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Boston Latin School becomes the first public school 1635
Boston Latin School was founded in 1635 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It was modeled after European Latin schools, emphasizing religion, Latin, and literature. It was meant to prepare students for study at Harvard University.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNCaf0EEv_c -
The Publication of The New England Primer
In 1690, Benjamin Harris published the New England Primer, a basic reading textbook that was used for centuries after its publication. -
Oberlin College Becomes first Co-Ed College
Oberlin Liberal Arts College was first established in 1833. In 1837, Oberlin College admitted four female full-time students: Mary Kellogg, Mary Caroline Rudd, Mary Hosford, and Elizabeth Prall. -
Committee of Ten
In 1893, The National Education Association created the Committee of Ten. The Committee of Ten was tasked with the creation of a standard curriculum in high schools. It was led by Charles Eliot, the then president of Harvard University. They suggested eight years of elementary education and four years of secondary education, with four different curricula.
https://es.coursera.org/lecture/edref/4-6-the-committee-of-ten-otMLm -
Sex Education
During the roaring 20's, high schools began integrating sex education courses, covering hygiene, sexuality and more. At the time, 20 to 40 percent of schools in the US had such courses.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJJKprJulow&has_verified=1 -
Brown v. Board of Education
In 1951, the Topeka public school district refused enrollement of Oliver Brown's daughter in an all white school that was closer to home. Brown then filed a lawsuit against the school district that reached the Supreme Court in 1954, where the Court ruled that racial segregation in schools was unconstitutional. -
National Defense Education Act of 1958
We covered this subject in our Education During the Cold War presentation. The National Defense Education Act was passed in 1958. It improved the study of math, science, and foreign languages as well as the access to secondary education in such subjects. -
Engel v. Vitale
Up until 1962, A New York State law required students to begin the day with the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer. However, Steven Engel, the parent of a child in the New York school system, filed suit against the school board. The Supreme Court ruled that this law violated the 1st Amendment of the US constitution. -
Title IX
Title IX was passed under the Education Amendments of 1972. It prohibits discrimination in education and school activities. This opened up opportunities for women in athletics and provided them with equal treatment in schools. It is considered a follow-up to the Civil Rights Act of 1954 -
No Child Left Behind Act
Signed into law by President George W. Bush, No Child Left Behind increased federal funding for education and introduced standardized testing. It was a reinstatement of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
