Suggestions from the C.P.’s internal bulletin for conducting studies and organizing different types; Reading Circle, Discussion Study Group, Lecture Study Group, Reporting Study Group, Course and School Groups.

‘Organizing Study Groups’ from Party Organizer. Vol. 3 No. 2. March, 1930.

KEEP THE NEW MEMBERS.

Among the most effective methods of revolutionary mass-education is undoubtedly the “self-study” method under organized leadership In this field the “study groups” must be considered one of the best forms.

A study group is a gathering of comrades, meeting at regular intervals, who thru joint efforts seek knowledge in the theory of Marxism-Leninism and thru active Party work train themselves to become competent fighters in the class-struggle and more able to fill their tasks as Party members.

When organizing study groups the following points among others should be taken into consideration:

1. The study groups should be organized in each nucleus (at least one or two). They can also be organized in non-party proletarian organizations of mass character. The study group should have at its disposal—if possible—a room (private or in Party headquarters or in some building belonging to a sympathetic organization). Handbooks of a general character, or still better some sort of a reference library, should be available for the members of the study group.

2. Do not permit the group to consist of too many members, never more than eight or ten; not less than four or five.

3. The subdivision of voluntary members into special groups (never accept other students in the study groups than such that volunteer for it) is important as well as carrying on the study to more advanced subjects in relation to the Party, giving cause to the formation of new study groups of members eager for more involved and difficult problems.

4. The best way for a more advanced study group is to work in close cooperation with the nearest district or section Party School.

5. New Party members should always be propagated until they join one of the study groups working in the nucleus.

6. All members of a study group should be brought in closest contact with the practical work of the Party, not least in bettering and improving the programs and agenda of the nuclei meetings. The meetings of a study group should never be permitted to interfere with nuclei meetings.

7. The study groups should avail themselves of all American institution which in any way can aid them with material in their work, such as libraries, museums, scientific institutions, etc., but never take any guidance or advice from such sources.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF STUDY GROUPS.

There are various kinds of study groups, varying a great deal according to methods under which work is carried on, to problems that confront the students, etc. Comradeship, leadership, punctuality, discipline should never be missing in a study group, if its work is to be successful. Every comrade who has registered in a study group must attend its every meeting and carry out the tasks assigned him by the group, these tasks being study in conjunction with practical Party work. The initiative to organize a study group can be taken under leadership of the nucleus buro or the section committee—by one or two comrades, who are interested in the study of a certain Party problem and are so alive for the subject that they can interest others in the same thing. When a few comrades have come to ‘he conclusion that they desire to study something and know what they desire, then it only remains to set the work going and organize a study group. A leader should be chosen. He does not need to be a “teacher”, or to have greater knowledge on the subject than any of the others. But he should have an actual interest in the subject which is to be studied, understand how to keep the comrades together and be a good organizer. If he has greater knowledge, of course, this is an advantage.

Then the practical possibilities should be looked into: meeting place, books, eventually a lecturer, paper and other necessary material. All these things should be properly considered, the plan of study and the organizational working plans should all be laid out beforehand to the resources at hand.

THE READING CIRCLE.

The simplest type of study groups are so called “reading circles”, which have a task to fill especially regarding new members or in nuclei located in isolated territories. The reading circle can take the form of a “book-ring”, which the members cooperatively organize in order to buy books, which then are read at home by the members, each in turn, or brought to the meetings, read in part and discussed. (The start can be made by buying two or three different books on the same subject circulating them among the members.)

Later on such circles may be able to develop and enlarge to concentrate on a given outline for study and begin systematically to follow such plans which have been worked out either by a Party agitprop or even by some competent member of the circle. There is nothing to prevent the comrades getting in this kind of a circle to jointly read aloud from a book, chapter by chapter, always followed by discussion. From this further interest will be developed so that later a certain subject and its literature can be tackled.

This is the simplest form of a study group, and it likewise is the original form. The many types are so variously used that it becomes impossible to always characterize a working study group as belonging to either this type or that. Many of the groups, during the time of their existence, show characteristics that are to be found in nearly all the different types of groups or at least in many of them.

THE DISCUSSION STUDY GROUP.

This group also works without a precisely stipulated plan. It takes up actual daily problems of the Party, of the class struggle in general for detailed and thoro discussion. Each problem is treated separately, and a member is elected at the previous meeting, when the subject is decided upon, to lead the discussion. In this study group every member in turn has the possibility of advancing in the art of public speaking, of conducting meetings, etc. It is also a good plan to assign “pro and con”. The bourgeois (eventually social democratic) standpoints must always be put forward and criticized. Likewise all right or left deviations from the correct Party line.

THE REPORTING STUDY GROUP.

