-
Massachusetts School Law of 1642
One of the first attempts at compulsory education was the General School Law of 1642, enacted in Massachusetts in 1642 and soon after in the Mid-Atlantic Colonies. Similar efforts passed in the Southern Colonies up to 100 years later. The law compelled parents and masters to provided education in reading and writing for their children and their apprentices. However the law was largely ignored by the general public. Eric R. Eberling, Massachusetts Education Laws of 1642, 1647, and 1948. -
Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647
This famous law from colonial America framed ignorance as a work of Satan (i.e. The Old Deluder). The belief was that illiteracy was a tool Satan could use to keep men from understanding Bible scriptures. The law decreed that each town should provide for the foundation, operation and funding of schools. Failure to provide teachers or grammar schools could result in a find of 5 pounds. Andrew J. Milson (ed.), Readings In American Educational Thought: From Puritanism to Progressivism. -
The New England Primer published in 1690
The New England Primer which became the most widely used Primer in the Colonies was published by Benjamin Harris. The text was still in use in the 1900's. The text contains a mix of Puritan religious values and basic literacy. An example is, "A In Adam's Fall, We sinned all. B Thy life to mend, this book attend. https://www3.nd.edu/~rbarger/www7/neprimer.html -
Society of Friends promotes educational equity in Philadelphia 1739-1785
The Quakers were radical agents of change in early education promoting equity for females and for black children. Anthony Benezet, a Frenchman who joined the Philadelphia Quaker by 1831, was one of the earliest American abolitionists. In 1739 he begin teaching and by 1750, he had added night classes for Black students. In 1754, he establish the first public girls school and in 1770 opened the Negro school at Philadelphia. "Anthony Benezet: biography and bibliography", -
College of New Jersey established in 1742
The establishment of the College of New Jersey is noteworthy because of the influence of the Scottish University. The curriculum continued to teach the classics and Calvinistic philosophies but also emphasized the natural sciences and mathematics. The College of New Jersey is now known as Princeton University.https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel02.html[Link text](https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel02.html) -
American Academy founded by Ben Franklin (1753)
The curriculum was geared to prepare students for employment. The curriculum of this and similar schools eventually replaced the Latin grammar schools. Some of the schools admitted women as well. http://www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/features/1700s/acad_curric.html -
Rousseau's Emille published in 1762
Emille is divided into five chapters identifying a different stage of youth: Infancy from birth to five- natural instinct; boyhood from five to twelve - physical and sensory experiences; Age twelve to fifteen - direst observation of the environment with the help of a tutor; Adolescence from 15-18 - the child becomes aware of his sexuality ; and Age of humanity from 18-20 when he understands cultural and moral situations. http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/rousseau/section3.rhtml -
Pestalozzi established his first school at Neuhof (1774)
Pestalozzi started with four foundations
1) Begin with conrete opbjects
2)Begin with what is easy and move to more difficult
3) Begin with what is near.
4) Move slowly and gradually
They are concepts that are still utilized in modern education. http://www.bruehlmeier.info/teaching.htm -
A Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge (1779)
In this bill, Thomas Jefferson, proposed that tax funds be used to provide three years of public education for all boys and girls. The bill was presented several times by Jefferson and James Madison and was eventually passed in a much-revised form in 1796 as an "Act to Establish Public Schools." https://founders.archives.gov/about/Jefferson -
A Grammatical Institute of the English Language (1783)
Noah Webster codified spelling and grammar of American English in this weighty tome, which in many ways, is still the basis for American grammar education. He later published "A Compendious Dictionary of the American Language" in 1806 which standardized American spellings like "color" and "music" and added American words such as "skunk" and "squash".https://www.noahwebsterhouse.org/discover/noah-webster-history.htm -
Thoughts Upon the Mode of Education Proper in a Republic 1786
Rush was a founding father and a surgeon general. His 1789 essay on education proclaimed 20 points that he considered essential to American education. In this essay, he outlined the ideal education for the perfect Republican and Christian citizen. He promoted nationalism and the education of citizens as "Republican machines". He also advocated for providing an education for women which would be useful in raising citizens of a republic. https://www3.nd.edu/~rbarger/www7/rush.html -
Academies were established in the early 1800's as a bridge between colleges and common schools
Church or private academies were established to fulfill a need for secondary education. Some were university-sponsored. Unlike previous attempts, the academies were more loosely structured. They didn't limit education to classical languages and in many cases were co-ed. http://study.com/academy/lesson/education-in-early-america-birth-of-public-schools-and-universities.html[Link text](http://study.com/academy/lesson/education-in-early-america-birth-of-public-schools-and-universities.html) -
