Maxton Papers

Materials dating from 1931-1940

Our children's Scotland, 3 Oct 1935

A forecast of the future

For more than ten years, Maxton taught schoolchildren from some of the poorest areas of Glasgow. His experiences during this period not only influenced his politics but also, as this transcript shows, ensured that he continued to take a keen interest in the education of the poor and the prospects of working-class children throughout his political career.

Maxton believed that the difficulties involved in teaching working-class adolescent children stemmed from their lives of hardship and deprivation. Recalling his days as a teacher in 1927, Maxton stated, 'As a very young teacher, I discovered how individualism and their individualities were cramped, distorted and destroyed by poverty conditions before the child was able to react to its environment. That was the deciding factor in bringing me into the socialist and Labour movement.'

When the Glasgow school board decided to extend the summer break in Glasgow schools to eight weeks from the traditional six weeks, Maxton put forward a suggestion to alleviate this extended burden on working-class families. He proposed that the board should run summer schools in Rouken Glen, one of Glasgow's most beautiful and spacious public parks, for the children from deprived areas. This proposal was firmly rejected by the board.

Source: Glasgow City Archives