John Hood, columnist for 'Reason' , a magazine reports"
1900 72% of school age children enrolled, 72% of those attended school 150 days.
2% were in 9th grade or higher.
1989 ---90% of the school age children attended school--100% of those attended classes daily in a 180 day academic year. a 40% increase since reconstruction.
Most stayed through high school.mThis is not graduation numbers.
1898-1910 the high school population was 90% by age..
Education was basically focused on learning skills and reflected the community.
At the turn of the century, different groups decided that a comprehensive, centrally controlled, bureauratic, public education was the thing to do.
This became the bedrock for the future.
Child welfare focused on the family:
- - - child labor and family neglect,
- - - business became international and competitive,
- - - a growing labor movement developed.
Culture became conservative, immigration was incouraged, a focus on languages and customs became a part of the movement.
.
Focus on providing a common culture and a means of inculcating new Americans with democratic views was major. A high pressure "melting pot".
Education became the vehichel to provide health, nutrition, fighting delenquency and crime, a orotector for physical abuse, etc.
Education played a key role in accomplishing political and social objectives:
- - - integration
- - - democratic participation
- - - social tolerance
- - - environmental awareness.
Through the decades of reform, and adding new tracts to the umbrella of education, more areas of concern and responsibiity are taken away from the family and the parents and made the responsibility of the educational system.
THERE IS MORE...
Posted By: Thomasena Martin-Johnson
Friday, October 8th 2010 at 12:32AM
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