Education in the Colonial Period

Education in the Colonial Period

By, Colette

Education in the Colonial period varied depending on what class you were. If you are a gentry class child in Colonial America, you would be expected to have multiple tutors, go to Latin grammar school and college. In comparison, a poor indentured servant or farmer would be very lucky to have an opportunity to go to a schoolhouse at least once. Higher class people received better and longer education and learned numerous subjects. Slaves did not have access to education in any way. Higher education was usually only taught to the wealthy. Their education consisted of reading and writing in Latin and Greek, mathematics, religion, social skills, music/hymn singing and many more traditional classes. Most children who could have an education, for example, middling class and farmers, only learned reading, religion, and sometimes writing or mathematics.

Education in the Colonial period was limited. People who attended higher education schools such as Latin grammar schools and college were wealthy, gentry class boys. On page 32 in the book, Schools in America by George Capaccio it says, “But in the colonial times, enrollment in the Latin grammar school is usually limited to boys. On top of gender bias, there was also a favoritism for boys from upper-class families. Prominent, well-educated members of this class who sent their sons to Latin grammar schools expected them to undertake a professional career instead of learning a trade.” Boys received a better education than girls because they were better respected and the society was sexist and biased against girls. Colonists in the middling class and colonists whose parents were farmers would not have nearly as good of an education as gentry class children did. Most of the time, gentry class children would be smarter and know more than adults whose class is lower than gentry. Boys and girls attended other schools before attending to a Latin grammar school.

Boys were able to attend Dame and Petty schools to learn reading, writing, and mathematics although, the most important part of the Dame and Petty school was to prepare them for Latin grammar school. Middling class girls and higher went to either a Dame or Petty school for a few years. Dame and Petty schools taught girls reading, writing and domestic work. Education for girls was fairly limited, and those who were wealthy received more education. Dame and Petty schools were a girl’s entire education. “The purpose of the Dame school was to prepare boys for Latin grammar school, but for girls, the Dame school served as their total educational experience,” it says on page 32 in the book, Schools in America by George Capaccio. Most children did not have an education beyond Dame and Petty schools, in fact, most of them did not even have an education. Gentry class boys were supposed to be leaders when they grew up. Opposed to girls and lower classes, where they did not have an immense effect in America. Higher education went on for gentry class boys but ended at Dame and Petty schools for girls and higher middling class boys.

The Boston Latin grammar school, the first school to start all public schools in America, was free to all boys. The Boston Latin grammar school was founded in 1635 in Boston, Massachusetts. Latin grammar schools were based off on the English grammar school. In the Colonial times, Latin grammar schools replaced high schools. “Latin grammar schools were comparable to our high schools. Their main purpose was to prepare students for higher learning at a college or university,” writes George Capaccio on page 31 in the book, Schools in America. Latin grammar schools were much more intense than most high schools today. The main purpose of the Latin grammar school was to prepare gentry class boys for college or university. To be admitted into the Latin grammar school, you were required to have good reading and writing skills. The school consisted of seven years of classes such as mathematics and reading and writing in Greek and Latin. Colonial schools may not have as many different subjects as we do today but, school was much more rigorous. They had to learn how to read and write two important languages that they were going to use later in life, Greek and Latin. Children also had to learn other important subjects such as dance and playing a musical instrument. Everyone who attended the Latin grammar schools came from higher class families who were well educated and expected very highly of their children. The teachers at the Latin grammar schools were are also very well educated, as they had studied for more time than teachers at Dame and Petty schools. The colonists took the idea of having a grammar school from England and brought it to America.

Colleges and universities were only allowed for gentry class boys to attend. They required certain skills to be accepted in. Not any gentry class boy could attend. The reason why colleges were so limited was that they trained later leaders and professionals. Colleges only took the best: boys who were highly educated and skilled in Latin and Greek. In the colonial times, there were only nine colleges that took a few students. Each college was associated with the colony they were located. For example, Harvard was associated with Boston, and PENN was associated with Pennsylvania. The main part of the curriculum in college was religion. In the present day, colleges are not expected to include religion into their curriculum. Religion was a huge part of daily life in the Colonial times, and people were expected to learn it formally. The idea that the founders of the colleges had in mind was to educate people who already had an educational experience. Not only that but, the founders also wanted to educate the Native Americans. The Native Americans did not have a formal education before, so the colonists wanted to give the Native Americans a new idea about Christianity. They wanted to teach them formally about Christianity. The colleges also had very strict rules. Having strict rules was a big change from the way the Indians learned and were raised.  