English Classical High School opened in Boston in 1821
The first high school opened in the US in 1821. This was an alternative to the Latin grammar schools of the day and instructed students in language, history, science and mathematics. It was understood that some students would be prepared for university work and others would be prepared as skilled workmen. http://kristentardif.blogspot.com/2007/10/first-american-high-school-was-actually.html[Link text](http://kristentardif.blogspot.com/2007/10/first-american-high-school-was-actually.html) -
Catherine Beecher established the Hartford Female Seminary (1823)
Catherine Beecher, sister of Harriet Beecher Stowe, established one of the first female teachers' colleges in 1823 in Hartford, CT. https://connecticuthistory.org/catharine-beecher-champion-of-womens-education/ -
James G. Carter writes "Influence of an Early Education" (1826)
Carter who later became a member of the Massachusetts legislature was one of the first advocates for teacher "in-services" a concept that still exists to today. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_G._Carter -
First common schools established in 1830's and 1840's
The first common schools were established in Massachusetts and Connecticut in the 1830's and 1840's. Common schools were an effort to establish both a nationalistic idea of a republic and in some cases, a common idea of Christianity. As opposed to European or colonial efforts, the common school existed for all children, regardless of race, background, ethnicity, language or national origin. http://www.encyclopedia.com/history/united-states-and-canada/us-history/common-school-movement -
Samuel Read Hall published Lectures to School-Masters on Teaching (1833)
Hall's book "Lectures to School-Masters on Teaching" was one of the first American contributions to literature on teacher education. https://archive.org/details/lecturesonschoo01hallgoog -
Horace Mann begins reports to the Massachusetts Board of Education
In 1838, Horace Mann began a series of reports to the Massachusetts Board of Education. Each report focused on a different topic in Massachusetts education. For example in the third report (1840) he decried the lack of libraries in the state. http://college.cengage.com/history/ayers_primary_sources/massachusetts_board_education_1840.htm[Link text](http://college.cengage.com/history/ayers_primary_sources/massachusetts_board_education_1840.htm) -
Franklin's Proposals Related to the Education of Youth in Pennsylvania (1849)
Franklin emphasized reason over religion. His philosophy is not merely a "cash value" system. It was much more broad and humanitarian. He believed in mastering the English language writing and public speaking and thought 2nd languages were only useful for commerce. He spoke out fervently against slavery and chauvinism and promoted education for African-Americans and women. Blinderman, A. (1976). Three early champions of education: Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Rush, and Noah Webster. -
American Normal School Association organized in 1858
In 1886, the ANSA came up with the following recommendations:
1)Recognize the normal school diploma as a life teacher's certificate.
2)Normal schools should maintain teacher education as their focus.
3) Cooperate to develop a philosophy of education and to set standards for admission of teacher -
Fisk School established in 1866
While many efforts at educational reform ignored African-Americans, the Fisk school was established in 1866 as a primary, secondary and normal school. One of the most famous graduates was W.E.B. Dubois. -
Federal Department of Education established in 1867
The federal government established the Department of Education in 1867.The purpose was to collect and share data that would help the states establish effective school systems. The first leader of the federal Department of Education was Henry Barnard. https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html[Link text](https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html) -
Francis Parker appointed superintendent of Quimby, Massachusetts schools (1875)
Parker's contributions to progressive education included:
1)making schools more informal and less pressured
2)conducting field trips
3) connecting instruction to children's interests and experiences -
Post-Reconstruction begins in the American South (1877)
When Northern troops left the Old South in 1877 Post-Reconstruction began and African-Amerricans lost many of the social and political (including educational rights) they had gained during the Civil War. They wouldn't have these rights again for many years. http://www.howard.edu/library/reference/guides/reconstructionera/ -
Tuskegee Institute founded in 1881
The Alabama legislature voted to fund an African-American training school at Tuskegee in 1881 and named Booker T. Washington the first principal. Through the Tuskegee Institute he taught that skilled labor was an honorable profession and especially promoted skills in farming and teaching. This was in contrast to the beliefs of his contemporary, W.E.B. Dubois. http://www.blackpast.org/aah/tuskegee-university-1881 -
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
