1. Education in the Colonies The School System in America 1607-Present

2. Colonial Schools Modeled on British system Modeled on British system Stressed religious education Stressed religious education Reading was vital and literacy important Reading was vital and literacy important WHY? WHY?

3. New England: Mass Bay, New Hampshire, Connecticut Church, State, schools interrelated Church, State, schools interrelated Establish system of town schools Establish system of town schools Learning focused on curbing idleness and growing up Learning focused on curbing idleness and growing up

5. The Middle Colonies: NY, NJ, Penn, Del Wider variety of students Wider variety of students Swedes, Germans, Irish, English, Dutch, Scot, etc. Swedes, Germans, Irish, English, Dutch, Scot, etc. Mostly parochial schools Mostly parochial schools Appealed to the various Protestant and Catholic Faiths of area Appealed to the various Protestant and Catholic Faiths of area Similar curriculum to New England School Similar curriculum to New England School

6. The Southern Colonies: Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, NC, SC Mostly limited to large landowners Mostly limited to large landowners Promote religion Promote religion ‘Civil Society’ ‘Civil Society’ Gentleman and ladies of breeding Gentleman and ladies of breeding Few schools for lower class Few schools for lower class ‘know your place’ ‘know your place’ Education for slaves forbidden Education for slaves forbidden

7. Types of Schools 3 major types 3 major types Dame Schools Dame Schools Reading and Writing Schools Reading and Writing Schools Latin Grammar Schools Latin Grammar Schools

8. Dame Schools Run by widows or housewives Run by widows or housewives Supported by modest fees Supported by modest fees Provided basic schooling for both genders Provided basic schooling for both genders Reading, writing, arithmetic at elementary level Reading, writing, arithmetic at elementary level Sewing, homemaking lessons included for girls Sewing, homemaking lessons included for girls

9. Reading and Writing Schools Boys Only Boys Only Lessons based on Bible, New England Primer Lessons based on Bible, New England Primer New England Primer New England Primer Used woodcuts, rhymed couplets to teach letters of the alphabet Used woodcuts, rhymed couplets to teach letters of the alphabet Couplets and images derived from Bible Couplets and images derived from Bible

10. Latin Grammar School Upper level education Upper level education Students enrolled about 7 or 8 Students enrolled about 7 or 8 Boys only Boys only Intend as preparation for Harvard University Intend as preparation for Harvard University Ultimate goal would be position in church and government Ultimate goal would be position in church and government

11. Life in a Colonial School Students sometimes began school as young as 2 and half! Students sometimes began school as young as 2 and half! All ages shared a classroom All ages shared a classroom Used hornbooks to learn alphabet Used hornbooks to learn alphabet Textbooks were whatever books students brought to school Textbooks were whatever books students brought to school Most schools were poorly located and quite cramped Most schools were poorly located and quite cramped Discipline was harsh and quite violent Discipline was harsh and quite violent

12. New Schooling Ideas: Pre- Revolutionary Era to Early Republic Compulsory Education Compulsory Education Broader Learning Broader Learning Free and public schools Free and public schools Female schools Female schools ‘Americanization’ ‘Americanization’

13. Compulsory Education Massachusetts Act of 1642 Massachusetts Act of 1642 Required compulsory education Required compulsory education Parents with illiterate children could lose custody! Parents with illiterate children could lose custody! Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647 Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647 Required establishment of town supported schools Required establishment of town supported schools Depended on size of town Depended on size of town Salary of teacher paid by town Salary of teacher paid by town Why the name? Why the name?

14. Broader Education Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin Created ‘Philadelphia Academy’ (1751) Created ‘Philadelphia Academy’ (1751) Intended to replace Latin Grammar School Intended to replace Latin Grammar School Lessons in English instead of Latin Lessons in English instead of Latin Broader, practical knowledge Broader, practical knowledge Secular and open to public (for small tuition) Secular and open to public (for small tuition) Less emphasis on religion Less emphasis on religion Peaked about 1855 (6,185 total in US) Peaked about 1855 (6,185 total in US)

15. Philadelphia Academy Curriculum Grammar Grammar Composition Composition Literature Literature Classical and Modern Languages Classical and Modern Languages Science Science Writing and Drawing Writing and Drawing Rhetoric and Oratory Rhetoric and Oratory Geography Geography History History Agriculture and Gardening Agriculture and Gardening Arithmetic and Accounting Arithmetic and Accounting Mechanics Mechanics

16. Education for Women Little formal schooling for girls Little formal schooling for girls Education was intended to create better wives and mothers, not scholars Education was intended to create better wives and mothers, not scholars ‘Our object has been, not to make learned ladies, or skilled metaphysical reasoners, or deep read scholars in physical science: there is a more useful, tho’ less exalted and less brilliant station that woman must occupy, there are duties of incalculable importance that she must perform: that station is home; these duties are the alleviation of the trials of her parents; the soothing of the labours and fatigues of her partner; and the education for time and eternity of the next generation of immortal beings…’----MISSION STATEMENT OF SARAH PIERCE’S FEMALE ACADEMY (early 19 th century) ‘Our object has been, not to make learned ladies, or skilled metaphysical reasoners, or deep read scholars in physical science: there is a more useful, tho’ less exalted and less brilliant station that woman must occupy, there are duties of incalculable importance that she must perform: that station is home; these duties are the alleviation of the trials of her parents; the soothing of the labours and fatigues of her partner; and the education for time and eternity of the next generation of immortal beings…’----MISSION STATEMENT OF SARAH PIERCE’S FEMALE ACADEMY (early 19 th century)

17. More schooling for Women? Female seminaries Female seminaries Established in early nineteenth century to train women for higher education and public service outside the home Established in early nineteenth century to train women for higher education and public service outside the home Troy Seminary Troy Seminary Founded by Emma Willard in 1821 Founded by Emma Willard in 1821 First college for women in the country! First college for women in the country!

18. Jeffersonian Education Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson ‘Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge’(1779) ‘Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge’(1779) Virginia Virginia State run schools providing free education to all white children State run schools providing free education to all white children Failed to pass Failed to pass Opens University of Virginia in 1824 Opens University of Virginia in 1824 Considered it his greatest achievement Considered it his greatest achievement

19. Americanization Noah Webster Noah Webster American writer and publisher American writer and publisher Sought to remove British influence and ‘Americanize’ education and English Sought to remove British influence and ‘Americanize’ education and English ‘colour’ vs ‘color, ‘labour’ vs ‘labor’ ‘colour’ vs ‘color, ‘labour’ vs ‘labor’ Creates Elementary Spelling Book (1783) and The American Dictionary Creates Elementary Spelling Book (1783) and The American Dictionary Patriotic, moralistic virtues Patriotic, moralistic virtues Know your place Know your place Work hard Work hard Respect property of others Respect property of others

20. Free Public Education 1820-1865 1820-1865 Common Schools Common Schools Primarily in northeast, midwest Primarily in northeast, midwest Open to all students and supported by the state Open to all students and supported by the state Not always popular Not always popular Loss of local control Loss of local control

21. Horace Mann First State Secretary of Education First State Secretary of Education Traveled throughout Massachusetts writing reports on schooling Traveled throughout Massachusetts writing reports on schooling Argued that common schools could maintain republic and capitalistic economy Argued that common schools could maintain republic and capitalistic economy Told business it created obedient skilled workers Told business it created obedient skilled workers Told workers it improved opportunity to succeed and protect rights! Told workers it improved opportunity to succeed and protect rights!