A Guide to Public School System History
If you’re looking for public school system history, you’ve come to the right place. From the first one-room schoolhouse to the Great Depression and the Teacher’s League, this article covers all the bases. In addition, it gives an overview of the major events that shaped our public schools.
Read on to learn more! If you’re a new parent, here are some facts about the public school system:
New York City’s common council refused to provide funds for sectarian schools
A controversy surrounding the Public School Society’s refusal to provide funds for sectarian schools stretches back to the late 1800s, when the state legislature passed a law limiting public financial support of non-public schools. As Catholic schools expanded in New York City, sectarian schools competed with public ones for the same students. In the decades that followed, the number of Irish immigrants to New York City increased dramatically. This conflict spawned the establishment of the Public School Society.
Despite the city’s opposition to the sectarian schools, the mayor appoints nine members of the council. The city’s common council rarely rejects the mayor’s proposals. But in this case, the mayor was unable to replace a minister who resigned following anti-gay writings, and another mayor’s appointee was absent due to a family emergency.
The one-room schoolhouse
The one-room schoolhouse in the public education system history is steeped in history and tradition, and its roots are as diverse as American history. In the 1850s, educational standards were just beginning to emerge. Many students attended school irregularly, some of them were illiterate, and some were proficient enough to become teachers. Though the system lasted into the midcentury in sparsely populated rural areas, it was unworkable in larger urban areas.
Educational reformers, however, considered one-room schools to be inefficient, outdated, and even dangerous.
Before the invention …
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