During the Colonial times, there was not a certain place to hold school. A school could be possibly anywhere from farms to taverns; sometimes there was a meeting spot. “In Colonial America, ‘school’ didn’t necessarily refer to a specific setting. A school could be just about anywhere children and teachers were gathered in town churches, meeting houses, shops, barns, and even inns and taverns,” it says in the book Schools in Colonial America. Schools were not one of the most important places for Colonial children. Compared to today, whereas school is very important. School today is much more important for children because most children in the United States who go to school would not have a labor job. Not all children in the Colonial times made use of going to school because they would never become following leaders of some sort and their most likely job would end up being something labor intensive. School was just another way of teaching most children religion. Middling class children did not own private school houses like gentry class children do, and their education was not as complicated and precise as the wealthy.

Some upper-middling class children went to actual schoolhouses. School in the  Colonial times did not have as much high-quality learning as gentry class children had. The classrooms were not as nice and did not have as good materials, the walls were coated with lime plaster to brighten up the room, the school houses were one room houses with a few windows, and when it got dark, or the classroom needed light, they used candles or whale oil lamps. All of the chairs and desks were made of oak and pine wood which they had an abundance of in America. Students used three-legged stools or log backless planks to sit on as chairs. On cold days, classrooms used either their fireplace or potbellied stove. To keep the heat going, children were expected to bring firewood to school every day. Part of the tuition was to bring firewood to school. In the book Schools in America, it says, “To pay for part of their children’s education, parents often sent them to school with wood for the fireplace. In some schools, children would fail to bring their share of firewood were punished by having to sit in the coldest part of the room.” Some children were punished if they did not bring firewood to school because it was part of their tuition. The tuition was the most important part for schools and teachers. Punishments were also important for schools because it taught children discipline and punishment was part of the student’s education.

Punishments that were used in school were much worse in the Colonial times than modern day. Rather than getting mental punishments, teachers gave physical punishments such as a whipping post. Whipping posts were made out of a wooden post connected to a leather strap. “The student felt the sting of a rattan, a leather strap attached to a wicker stick,” I read on Life in America Online. The student was whipped with the leather strap which was very painful and help discipline the child. Whipping posts were usually meant for punishing children who had bad behavior and who made mistakes. This shows that school in the Colonial times was very harsh and thought of discipline as hurting the student.

Whispering sticks were another example of punishment in schools. They were made out of wood sticks and were connected to strings. The string was meant to secure the whispering stick to the student’s head, so they don’t take it off. “Whispering sticks’ were inserted in the mouths of students to prevent them from whispering in class. On occasion, the whispering sticks contained strings for tying the stick to the student’s head,” it says in Life in America Online. The whispering stick was put in the child’s mouth to make sure they weren’t whispering in class.

Slit sticks pinched children’s noses to discipline them for misbehaving. On the database, Life in America Online, it says, “Slit sticks were used for pinching students’ noses remained on the students for long periods.” Slit sticks were not one of the most painful punishments although, it was the punishment that stayed on for the most time.

Ferules Ferrules were long pieces of wood or a cane. This punishment was different because it was not used for disciplinary reasons. “Teachers used a ferule ferrule, a staff generally used for non-disciplinary functions, to strike or ‘cane’ a student,” it says on Life in America Online. Even though ferules ferrules were used to hurt the student, it was not used to discipline them.

Dunce caps were worn for making children feel ashamed. They were used for humiliation, rather than misbehaving. Children who were slow learners or made mistakes were forced to wear the dunce cap in the corner of the room. The student had to wear a cone-shaped hat made of paper with the words dunce in big bold letters across the hat. Dunce means stupid, incapable of learning and a slow learner. Wearing a dunce cap was the worst possible punishment at school even though it didn’t hurt the student.

In the Colonial times, not all children needed to attend school, but they still needed to learn how to read the Bible. No matter what class European children were in, they were still expected to know how to read. This was important because all Europeans needed to understand and read the Bible. Children would learn how to read at their home or during an apprenticeship. “The greater part of a child’s education took place in the home, where learning to read was the most important educational task. Without this ability, children would have limited access to the Bible, which many believed was the word of God. In the colonies of New England, where Puritanism was the dominant form of the forces of good and evil,” it says on page 4 and 5 in the book Schools in America by George, Capaccio. Knowing how to read was one of the most important parts of the daily life for the Europeans. Reading the Bible was also another way of speaking to God. The Europeans thought reading the Bible gave shelter from the devil and sided the person reading with God. Even though reading was one of the most necessary parts of life for the Europeans, they did not teach the Africans to read. Africans were thought as less than human. They were being dehumanized. When the Europeans came to the New World, they taught the Native Americans Christianity and formal education. The Europeans wanted the Native Americans to reject their culture and start becoming Christian. The Native Americans forgot about their religion and start to believe in Christianity, although some Native Americans still held onto their religion. This is a form of bias and prejudice because the Europeans see the Native American culture as less than theirs. The Europeans didn’t think that the Native Americans were able to have an education if they didn’t become Christians. The Europeans thought that the Puritan church leaders wanted to make a Christian utopia by teaching everyone in America Christianity. They wanted the Native Americans and Europeans to live in harmony. On page 57, in Schools in Colonial America, George Capaccio writes, “This was especially true in New England, where Puritan church leaders dreamed of creating a Christian utopia, in which everyone including indigenous people, shared the same religious beliefs. In order for Native Americans to participate in such an ideal world, Puritans would need to teach them how to read and understand English.” The Native Americans already had an education before they met the Europeans but did not have formal education. The Native Americans started acting civilized and started acting and dressing as Europeans. They started learning English and were taught reading, writing, and math in English. Some Native Americans were forced to stop using their language, and some forgot their language by using English.

