Highlights in America's Education History

PCC ED 101 - Sleeth

1636

Harvard, first American college,

founded in Massachusetts for the

purpose of training ministers of the

Gospel

1640

Bay Psalm Book - first book

printed in the colonies

1642

Massachusetts compulsory

education law

1647

First general school law, Old

Deluder Satan Act, passed in

Massachusetts; provided for the

establishment of grammar schools

so children could read the

Scriptures

1751

Benjamin Franklin organizes

Academy in Philadelphia which

later became the University of

Pennsylvania

1783

First American textbook, Noah

Webster's spelling book,

published

1787

Lands as federal aid were

implemented by the Northwest

Ordinance which said that schools

were necessary to promote

"religion, morality, and

knowledge." (Voted again in 1789

under newly ratified Constitution.)

1791

Passage of the 10th Amendment to

the U.S. Constitution reserved

education for the various states.

1821

First tax-supported high school

established in Boston

1823

The first private normal school for

teachers organized in Vermont

1836

McGuffey Readers began and

continued to have an enormous

influence for over a century.

1837

Horace Mann, first state Secretary

of Education, started "Common

School Revival" - first public

school started and the Bible still

taught.

1839

First state normal school organized

at Lexington, Massachusetts

1855

First U.S. kindergarten established

at Watertown, Wisconsin.

1857

National Teacher's Association

formed, now known as the NEA

National Education Association

1900

Association of American

Universities organized; McGuffey

Readers replaces New England

Primer

1905

John Dewey, the father of

Progressive Education, introduced

socialistic, anti-Christian

philosophy in the schools. The

Bible was separated from academic

studies.

1918

Legal compulsory education made

effective in all states

1925

In the Oregon decision, Supreme

Court articulated constitutional

right of parents to choose whether

they wish their children to be

educated in public or private

schools

1933

The Humanist Manifesto, written

by John Dewey and 33 other

signers, enunciated the doctrine

of secular humanism. God and

the supernatural were rejected

and replaced with man's

reasoning and science.

1954

Pensacola Christian Schools began

with 35 students.

1962

New York Board of Regents

approved school prayer; U.S.

Supreme Court ruled it

unconstitutional.

1972

A Beka Book officially began.

1980

U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Ten

Commandments unconstitutional to

post in Kentucky schools for their

work in state-mandated testing.

1983

A Nation at Risk – a report about

the decline in education

1994

Goals 2000: Educate America Act –

Outcome Based Education

2001

No Child Left Behind Act – targets

improving test scores / reading skills

2009

Common Core State Standards –

state-led effort coordinated by

National Governors Association

Center for Best Practices and

Council of Chief State School

Officers. Standards were developed

in collaboration with teachers,

school administrators, and experts,

to provide a clear and consistent

framework to prepare our children

for college and the workforce.