Takin’ You to School:

Issues in Education from a Historical Perspective

AHTC Summer Institute Lesson—2009

Marshall Schacht

Abstract:
This lesson will examine four issues that created controversy in education at the beginning of the 20^th century: compulsory education, religion in schools, racial inequalities in schools, and alternative school settings. These issues are still important social concerns today as our educational system confronts a myriad of problems. Students should find the topic to be relevant as a contemporary issue that they find themselves experiencing at a first hand level. Students have witnessed many attempts to improve schools and have participated in alternative programs to better their education. This lesson allows students to explore their own experiences while examining several primary sources from Illinois history. Resources in this unit include letters, newspaper announcements and photographs.

Essential Questions:

· Why is compulsory education necessary?

· How have the functions of education changed over time?

· What role do schools play in terms of teaching values?

· Do schools serve all students equally?

· What should be the goal of alternative schools for those youth that need them?

Assessment:
This lesson can be conducted in four parts or by breaking students up into four groups each responsible for considering a particular topic question.

Students will:

· Examine the relevant source or sources.

· Complete a Venn diagram prompting comparisons between schools of the early 20^th century with schools of today.

· Discuss their findings in small groups and present to the class.

· Write a persuasive essay focusing upon one of the four topics.

Setting the Purpose:
Students spend more time at school than at home. Many students have more interaction with teachers then with their parents. Given this situation, by default, schools must provide more than just reading, writing and arithmetic for students. The entire child is shaped by their experiences in schools. More often than not, students will give a less than stellar evaluation of school. If given the chance, students may run out of school screaming! Has it always been this way? Why do children need to be in school anyway?

Part 1: Compulsory Education
Primary Source: “The Law”; Illinois Superintendent of Public Instruction (1905); Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL

Description: This is a circular distributed by Ada H. Kepley, the Truant Officer for Effingham Schools. Its purpose is to inform the public about the specifics regarding compulsory education in Illinois.

Part 2: Religion in Education
Primary Source: Letter from E.E. Reichwald (Secretary of the American Secular Union and Freethought Federation to Francis G. Blair (Superintendent of Public Instruction); October 23, 1912; Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL

Description: This letter registers a complaint about the use of public school buildings for religious services. Also it includes the platform of the American Secular Union as it emphasizes the importance and purposes of separation of church and state.

Part 3: Racial Inequalities in Education
Primary Source 1: Personal letter from Mrs. D. DeBaum to Cobden, IL Board of Education, June 7, 1905; Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL.

Description: An African American mother is requesting that something be done to further the education of her daughter, Ruth.

Part 4: Alternative School Settings
Primary Source: Photographs of students at the Geneva Girls’ Reformatory; ca. 1920; Illinois Superintendent of Public Instruction; Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL.

Description: These five photographs provide glimpses into the experiences of girls in a reform school. Three show the students engaged in various activities and two depict the learning atmosphere.

Materials for the Lesson:

All sources were taken from the AHTC CD “Reform, Reformers and Reformatories: Local Primary Sources”:

Letter from E.E. Reichwald (Secretary of the American Secular Union and Freethought Federation to Francis G. Blair (Superintendent of Public Instruction); October 23, 1912; Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL

“The Law”; Illinois Superintendent of Public Instruction (1905); Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL

Personal letter from Mrs. D. DeBaum to Cobden, IL Board of Education, June 7, 1905; Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL.

“Cobden’s Race Problem”, unknown newspaper (1905); Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL.

Letter from A. F. Hunsaker (Principal of Cobden High School) to Alfred Bayless (Superintendent of Illinois Schools), Sept. 15, 1905; Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL.

Photographs of students at the Geneva Girls’ Reformatory; ca. 1920; Illinois Superintendent of Public Instruction; Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL.