John Dewey in Key West

I was fortunate enough to spend a few days in Key West during spring break. I am not a sun or beach fan, but after all our rain and the cold winter days, I enjoyed walking around wearing light clothing and sampling the delicious cuisine without a care. (I am a “foodie,” so those great Key West restaurants certainly thrilled me.)

I knew I would find Ernest Hemingway there – his house is on nearly every tourist maps – and Tennessee Williams, too. I did not know I would find John Dewey, philosopher and one of the fathers of progressive education. Quite frankly, it was a bit of a shock. But, there it was – the house of John Dewey, right near the southernmost point where I stayed — I walked past it every morning. It seemed to add a whole new dimension to my seaside holiday.

Upon my return I did a little research to find out when Dewey was there and what the place meant to him. There is a great essay by William Gaudelli, an education professor at Columbia University, that gives the most insight into Dewey’s travels to Key West. He began his trips in 1938, traveling to Key West each January to April. Gaudelli cites four books by Dewey that may have been written while he was in Key West. While he was there, he stayed in houses owned by his daughter, Jane Mary, and his second wife, Roberta Grant. While these two relatives suggest that Dewey used Key West as a “place of solitude and reflection that prompted his writing,” Dewey himself says he was not especially productive during that time.

As I passed by his house each morning, I imagined John Dewey sitting on his porch writing and enjoying a break from New York. Key West prides itself on being open and welcoming—its motto is “One Human Family.” I like the thought that he was there. Even Dewey took a holiday.

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