Period 5 Reading 2

Page 1: 14-4 Free Schools for a Free People

Early Education and Public Support

• Tax-supported primary schools faced varying levels of support in the early Republic.

• Often associated with poorer populations, schools had a stigma resembling pauperism (e.g., ragged schools).

• In the Northeast, the Calvinist tradition stressed the importance of primary education; elsewhere, free public education advocates faced strong resistance.

• A midwestern legislator voiced his sentiments regarding public education by expressing a desire to be remembered as an enemy of it.

Growth in Public Education

• Despite the South lagging due to the influence of slavery, between 1825 and 1850, public education gained traction as laborers began demanding access to schooling for their children.

• The extension of manhood suffrage for white males during Jackson's presidency reinforced the need for a literate electorate.

• Wealthy Americans recognized the importance of educating all children to prevent an ignorant, voting populace from becoming a societal threat. Thomas Jefferson opined on the impossibility of having a free and ignorant nation.

The Little Red Schoolhouse

• The symbol of American democracy, despite its imperfections, was the one-room schoolhouse staffed by often poorly trained and compensated teachers.

• Teachers adhered to severe disciplinary methods rather than fostering genuine learning.

• Most schools offered limited instruction focused on the “three Rs”: reading, writing, and arithmetic, insufficient for many rugged Americans suspicious of formal education.

• Effective reform was imperative, leading advocates like Horace Mann to push for improvements in schools and the teaching profession.

Horace Mann's Contributions

• As secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education, Horace Mann was instrumental in campaigning for better school conditions.

• His proposals led to longer school terms, improved facilities, increased teacher salaries, and a broader curriculum, influencing educational reforms across various states.

• Despite these advances, education remained a costly luxury for many communities; the nation had only about a hundred public high schools by 1860.

Page 2: Expanding Education

Lincoln’s Reflection on Education

• Abraham Lincoln's recollection of his education highlights the lack of qualified teachers and resources in Indiana: teachers only needed basic skills in reading, writing, and arithmetic.

• He felt that he had not received any formal education after age twenty-two, indicating a continued thirst for knowledge despite limited access.

Higher Education Institutions

• Federal land grants were crucial in establishing state universities, with the University of Virginia (founded in 1819) as a notable example championed by Thomas Jefferson.

• These universities promoted free thought, emphasizing modern languages and sciences, free from religious and political constraints.

Women’s Education

• Gender biases of the time often undervalued women’s education, emphasizing domestic roles over intellectual pursuits. Training in practical skills was prioritized.

• Emma Willard's establishment of the Troy Female Seminary in 1821 marked the rise of respectable women's education.

• Oberlin College, admitting women in 1837, challenged traditional norms alongside the growing movement for educational access.

• Mary Lyon opened Mount Holyoke Seminary in 1837, further promoting women's education and combating societal norms.

Influential Educational Texts

• Noah Webster's textbooks helped standardize American language and were popular in schools, promoting patriotism through education.

• William H. McGuffey's Readers became widely influential, selling 122 million copies and instilling lessons in morality and civic responsibility, with a lasting impact on American education.

Page 3: Higher Goals for Higher Learning

Evolution of Higher Education

• The Second Great Awakening spurred the establishment of many small denominational colleges, focused primarily on traditional curricula.

• State-supported universities began appearing with North Carolina's institution opening in 1795.

• Adults increasingly turned to tax-supported and private libraries for continued learning opportunities.

Advocacy for Women's Education

• Periodicals such as Godey's Lady's Book highlighted the importance of educating women for societal betterment and argued against their educational degradation.

• The argument posited that educating mothers was essential for raising an informed and moral next generation, emphasizing society's dependency on women's education.

Page 4: The Age of Reform

Reform Movements

• As America evolved, numerous reform movements emerged fueled by religious revivals and economic shifts, marked by varying degrees of insanity among participants.

• Dorothea Dix advocated for improved treatments for the mentally ill, challenging contemporary ideas about mental illness and calling for reforms based on compassion.

Social Reforms and Public Impact

• Numerous changes in legal and societal constructs occurred, including abolishing debtors' prisons and addressing inhumane penalties in criminal justice.

• Reformers believed that prisons should emphasize rehabilitation, leading to terms like 'reformatories' and 'houses of correction'.

• Recognizing the mentally ill as needing help rather than punishment was a significant shift spurred by reform advocacy.

Movements Toward Peace and Social Justice

• The American Peace Society founded in 1828 sought to cultivate peace amid growing tensions and warfare concerns, advocating against militarism in a burgeoning nationalistic context.

• Reformers extended their focus to include mistreatment of Native Americans as part of broader social justice movements.

Page 5: Alcohol Reform: The Temperance Movement

Alcohol Consumption in America

• Alcohol consumption was rampant among various social gatherings, impacting family dynamics and public safety negatively.

• The American Temperance Society was established in 1826 to combat the excessive drinking culture through pledges and youth engagements, branding its members as the "Cold Water Army."

Literature and Temperance Advocacy

• Notable works like T. S. Arthur's novel "Ten Nights in a Bar-room" exemplified literature's role in temperance, showing the societal repercussions of alcoholism.

• The temperance message was conveyed through songs and narratives that illustrated the tragic consequences of excessive drinking and called for reform.

Page 6: Women’s Rights Movement

The Evolution of Women’s Rights

• The societal structure positioned women as subordinate to men, severely limiting their legal rights, including property ownership.

• Although some women fared better than their European counterparts, systematic inequalities persisted, requiring advocacy and reform.

• Women began to assert their autonomy, exemplified by rising numbers of single women.

The Crusade for Rights

• Early feminists, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, spearheaded campaigns advocating for women's suffrage and civil rights, often facing harsh societal backlash.

The Seneca Falls Convention

• The 1848 Seneca Falls Convention was pivotal in the women’s rights movement, where the 'Declaration of Sentiments' was introduced, demanding equality across legal and societal spheres.

Page 7: Feminist Foundations

The Growth of Feminism

• Early feminists grappled with the dual challenge of advocating for women's rights while addressing overlapping social issues like slavery.

• As women's education expanded, more women like Lucy Stone and Amelia Bloomer emerged as notable feminists who challenged traditional gender norms.

Documenting the Struggles of Women

• Women began keeping their names and demanding rights against prevailing legal norms; the rise of influential literary and social critiques voiced dissatisfaction with the prevailing gender roles.

Page 8: Dress Reform

The Intersection of Dress and Feminism

• Dress reform, notably the adoption of the bloomers, was criticized and ridiculed by wider society, yet it marked a vital push against the restrictive norms of feminine attire.

• Pioneers like Amelia Bloomer advocated for rational dress to enhance women’s mobility and health, highlighting broader calls for social change.

Utopias and Social Experiments

• The 19th century saw the establishment of numerous utopian communities aiming to address social inequities and foster idealistic living conditions, often encountering challenges that led to their decline.

Page 9: Scientific Achievement

Scientific Contributions to American Society

• Early American achievements in science often adapted European findings to practical challenges, rather than pioneering new discoveries.

• Figures like Benjamin Silliman, Louis Agassiz, and Asa Gray made notable contributions to chemistry, biology, and botany, laying groundwork for future scientific exploration while emphasizing education and research quality.