'The Book' - Blog 22

Chapter six continued ....

As was mentioned in the previous blog the force behind school reform was the rise of the factory system. The structure of the job market was changing and the education reforms of the 1800's reflected what was going on in the economy. The schools of the time that were highly regarded, were on corporation property and directly served the children and workers in the near by mills. There was still some backlash from manufacturers in due to the high taxation rate necessary for building and maintaining schools. Yet there was a increasing need to have workers fill up this growing hole in the labour force.

It is interesting to note here that I think this still does go on today. We did discuss the idea in class, that the push for students to become more competent in math in science, is coming from the economy. The building beside Turcotte hall on the U of L's campus will be for the business program. It is interesting to note that the drama department or the arts program has not been expanded. A major player in the business world felt it necessary to help the U of L with the business program. I also thought the class discussion about how arts programs get funding was interesting, and the suggestion that a good reason for funding should be framed in a way that will serve consumerism or the economy in a bottom line view point. I think that this is a dangerous game to play, to only focus on what makes a profit. Although I am biased because I am really into the arts, different cultures , music, reading for fun ect., yet at the same time I have a business degree. I think that I am able to see a glimpse of the necessity to have a well rounded economy / society, just like it is important to have well rounded students / citizens in ones country. The authors spoke to this earlier wen they discussed the issue of how money cannot be the only motivating factor. To have workers that will produce and 'buy' into the contest system you must appeal to all facets of an individual.

Mann who at the time was a man who believed in temperance, saw the fabric of society as breaking down and becoming somewhat chaotic. (He believed that 4/5ths of the poor and the issues that rose being poor could be attributed to liquor.) It was education he believed that would become the 'balance wheel of the social machinery.' Properly reformed and administered schools could provide a generation of 'sober, wise good men to prepare for coming events...' Mann was looking to incorporate an overall school system that would be public, tax - supported and nonsectarian.

So from what I have gathered so far, schools reforms at the time were taking place to facilitate the growing economy, and to create workers that were skilled enough to keep the economy going. As well there was the need to bring order to the Northwestern U.S. in light of all of the immigrants that had migrated. There was a need to teach the values that already existed, to the hordes to children who did not have parents capable enough to fulfill the task. As well there were now enough children to consolidate school districts.

Along with all of the change to the structure of education,that had to do with the values taught, there was a need to change the internalized structure of the way the actual classroom was run. Prior to Mann creating these reforms there was little or no direction with-in the classroom. This is when grades were created, different levels for different students according to age. A standardized curriculum was introduced along with graded texts, and the implementation of assigning grades to students. Those involved in education at the time were more concerned with the moral influence of school rather than the intellectual side of things. Again the reason why most large employers supported public education, which apparently related to the non-cognitive effects of schooling as was mentioned before. (The hidden curriculum served their purposes quite nicely.) This connection between moral training in schools and and the needs of the business world were not missed by educators either.. hmm I wonder if that is because most of their funding came from the corporate sector.

It is interesting to note that there was a replacement of a predominately male system of teachers, to wholly female. They were were cheaper and were thought to provide an extension of the home.

There did seem to be a lot of backlash as was discussed in class. The religious population of the time did not like the fact that Mann was for the separation of church and state. Large immigrant populations, farmers and some of the business owners though the taxation system was too high and that the schools were meddlesome, teaching useless information. There were many struggles that occurred and some set backs. So what did change? There was an increase in the number of children enrolled in what we know today as the public system as opposed to private schools. Mann as able to preserve the legal and economic foundations that were occurring at the time. I think what the authors want one to draw from this chapter is that education reform and the expansion in the 19th century was connected to the boom of the capitalist modes of production. They do note, however that political factors have intervened between economic structures and educational outcomes in complex ways.

As I mentioned in the previous blog, I think that the politics of the time that created many of the struggles the education reformers faced, had more to do with the policies that were created that the authors give credit to. This is coupled with the fact that there were large groups with-in the population that did not want schools run by strangers. The individuals who were in politics, much like today, most likely had more sway than the authors realized. They did note that this was a section that they did not put much research into.

Onto chapter seven.