L. J. Hanifan
Encyclopedia
Lyda Judson Hanifan is credited with introducing the concept of social capital
. Robert Putnam
in his book, Bowling Alone
(2000) credits a 1916 paper by Hanifan as the first recorded instance of the term. Hanifan also authored a book published in 1920 that contains a chapter entitled "Social Capital".
Hanifan was born February 12, 1879, in the timbering camp of Cubana, West Virginia
and went on to higher education at West Virginia Wesleyan College
. He graduated from West Virginia University
with a Bachelor of Arts
degree on October 21, 1907, with no major
listed. In the years following, he attended the University of Chicago
and received a Master of Arts
degree from Harvard University
in 1909. He returned to West Virginia where he served school systems in Elkins
, Belington, Charleston
, and Welch
, and for nearly 10 years was state supervisor of rural schools. Hanifan authored two books and a number of pamphlets on rural education.
According to Robert Putnam, "the first known use of the concept (of social capital) was not by some cloistered theoretician, but by a practical reformer of the Progressive Era
—L. J. Hanifan, state supervisor of rural schools in West Virginia. Writing in 1916 to urge the importance of community involvement for successful schools, Hanifan invoked the idea of 'social capital' to explain why."
"Hanifan's account of social capital," Putnam continues, "anticipated virtually all of the crucial elements in later interpretations, but his conceptual invention apparently attracted no notice from other social commentators and disappeared without a trace" for the next 84 years. Hanifan defined social capital as:
In December 1917, State Superintendent
of Free Schools H. P. Shawkey appointed Hanifan as secretary to the New School Code Commission. The commission developed key provisions of the public education system in West Virginia. The Commission report presented to the West Virginia Legislature
in January, 1919, resulted in legislation adopted in February, 1920, establishing the state board of education
, creating the 10-month school term, raising teacher's salaries, mandating compulsory attendance
for pupils age 6-16, authorizing junior high schools, and among other provisions.
Hanifan married Mary Pearl Agee (Oct 14, 1891—Nov 28, 1948) on March 26, 1913, and they had one child, Mary Elkin Hanifan. It also appears that his father was John Hanifan, married three times, and his mother was Sara Taylor. Lyda had two full brothers, Lorenzo and Stark. After serving as Superintendent of Schools in Welch, West Virginia
, Hanifan moved to Paducah, Kentucky
, where he served as Superintendent of Schools until his death.
Social capital
Social capital is a sociological concept, which refers to connections within and between social networks. The concept of social capital highlights the value of social relations and the role of cooperation and confidence to get collective or economic results. The term social capital is frequently...
. Robert Putnam
Robert Putnam
Robert David Putnam is a political scientist and professor of public policy at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government. He is also visiting professor and director of the Manchester Graduate Summer Programme in Social Change, University of Manchester...
in his book, Bowling Alone
Bowling Alone
Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community is a book by Robert D. Putnam. It was originally a 1995 essay entitled Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital.-Summary:...
(2000) credits a 1916 paper by Hanifan as the first recorded instance of the term. Hanifan also authored a book published in 1920 that contains a chapter entitled "Social Capital".
Hanifan was born February 12, 1879, in the timbering camp of Cubana, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
and went on to higher education at West Virginia Wesleyan College
West Virginia Wesleyan College
West Virginia Wesleyan College is a regionally accredited private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Buckhannon, West Virginia, United States. It has an enrollment of about 1,400 students from 35 U.S. states and 26 countries. The school was founded in 1890 by the West Virginia Conference of...
. He graduated from West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree on October 21, 1907, with no major
Academic major
In the United States and Canada, an academic major or major concentration is the academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits....
listed. In the years following, he attended the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and received a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1909. He returned to West Virginia where he served school systems in Elkins
Elkins, West Virginia
Elkins is a city in Randolph County, West Virginia, United States. The community was incorporated in 1890 and named in honor of Stephen Benton Elkins , a U.S. Senator from West Virginia. The population was 7,032 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County...
, Belington, Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
, and Welch
Welch, West Virginia
Welch is a city located in McDowell County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The population was 2,406 at the 2010 census. Incorporated as a city in 1893, it is the county seat of McDowell County.-History:...
, and for nearly 10 years was state supervisor of rural schools. Hanifan authored two books and a number of pamphlets on rural education.
