The Development of Education during the 1700-1900s

 

Together but Divided

    Education is an important part of today's America and the survival of a democracy. To understand how American education has developed into what it is today you have to go back. In the early 1700s only the wealthy  had the opportunity to go to public schools to obtain the skills and literacy at the serious level as they were substantial in the continuation of the citizens and workers of America. While in the much lower incomes there was “charity school’’ available that was paid by the local dollars of the community sometime in exchange for crops from the farm. The downside was that the schools were taught their way; the teachers only mainly taught religion, writing, and reading. Something that later became controversial.  It wasn’t until Thomas Jefferson decided that public schooling should be open for equal opportunity. Jefferson's idea of ​​creating an education was ridiculed when it came to farmers wanting to achieve higher education, and Jefferson kept the race going. When he compared his values ​​to those of a democracy, he reached a middle ground between the rich and poor of the public school system. Race, gender, religion and social class were all the  struggling elements during the makeup of the school during 1770-1900.

Boone Township Consolidated School in 1920
(41.5, Oklahoma Historical Society Photograph Collection, OHS).

The conflict of religion grew strong as many generally poor Catholics started enrolling in the public school systems for the desperate desire for education. The schools that were free, open and greatly effective were protestant. Horace Mann ideal that “All should say the same prayer and read the same bible.” didn't quite work for the Catholics. Then the unity of the alternate school system strived on the balance of not only protestants and Catholics but those of other religions too.

However, bring it back to the early 1700s when Thomas Jefferson first mentioned his ideals didn’t include females  as they were restricted to attentioning school 3 times a year, and no education was even considered for slaves as they were not citizens of the Americas. In the north when it came time for African Americans to be entitled to schooling. It was not in the same predicament as the white establishment. They were provided with inferior and separate segregated facilities. African American sought freedom and a quest for education as they wanted to excel together. Education was more than school, it was a foot place for the start of freedom. Fighting and protesting long and hard to earn the compromise of schooling for  African Americans when it came to Brown vs board of education,  it was inherently a compromise white and black finding a balance of the education values.

 These primary moments especially as an African American  has shaped education for me today. Even though my social class was of the low income I was able to achieve the same opportunities as the middle class. America has unity and development as have history to prove so, but the development of education doesn't stop here as we uncover more . 
by L.Young