre - "What is SIEC?" 1978 - college report
Box 7 Symposium on Adult Education in Africa: "Adult Education in the Congo," Mgr. M. Bakole, Vice Principal, University of Lovanium
Box 7 "Television Sets in Schools and Colleges" Nov 1972
Box 7 United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Occasional Report on Education and Training for Development No. 3 1973
UNESCO
Box 7 Address by Mr. Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow, Director General at UNESCO, on 11th celebration of Literacy Day 8 Sep 1976
Box 7 Educational Studies and Documents No. 5, No. 10
Box 7 Technical report on the proposed network of Educational Innovation for Development in Africa 3 Oct 1976
Box 7 World Food Program 20 Apr 1964

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