US Education Blog

The situation in the school system of the US before the 20th century was dramatically different from what we have got nowadays. Only a small number of teenagers attended schools. These schools prepared students for college, or taught them the skills necessary for finding a job. Though not many of them could or simply wanted to continue secondary education. In 1900 les than 10 % of teenagers aged 14 to 17 (who by the way came from wealthy families) attended high schools.

Boston Latin School, which was established in 1635, was the first publicly supported secondary school in the country, but still up to the late 19th century it were private tutors or privately supported academies that provided secondary education. Before 1874 it was not financed by the government , when a Michigan Supreme Court firstly provided state monetary support of high schools.

In the 20th century there were much more people who were involved high school attendance, and it can be considered as great progress. The number of teenagers graduated from high school grew from 6 to 88 % during the last century. People started to understand that additional schooling was their way to successful future in the new urban and highly industrialized society. Moreover, in the early 20th century some child labor laws were introduced. They decreased the number of teenagers allowed to work. Of course it lead to more time for them to attend classes. School gave them a better alternative to labor and a chance to establish a family, or begin college before they start working. In the 20th century most US states proclaimed compulsory education laws for the children up to16. Staying at school was a better perspective for most students than dropping it and beginning to work.

The 20th century it was only the US where high school existed. Already at that time it was obvious for the Americans, that getting higher education will help a person to meet all individual and community requirements. High schools gave teenagers a possibility to experience adolescence with their peers. They also gave students necessary knowledge that they needed for everyday life, in order to get a job, or to continue their education. By “Americanizing” immigrants into mainstream political and social values, public high schools worked to accomplish for adolescents what the common elementary school had always attempted for younger students. High schools gave attainment to students from all family backgrounds to the American society.