According to Robert Putnam, "the first known use of the concept (of social capital) was not by some cloistered theoretician, but by a practical reformer of the Progressive Era
Progressive Era
The Progressive Era in the United States was a period of social activism and political reform that flourished from the 1890s to the 1920s. One main goal of the Progressive movement was purification of government, as Progressives tried to eliminate corruption by exposing and undercutting political...
—L. J. Hanifan, state supervisor of rural schools in West Virginia. Writing in 1916 to urge the importance of community involvement for successful schools, Hanifan invoked the idea of 'social capital' to explain why."
"Hanifan's account of social capital," Putnam continues, "anticipated virtually all of the crucial elements in later interpretations, but his conceptual invention apparently attracted no notice from other social commentators and disappeared without a trace" for the next 84 years. Hanifan defined social capital as:
The tangible substances [that] count for most in the daily lives of people: namely good will, fellowship, sympathy, and social intercourse among the individuals and families who make up a social unit. . .. The individual is helpless socially, if left to himself. If he comes into contact with his neighbor, and they with other neighbors, there will be an accumulation of social capital, which may immediately satisfy his social needs and which may bear a social potentiality sufficient to the substantial improvement of living conditions in the whole community. The community as a whole will benefit by the cooperation of all its parts, while the individual will find in his associations the advantages of the help, the sympathySympathySympathy is a social affinity in which one person stands with another person, closely understanding his or her feelings. Also known as empathic concern, it is the feeling of compassion or concern for another, the wish to see them better off or happier. Although empathy and sympathy are often used...
, and the fellowship of his neighbors.
In December 1917, State Superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of Free Schools H. P. Shawkey appointed Hanifan as secretary to the New School Code Commission. The commission developed key provisions of the public education system in West Virginia. The Commission report presented to the West Virginia Legislature
West Virginia Legislature
The West Virginia Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of West Virginia. A bicameral legislative body, the Legislature is split between the upper Senate and the lower House of Delegates. It was established under Article VI of the West Virginia Constitution following the state's...
in January, 1919, resulted in legislation adopted in February, 1920, establishing the state board of education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
, creating the 10-month school term, raising teacher's salaries, mandating compulsory attendance
Compulsory education
Compulsory education refers to a period of education that is required of all persons.-Antiquity to Medieval Era:Although Plato's The Republic is credited with having popularized the concept of compulsory education in Western intellectual thought, every parent in Judea since Moses's Covenant with...
for pupils age 6-16, authorizing junior high schools, and among other provisions.
Hanifan married Mary Pearl Agee (Oct 14, 1891—Nov 28, 1948) on March 26, 1913, and they had one child, Mary Elkin Hanifan. It also appears that his father was John Hanifan, married three times, and his mother was Sara Taylor. Lyda had two full brothers, Lorenzo and Stark. After serving as Superintendent of Schools in Welch, West Virginia
Welch, West Virginia
Welch is a city located in McDowell County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The population was 2,406 at the 2010 census. Incorporated as a city in 1893, it is the county seat of McDowell County.-History:...
, Hanifan moved to Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah is the largest city in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase Region and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River, halfway between the metropolitan areas of St. Louis, Missouri, to the west and Nashville,...
, where he served as Superintendent of Schools until his death.
Works
The following are all of the currently-known publications of L. J. Hanifan:- Hanifan, L. J., Ed. (1913). District Supervision: West Virginia and Oregon as Examples. National Society for the Study of Education, Twelfth Yearbook. Chicago, University of Chicago Press.
- Hanifan, L. J. (1913). A Handbook Containing Suggestions and Programs for Community Social Gatherings at Rural School Houses Charleston, WV, State Department of Education.
- Hanifan, L. J. (1913). A Supplement to the State Manual of the Elementary Course of Study. Charleston, WV, Department of Free Schools.
- Hanifan, L. J. (1914). Facts and Fallacies About Consolidation of Schools in West Virginia. Charleston, WV, Department of Free Schools: 16.
- Hanifan, L. J. (1914). "Social Centers and Rural Schools." Atlantic Educational Journal 10: 62-65.
- Hanifan, L. J. (1916). Evening Classes for West Virginia Elementary Schools. Charleston, WV, Department of Free Schools.
- Hanifan, L. J. (1920). The Difficulties of Consolidation. The Consolidated Rural School. L. W. Rapeer. New York, Charles Scribner's Sons: 475-496.