Document Design, Working-Class Rhetoric, and Education in the Hearl Maxwell Collection

Conclusion: Documentation, Education, and Brotherhood

     Document design played a large part in conveying a message between the local unions and the United Mine Workers of America. To be taken seriously, there were rules that needed to be followed in addressing a formal letter between the different committees. Once documentation started appearing as a result of the unions, formal contracts needed to be drafted to cover all who were affected. The bond of brotherhood in the writing of the letters was apparent throughout all levels of mine workers and union members. The rhetoric was a combination of working-class and professional writing to convey messages between the different levels of workers. As the unions fought for better working conditions for the mine workers, education classes started appearing. Once a person was certified in a particular area of training, they were able to move into better positions in the mining industry. The problem lied with distance from the local mining camps to the Kansas State Teachers College. But the unions continued to fight for better working conditions for the miners of Southeast Kansas. That was the goal at hand for the United Mine Workers of America. The letters of the Hearl Maxwell collection that has been donated to Pittsburg State University contain documentation that follow the simple rules set forth by Robin Williams in the form of contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity. Through the information provided in the collection, it was easy to see document design playing a large role in the conveying of messages back and forth between local and national union members. The converging of working-class rhetoric and professional rhetoric in the letters and contracts showed the ultimate goal was to provide better conditions for mining workers.