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Article: The power of porch talks: the Civic Improvement Society of Monroe, Michigan, 1901 to 1914. (2000 Student Essay Prize Winner).
- Article from:
- Michigan Historical Review
- Article date:
- September 22, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Clarke Historical Library. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The scholarship of the much-studied Progressive movement typically has focused on the national level, on large urban contexts, and on "important" biographies. Yet this urge to improve the quality of life occurred in many groups and numerous places and at every organizational level. A close examination of how the Progressive movement played out in small urban environments offers new insights into the very real achievements of the "common" people during this era. A careful evaluation of the Civic Improvement Society (CIS) of Monroe, Michigan, provides an instructive window on the ways in which Progressivism affected life at the local level and the ways in which women ...