This is a more thoro and systematic method than either one of the foregoing. This type represents a real effective form of a group. For a reporting study group an outline of study should be gotten and carefully followed thruout the whole course of study, which may take months or even a year, until the outline has been worked thru in meetings, every week or every second week.—When the outline is received from the Agitprop or the Party school it should first be explained and discussed by the group under the guidance of the appointed leader. Of course, it is possible and sometimes to be recommended, in insignificant details, to transgress from the plan, or change the order of the outline—all dependent upon the practical possibilities of strictly following it. But once decided, the order in which the subject is taken up, the directions must be followed accordingly.— Every member should be active in his group, everyone in turn getting a specific task to perform: the responsibility of reporting on a given part in the outline at a certain meeting of the study group; that is to say the student shall first read up on the subject assigned and then give a report on the same in accordance with instructions and advise by the leader or in the adopted outline.—In case the reporter is not used to public speaking he should write down before reporting at least the principal points for reference. There can be joint reporters, or co-reporters—each speaking for only ten or fifteen minutes. Later when more experienced the speaker can take half an hour or more.—Every report should be followed by a discussion from the floor, in which every member should take part. Of course, all the members of the group should read the same books as assigned to the reporter.—When well directed this study group demands good qualities of its leader.

THE LECTURE STUDY GROUP.

This is a type of study group where the greatest importance is placed upon the lecturer (not the leader). The lecturer may be either a comrade on a tour, or a local force, who is particularly interested in the subject and well read. This group however, does not give good results, unless the student-members have been assigned reading for home work, or unless there is also a period for questions and discussion. (No comrade on tour staying only for one evening should be accepted as lecturer, at least four or five meetings must be given to a subject.)

THE COURSE GROUP.

This is a higher development of the “reporting group”. The tasks for the meetings are more definitely laid down and the outline adopted carried out with utmost regularity over a given period of time. The self activity of the members is more intensive in this type of a group than in the lecture group. In the course a great deal of attention should be laid on the selection of a study leader, who in this sort of a group must serve as a teacher. That means that he or she must have a broader and deeper knowledge of the subject to be studied than the other members of the group. Important is that every member takes active part in every meeting. Reports, alternating with lectures by the leader, should be made by the members; questions and discussion are absolutely obligatory. Tasks for homework should be given between meetings.

THE SCHOOL GROUP.

This type of a study group can be recommended when subjects are selected that require a teacher, e.g., English, any other language, worker correspondence, etc. But even in this study group the work should not be limited only to class-work. Home work must be assigned, every member should take active part in the meeting, freely questioning, criticizing and discussing.

Every type of study group can be made to function very effectively. One type is More suited under certain conditions than another, one type can be used for studying a certain subject, when not suitable for another. If well conducted even the more simple types may give better results than the more involved. A very good thing is to utilize the study groups preparing more advanced courses in the Party school or following up on a certain subject started in the school.

Some advice:

Do not keep the group meetings too often with only short intervals between, except when unavoidable, e.g. a certain comrade on tour staying at the place for only a limited number of days.—Do not allow the meetings to go too far in the night without the unanimous consent of all members.—It is better to have a few meetings with all members than many meetings with only a few members.—Prepare every meeting very thoroly. This applies to leader, teacher as well as to every member.—No heavy and dry parliamentary discipline, but order and discipline with a comradely spirit.—Every comrade who does not meet regularly or stays away without reason accepted by the study group should be dropped from the group.—A few handbooks on the subject studied—from the local library—should at meetings be placed in the room.

No study group activity except reading circles should start before outlines in at least the most important subjects are prepared by the Agitprops, which should direct and lead this work. Outlines at least on the following subjects should immediately be worked out: Principles of Communism, Working Class Economics, History of American Labor Movement, History of the CP of the USA, History of American Capitalism, Trade Union Tactics, Unemployment, Anti-Militarist Work, Worker Correspondence, Building of Socialism in the Soviet Union, the Negro Problem, Party Organization.

The Party Organizer was the internal bulletin of the Communist Party published by its Central Committee beginning in 1927. First published irregularly, than bi-monthly, and then monthly, the Organizer was primarily meant for the Party’s unit, district, and shop organizers. The Organizer offers a much different view of the CP than the Daily Worker, including a much higher proportion of women writers than almost any other CP publication. Its pages are often full of the mundane problems of Party organizing, complaints about resources, debates over policy and personalities, as well as official numbers and information on Party campaigns, locals, organizations, and periodicals making the Party Organizer an important resource for the study and understanding of the Party in its most important years.

PDF of issue: https://archive.org/download/party-organizer_1930-03_3_2/party-organizer_1930-03_3_2.pdf