The American Public School System

Oberlin College was founded

Sep 2, 1833

Oberlin College was founded in 1833. It was the first American college open to both male and female students, which was a huge step in the nation's educational system as a whole. http://new.oberlin.edu/about/history.dot

Compulsory Attendance Act

Jan 1, 1852

In 1852, Massachusetts passed the Compulsory Attendance Act, which required all children between the ages of eight and fourteen to attend school for at least three months in the year. This was obviously a huge step in the development of the American Public School System. *Note- An exact date is unavailable for this event.
http://www3.nd.edu/~rbarger/www7/compulso.html

Morrill Act

Jul 2, 1862

Created by Justin Morrill of Vermont, the Morrill Act was a land grant act signed by President Lincoln in 1862 to better education. It helped fund colleges and provided opportunities for those in more agricultural fields to receive a better education. http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=33

Vassar College was founded

Sep 26, 1865

Although Vassar College was founded by Matthew Vassar in 1861, it first opened its doors in fall of 1865 to 353 students. It was the first college open only to women. http://historian.vassar.edu/

Brown v. Board of Education

May 17, 1954

In the case of Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court deemed it unconstitutional to have segregation in public schools. This was a huge turning point in an attempt to shut down discrimination based on race in America's education system. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/rights/landmark_brown.html