Part One
After reading Chapter 5 in Literacies in Context, I find myself more comfortable in how I am supposed to conduct research. I know the process of what to look for when I do field notes and observations, the ways in which the archives at the library can provide background information, and the importance of professionalism in an interview accompanied by the consent and voluntary contributions of the subject. I’m still working out ideas as to what direction I want my final ethnographic project to go. As I have stated in class, it is much easier for me when I finally get started on a project. The beginning or introduction to research will probably be the most tedious aspect of the class. However, I am confident that I will eventually ‘learn by doing’.
I have chosen to analyze Deborah Brandt’s essay on ‘Sponsors of Literacy’ because I feel that no matter what my project is, I will be relying so much on the actual people involved because that is the aspect I most want to develop and utilize. To me, it is the personal observatoins and interactions with others that comprise what fieldworking and ethnography is all about.
A) Deborah Brandt utilized and interpreted contexts within many spaces in her essay, all for different purposes. She discussed the small, decentralized print shops of antebellum American, Standford University in a small midwestern town, the political lifestyle of Washington D.C., Carol White’s religious life through her church and city, and Sarah Steele’s home and work location in eastern Pennsylvania.
B) Deborah Brandt first describes the young intellecutal printers, solicitors, and editors of the print shops in antebellum American. Because of the multi-tasking aspects of their jobs during that time period, most solicitors served as the initiators and conductors of strong literacy and political discourses of the age. However, their capacity for conversation and the dialogue of information and literacy was disrupted with the invention of the steam press which reorganized the economy, resulting the the division and outsourcing of labor between editing and printing. She describes and contrasts Raymond Branch and Dora Lopez, both of whom were born in 1969 and, as young children, moved to the same university town in the midwest. Raymond was European-American and was born to a professor and real estate executive. He was high up on the socioeconomic ladder and held interests in computers and high-tech industries. He graduated and became a freelance writer of software and its documentation. Dora Lopez, on the other hand, was Mexican-American who was born in a Texas-border town. She was not of a high socioeconomic status; her father pursued an accounting degree and the mother worked part-time at a bookstore. She was isolated by her language and culture and taught herself how to read and write her own language. She eventually became a translator whose skills proved valuable within government youth programs and migrant worker programs. Dwane Lowery is also a subject within the article. He was born in 1938 in semi-rural midwest. He was influenced by left-wing newspapers and the union publications of his father. While doing jobs at auto plants and municipal utility departments, he became influenced by newspapers and pursued a degree in law for unions in Washington D.C. The final two comparisons were Carol White and Sarah Steele. Carol White was a poor Oneida girl who worked in clerical positions most of her life. She was a person who used her work experience through personal matters by using her oratal skills to convert people to her church. Sarah Steele, a woman of Welsh and German descent, lived in a coal mining community before becoming a secretary of a glass and law firm. She used her clericla skills and money management skills to create the budgetary techniques of her home and family life.
C)(I guess D could be added in with this too.) The print apprentices published and edited various forms of literacy through newspapers, books, and magazines. They also personally engaged in literary and political discussion. Raymond Branch involved himself with the technological aspect of Stanford University and taught others the purposes of computers, how to use them, and for what functions. Dora Lopez, while working for a cleaning company, developed writing and speaking abilites for her Spanish language and served as a translator for migrant workers on when to do their jobs/work lists. Her billiterate skills were desired in migrant worker and government youth programs. Dwane Lowery, while working at water plants and other low-paying jobs, got influenced through political editorials and when on to use his law of language to become the representative, defender, and orator of union rights. He would develop his knowledge of law within direct confrontations of other lawyers who used paperwork and statutes to slow down lawsuit processes. Carol and Sarah both worked as secretaries and used their developing clerical skills to enhance and maximize home utility. Carol used it for religious broadcasting and image, while Sarah used her skills to build successful monetary budgets for her home life.
E) Most of the artifacts that were handled by the various informants and subjects are actually everyday forms of text and objects that were appreciated by each person, dependent upon the situation they were in. Dwane Lowery and the solicitors used magazines, newspapers, and editorials to shape their opinions and to enhance literary discussion. Raymond Brandt was a firm utilizer in high- end technology of the period like computers and software programs. Carol and Steele used typewriters in addition to computers. All artifacts had to have been used after various other forms of basic literacy like print within books and magazines were already serving as sponsors for them.
