The beginning of public education
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Transcript of The beginning of public education
THE BEGINNING OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI
Suzanne D Jackson, November 2010
WHY PUBLIC EDUCATION
Decrease poverty Raise good citizens Decrease immorality
PUBLIC SCHOOLS—TAKE ONE
Thomas Fiveash Riddick Part lobbyist, part Paul Revere
REAL ESTATE
Every year Congress passed an law dealing with land claims in the Missouri Territory
1812 most significant, giving land to schools
1824 Congress expressly stated to give the lands to schools
1831 US Government relinquishes all claims
1812 CONGRESSIONAL ACT
Sec. 2 That all town or village lots, out-lots, or common field lots, included in such surveys, which are not rightfully owned or claimed by any private individuals or held as commons belonging to such towns to reserve for military purposes, shall be, and the same are herby, reserved for the support of schools in the respective towns or villages aforesaid: Provided, That the whole quantity of land contained in the lots reserved for the support of schools in any one town or village, shall not exceed one-twentieth part of the whole lands included in the general survey of such town or village.
THE 1817 BOARD
January 30, 1817board is established to manage the lands reserved for the schools.
Original members:Gen. William Clark August Choteau
Thomas Hart Benton William C Carr
Alexander McNair Bernard Pratte
John Cabanne
1817 BOARD’S FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES Control of land reserved for education Employ teachers Make by-laws, rules, and regulations for
schools Forbidden from giving preference to any
religion Secure Finances Construct School Buildings Any other business necessary to establish
schools
MAYOR WILLIAM CARR LANE
Appeals to Board of Alderman
“a free school is more needed here than in any town of the same magnitude in the country”
10 YEARS LATER…THE NEW/IMPROVE BOARD
Incorporated in 1833 Created by legislature Jacksonian in nature Board would be elected All white adult males were
“shareholders” in the St Louis Public Schools
FIRST BOARD
South Ward Middle Ward North Ward
Edward Bates Josiah Spalding Dr Cornelius Campbell
John P Reilly Judge Mary P Leduc Hugh O’Neil, Sr
First meeting April 27, 1833
THE COURT SYSTEM
School Board fought to hold lands in court
Missouri Supreme Court Jones v Soulard Department of the Interior Supreme Court of the United States Spending $50,000 in legal fees plus
$1,000/year in retainer
REAL ESTATE--1854
Holdings valued at $400,000 Annual rents of $14,500
BUILDING COMMITTEE
Formed November 1834 Census of school-aged children
February to June 1835 Crickets…. December 1836, new building
committee Sites were picked in early 1837
FIRST SCHOOL
Opened April 1838 Curriculum of math, grammar, reading,
geography and music Second school opened shortly
thereafter. Benton School/School#3 opened in
1842
1842—REOGRANIZATION COMMITTEE Tasked with efficiency and
consolidation review Report: Should expand 4 schools in each ward 2 Primary and 2 elementary (one for
each gender)
EXPANSION—WHAT TO BUILD?
Student Capacity Cost Cost per Pupil
400 $30,000 $75
600 $33,000 $55
1000 $35,000 $35
HIGH SCHOOL
Lot was purchased in January 1853 Land costs: $17,900 Building costs: $45,000
TEACHERS
Initially 12 applicants—10 male and 2 female.
Initial salaries $900/males and $500/females
One year contracts Women would be fired if married while
under contract Teachers for School#1 (South school)
introduced to the public at community forum
Fun fact
BUDGET CRISES AND SALARIES
Date Male Principal
Female Principal
Male Assistant Teacher
Female Asst Teacher
April 1838 $900 $500
January 1842 (Benton/Sch#3)
$900 $500 $200 $200
January 1842 (Sch#1 and #2)
$800 $400
June 1842 $800 $500 n/a $250
December 1842
$600 $360 $200 $200
June 1843 $800 $450 $250 $250
July 1843 (new Ward 1 and Ward 6 schools)
$500 $300 $250 $250
Fall 1844 (Benton/Sch#3)
$700 $400 $250 $250
Fall 1844-all other schools
$500 $300 $250 $250
TEACHER INCENTIVES AND TRAINING Salary schedules Normal School Principal takes supervisory role
COMMON SCHOOLS = COMMONALITY? Tuition Commonality vs Conformity Religion
TUITION
$2.50 per quarter in 1838 Tuition waivers available Public school = charity / overun by poor Tuition eventually phased out by 1847 Tuition charges and public support
COMMONALITY VS CONFORMITY
Large immigrant populations Germans want bilingual school
RELIGION
If teaching morality, what value system?
If using Bible, what version? Board regulations Problems with non-secular moral
teaching
PUBLIC VS PAROCHIAL
The Four “R”s Tradition Lutheran Germans Taxation Fun Fact
PUBLIC SUPPORT
Elections as a barometer 1836—sale of land, 10% to fund
building of schools 1849—property tax approved, even
though vote was held two weeks after a major fire
STATE LEVEL ACTION
1820 Missouri Constitution 1833 State Commission 1835 legislation 1837 legislation Geyer Act 1839 Kelley Act 1853 1854 Legislative passage of state
budget
SPLS AND JACKSONIAN DEMOCRACY
Board’s incorporation Eliot Common Schools