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Early History of Education
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1600-1776 American Colonial Period
Most education took place at home Basic reading and arithmetic skills taught Daily life and work provided opportunities for practical learning When schools were established: Mainly in well-populated areas Primarily for elementary grades Few universities and colleges founded –so few opportunities to attend Most older children worked on family farms and business Others, learned a trade in an apprenticeship Some worked without pay for agreed upon time period in exchange for their learning
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New England Colonies Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, & Rhode Island – all came from England Majority Puritans Believed in importance of religious education Valued person’s ability to read the Bible School viewed as a way to reach those goals and teach basic skills for farmers 1642 Massachusetts enacted a law requiring every town to establish a school – not always followed
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Middle Colonies New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania & Delaware
All from different backgrounds No common school system Cultural groups developed own schools Quakers Settled around Philadelphia Believed everyone should be educated Tolerant of others beliefs Established 1st school that welcomed all regardless of religion or race Open to girls, African Americans and Native Americans
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Southern Colonies Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia Social and economic class divisions were more rigid Sons of wealthy plantation owners received a formal education preparing for college in colonies or Europe Due to geographical separation of plantations were educated at home by tutors Middle class was smaller than other areas Middle class and poor, especially girls, had fewer opportunities Enslaved people were only taught skills useful to their owners Dame schools were open to both boys and girls
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Role of Teacher Ranked right below religious leaders in importance
Were men better educated than the general population Expected to teach and act as an example of moral behavior Could NOT drink, smoke, date or marry Had to: Attend church regularly Participate in civic events Be industrious and honest Routinely clean the school Visit the sick Perform charitable acts
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School Curriculum Most schools focused on basic reading, writing, simple math and religion Some educated beyond elementary Few formal school existed In Middle and New England colonies training was available for trades Sons of wealthy learned Latin, Greek and advanced math In south sons studies astronomy for navigation and plantation management skills Girls taught basic skills – sewing, home management skills Wealthy daughters taught literature and poetry Books were rare and expensive Schools used hornbooks – used throughout the colonies until 1800’s when books became less expensive
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1776-1840 American Early National Period
Began with the American Revolution Believed they could make a better society and were eager to try new ideas Change occurred quickly in cities and slower in rural settings Educators believed improving lives and society through the use of reason; could find rational solutions for problems Schools were a vehicle for making a better society Ideas & traditions of Europe less influential Education considered way to promote the new nations ideas of freedom & liberty Religion played less of a role; focused on teaching skills to help students enter fields such as agriculture, business and shipping
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Benjamin Franklin One of the most important early leaders
Started a secondary school or academy in Philadelphia – open to anyone who could pay tuition Due to his influence schools today: Teach good citizenship Are available to everyone Teach a wide variety of subjects
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Thomas Jefferson Believed that education was the key to making the newly formed democracy a success Introduced legislation to divide counties in Virginia into smaller districts that were responsible for education – a public system of education Wanted elementary schools available without cost Due to his influence schools today: Public system of education introduced How public schools are organized
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Role of Teacher Continued to be positive models of good citizenship
Expected to be involved, make community better place through church participation and involvement in community issues Taught that citizenship involved obeying laws and rules and respecting authority
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School Curriculum Continued teaching basics of reading, writing, math Christian principals and citizenship Also taught Greek, Roman, English history and American history Opportunities remained limited, especially in less populated areas Wealthy boys were taught Greek, Latin and English grammar, advanced math, geography, literature and science in preparation for university entrance If girls received additional education it was through a tutor at home or schools designed for girls Education was limited to those of European ancestry
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1840-1880 American Common School Period
Marked by events that significantly altered the American way of life 1840 – Oregon Trail opened Gold discovered in California Labor saving devices developed – sewing machines and washing machines 1860’s – civil war claimed lives, freeing slaves & triumph of union altered American life In 1840 most American children received minimal schooling if any at all By 1880 education, including free public education for many – was more widely available
