Swedish Educational League Records

One of the developments of the "folk movement" trend in Sweden in the later years of the 19th century was the formation of adult education clubs to help laypeople better understand the problems and decisions which had come with their increased say in their nation's and society's affairs. This adult education tradition emigrated to America along with Swedes trained in its ways. Gustav L. Larson and an "educational committee" started a series of informative lectures within the International Order of Good Templars Lodge number 3, "Jupiter", in the fall of 1915. Well-known scholars of both Swedish and other backgrounds were invited to speak. The program was such a success the Jupiters Studieförbund (Jupiter's Study League) was formed to present yearly programs and business and social meetings. The League received enthusiastic support from many noted Swedish‑American educators and scholars on the Chicago scene. When it became obvious that the League was serving a much wider public than just Jupiter Lodge's membership, it was decided to change the League to an independent study and lecture forum, Svenska Studieförbundet (The Swedish Study League). The first president was Aksel G. S. Josephson, librarian at the John Crerar library in Chicago.

The League was a strong success and spanned 40 years of adult education. Some of the most noteworthy speakers from over the League's years of activity included Clarence Darrow, famous lawyer and humanitarian; Professor Anton Carlson of the University of Chicago; historian Leland Carlson; and Scott Nearing, world famous socialist, economist, and later champion of the "back‑to‑the‑land" movement. Lecture topics always varied widely, ranging from talks on Chinese culture of the 20th century or Roosevelt's New Deal to Swedish poetry, photography, or inflammations of the nose and throat. Most lectures in the early years were given in Swedish, depending on whether or not the designated speaker knew Swedish. The last lecture given in Swedish was in 1936.

During the 1919‑1920 season, a literary publication called Ljus (Light) was published. Another publication, the history of the League as put forth in the 1946 commemorative booklet, An Adult Education Experiment in Scandinavian Tradition, was written by Henry Bengston and Gunnar Adolfson.

In 1926, it was decided to change the name of the organization from Svenska Studieförbundet/Swedish Study League to the Swedish Educational League (Svenska Bildings Förbundet).

Other groups which joined the League and gave support to its activities were the Cooperative Temperance Café Idrott (run by a Swedish-American temperance club) from 1925-1938; Verdandi Lodge Number 3 of the International Order of Svithiod 1926‑1928; the Scandinavian Workers Educational League (a similar forum set up by a Swedish Socialist Club) from 1928‑1933; and the second district of the International Order of Good Templars from 1931 until the League's end.

Lecture series were carried on strongly into the 1940's, when the League finally experienced a decline in popularity. The last years' activities were poorly attended, and the last lecture and the end of the Swedish Educational League came in 1956.