The U.S. Supreme Court determined in Plessy v. Ferguson that separate but equal facilities are acceptable for members of non-white races. Although the decision was about a black man's right to ride in the railroad car of his choice, it was used for many years to buttress for desegregation in schools. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plessy_v._Ferguson -
G. Stanley Hall published Adolescence in 1904
In general adolescents were considered miniature adults up until the 20th century, however in 1904 Hall and a number of other progressives began to see adolescence as a unique stage in human development. Hall and progressives saw adolescence as a time of "storm and stress" where teenagers needed additional time to explore themselves and their environments. http://emergingadulthood.umwblogs.org/adolescence/1900-1950/ -
Cubberly's Changing Conceptions of Education published in 1909
Ellwood Cubberly popularized his assimilation history of immigrant education in Changing Concepts. His widely-diffused philosophy stated that immigrants should renounce their own culture to quickly assimilate into American culture and that the role of public education was to Americanize immigrant children. https://archive.org/details/changingconcept00cubbgoog -
NAACP founded in 1910
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded in 1910 with the goals of equalizing public school expenditures for Blacks and Whites, challenging racial segregation and raising African Americans' consciousness through education. http://www.naacp.org/oldest-and-boldest/ -
American Federation of Teachers founded in 1916
The American Federation of Teachers was founded in 1916. The AFT was founded on the model of the AFL/CIO and continues to be active today. https://www.aft.org/about/history -
Committee on Reorganization of Secondary Education established in 1918
The committee evaluated objectives in the high school curriculum and determined if they were effective based on their relation to seven cardinal principles: health, command of fundamental processes, worthy home membership, vocation, civic education, worthy use of leisure and moral character. http://www3.nd.edu/~rbarger/www7/cardprin.html[Link text](http://www3.nd.edu/~rbarger/www7/cardprin.html) -
Progressive Education Association(PEA) formed in 1919
The PEA served to advance the thoughts of progressive educators like John Dewey and Marietta Johnson. Two key areas where it couldn't find agreement were whether children's interests were an adequate foundation for the school curriculum and whether progressive education should be aligned with efforts to reform soxiety, politics and the economy. http://fcis.oise.utoronto.ca/~daniel_sc/assignment1/1919pea.html -
LULAC established in 1929
The League of United Latin American Citizens was founded in 1929 to promote civil rights and educational opportunities for Mexican Americans. http://lulac.org/about/history/ -
Normal Schools were transformed into teacher's colleges 1911-1930
In the period beginning in 1911 and ending in 1930, sixty nine normal schools had been transformed into teachers' colleges. -
GI Bill of 1944
The GI Bill was passed in 1944 to provide a college education for soldiers returning from World War II. It greatly increased the need for instructors in colleges, universities, and junior colleges. And it greatly increased the availability of a skilled and educated workforce heading into the 1950's. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fdr-signs-gi-bill[Link text](http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fdr-signs-gi-bill) -
The NEA established the National Commision on Teacher Education and Professional Standards (1946)
the TEPS commission supported general education courses in arts and sciences, a concentration of courses in the teaching area, professional education courses and clinical and field experiences and supervised practice teaching. -
Little Rock Nine enter Central High School (1957)
On September 24, 1957, following a prolonged legal and political battle, nine African-American students were able to begin studying at Central High School in Little Rock, AR. They were only able to do so under the protection of Executive Order No. 10730, issued by President Dwight Eisenhower. This was a major blow against supporters of segregation in the "Old South" http://www.littlerock9.com/index.html -
Conant's Slums and Suburbs published in 1962
James B. Conant's Slums and Suburbs was published in 1962. It was one of the first books to clearly outline the now well-known "achievement gap." Conant highlighted the tremendous difference in resources provided to affluent suburban schools compared to impoverished inner-city schools. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20342715?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents -
Supreme Court hears Lau v. Nichols in 1974
The Supreme Court decided in this important case that all children deserve a Free and Appropriate Education regardless of language saying,“basic English skills are necessary to children to participate in the public school educational program; children who do not understand English will find their classroom experiences wholly incomprehensible and in no way meaningful.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lau_v._Nichols -
A Nation at Risk published in 1983
The National Commission on Excellence in Education appointed by Reagan's Secretary of Education, Bell, Published a Nation at Risk in 1983. This report both raised concern about the state of American Education in 1983 and promoted the push for accountability and standardized testing in the United States. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Nation_at_Risk
