Brian D Agnew - Northwest Territories education

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Northwest Territories education

• Brian D Agnew

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Colonial Education
Curricula was based on interpretations of
Gods preferences and the three Rs (reading,
writing, and arithmetic) The main reading
books were the Old New Testament of the Bible
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Other important books in colonial education
Hornbook - a transparent sheet of cow
horn, served as a reader, a parchment
with abcs, vowels, syllables, and prayers
Primer - textbooks to teach rudimentary reading
skills, abcs, and prayers
reflected religious values of colonies
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Other important books in colonial education

• Poor Richards Almanac
• - textbook of philosophy of virtues
• thrift
• hard work
• creativity

- Written by Benjamin Franklin
Blue-Backed Speller - American Spelling Book -
Written by Noah Webster
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Other important books in colonial education

• An American Dictionary
• - Written by Noah Webster
• - showed distinct vocabulary, spelling, and
  usage of American words
• - used to help separate US from Britain

McGuffey Readers - taught literacy skills -
advanced Protestant ethic - advanced patriotic
nationalism
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School Houses
were usually one-room log or clapboard
cabins - with ages 3 to 20 or more
together in one class instruction was by
whole group with choral response, repetition,
drill, memorization, and punishment if needed.
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Secondary Schools
Latin Grammar School Students were boys who
entered at 9 or 10 and stayed 4 to 5 years
Subjects were Latin, Greek ( associated classics
literature), math, geography, rhetoric - Step
before attending college
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Secondary Schools
English Academy Founded by Ben Franklin - who
believed students should acquire and apply
practical knowledge to prepare for the world
and gain a highly skilled occupation Subjects
penmanship, math, bookkeeping, English, foreign
languages (French, Spanish, Latin, Greek,
German) Skills taught farming, carving,
shipbuilding, carpentry, printing
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East Coast Colonies
Educated through a tutoring system with a
schoolmaster - Schoolmaster was usually a
member of the clergy and a prominent
community figure Purpose was to prepare
young men for the ministry and leadership
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Southern Colonies
Plantation landowners children were taught by
a hired tutor - slaves and indentured servants
were rarely educated Education was formal
reading, writing, math - learning to read was
important so one could read the Bible and
follow Gods will Children of small farmers
were taught informally by the family
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Middle Atlantic Colonies
Diverse population that wanted to
preserve their language and beliefs
Established Parochial Schools - taught
religion, 3 Rs, some vocational training -
believed children were inherently good -
rejected corporal punishment - open to
everyone, including Native Americans and slaves
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New England
Since many people shared similar values, they
could establish Town Schools - towns of 50
households had to employ a teacher of reading
and writing - towns of 100 households had
to provide a Grammar School to prepare
students for Harvard University
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New England (cont.)
Purpose of schools to be able to read
and understand religious principles to thwart
the Devil Town Schools were developed in
response to the Massachusetts Act of
1647, which is often referred to as the Old
Deluder Satan Act
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New England (cont.)
The Puritans followed the teachings of John
Calvin - he believed children were savage
and primitive - and children needed
training and discipline to conform to society
- schools were to produce literate,
hardworking, frugal and respectful people
able to resist temptation
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New Republic
National education leaders were Noah Webster
Thomas Jefferson Purpose of education was to
prepare good citizens 1) know how to
participate responsibly in a democracy 2)
ability to read and write - makes for a
strong people and nation Webster promoted a
common American language
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New Republic (Cont.)
Jefferson established the Common School which
was the first tax-supported school Jefferson
also proposed the establishment of Grammar
Schools to teach foreign language,
grammar, advanced math - like a Prep School
(College Prep)
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Northwest Territories
Northwest Ordinance of 1785 - divided land
into townships - each township had a
section of land set aside for education the
schools on this land were called land grant
schools - because they were funded
by the income the section brought in
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Thank You