Sidebar: Correspondence Schools of the 1890s

In Lawrence Brown’s era, getting an education beyond grade school was rare, especially in rural areas like Henry County, Missouri. Access to books, educational materials, and formal instruction was nearly nonexistent. The county’s first library wasn’t established until September 1927, when the Women’s Civic Club set up a small book collection in the courthouse in Clinton. Going off to college wasn’t an option. Lawrence had responsibilities at home, working on the farm to support his siblings. Plus, the cost of college was beyond reach. Electricity wasn’t available, let alone computers and the internet.

Ambitious people who were eager to learn needed to be resourceful. Many, like Lawrence, turned to correspondence courses. The largest of these schools, the International Correspondence Schools (ICS), based in Scranton, Pennsylvania, was promoted heavily in newspapers and magazines. Their message was simple: learning would bring you better pay, promotion, and a more secure future.

When Lawrence Brown enrolled in the electrical engineering course, lessons arrived by mail, one envelope at a time. Education by mail was slow. After completing a lesson, he would mail it back to the institution, which was often hundreds of miles away. Instructors then had to receive the work, review it, evaluate and score it, prepare feedback, and mail it back along with the next lesson. This entire cycle would often take two to four weeks between lessons, depending on postal speed, instructor workload, and the complexity of the material.

Whether it was courses in electrical or mechanical engineering or bookkeeping, correspondence schools allowed each student to learn at their own pace. It required self-discipline and persistence. There were no reminders, no real-time help, and no shortcuts. Just a quiet corner, a kerosene lamp, and a long wait for the next envelope to arrive.

Today’s correspondence courses—now more commonly called online learning—are nearly unrecognizable compared to the slow, solitary experience of Lawrence’s time. Now lessons are delivered instantly through the internet. Courses often include interactive videos, quizzes, and discussion forums. Students typically communicate with instructors and peers via email or online discussion forums. They can submit assignments electronically and instantly, and receive feedback within hours or a few days. While the pace may still be flexible, the support systems are far more robust with automated reminders, virtual tutoring, and even AI-powered study aids that help keep students on track.

Despite the technological leap, the spirit of self-directed learning remains the same. Just like Lawrence did around 1900, today’s students must carve out time, stay self-motivated, and push through challenges without the structure of a traditional classroom. The tools have changed—from envelopes and pencils to apps and cloud storage—but the determination to learn independently still defines the experience and the outcome.