What are some differences between modern schools and colonial schools?

Answer 1

First, most children between the years 1492 and 1800 in colonial USA did NOT attend school. Child education was NOT compulsory in the US during the 1490s to late 1800s. At the same time there were No Child Labor Laws. Even when Child Labor came into effect, exemptions existed for children (mostly boys) who were needed to work on the family farm. The 1840 census showed only 1.8 million girls between five and fifteen (and 1.88 million boys) about 55% attended primary schools and academies. See Related Link.

Second, colonial "schools" were often, at first, either held in someone's home or the town's church. The town's church was often the only community, multi-use building. Slowly, communities raised "subscription" money to build "a" school. The families who paid were then able to send a child or children to school; the amount varied for each additional child.

The first buildings ALL communities erected were cabins/shelter, churches, and schools, in that order of priority. They followed the same pattern as people moved westward.

HOWEVER, local school boards (not States) controlled education for until the late 1880s.

When you review multiple census years, you'll notice that "in school" was often designated only for boys, and only in certain ages. As well, the number of school years was short. Education was typically "reading, writing, and 'figuring'-- and that was it. Often, it covered only 3 to maybe 5 years of in-school attendance.

However, the boys who went beyond the basics typically went to seminary-type schools, or what we think of as preparatory colleges. Young men graduated earlier than today and the training was one of 4 areas: physician, lawyer, teacher, or preacher. Often, men had dual occupations -- such as lawyer and teacher. Or preacher and teacher. First, men needed 2 occupations to account for growing season vs. winter. Second, because these were the only "learned" men, a lawyer, physician, or preacher were often the persons who founded schools, seminaries, and colleges and often headed the Board of these institutions.

Although for many decades in the 1800s, girls in census are shown "at home", when girls did go to school they seemed to stay longer than boys. Girls' seminaries took hold, such as the Washington Female Seminary, and girls came from other States to live and learn at the seminary.

Even with compulsory education beginning in the late 1890s (coincidentally near the same time or after the first Animal Welfare advocacy began, which then led to the first Child Welfare advocacy later, and the first Child Labor laws), many boys dropped out of school after the 3rd or 5th grade. For example, my grandfather, born before 1910, only had a 5th grade education then went to work in the coal mines. He had limited reading, and could write and figure.

Child Labor:

Children were NOT protected by any laws until the late 1800s. So children often worked and did not go to school.

Marriage:

Marriage trends also figure into an individual's educational history. Young marriage (as young as age 12 and 13) was still acceptable even in the early 1900s. When a couple married young, the husband (even if younger than 18) was expected to work to support his own family. These marriages occurred even in the 1920s-1930s in Washington County and likely elsewhere in SW PA.

The differences between modern schools and colonial schools are numerous:

Colonial School

• Class met in church or home
• Later, one-room schools
• Later, multiple schools within townships, spread across a county
• Paid by "subscription" which was paid by the student's family (or tuition for private instruction or "Normal Schools" for future teachers)
• Some wealthy benefactors might donate money for honor / prestige.
• Teachers were typically also lawyers, or preachers. (Most educated persons were physicians, lawyers, preachers or teachers, or farmers. Most educated persons in these 4 groups were also farmers.
• Teachers were appointed and paid by the School Board. Since the educated persons were the best intellectuals in towns, they also served on the School Board.
• School Boards were overseen by a Superintendent later.
• States had no Child Education Laws.
• Students typically attended 1 to 3 years. IF they went beyond those 3 years, they entered seminaries or academies and studied to be physicians, lawyers, preachers, or teachers.
• There were no mandatory education laws. There were also no drop outs! Children worked AND went to school.
• Classes had no books; later, students might share just a few books.
• The basic subjects were reading, writing, and figuring (basic math).
• Children of ALL ages were taught in the same one-room school.
• The colonial school did NOT have multiple rooms for the same grade level.
• There was no "school library".
• The only tools students used was a pencil, composition type booklet, paperback, and some had a small, hand-held "slate" (chalkboard). They often shared chalk or each had a tiny piece to use.
• Later, the teacher might have a larger chalkboard mounted on the wall.
• NO computers, Ipads, Ipods, calculators, etc.
• Students had no "Field Trips". Fields were visited everyday on farms. Students walked to school; they had no need to go somewhere to see Biology, botany, etc.
• No music programs in most schools until mid-1800s.

The list goes on an on.... The differences were vast, even every 100 years.

Modern School

• Multiple rooms in one large building
• Multiple schools within townships, spread across a county
• Paid for by taxing all residents within the township
• Today, there are few "benefactors" who pay for education costs. A donation might be made toward sports or after school programs.
• Teachers are hired by School Boards and are under the authority of the Board and Superintendent.
• States have Mandatory Education of 12 years plus kindergarten in order to achieve/ receive a High School Diploma. GED is available if students dropped out of school. A child cannot drop out until about age 16.
• Every student has his/her own book for each subject.
• The "basic" subjects have greatly expanded, and students must pass from one level to the next.
• Each grade level is taught in separate rooms; the children's ages are within 1 to 2 years of other children in that room/class.
• Each grade level may have multiple "classes" or separate rooms, depending on number of students enrolled. Some schools have to use outside trailers or the school library to accommodate multiple classrooms for some grade levels.
• Almost all modern schools have a "school library".
• Students use multiple tools and electronic tools everyday.
• Almost all classrooms have 1 or 2 wall-mounted, large chalkboards.
• Schools now have computer labs.
• Students have "Field Trips".
• Music programs, band, choral group, etc. abound.

The list goes on an on.... The differences were vast, even in "modern" schools today. For example, there were no computers in the 1970s--- now, many kids own their own laptops and learn computing as part of regular schooling even at low grades!