Many popular dictionaries loosely define education as the act of being
educated; the knowledge that results from being educated; or the field of study
or work dealing with methods of teaching or learning. Those definitions may sum
up the most basic meaning of education as a word, but they do not impart the
far-reaching impact the reality of education has had on societies around the
world.
Education, most often
associated with school, is a vital component of life for children and even
adults in every country. Presently, even the most undeveloped societies have
rudimentary systems in place to teach children the basics of reading, math,
culture, history and practical skills such as farming, sewing and cooking. These
educational systems often include the classrooms with which Western cultures are
familiar, but also include storytelling and inter-generational teaching that
takes advantage of the skills and knowledge of elders and community leaders.
The more traditional Western-style (and in some cases Eastern-style)
education employed by most developed nations tends to be highly structured, and
usually takes place in a classroom setting. The learning and outcome
expectations of modern day students are defined by government curricula, and
cover a wide variety of topics; from the basics of reading, writing, and math,
to the ever-expanding fields of business, science, and the arts. Students also
have options to explore skills such as cooking, child-rearing, mechanics,
hairstyling and more even before they move on to post-secondary studies.
Computers have added incredible speed and versatility to modern education,
allowing students and teachers increased communication and access to information
anywhere in the world with the click of a mouse.
Like most other civil structures, education has evolved over the
centuries to become the prized part of life that it is today. For example,
in colonial America, the Puritans created the first formal school on what is now
U.S ground: the Roxbury Latin School in 1635 (Harvard College was formed a few
years later). The focus of education then was religious-based, with the Bible
providing the foundation of what children were taught. Reading was important,
with math and writing being less so. Books – a vital component of later
education, were rare until late in the 16th Century and did not play much of a
role in education until then.
While the Puritanical societies focused on scholarly pursuits, other areas of
the country emphasized the importance of practical skills such as farming, and
much education took place in the home. This was particularly true in the South,
where government-influenced education was not widely accepted until much
later.
After federation, education flourished in the United States, helped along by
the appearance of public libraries and wider access to information. Previously,
Latin schools had been the standard, but English schools were formed as a matter
of practicality and to increase opportunities for education of the masses. Grammar and
language were still important, but economics, science, arts, and social studies
such as history, geography and politics were also popular. Unlike today, most
women were excluded from these educational opportunities until the 1800s, when
limited education was available to some women.
The late 1800s and early 1920s saw more and more immigrants of varied
backgrounds entering the United States. Many immigrant children were sent to
work to help provide for their families rather than to school to become part of
the homogenous English-speaking society that was desirable during the period.
This practice led to the creation of laws against child labor and mandatory
school attendance and standards.
The history of education is a huge topic that cannot be summarized in a few
paragraphs. Organizations such as the History of Education Society
are dedicated to capturing and raising awareness of this important historical
element.