Cynthia Guzman

Prof. Gregorio

10/14/17

EDU 201

Let’s take an 

educational 
stroll….. 
 THE 1600’s 
1635  
The first Latin Grammar School in America, Boston Latin School, opens. 
This event was included because it was the start of the educational revolution. 
1636 
Harvard College, the first higher education institution in the U.S. is established in 
what is now Cambridge Massachusetts. 
This event is included because it was the first of its kind, the beginning of other big 
Universities like Princeton and Yale. 
1638 
The printing press was created. 
This event is included because it allowed new information for teaching to be 
printed. 
1642 
Massachusetts Bay Colony passed the Compulsory Education Law, making all 
parents teach their children to read. 
This event was included because it gave children a chance to become better than 
just labor workers. 
1647 
Massachusetts Bay Colony becomes the first to require towns of at least 50 
households to hire a teacher to educate the town’s children. 
This event gave the citizens of small towns a chance to do something that would 
hopefully benefit the town in the future. 
1648 
The Apprenticeship system included to girls. 
This event is included because it gave girls the chance to learn as they worked just 
like boys did. 
1690 
The first New England Primer is printed in Boston which becomes the primary used 
schoolbook in New England. 
This event is included because it is the first book, other than the Bible, to be used 
widely in education.  
1698   
The first publicly supported library is established in Charles Town, South Carolina. 
This event is included because the library gave everyone access to knowledge and 
not only to children in school.
 THE 1700’s 
1700 
❖ Quaker school for Black students was established in Philadelphia. 
❖ This event was one of the first moves that gave Black children a small sliver 
of equality. 
1746 
❖ Princeton “College of New Jersey” was founded by Presbyterians because 
they felt Yale was too rigid. 
❖ This event is included because I just think it's quite comical that some found 
Princeton too intense when Yale is one of the major Ivy league schools now. 
1751 
❖ The first English Academy in Philadelphia with the help of Benjamin Franklin. 
❖ This event is included because I found it so interesting that in this English 
Academy they were exposing the children to classical languages. 
1755 
❖ Samuel Johnson first publishes The Dictionary of the English Language. 
❖ This event was included because it’s so crazy to think that Johnson must 
have never imagined that his dictionary would be used for centuries to come. 
1769 
❖ Dartmouth University is founded by Reverend Eleazar Wheelock. 
❖ This event was included because I never knew Dartmouth was founded by 
reverend. 
1779 
❖ Thomas Jefferson proposed a two track educational system that has 
different tracks for the laboring and the learned. 
❖ This event was included because I think it’s interesting that there were two 
learning systems even back then. 
1787 
❖ The Young Ladies Academy opens in Philadelphia and becomes the first 
academy for girls in the original 13 colonies/states. 
❖ This event is included because I’m surprised that young girls were being 
educated during this time period. 
1790 
❖ Pennsylvania state constitution calls for free public education for poor 
families. Wealthy families are expected to pay for their children’s schooling. 
❖ This event gave poorer children the same chance at education as rich 
children did. 
 THE 1800’s
1805 
Schools are run on the “Lancasterian” model, where one “master” teaches 
hundreds of students in a single room. 
This event is important because it shows us where the model of most university 
classes come from. 
1821 
Boston’s English High School opens with 102 students. The school is the first 
tuition free public school to teach no language but English. 
This event is included because it is the first source of education for older children. 
1839 
Ohio becomes the first state to adopt a bilingual education law, allowing 
German-English instruction. 
This event is included because it is one of the first ways we incorporated diversity. 
1846 
Platt Rogers Spencer develops the first widely used handwriting teaching system 
in schools, Spencerian penmanship. 
This event is included because instead of just teaching kids how to read we were 
now teaching children how to read and write, two very valuable skills. 
1848 
The first school for children with mental disabilities opens in Massachusetts. 
Again, this event is included because it was one of the first ways diversity was 
included. 
1863 
The NEA (National Education Association) announced its support of musical 
education in public schools.  
This event was included because it brought an aspect of fun to the children’s day. 
1870 
Women enter the University of Michigan for the first time. 
This event is included because it is one of many movements women have made to 
get the same rights as men. 
1897 
The National Congress of Mothers is organized in Washington. Today, the group is 
known as PTA (Parent Teacher Association).  

 
This event is included because it started the involvement of parents in their 
children's schooling.
 THE 1900’s 
 
1913 
❖ A sex education program is introduced citywide in public high schools in 
Chicago, Illinois. 
❖ This event is included being that it is somewhat the beginning of a sexual 
education movement that we still deal with today. 
1918 
❖ School attendance becomes compulsory in every U.S. states. 
❖ This event is included because its nice to know when the constant pressure 
of going to school everyday started. 
1929 
❖ Haaren High School in New York offers the first aviation course to students. 
❖ This event is included because I just think it is so wicked cool that this was a 
course option. 
1934 
❖ Pennsylvania is the first state to establish a driving course for students. 
❖ This event is included because I was surprised to learn it started in the 30’s, 
I always assumed it was later than that​. 
1948 
❖ The School of Performing Arts is the first public high school to specialize in 
music, dance, theater etc.  
❖ This event is included because it gave children an opportunity to have a 
career in something other than the STEM fields. 
1954 
❖ The U.S. Supreme Court rules schools segregated by race are unequal and 
therefore unconstitutional.  
❖ This event is included because it is one of the major events that played in 
diversifying the United States and giving Black Americans equal rights. 
1966 
❖ The School Breakfast Program pilot is launched. 
❖ This event, which was very effective, gives some children their only meal of 
the day. 
1993 
❖ The Education ACt of 1986 is expanded to mandate biological education 
about HIV, AIDS, and sexually transmitted diseases in public school. 
 ❖ This event is included because it is the start of sexual education which, in my 
opinion, still needs improvement. 
 
 
 THE 2000’s 
 
2001 
The terrorists attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon which cause 
security to increase everywhere. 
This event was included because I remember growing up after that tragic event all 
security systems and procedure in school were ramped up. 
2002 
The No Child Left Behind Act is enforced. 
This event was included because I remember seeing all these posters about around 
school but never really knowing what it was. 
2004 
Excelencia in Education is formed in Washington, D.C., to foster higher education 
success among Latino students. 
This event was included because as a Latina I think initiatives to promote Hispanic 
success is great. 
2007 
The National Academies’ report “Rising Above the Gathering Storm” argues that 
strengthening science and math education is essential if the U.S. is to remain 
prosperous in the 21st century. 
This event was included because I agree that strengthening the subjects of math 
and science will make our country thrive but we shouldn’t forget the arts. 
2009 
Toronto District School Board director unveiled a proposal for an all boy school in 
the elementary public school system. 
This event was included because I find it so strange that Canada thinks single sex 
schools are so strange. 
2011 
Alabama becomes the first state "to require public schools to check the 
immigration status" of students. 
This event was included because I don’t believe a child’s immigration status should 
affect their ability to learn. 
2013 
The School District of Philadelphia announces on June 7 that it will cut nearly 4,000 
employees, including 676 teachers as well as many administrators and guidance 
counselors. 
This event was included because it was one of many layoffs of teachers in the 
2000’s which I remember about. 
 2014 
As schools open this fall, a demographic milestone is reached: minority students 
enrolled in K-12 public school classrooms outnumber non-Hispanic Caucasians. 
This event was included because it makes me so happy that more minorities are 
pushing their kids to succeed and complete school, even if it isn’t a higher 
education like college education. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
THE 2010’s