The importance of culture and education in organizing and sustaining social movements.  The possibility of the kind of unions in which "we are all leaders," an IWW slogan.  Unions as possible social change organizations.  The possibility of different races and genders organizing together.  The perspective of an IWW person in Portland in an earlier period. Why we don't know more about the radical alternatives to worker organizing that did and do exist.

When the Pacific Northwest Labor History Association visited this site, Howard Morgan regaled us with his reminiscences.  The site is noisy.  Any speaking to large groups is best done on the bus or around the corner.  A bullhorn could be useful for groups of any size at all these sites. When high school groups have toured, instead of or in addition to a speaker, we’ve had activities specific to the site.  In one favorite activity, we printed five IWW quotations in the form of bookmarks, enough for each student to draw one out of a hat.  Students then formed small groups (three students together seems to work best, but two or four could be fine) and discussed their quotes, picking one to be their discussion topic.  They then spread out in the neighborhood, staying in their small groups, to engage people in a discussion of their quote.  In the thirty minutes we allot, two discussions seem to be the norm, though some groups have reported just one intensive conversation. [Teacher notes: I would circulate while the groups initially are forming, helping make sure they understand their quotations.  The “new society within the shell of the old” quote, in particular, might be difficult.  It is important also to allocate time at the end of the activity for reports back so that the different groups can compare notes both on how they approached people and on the response they received.  Burnside is a busy street.  It is probably a good idea to keep students on its north side and on the blocks immediately north of it.  In halfway decent weather, we’ve had no difficulty keeping up to a hundred students within a three or four block radius.] Suggested quotations from the IWW:

"Too long have the workers of the world waited for some Moses to lead them out of bondage. He has not come; he never will come. I would not lead you out if I could; for if you could be led out, you could be led back again. I would have you make up your minds that there is nothing that you cannot do for yourselves."             Eugene V. Debs "We are forming the structure of the new society within the shell of the old."             IWW Preamble "No more the drudge and idler -- ten that toil where one reposes, But a sharing of life's glories: Bread and roses! Bread and roses!"          James Oppenheim "Wherever you find injustice, the proper form of politeness is attack."          T-Bone Slim "An injury to one, we say's an injury to all, United we're unbeatable, divided, we must fall."         from The Portland Revolution, by Dublin Dan

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