A Glimpse into Education in 1910

Black and white photograph of students heading to school in 1910. Photo courtesy of: scottsvillemuseum.com 

A black and white photograph of a stenography class in Hartford some time between 1910-1911. Courtesy of: CT Digital Archives

Black and white photograph of young men at a mechanical drawing course provided in Hartford, CT sometime between 1909-1910. Photo courtesy of: CT Digital Archives

Example of job-based higher education: Willimantic Chronicle ad for New London Business College (1910-06-02)

European Ideologies vs. American Lifestyle

Most American educators before the 1910s were influenced heavily by European theories. The period saw a number of new ideas about education, with educational reformers like John Dewey and Maria Montessori. Public schools began a transformation centered around teaching practical work skills, as well as the promotion of democratic ideals. Consequently, this led to the introduction of programs on the use of modern machinery for agriculture and other industries, as well as job-based training. The spread of kindergarten schools to the United States in the 1860s also extended formal education to an even younger age. New teacher training programs were also created to improve the quality of educators. 

Connecticut was a national pioneer in this transition. It began to explore trade schools as an educational option in 1906 whereas many other states only did so around 1920. It is also important to highlight two key characteristics of education in the early 20th century:

1) Not all schools granted equal opportunities for all children.

2) Contrary to our modern-day public schools, religious instruction was part of the classroom everyday. Prayers and reading Bible passages in class was common and routine. The presence of Christianity in American classrooms began to decrease in the mid 1920s. 

School Transportation

In rural areas, transportation to school was an issue. In some locations, as can be seen in the first image, children would attend school in horse-drawn carriages. As automobiles became more widespread, students would soon be driven to school in automobiles. In 1913 Norwalk was the first town in Connecticut to have an automobile for this purpose. In an urban area like Willimantic, children were more likely to walk to school.

Attendance

The state's schools varied widely in size. The average attendance ranged from 21,626 pupils in New Haven to only 19 in Clinton. Even though Clinton had the fewest students attending their schools, the average cost per student of about $63.66. All of Windham had around 1,156 students attending school, with the average cost per scholar equaling $33.46. 

Legislation

A law was established in July 15th of 1909, requiring every town in the state of Connecticut to maintain the overall control of the public schools in their jurisdiction. Each town was to have their own school district which would have all of the power and duties pertaining to local education. 

Fun Fact

The school year in Connecticut lasted from July 14, 1909-July 14, 1910. The average length of the school year in Connecticut on 1910 was 184.55 days! In 2023 the State of Connecticut requires the school year be 180 days of actual school sessions per academic year. This requirement does not apply to private schools.