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U. S. Educational Historical Timeline

Amanda Peters

EDU 202: Intro to Secondary Education

Instructor: Connie Christensen

02-20-2018
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Abstract

This timeline is an overview of major historical events revolving around education from the last

four-hundred, or more, years. The development of education has been a huge impact on

civilization as a whole. Today, we see a struggle in education and slower progression. There were

times where educators were looked at as highly as doctors, somehow we have strayed from the

importance of education. We can never give up trying to better the education systems, or our

countries future citizens. My focus as a future educator will be to emphasis the importance of

educational history in my subject field, and spark joy through learning. The students’ futures are

my priority.

Keywords : None
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Education Historical Timeline

A. 1600’s

1. 1600’s Colonial Time

• In the Colonial Era we see, in New England, as an example, teachers did more than

deliver subject content; they had to bring a bucket of water, fire wood, sweep the floors, and

mending pen points for students to use just to name a few. Girls were in school to learn how to

read the bible to become better mothers and wives; boys went to school to hopefully acquire

better jobs. Boys and girls we separated in the classroom.The students and teacher would read

the bible aloud and pray for ten minutes a day. Those who couldn’t read were ridiculed in the

class. Some teachers used the “Rod Technique” as a form of punishment. Dame schools were

also set up to offer women a chance to work from home as private educators. Private tutors

were common for the wealthy. Local Schools were also established; for those who could afford

to pay and higher population, and focused on basic skills and religion. Latin Grammar Schools

were established as secondary education, and provide a path to college.

2. 22 years after the Puritan Arrival in Massachusetts

• A law was passed requiring all parties of an apprenticeship program be checked

periodically for efficiency and necessity.

3. 1619

• Blacks, and Native Americans we denied education, some Quakers set up school for

colored, but that was rare.

4. 1635

• First Latin Grammar School, in Boston, exclusive for wealthy boys ages 7-14
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5. 1636

• First American College, Harvard in Boston

6. 1647

• Massachusetts Law, Old Deluder Satan Law, which required: every town of 50

households must appoint and pay a teacher of reading and writing, and every town of 100 must

provide a (Latin) Grammar School to prepare youth for university. This law was widespread

through the country by 1680.

7. 1687-1890

• New England Primer Published

Important People

• Comenius (1592-1670) Pioneered in identifying and developing stages of learning and

universal education.

B. 1700’s

1. 1700’s

• Private teachers and night schools were functioning in two states, teaching accounting,

navigation, French and Spanish. Southerners were slow to progression and often only the

wealthy hired private in home tutors since schools were too far. Poor children were taught by

their parents in-home. The church was the focus subject in school. Private schools started to

open and it was purely parent-funded to teach the children what they wanted them to learn.

Thomas Jefferson made a public exclamation saying education should be available to ALL.
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English Grammar Schools were established as preparation for adult life, and academies opened

to prepare for the transition from Latin to English.

2. 1740

• Education is still denied to Blacks

3. 1751

• Franklin Academy opens in Philadelphia after Benjamin Franklin in 1749 wrote

Proposals Relating to the Youth of Pennsylvania. This new form of secondary school added

more courses in broader subjects. It sparked over 6,000 academies to open in the nation over

the century. The original Franklin Academy became University of Pennsylvania.

4. 1783

• Noah Webster’s American Spelling Book was published.

5. 1785, 1787

• Land Ordinance Act, Northwest Ordinance: These acts established education for the

new territories. New states were formed and encouraged to establish “schools and the means

for education.”

Important People

• Jean- Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) Worked to distinguish schools and was

concerned of the progression stages of education.

• Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746-1827) Recognized the disadvantage of special

needs education and praised for his curriculum development.

• Johann Herbert (1776-1841) Contributed to moral development and the creation of

structured methodology of instruction.

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• Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852) Established kindergarten as part of children education

necessity.

• Emma Hart Willard (1787-1870) Opened the door of higher education to women and

promoted professional teaching preparation.

• Horace Mann (1796-1859) Established free public schools and expanded educational

opportunity to both wealthy and poor.

C. 1800’s

1. 1800’s

• We see a boom of religion and private schools open. Thanks to the election of Andrew

Jackson, the poor were being heard. We see racial issues start to infiltrate the education system,

and many barriers to get past to progress. We still have our academies but we see High Schools

start to become more popular in the nation. Common Schools also opened up, which meant

free education for all children, still segregated, was becoming a way of life in America.

2. 1821

• Emma Willard’s Troy Female Seminary opened. The first school of higher education

for all girls. First High School opened up in Boston as well.

3. 1822

• The Cherokee Syllabary was created by the Sequoyah Native Americans.

4. 1823

• First (private) Normal School opens in Boston.

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5. 1824

• Federal Government established the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which placed whole

tribes on isolated reservations intervening in the children’s education making them more

European and civilized.

