Milford chronicle., 1961-10-20
Delaware G. of c. Is
Planning School For
Politics In Delaware

About 400 persons are expected
to get their first glimpse at prac-
tical politics through a citizens
education program being lnaugu-
rated throug ghout Delaware this
fall.
The individual discussion groups
will be known as Citizenship
Workshops in Political Action
The program is jointly sponsored
by the non-partisan Committee OF
SO and the Delaware State ChamD-
er of Commerce.
The Citizenship Workshops IN
Political Action are based MAINLY
upon a program known as the
Action Course in Practical Politics
and originated by the U. S. Chamb-
er of Commerce.
Companies, plants, civic organl-
cations and clubs will be asked TO
organize workshops among their
own employees and members.
The seven-session series covers
most of the inner workings or
political parties and explains how
the average citizen can make his
voice heard through participation
in politics.
From time to time, political and
governmental leaders can be asked
to sit in on some of the sessions
to supply details on how such
matters as campaigns and party
organization are handled. How
ever, most of the discussion IS
conducted by the members of the
workshop themselves, who review
material they have read and field
work they have done in talking
with party officials.
TIL final session of each series
! is reserved for a question-and-
answer period with political lead
erS
There will not be an instructor
for each workshop; instead, a dis
cussiOn leader will be chosen
from among the group itself.
However, the Committee of SO
will supply a trained advisor to
assist the discussion leader.
With the support of the Della
ware State Chamber. the Commit
tee of 80 had the Action Course
revised by special panel com
posed of Delaware leaders and Of
men who had led the practical
politics workshops.
The national course, which has
now been replaced by the Della
ware revision, has been used ex-
tensively here by groups organized
within the Du Pont Company, Her
cules Powder Company and the
Bank of Delaware
The two sponsoring groups this
week launched a statewide appeal
for firms and organizations to
sponsor the Citizenship Work
shops.
Arrangements for the workshops
will be directed by Ross f. Ander-
son, Jr.. Executive Vice-President
of the Delaware State Chamber of
Commerce, and Mrs. Virginia NJ
Wood, Executive Secretary of the
Committee of 49,
Graduates of the workshops will
be encouraged to become active in
However. the sponsoring organiza-
tions have established a policy of
strict -partisanship in the con-
Quoting of the workshops.
Mr.. Anderson and Mrs. Wood
pointed out that the Citizenship
Workshops program represents a
combining of education programs
previously conducted separately by
the two groups.
The Chamber had sponsored the
Political Action Course in the Will
mington area since its inception.
while the Committee of 39 has
conducted discussion series on
governmental problems for the
past five years.
Mrs. Wood reported that the for
mer 49, discussion series, a six
session course, is being replaced
by a special leadership training
program for persons with some ex-
perience in politics or civic life.
Key problems of Delaware will be
explored during two classes to be
held this fall and next spring.