Colonial New England Education: God’s Classrooms

The Beginnings of Education in America

  • Religion was the reason for school—used to educate about the Bible and save souls
  • Reading, writing and moral development revolved around the Bible
  • Education often began at home
  • Some women converted their homes into schools (known as Dame Schools)
    taught reading, writing and computation
  • The “Apprenticeship” program usually was the end of education
    boys lived with a master of a particular trade and were taught about that area, along with the management of farms and shops; girls learned homemaking skills

A Higher Level of Education was Enforced

  • Puritans in Massachusetts passed a law where the masters and parents were routinely checked on to make sure the education was up to par
  • The Massachusetts Law of 1647 (Old Deluder Satan Law):
    1. Every town of 50 households must appoint and pay a teacher of reading and writing
    2. Every town of 100 households must provide a Latin grammar school to prepare youths for the university, under a penalty of 5 pounds for failure to do so

Latin Grammar Schools

  • After learning to read and write, boys went to a Latin grammar schools (wealth being a critical factor)
  • Boston Latin Grammar School is considered the first step to the creation of the modern day high school
  • Read in Latin and Greek the works of Cicero, Erasmus, Ovid, Socrates and Homer
  • Incorporated mathematics, science and modern languages by the 18th century
  • Harvard, the first college in the US, was established to prepare ministers

Prejudice in Education

  • Pauper’s Oath: made basic education more available to the poor, but only to families who would publicly admit their poverty—most poor children remained uneducated b/c it was an embarrassment
  • Racial prejudice in education system—blacks and native Americans denied opportunities
  • Gender prejudice—females learned to read and write but then taught household tasks

Location is Critical in Education

  • Northern colonies: mainly Puritan; close settlements so schools were widely established; were greatly religious so schools dedicated to teaching the Bible
  • Middle Colonies: wide range of denominations; private schools were promoted by commerce and were usually devoted to job training
  • Southern English colonies: education system responsive to plantation society—wealthy plantation owners employed tutors to teach their children, social manners were also taught along with basic academics, for higher education male children were sent to Europe

Established Today’s Educational Norms

  • Local control of schools
  • Required education
  • Tax-supported schools
  • State standards for teaching and schools