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Horace Mann Served as 1st Secretary of the State Board of Education in Massachusetts Worked hard to establish free public education for every boy and girl First public state supported schools called common schools gave the same education to people from different levels of society Established teacher-training schools called normal schools Successfully advocated establishment of free libraries Increased state funding for public schools by using state taxes to pay for education – provided money to raise teacher salaries and improve materials and equipment Believed schools should be nonsectarian since funded by taxpayers – reasoned that people should not have to pay to teach religious principals contrary to own beliefs Since country was overwhelmingly Christian, morality based on general Christian principals still taught
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African American Education
Before civil war very few enslaved African Americans were able to read or write Most learned in secret due to laws in South prohibiting educating them Former slaves in Northern states faced social and economic obstacles Few African American schools existed Quaker schools allowed them to attend Struggled with very low wages so children found work as soon as old enough After civil war Educated African Americans set up schools Missionaries from North set up schools First African American colleges founded Debates among African Americans about what was the best type of education for their people Most efforts were short lived Schools strictly segregated Lacked funds for equal education
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Role of Teacher Country was still primarily rural
Children educated at home or in small country school houses. 1 teacher taught all grades Teachers paid by community members Salaries quite low
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Normal Schools To enter a normal school for training applicants had to take a test to show that they were properly educated Resulted in higher expectations of teachers knowledge and teaching abilities More women enrolled and entered profession Opportunity to make a living on own
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School Curriculum Brought more change in how subjects were taught
Establishment of kindergartens in public school in 1870 Developed by Fredrich Froebel, a German educator Believed young children learned best through play First kindergarten classes established to help poor children succeed in school Songs and games were used to teach the children Prior to this children did not attend school until 7 years old
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School Curriculum Continued
Textbooks became more widely available Reverend William Holmes McGuffey asked to write a textbook beginning of McGuffey readers Used in schools across country Books taught moral lessons along with reading, spelling and other subjects Subsequent readers taught history, biology, botany, literature, speech, proper behavior Contributed to standardization of American education
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School Curriculum Continued
Morrill Act of 1862 Known as the Land-Grant College Act Gave federal land to establish colleges in every state Provided practical education in agriculture, home economics and other useful professions to people from all social classes Second Morrill Act in 1890 expanded the system
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1880 – 1921 American Progressive Period
Bridged the 19th and 20th centuries Women gained more rights European immigrants poured into cities Industrial revolution continued to change nature of work and society Time of business expansion and reform Reformation members called themselves Progressives Wanted to regulate big business who took advantage of workers and consumers Corrupt government officials were also targets
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American Progressive Period Continued
Between 1880 and 1920, half the rural population abandoned farming and moved to town to find work Over 15 million new immigrants arrived Urban areas became overcrowded Poverty and disease widespread If you found work Long hours Working conditions were hazardous Children worked limiting education opportunities Progressives worked toward Better pay for women Passed laws reducing number of hours children could work in factories By 1920 all states passed laws requiring children attend elementary school
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Segregated Education Schools were still highly segregated
African American children attended separate public schools that received less funding Educational materials were scarce and inferior, often the cast-offs from the “white” schools African American teachers could only teach in African American schools and received lower pay then their counterparts
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Role of Teachers Teachers were considered professionals
Teacher preparation programs in colleges replaced normal schools More emphasis was placed on educational theories Teachers were well trained and qualified to both run a classroom and teach a variety of subjects Many teachers grew unhappy with emphasis on standardization First teachers unions were formed to protect the working rights of teachers Fought to improve pay, status and working conditions Women entered the workforce in greater numbers By end of progressive period, women had achieved the right to vote
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School Curriculum Progressives believed that schools should focus on students more as individuals, felt that curriculum was too standardized Felt that students should be encouraged to think critically and independently, rather than simply memorize information and accept facts – these changes were significant for education One notable change was the opening of thousands of public high schools In 1880 there was only about 800 of these This allowed students to continue their education and prepare for a career, even if they were not attending college High school diploma became more important in finding a job
