The American model of education was a beacon of hope and inspiration to other developing nations, who tried to emulate the successes it produced.ĭuring the last ten to twenty years, however, a dramatic reversal has taken place. The effect was profound in 1900 only 6 percent of the population graduated from high school, whereas in 2000 it had risen to 68 percent. It was not until the early 20th century that high schools rose to prominence, and when they were created and mandatory attendance was established the concept was still controversial and progressive. During this time many private Catholic schools were also founded, based on the desire to create a system of education in which religion was still a central component. Reformers like Horace Mann and Henry Barnard argued that schooling prevented crime and poverty, creating better citizens - and thanks to their efforts, a public educational system on the elementary level was established. By the middle of the 19th century, education was predominately a luxury of the wealthy. While many of the original states did have varying provisions for education, schools were often extensions of the church and no federal standards existed. Thomas Jefferson was one of the first national advocates of the public school system, believing that it would guide the populace in choosing wise leaders and allow for an equality based on initiative and intelligence rather than social status. a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain the fullest stature to which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.' The ability to rise above one's class and achieve one's 'fullest stature' if one has talents and the drive is a cornerstone of our national identity indeed, it was one of the ways the United States intended to differentiate itself from Europe's ingrained caste systems. James Turslow Adams defined the American Dream as 'that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.

Abandoned school