In the 1920s, a new European cross border movement began in education, founded upon the work of national teacher organizations, promoted and supported by a socialist internationalism, in its different forms.

During the Twenties, active socialist teachers in England joined the Teachers' Labour League. The TLL was established in 1923 and in its early days represented diffuse and varied socialist cultures existing among teachers: it had support from the new Professors of Education, progressive educationists, and the workers education movement. It acted as an advisory body to the Labour Party, discussing its education policy at conferences. In 1925, a split occurred and a minority left. The remainder were non-aligned socialists and Communists.

In April 1925 it created an International Committee that lasted until January 1929. Its Secretary was David Capper, a south London teacher. The Minutes of this Committee and some of its correspondence form the basis of this presentation. One of his tasks was to attend meetings with the Educational Workers International, usually in Paris.

The Minute Book will be used to explore the range of TLL international work in Europe in this period, what it did and its scope. The purpose of the presentation will be to explore the way that a European transnational proto identity may be said to emerge from their work, the progenitor of later Europeanization processes.

Ozga, J.T. and Lawn, M.A. (1981) ' Teachers, Professionalism and Class', Falmer Press. Lawn, M [1987] Servants of the State - the Contested Control of Teaching 1900-1930 Falmer