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John Dewey An educational philosopher, psychologist and writer was a leading voice for progressive education Believed that classrooms were too rigid and inflexible, did not adapt to needs, interests, and abilities of individual students Believed schools should place a greater emphasis on the development of problem solving and critical thinking skills Promoted the link between learning and experience Due to his influence schools today: Collaborative learning on projects and discussing topics Role of teacher as guiding learning Real life activity that linked new information to previous experiences
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Maria Montessori Italy’s first female doctor, tried to find ways to help children who had difficulty learning Believed that young children are capable of great discovery and motivated to explore the world. Sensory experiences should come before learning to read and write Developed the Montessori method Considers all of a child’s needs, not just intellectual Classrooms are stimulating environments Many opportunities for large and fine-motor development and sensory exploration, along with language, science, art, geography, and math Children direct their own learning with teachers as partners Teachers encourage children to judge their own progress and choose own interests
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Career and Technical Education
Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 established federal funds to support vocational education (now called career and technical education) Prepares students for the many career opportunities in specific trades and occupations where skilled workers are needed Funding greatly influenced the spread of CTE classes in public high schools
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1920s and the Great Depression (1921-1940)
America was the most industrialized country in the world and economic prosperity and growth were strong Influence of the Progressive movement in education continued through this period Economic prosperity of the 1920s increased the size of the middle class. Most people had disposable income Americans became consumers, rather than producers Consumer credit issues surfaced for the first time as credit became more widely available, so consumer education became a need. Concerns about the rate of immigration caused quotas to be set October 14, 1929, the New York Stock Market crashed Became known as Black Thursday Caused the economic panic that put country into the Great Depression
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Impact of Economy on Schools
In hard economic times schools had to respond to lost revenue During the Great Depression Public schools faced a shortage of cash Many citizens were unable to pay taxes Some districts ceased to operate Some districts shortened the school year Teacher pay was decreased or eliminated Course offering cut back to basic subjects Families found it difficult to keep children fed and dressed - not enough money for books and school supplies Many children unable to attend due to working to supplement family income Federal Government steps in to help Funds helped support some schools to hire teachers and purchase supplies Schools began offering free hot lunches for children Better schools were built in some communities as part of the program to employ others By end of 1930s families were getting back on their feet Social institutions were working to recover from a decade of hardship Americans were inward focused
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Dick and Jane Readers Early 1930s, a new set of reading textbooks for beginning readers were published Taught basic reading skills with simple stories about a family. From 1930 to 1960, over 85 million students used these textbooks Widespread use help standardize education
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Give examples of how education reflected local culture and beliefs
Ability to read the Bible Religious education Everyone educated – Quakers Social and economic divisions Tutors – plantation children Nonsectarian – paid for by taxes Segregation Industrial revolution
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Trace changes in the preparation, roles and status of teachers over time
Men only to men and women Role models to professionals Teacher dos and don’ts Duties Community involvement Segregation Normal schools to teacher colleges Low pay Teacher unions
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Describe how educational opportunities changed from colonial times forward
Tutors Apprenticeships One-room school houses Common schools Kindergarten Morrill Act Mandatory elementary school attendance Montessori Method Smith-Hughes Act Hornbooks to McGuffey readers to Dick and Jane Readers
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Analyze how key people in early education reform responded to concerns of the time
Benjamin Franklin Thomas Jefferson Horace Mann Fredrich Froebel Reverend William Holmes McGuffey John Dewey Maria Montessori
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Analytical Question Prompts
Throughout the early history of education in America, teachers were held in great respect and were expected to be role models for students. In your opinion, how are teachers regarded today? Give reasons for your view. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, some teachers continued to work for little or no pay. What do you think motivated them? How do you think you would react, as a teacher, if a similar situation occurred? What factors would you weigh as part of your decision?
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