Education Reforms

Name
Instructor
Course
Date
Education Reforms
The nineteenth century can be described as a period of changes in America. Initially, politicians had a habit of either ignoring or avoiding several social issues. Such issues included alcoholism, education quality, women’s rights, and slavery among others. The desire to purify the society caused many reformers to tackle these subjects. These reform movements proved significant as far as the politics of the nineteenth century is concerned. Not all reforms are rated equally, (Bowles & Gintis 6). Some movements had more impact than others. The differences lie in the issues that each movement addressed. For this matter, the most crucial movement was one that involved improving the quality of education. This is because education is an important subject that knows no gender, age, race or religious affiliation. The lack of it tends to affect every aspect of the country.
Several reasons led to the education reforms in the United States. For instance, during the 17th and part of the 18th century, education opportunities varied with one’s gender, location, race and social class. White males occupying the north and middle colonies acquired primary education unlike those in the south. Home-schooling involving parents and tutors was very common in the south, (Bowles & Gintis 7). This proves that there was inequality as far as access to education was concerned. Training had also not been organized in the United States. Its affairs were handled locally with most schools governed by local school boards.

Teachers were expected to meet strict moral characters. Public humiliation and corporal punishment were highly practiced in schools.
The education reforms defended by Horace Mann sought to address several problems. Mann and other reformers had a vision for the education system. Mann believed that public education was an effective means of producing disciplined judicious citizens. Education was viewed as necessary for making an informed constituency, (Bowles & Gintis 8). Factory workers desired for their children to possess more educational opportunities than before. Schooling was perceived as a means of instilling American values into the children of immigrants. The existing schools employed the “three Rs” system of teaching. This system was considered inadequate for success in the rapidly changing environment.
The education reforms impacted the American society positively. The Massachusetts States, for instance, authorized a law which allowed for the establishment of high schools. The law also set guideposts for the curricula by community size. The enforcement followed Mann’s appointment as the first secretary of the education board of Massachusetts. This reign brought major changes like increased state funding for schools, the establishment of new high schools, laws on compulsory attendance, delineating school term and integrated curricula. Plans were made for teacher training and implemented. These changes spread to different states of the US as Massachusetts became the standard for education affairs. The placement system that relied on the age and skills of the students were introduced, (Bowles & Gintis 9). The reforms led to the pioneering of popular education whereby public lectures on various subjects were offered. The education reform saw a notable increase in the number of women teachers in the country. Several girls’ high schools and colleges were introduced. The reform led to increased number of gals in schools.
In conclusion, the education reform is one of the most import movements of the 19th century. Education is the key to an organized country had to be improved. The improvement underwent through various processes starting with problem identification, campaigns among others. The desire to have a well-organized and successful education system pushed for this course. The education reforms significantly contributed to the current more organized system of education, thanks to Mann and other reformers.
Work cited
Bowles, Samuel, and Herbert Gintis. Schooling in capitalist America: Educational reform and the contradictions of economic life. Haymarket Books, 2011.