Reflection 19

Angela Gregoire
Reflection # 19
In colonial times religious education for the youth was very important because the Puritans believed that it was the way to heaven so everything including writing, reading, and moral values was centered on the holy book. In the early colonial era education began in the home in many colonies including New England. Today we have seen the growth of the education system from dame schools to high schools as a result of the hard work of pioneers like Benjamin Franklin, Mary McLeod, Horace Mann, and Emma Willard. The passing of federal laws have made it necessary for every student in America to have the best education.
The concept of homeschooling is not new to us for it began many years ago in the colonial states. At that time the very first school was the home since the family was an important resource for the youth. The children learned to read and they were given instructions in manners, social graces, vocational skills, and values. The children first teachers were their parents and grandparents. The idea of homeschooling eventually became known as dame schools where women converted their homes into schools and gave time to teaching. Many respected women received a small fee and were later known as community teachers.
The apprenticeship system in the colonial days prepared the boys and girls to have an education. From seven years boys lived with their masters so they could learn a trade while the girls were given home skills. The boys learned to manage shops and farms and in addition they were taught to make different craft work. The program of apprenticeship did not fare very well for it failed to adequately prepare the citizens so a more structured system was needed, but it was not until twenty years later that a law was passed to monitor the apprenticeship system. This law mandated that the masters and parents be supervised to make certain that the children were properly instructed. As time went on more laws were passed to ensure that children received a sound education. Latin Grammar schools were then established and boys who had the money attended. Boston was one of the first states to receive a Latin Grammar school built by the Puritans. Wealthy boys from seven to fourteen years attended the Grammar school and they had to pay a fee. The boys had to study both Latin and Greek because most of the curriculum stemmed from Europe. Centuries later the curriculum included other subjects like modern languages, science, and mathematics. Many of the graduates went to college and later worked as leaders or ministers.
In an effort to prepare ministers, The Harvard College was founded soon after the Boston grammar school. Based on this need to train ministers for the church the Harvard College was the first of its kind in America. Only the wealthy could attend the college so the poor were left with the mere apprenticeship system. The unfortunate children continued to struggle for an education for there was not much structure in place for the poor and children of color. The northern colonies were at an advantage because the Puritans settled there because location influenced the type of educational opportunities that were available. In some middle colonies Spanish, accounting, navigation, and French were taught by private teachers at night schools. The southern states were forgotten and some evidence of schools is seen in St. Augustine in Florida. Children of color were denied an education and laws were enacted to do just that.
In the eighteenth century Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin helped to bring about much needed change into education. Benjamin was instrumental in changing the Latin Grammar with the Academy which allowed both boys and girls to attend. Following this, six thousand academies were later established in the century. It was not until the early nineteenth century that public elementary school was available to everyone. Had it not been for this humanitarian, Horace Mann who started the common school movement, America would not have achieved so much in education. Mann was a strong advocate in educating both poor and wealthy and he promoted that schools should teach social harmony. Mann continued to fight for an education of the highest quality, better schools, teacher programs, and teacher certification. To me Horace Mann is a great American hero for he was instrumental in making public education free to everyone, he championed women’s rights, and he fought for high quality education.
As more citizens attended elementary schools and the upper level of schooling expanded a wide gap was created between the elementary schools and the universities so there was the need for high schools. The first secondary school was then established in Boston in 1821. Many other schools were set up and there, students were prepared for college. The court case in Michigan stated that taxes would be used to support secondary education and from that time onwards many citizens were free to attend secondary schools. Parents saw the importance of high schools and attendance increased tremendously. The high schools served as vocational schools and they prepared students for college. Today there are high schools in all districts and there students are prepared to be well- rounded citizens. We must applaud our great Americans heroes who fought hard to reform education.