The Educational System of the 19th Century During the Civil War

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In 19th century America, people believed that the education of children was essential. Most of the foundation for education began in the home. A popular book of the day, The Mother’s Book, by Lydia Child, recommended deliberate steps be taken to cultivate the early education of the child. With education beginning in the home, children entered the school system around age 4 or 5 with an understanding of basic morals upon which a formal education would be built.

Schools of the 19th Century Varied by Region

Almost all of the schools in the North and Midwest areas of the United States were community, or common, schools. These schools were open to all children within the community. Conditions at each of the schools would vary not only from state-to-state, but also between communities. The revenue that funded the school was based directly upon the state of the local commerce within that community.

How Schools in the 19th Century Were Built

Schools were constructed in many different ways throughout the 19th century. Some were built of brick, while others were built of log or stone. According to one report in 1861, 58 percent of the superintendents in Pennsylvania reported the unfavorable conditions of their schools. In some reports, one would say that the schools were “less fit for the purpose of schooling, than would be many modern outhouses for sheltering cattle.”

Despite so much negativity, there were some schools that were described far more favorably. Some described schools as “tasteful brick buildings with first class furniture for 62 pupils.” Many of the new buildings were made of wood, while others had coal-burning stoves to help head the buildings during the cold months.

Schools were supervised by a group of local citizens. In charge of overseeing all of the various operations of the schools, these individuals were responsible for the levying of tax, the location of the houses, the purchase or sale of the property for the school, as well as appointing teachers and the educational materials. While the group was formally in charge of such operations, it was not uncommon for problems to arise from their lack of expertise.

The Role of Teachers Throughout the 19th Century

The 19th century did not require many certifications or specifications from teachers. In rural school districts, teachers who had graduated from school themselves were often difficult to find. As a result, they had to settle for whatever teachers were available. In choosing teachers, school districts established both written and oral exams to ensure that teachers were competent to assume their duties. Both men and women were allowed to teach during this time, but men were considered to be the preferable candidate for school teachers. However, the start of the Civil War meant that many men had to leave the classroom in order to serve in the war. As such, more women entered the profession of teaching.

Continuing education was important in the 19th century. Institutes were held, sometimes only once per year, to help teachers improve their skills. Despite the effort, some teachers did not always meet the expectation of the school district, whether intellectually or in their behavior.

Educational Standards in Schools Before and During the Civil War

In some areas, children rarely attended school with any sort of regularity. While some areas in the Midwest and New England boasted attendance rates as high as 90%, rural areas suffered. Many of the children in the rural communities were needed to help out with the family farm, especially during the harvest season.

The educational standards of the time were few and far between. In addition to challenges with enrollment, the length of the school day and year was left up to the individual community. The average school year in 1860 was five months and five and one-half days. A typical day in the classroom ran from nine until four, with a one-hour recess break and lunch at noon. The school day usually began with a reading from the scripture followed by a patriotic song.

Most of the learning in the classroom was done as memorization and recitation. With some of the less interesting materials, like historical dates or geographic facts, the material was sung to popular tunes. Multiplication tables were usually taught in rhymes. In addition to traditional educational material, schools were expected to also teach polite behavior and moral principles. Because of the different levels of experience between teachers, the subjects taught in school carried greatly.

Report cards and grading systems were uncommon in rural schools. Instead, success in school was dependent upon how a student performed in a spelling bee or quiz held in front of their parents. Winners were often given certificates or books as prizes, Gifted students would be finished with school by the age of 14 or 15, however, only the most affluent would advance to college or university.

Differences Between the North and South in 19th Century Education

In the South, most of the communities were opposed to education supported by taxes. Most of the people advocating school reforms of the 1840s were from North, which contributed a healthy amount of skepticism from the people in the South. Most of the Southerners felt that the school systems were partially responsible for the Northern attitudes that preceded the Civil War. Many Southerners favored sending their children to private school, and by 1860 there were only four states in the South that had any sort of community school system.

Southern teachers also faced challenges in acquiring educational materials. The region had largely depended on the North and Europe for texts prior to the war. Once the Civil War began, Northern publications were held in contempt, and the blockade had stopped the educational imports from Europe. There was a movement in the South to produce its own educational materials, but the shortages of materials and the destruction of printing equipment didn’t allow for progress in this area.

Many Northerners had moved South to teach prior to the war. But the Southerners regretted allowing them to teach. While teaching was respectable, women who taught in the South were often pitied for their financial situation. When the war broke out, Northern teachers were even less appreciated. As such, Southern schools began advertising that teacher-applicants be natives of Dixie. As the war progressed, many Southern schools were closed, so educating the children fell to their mothers.

The North provided for the education of some free blacks, but the idea of racially integrated schools was still highly opposed. When Prudence Crandall attempted to integrate her Connecticut school for girls, many of the white students were withdrawn from the school by their parents. Crandall herself was treated violently, with insults, threats, and even being stoned. In the interest of safety for herself and her students, she was forced to acquiesce. Some communities established school systems for minority groups, such as the free blacks and the American Indians, but they were few and far between.

Sources and More Research on the Educational System of the 19th Century

The History of Education in America by Chesapeake College
Excerpt from the American Annals of Instruction, 1831
Salisbury, Joyce E. and Andrew Kersten. “Education in Atlantic America.” Daily Life through History. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 28 Feb. 2011.

Resource by J.Ellis

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