Education in the ColoniesEducation in the Colonies

The School System in AmericaThe School System in America

1607-Present1607-Present

Colonial SchoolsColonial Schools

Modeled on British Modeled on British system system

Stressed religious Stressed religious educationeducation Reading was vital and Reading was vital and

literacy importantliteracy important WHY?WHY?

New England: Mass Bay, New New England: Mass Bay, New Hampshire, ConnecticutHampshire, Connecticut

Church, State, schools Church, State, schools interrelatedinterrelated Establish system of town Establish system of town

schoolsschools Learning focused on Learning focused on

curbing idleness and curbing idleness and growing upgrowing up

The Middle Colonies: NY, NJ, Penn, The Middle Colonies: NY, NJ, Penn, DelDel

Wider variety of Wider variety of studentsstudents Swedes, Germans, Irish, Swedes, Germans, Irish,

English, Dutch, Scot, etc.English, Dutch, Scot, etc. Mostly parochial schoolsMostly parochial schools

Appealed to the various Appealed to the various Protestant and Catholic Protestant and Catholic Faiths of areaFaiths of area

Similar curriculum to Similar curriculum to New England SchoolNew England School

The Southern Colonies: Virginia, The Southern Colonies: Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, NC, SCMaryland, Georgia, NC, SC

Mostly limited to large landownersMostly limited to large landowners Promote religionPromote religion ‘‘Civil Society’Civil Society’

Gentleman and ladies of breedingGentleman and ladies of breeding

Few schools for lower classFew schools for lower class ‘‘know your place’know your place’

Education for slaves forbiddenEducation for slaves forbidden

Types of SchoolsTypes of Schools

3 major types3 major types Dame SchoolsDame Schools Reading and Writing SchoolsReading and Writing Schools Latin Grammar SchoolsLatin Grammar Schools

Dame SchoolsDame Schools

Run by widows or housewivesRun by widows or housewives Supported by modest feesSupported by modest fees Provided basic schooling for both gendersProvided basic schooling for both genders

Reading, writing, arithmetic at elementary levelReading, writing, arithmetic at elementary level Sewing, homemaking lessons included for girlsSewing, homemaking lessons included for girls

Reading and Writing SchoolsReading and Writing Schools

Boys OnlyBoys Only Lessons based on Bible, New England PrimerLessons based on Bible, New England Primer

New England PrimerNew England Primer Used woodcuts, rhymed couplets to teach letters of the Used woodcuts, rhymed couplets to teach letters of the

alphabetalphabet Couplets and images derived from BibleCouplets and images derived from Bible

Latin Grammar SchoolLatin Grammar School

Upper level educationUpper level education Students enrolled about 7 or 8Students enrolled about 7 or 8 Boys onlyBoys only

Intend as preparation for Harvard UniversityIntend as preparation for Harvard University Ultimate goal would be position in church and Ultimate goal would be position in church and

governmentgovernment

Life in a Colonial SchoolLife in a Colonial School

Students sometimes began school as young as Students sometimes began school as young as 2 and half!2 and half! All ages shared a classroomAll ages shared a classroom

Used hornbooks to learn alphabetUsed hornbooks to learn alphabet Textbooks were whatever books students brought Textbooks were whatever books students brought

to schoolto school Most schools were poorly located and quite Most schools were poorly located and quite

crampedcramped Discipline was harsh and quite violentDiscipline was harsh and quite violent

New Schooling Ideas: Pre-New Schooling Ideas: Pre-Revolutionary Era to Early RepublicRevolutionary Era to Early Republic Compulsory EducationCompulsory Education Broader LearningBroader Learning Free and public schoolsFree and public schools Female schoolsFemale schools ‘‘Americanization’Americanization’

Compulsory EducationCompulsory Education

Massachusetts Act of 1642Massachusetts Act of 1642 Required compulsory educationRequired compulsory education

Parents with illiterate children could lose custody!Parents with illiterate children could lose custody!

Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647 Required establishment of town supported schoolsRequired establishment of town supported schools

Depended on size of townDepended on size of town Salary of teacher paid by town Salary of teacher paid by town

Why the name?Why the name?

