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Chapter 21, Section 4: Public Education & American Culture

Chapter 21, Section 4: Public Education & American Culture. Main Idea: The growth of public education was closely linked to other changes in American culture. A. Educating Americans.

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Chapter 21, Section 4: Public Education & American Culture

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  1. Chapter 21, Section 4: Public Education & American Culture Main Idea: The growth of public education was closely linked to other changes in American culture.

  2. A. Educating Americans • Before 1870, less than ½ of US kids went to school, & those who did went to a 1-room schoolhouse with 1 teacher for all students. Public Schools • Better schools were needed as industry grew. • North: Compulsory education laws required kids to attend school (usually through 6th grade) • South: Segregated schools. Freedman’s Bureau. • Schools helped immigrant children to assimilate more quickly by teaching English & citizenship. The School Day • From 8 - 4: the “3 Rs”- reading, ‘riting, & ‘rithmetic • McGuffey’s Eclectic Reader taught morals, ethics & values while students learned to read & write • Schools emphasized discipline & obedience. • Sit up straight with hands folded in front, etc. • Punishment was swift & severe: cuff up side head, paddling. *This is biggest change over last 100 years!

  3. Chicago Manual Training School Higher Learning • By 1900, there were over 6,000 high schools in the US. (compared to 36,000 now) • This lead to more colleges & universities opening across the nation as well. (there are around 4,500 2- & 4-year schools today) • Trade schools opened to train workers for specific jobs in business & industry • Carpentry, plumbing, electrician, etc. Family Learning • Chautauqua Society • Started in 1874 as a summer school for Methodist Bible teachers • Opened to public the next year for spiritual guidance & self-improvement (art, politics, philosophy) • In 1903, they began traveling to other towns.

  4. B. A Newspaper Boom • Newspapers became more popular as cities grew larger and people became more educated. They helped people stay informed, overcome cultural differences (immigrants) & provided cities with a sense of community. Two Newspaper Giants • Joseph Pulitzer – New York World • 1st mass-circulation newspaper – slashed prices & added comics. Used “scare” headlines about crimes & political scandals on front page to increase sales • William Randolph Hearst – New York Journal • Competed with Hearst by featuring scandals, crime stories & gossip to attract readers away from World. • Led to yellow journalism – exaggerating news to sell more papers (less news, more scandal) Women as Readers & Reporters • Newspapers added sections to attract females • fashion, society, health, homemaking & family • Nellie Bly (World) – famous female reporter

  5. C. New Reading Habits Magazines become popular – Ladies’ Home Journal, Harper’s Monthly, The Nation Dime novels – low-priced paperbacks: usually adventure stories about “Wild West” Horatio Alger – wrote children’s books about “rags-to-riches” stories that promoted hard work, honesty, integrity, etc.

  6. D. New American Writers Realists • Authors that wanted to show life as it was (harsh) • Stephen Crane – The Red Badge of Courage (Civil War) & Maggie: A Girl of the Streets (slums) • Jack London– wrote about miners & sailors risking their lives to do backbreaking work • Kate Chopin – women in non-traditional roles • Paul Laurence Dunbar – 1st professional African American writer/poet (“We Wear the Mask”) Mark Twain • Real name was Samuel Clemens (ties to Elmira) • Used local color in his writing (captured speech patterns of southerners who lived along the Mississippi River). His characters were “home-spun.” • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is his most famous work. Story of a boy who befriends an escaped slave as they travel down the Mississippi River together. Then, it was banned in many schools and libraries (claimed to be a bad influence on kids). Now, it is considered an American classic.

  7. E. Painting Everyday Life • Winslow Homer – New England coastal scenes • Thomas Eakins – human anatomy & surgeries • Henry Tanner – black sharecroppers • Ex-patriots • Americans that moved to other countries. Many authors & artists chose to leave the U.S. and live & paint in Europe. • Henry Tanner, James Whistler, Mary Cassatt

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