Focuses on the silence in the history of education about the practice, meaning, and culture of classrooms in the past. Reconstructs the culture of such common spaces in schools and asks how historians can piece together the social history of the classroom. Addresses questions of research methodology and approach in writing the history of education, drawing on oral history, photographs, architecture, letters, and diaries. Based on a series of innovative conferences on the history of classrooms that met in Birmingham, England, in 1995, and in Toronto, Canada, in 1996. Includes b&w historical photos of students in classrooms. The editor is a lecturer in education at the University of Birmingham, UK. Lacks a subject index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)