6. 1830

• Louisiana would imprison those who were teaching Blacks or Slaves to read or write.

7. 1837

• Horace Mann becomes secretary of board of education in Massachusetts. established

Common Schools (Elementary) and was deemed “Father of Public School”

8. 1839

• First public Normal School opens in Lexington Massachusetts.

9. 1850’s

• Myrtilla Miner established the Miner Normal School for colored girls.

10.1855

• First kindergarten opens (German Language) in the US.

11.1862 & 1890

• Morrill Land College Act established 69 high education institutes, public land was

donated to build colleges.

12.1874

• Kalamazoo Case, which legalized taxes to support high school education funding.
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13.1892

• NEA established the Committee of Ten which require High Schools to teach required

courses for students to earn Carnegie Units to measure progression in education.

14.1896

• Plessy v. Ferguson the supreme court supported racially separated, but equal education

schools.

Important People

• Prudence Crandall (1803-1889) Fought for African American girls to receive and

education.

• Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) Contributed to the vocational education of African

Americans and established Tuskegee University.

• John Dewey (1859-1952) Developed progressive education, and incorporating

demographic cultures in the educational process.

• W. E. B. DuBois (1868-1963) Co-founded the National Association for the

Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and made great efforts to encourage Blacks to

obtain higher educations.

• Maria Montessori (1870-1952) Identified the educational potential of young children

and created an environment for which they could learn.

• Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955) Contributed in moving people from intellectual

slavery to education.

• Jean Piaget (1896-1980) Created the theory of cognitive development.

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D. 1900’s - 1950’s

1. 1900’s

• We see a huge progression for education, we see an increase in schools and students

attending, more focus on academic achievement, and of course more educational reform. The

government takes a bigger role since education became more popular for all ages 5-22 years

old. We have established different schools; Elementary, Middle, High School, and colleges.

Middle Schools were the newest type of school and focused on preparing for high school and

working through preadolescent issues.

2. 1909

• First Junior High School opened in Columbus Ohio

3. 1917

• Smith-Hughes Act provided funds for teacher training programs, and vocational

programs at the High School level.

4. 1919

• Progressive education programs started.

5. 1932

• New Deal Education Programs

6. 1944

• Serviceman’s Readjustment Act (G. I. Bill of Rights) Paid Verterans’ tuition and living

expenses for a period of time based on their time served.

7. 1950

• First Middle School in Bay City, Michigan

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Important People

• Burrhus Frederick (B. F.) Skinner (1904-1990) Contributed to altering environments

to promote efficient learning.

• Sylvia Ashton-Warner (1908-1984) Created approaches to place children at the center

of the curriculum.

• Kenneth Clark (1914-2005) Identified the crippling effect of racism on all American

children, and created a community action to overcome the impacts of racism.

• Paulo Freire (1921-1997) Global effort to mobilize education due to social justice, best

known for his work Pedagogy of the Oppressed.

E. 1950’s - 1999

1. The end of the 20th Century

• We have so much education reform and we see a boom of immigrants and their cultural

benefits to our nation. We also see and expansion of charter schools; tax supported that have

their own rules running as a private “choice” school.

2. 1954

• Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Supreme court decided to outlaw racial

segregation in schools and perform desegregation.

3. 1957

• The Russians launch Sputnik which led to an increase in Federal funding for school to

educate further in maths and sciences.

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4. 1958

• National Defense Education Act funded in school programs like math, science, and

foreign language.

5. 1964-1965

• Job Corps and Head Start programs are funded. Provided medical, social, nutritional,

and educational services to those with low income ages 3-6 years old.

6. 1965

• Elementary and Secondary Education Act Provided financial services to school districts

with low income families to improve instructional materials.

7. 1968

• Bilingual Education Act Authorized funds to assist non-english speakers to provide

relevant instruction.

8. 1972

• Tile IX prohibits sex discrimination in schools, teachers, office staff, and students.

9. 1975

• Public Law 94-142 Education For All Handicapped Children Act, (renamed,

Individuals With Disabilities Act, 1991) passed. Revised again 1997 & 2004.

10.1979

• Cabinet-level Department of Education is established.

11.1990-Present

• Increased diversity in public schools, competition with charter schools, promotion of

educational goals, and standardize testing.

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F. 2000’s - Present

1. 2000’s

• We have a new law in place to protect our children and have somewhat plateaued. The

focus increased on standardized testing, and accountability.

2. 2001

• No Child Left Behind Act revision of ESEA, 1965 this act holds teachers accountable

for the students failures in educational testing. No child will be at fault and will be given the

opportunity to succeed in school.

3. 2011 - Present

• Federal Government modifies the NCLB allowing states greater freedoms in evaluating

students and teachers.

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References

Sadker, D.M., Zittleman, K.R. (2016). Fourth Edition Teachers, Schools, And Society: A Brief

Introduction To Education, New York, NY, Mc-Graw-Hill Education.