THE INDIANAPOLIS BRANCH OF THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION: A SHORT HISTORY By James P. Fadely, Ph.D.

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The cultural life of Indianapolis has been enriched since 1949 by the Indianapolis Branch of The English-Speaking Union (ESU), an educational organization that celebrates shared interests in the English language, literature, and history. Its mission statement: "The English-Speaking Union of the United States expands minds, strengthens friendships, and unlocks opportunities through the use of the English language." The Indianapolis Branch supports that mission by sending an area high school teacher to a British university each summer to study; partnering with Indiana University to bring a British student to study in Bloomington; and providing programs throughout the year that explore topics related to the English language, literature, and history.

The English-Speaking Union of the Commonwealth, headquartered in London, was established in 1918 and now has Branches in over 50 countries around the world. HRH Princess Anne is now the royal patron. Two years later, in 1920, Sir Evelyn Wrench founded The English-Speaking Union of the United States to help foster the Anglo-American friendship so evident during World War I and to connect people through the English language. The Indianapolis Branch, one of 65 ESU Branches across the country, was established in 1949 by Charles J. Lynn, an executive with Eli Lilly and Company. William Howard Taft, former President of the U.S., served as the first President of the ESU of the U.S. Other notable persons serving the organization over the years include President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was chairman of the ESU after he left the White House, the poet T.S. Eliot, historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, and writer George Plimpton.

To fulfill its educational mission, the Indianapolis Branch of the ESU supports the TLab: Travel and Learn Abroad scholarships, which allow American secondary school teachers to study in Great Britain each year. Teachers may become students again at the University of Oxford, the International Shakespeare Globe Centre, or the University of Edinburgh, where they may study literature, theatre, or history. The Indianapolis Branch has sent teachers to Britain from throughout the metropolitan area and the state. In addition to sending a Hoosier teacher to the UK, we partner with Indiana University to sponsor a British student – our ESU Fellow - in Bloomington. Ours is IU's oldest international student program. The national ESU also provides travel-and-learn opportunities in the UK for lifelong learners.

Several other educational programs are offered by the national English-Speaking Union, which is headquartered in New York City. The National Shakespeare Competition for high school students is a premier initiative; English in Action is an English-as-a-Second-Language tutoring program; a public debating program for middle school students; the Luard Morse Scholarships are merit awards offered to students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), enabling recipients to spend their junior year at the British university of their choice; and the Secondary School Exchange (SSE) enables American and British teenagers to spend a post-graduate semester or year in the opposite country on a full scholarship provided by participating schools. Both Park Tudor School and The Culver Academies have participated in the SSE program.

From September through June, the Indianapolis Branch of The English-Speaking Union holds local programs of interest for its membership. The organization has been a part of the vibrant cultural life of Indianapolis for over 75 years.

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