Introduction

The Laboratory School is presumably the most famous experimental school of the progressive education movement. Founded in 1894 by John Dewey and President William R. Harper, the Laboratory School existed at the University of Chicago for seven and a half years, and even after more than a century, remains a beacon of hope and inspiration for many educators. The present volume ventures to provide the first institutional history of the Laboratory School and to situate the school in its contemporary context. Drawing on new archival and historical materials, the book tells the story of a legendary school experiment that experienced a steep rise and a dramatic fall due to unsuitable structures and unfortunate decisions.