The Swedish Schoolhouse at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, 1876: World’s Fairs and Innovation in Policy and Practice

• In Event: Education Reform at the Turn of the 20th Century

Abstract

At the world exhibition in Philadelphia 1876 Sweden displayed a school house with examples of teaching material and student work. How come, Sweden shipped a school house to this exhibition? What impact did the school house have, on the visitors at the exhibition and back home?

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the relations between Swedish education and the international scene, foremost the American, when it comes to policy and practice formation. The field of study is the World’s fairs in the 19th C. By looking at what Sweden displayed, and understanding how it was perceived by visitors the paper raise questions about cultural transfer. Focus will be put on the transfer of innovations and ideals.

Author

• Christian Jan Lundahl, Örebro University