John M. Work

John McClelland Work (1869–1961) was an American socialist writer, lecturer, activist, and political functionary. Work is best remembered as a founding member of the Socialist Party of America and as the author of one of its best-selling propaganda tracts of the first decade of the 20th Century. He was also the Executive Secretary of the Socialist Party of America from 1911 to 1913 and a frequent candidate for public office on its ticket.

John M. Work was born January 3, 1869, in rural Washington County in Southeastern Iowa, the son of John H. Work, a farmer.

In September 1886, Work left the family farm in Dutch Creek Township and went off to school. He stayed close to home, attending the non-denominational religious preparatory school Washington Academy, in nearby Washington, Iowa, returning home on weekends to help with the farm work. Work graduated the Academy in June 1889, part of a graduating class of 8.

Following graduation from Washington Academy, Work began studying law in the office of an elderly lawyer in Washington who was a friend of the Work family, with John running errands. After a year he returned to the farm to help with the summer work before enrolling in Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, a United Presbyterian school which often sent its graduates on to theological seminaries. Work entered with Senior class status and graduated in June 1891 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

While in college, Work was a supporter of the Prohibition Party.

Upon graduation, Work took a job at a weekly newspaper published in Monmouth, gathering local news and soliciting advertising. He was a failure as an ad salesman, however, and was fired after just six weeks.

Work decided to attend the United Presbyterian Theological Seminary at Allegheny, Pennsylvania in the fall of 1892. Upon arrival, Work found the seminary "cheerless and uninviting" and spontaneously decided to hop a train for Washington, D.C. to attend Columbian Law School, now part of George Washington University. Work graduated in June 1892 with a degree of Bachelor of Laws.

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