The Magruder Textbook of 1923 on American Government: An Early Version of Civic Engagement

Abstract

Frank Abbott Magruder, who taught Politics at Princeton and Political Science at Oregon Agricultural College, published a textbook in 1921 that has to become a classic. American Government in 1921 with a consideration of the Problems of Democracy was intended for use in the high schools. Today, much revised, it remains a standard text. Reading the original, one is impressed with its gravitas and the extent to which the author respected the intelligence and impending adulthood of his readers. They were told that government was serious business and that each of them was expected to take that responsibility seriously. Today we would say that Magruder was thinking in terms of civic engagement of a very serious type.

Keywords: civics, civic education