F) Solicitors used their workshops and print shops to both sell literacy and to stimulate conversation through orating. Raymond read literacy through computer applications, sampled the latest software programs and videogames. Lopez served as translator and speaker for numerous government programs to teach foreignors and workers linguistics. Lowery attended courses in school to develop his savvy language for the law and went on to serve as a lawyer in numerous positions for the advancement of the ideals of union laborers. Carol and Steele worked at law firms and later transitioned their developed competency to the home life. Carol constructed pamphlets and went door-to-door to enhance and raise church attendance, while Steele used clerical skills to construct a framework through which home finances could be monitored and controlled.
G) The timeframes for these individuals varies considerably. Deborah describes antebellum America and the inventions that restructured the economy during the Industrial Revolution. Specific time periods date within the 60’s and 70’s were technology began to be efficient. The 70’s served as the backdrop for most of these stories because it was a time of both invention and political discourse as to the proper role that governments took in people’s everyday lives.
H) Print apprentices served as the deliverers of literacy and current events to inform and educate the American public. Raymond used his technogical mind to assist other students and adults who had trouble adapting to the times. Dora served as translator to help integrate foreigners into the economic and English environment of America. Lowery used his knowledge to serve as a check on power from government and businesses to help a minority of workers. Carol and Sarah served as examples of how forms of literacy learned in one field of life could be translated into another. As a whole, every story within the essay shows us the importance of sponsorships and how almost every person has learned their reading and writing skills through the environment and the sources of information open to us. Our contacts and habitats often dictate how literate we become.
I) In my opinion, the solicitors probably felt remorse of having their skills be moved down the ladder due to the efficiency of technology. They realized that for society to develop, old and inefficient traditions have to be liquidated. Raymond probably felt enthusiastic in his position. As a child, he already sought an interest in the computer world and was probably happy to get a position that specialized within that area. I imagine Dora to feel a sense of accomplishment at how far up she went. she want from being an isolated individual where her language was not used much to becoming a translator for individuals within our own government. Though not exactly a rags to riches story, her emotions probably felt that way. Lowery probably felt rushed and stressed most of the time. Being within an environment where debate and lawsuits were commonplace, he probably had to thicken his skin and become emotionally detached to achieve the professionalism that is expected of lawyers. Carol and Steele, though in clerical positions, should feel empowered that they themselves women of low working positions, were able to turn the tide and use their jobs to place themselves higher on their personal ladder in their affairs.
Research Project
1) Right now, I am going between ideas. I’m interested in economics, so I want to deal with the different time periods of our country and see how literacy was viewed and functioned. On the other hand, I might want to investigate the social classes of the university and see how stigmas are attached to those considered to be higher up on the literacy ladder. (honors college).
2) For the economic aspect, the whole town of Commerce could be my site. I have had family members who attended and various teachers who lived here. I could observe classrooms and go into the neighborhoods themselves to observe home life. I might want to tag along with students as they go home to see the parents and the information they provide. For the university aspect, the dorms could be used. To me, the buildings in a way serve as segregators of students by class ranking and year ranking. I could observe each dorm like Prairie Crossing and Whitley to see how the social life and school life develop differently.
3) I like to think that both of these proposals provide each access to individuals. I might be antsy as to going door to door for interviews. I’m an outsider to this town since I just got here, and I imagine most neighbors will be suspicious of a student coming over for information. I don’t imagine any problems with the dorm life. Being a student, I have full access to all the dorms and students.
4) Most of my research will probably come through personal interviews with people. I might dab into the archives to obtain the life histories of people who lived during certain periods and who went to the school. Other than that, observation and communication will be my allies.
5) I will probably approach students for the dorm proposal. I will use the example given to us in the papers Carter gave out. I will ask permission and show the final product to them. I will probably have to provide aliases given the nature that kids might have considering privacy. With neighbors, I will approach them because they are of an older age and will have more experience of past histories. I will have to tread carefully here because I am totally separated by the resident/student line. I will probably be upfront about my purpose, but I will not demand information. I will be upbeat and friendly and give the sense that the subjects are the center of the project.
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