Broader EducationBroader Education

Benjamin FranklinBenjamin Franklin Created ‘Philadelphia Academy’ (1751)Created ‘Philadelphia Academy’ (1751) Intended to replace Latin Grammar SchoolIntended to replace Latin Grammar School

Lessons in English instead of LatinLessons in English instead of Latin Broader, practical knowledgeBroader, practical knowledge Secular and open to public (for small tuition)Secular and open to public (for small tuition) Less emphasis on religionLess emphasis on religion Peaked about 1855 (6,185 total in US)Peaked about 1855 (6,185 total in US)

Philadelphia Academy CurriculumPhiladelphia Academy Curriculum

GrammarGrammar CompositionComposition LiteratureLiterature Classical and Modern Classical and Modern

LanguagesLanguages ScienceScience Writing and DrawingWriting and Drawing

Rhetoric and OratoryRhetoric and Oratory GeographyGeography HistoryHistory Agriculture and Agriculture and

GardeningGardening Arithmetic and Arithmetic and

AccountingAccounting MechanicsMechanics

Education for WomenEducation for Women

Little formal schooling for girls Little formal schooling for girls Education was intended to create better wives and mothers, Education was intended to create better wives and mothers,

not scholarsnot scholars ‘‘Our object has been, not to make learned ladies, or skilled Our object has been, not to make learned ladies, or skilled

metaphysical reasoners, or deep read scholars in physical science: metaphysical reasoners, or deep read scholars in physical science: there is a more useful, tho’ less exalted and less brilliant station there is a more useful, tho’ less exalted and less brilliant station that woman must occupy, there are duties of incalculable that woman must occupy, there are duties of incalculable importance that she must perform: that station is home; these duties importance that she must perform: that station is home; these duties are the alleviation of the trials of her parents; the soothing of the 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 labours and fatigues of her partner; and the education for time and eternity of the next generation of immortal beings…’----MISSION eternity of the next generation of immortal beings…’----MISSION STATEMENT OF SARAH PIERCE’S FEMALE ACADEMY STATEMENT OF SARAH PIERCE’S FEMALE ACADEMY (early 19(early 19thth century) century)

More schooling for Women?More schooling for Women?

Female seminariesFemale seminaries Established in early nineteenth century to train Established in early nineteenth century to train

women for higher education and public service women for higher education and public service outside the homeoutside the home

Troy SeminaryTroy Seminary Founded by Emma Willard in 1821Founded by Emma Willard in 1821 First college for women in the country!First college for women in the country!

Jeffersonian EducationJeffersonian Education

Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson ‘‘Bill for the More General Diffusion of Bill for the More General Diffusion of

Knowledge’(1779)Knowledge’(1779) VirginiaVirginia State run schools providing free education to all white State run schools providing free education to all white

childrenchildren Failed to passFailed to pass

Opens University of Virginia in 1824Opens University of Virginia in 1824 Considered it his greatest achievementConsidered it his greatest achievement

AmericanizationAmericanization

Noah WebsterNoah Webster American writer and publisherAmerican writer and publisher Sought to remove British influence and ‘Americanize’ Sought to remove British influence and ‘Americanize’

education and Englisheducation and English ‘‘colour’ vs ‘color, ‘labour’ vs ‘labor’colour’ vs ‘color, ‘labour’ vs ‘labor’ Creates Creates Elementary Spelling Book (1783) and Elementary Spelling Book (1783) and

The American DictionaryThe American Dictionary Patriotic, moralistic virtuesPatriotic, moralistic virtues

Know your placeKnow your place Work hardWork hard Respect property of othersRespect property of others

Free Public EducationFree Public Education

1820-18651820-1865 Common SchoolsCommon Schools

Primarily in northeast, midwestPrimarily in northeast, midwest Open to all students and supported by the stateOpen to all students and supported by the state

Not always popularNot always popular Loss of local controlLoss of local control

Horace MannHorace Mann

First State Secretary of EducationFirst State Secretary of Education Traveled throughout Massachusetts writing reports Traveled throughout Massachusetts writing reports

on schoolingon schooling Argued that common schools could maintain republic Argued that common schools could maintain republic

and capitalistic economyand capitalistic economy Told business it created obedient skilled workersTold business it created obedient skilled workers Told workers it improved opportunity to succeed and protect Told workers it improved opportunity to succeed and protect

rights!rights!