Since the enslaved Africans came to America, they did not have any knowledge about formal education as did the Native Americans. They didn’t know anything about English, reading, writing or math. Slaves were not taught any basic education before so they could not become successful in America. Not only that but, they are also Africans and the whites would not let them become successful because their rank is also very low. Although reading was vital in the colonial period, slaves were never taught how to read. Math was also unuseful for slaves because all the work they do and will ever do is physical work. They did not have any opportunities to have a “real” job. This is a form of racism because slaves are never allowed to take part in the community or even feel powerful themselves. For an Enslaved African to have an education is a disgrace for the master because it meant that their slave knew almost or as much as the master does. This action could cause the master to lose power and strength. Even though the master would lose his or her power, the slave wouldn’t gain any, because their rank stays the same, at the bottom.

Slaves whose masters found them educating themselves suffered. Slaves were not allowed to be educated. It was against the law for slaves to be knowledgeable about reading, writing, math, religion, etc. If slaves were captured being educated, they were hurt and could get in huge trouble by the master or even the government. On the website Harvard Educational Review Heather Andrea writes, “Slaves who attempted to educate themselves, if caught, suffered physical and psychological consequences.” Slaves could be beaten or even sent to jail. It is taken as a crime if a slave is being educated. Slaves taught themselves in hidden spots although, if the master found them, they would face huge consequences.

Pit schools were small pits dug in the ground made by slaves in which they have lessons. Pit schools were far into the forest not on the master’s property. “Williams tells the story of slaves who received their instruction in ‘pit schools,’ so named as such because they were ‘pit[s] in the ground way out in the woods away from the master;s surveillance,” it says on Harvard Educational Review. Pit schools were hideouts for the slaves. The slaves risked their individual lives digging pits to become literate themselves. The slaves did not have an opportunity to get educated like white children during an apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship masters were highly skilled workers who could take care of children. The apprenticeship masters were required to provide food and shelter for their apprentices. In the book Schools in Colonial America on page 33 and 34, it says, “Apprenticeship laws required the master tradesman or craftsman to continue the literacy training of his young apprentice food and shelter and other necessities.” Apprenticeship masters weren’t trained to take care of children but were trained to teach children. Most apprentices stayed in the shop or the apprenticeship master’s home. Apprenticeship masters were required to teach his or her apprentice how to read. Most children got most of their education during an apprenticeship. The master’s had to teach from nine to twelve years. They also never taught Native Americans or Africans. When the Europeans came to the New World, they changed the Native American’s ways. The Native Americans were starting to be introduced to unequalness. Before the Europeans came to America, the Native Americans were all equal except the Powhatan or the tribe leader. The Native Americans were also introduced to racism. Not only that but, the Africans were introduced to racism and unequalness too. This connects to how they are not allowed to be apprentices.

A boy’s apprenticeship would last longer and was more intense than girls apprenticeships. Apprenticeship masters would teach young men to start their own business or to be very skilled at their topic. “Apprenticeships usually began when the child was around eight or nine and lasted until the age of twenty-one for boys and eighteen for girls,” it says on page 34 in the book Schools in Colonial America by George Capaccio. Apprenticeships for boys would start from 8 or 9 to 21 years old. Boys were expected to have a higher place in life, and some were trained to be leaders. This is why boys went through apprenticeship longer than girls do. After dame school, gentry class boys would go to the Latin grammar school. Although, most boys did not have the money to go to Latin grammar school so they would work or train under an apprenticeship master after dame school. Apprentices were usually middling class children. Rarely gentry class children would become apprentices. Being a skilled worker gave you a very high advantage. If you were a skilled worker, you would get more pay, resources, power and gives you a higher chance of starting a business. If you were not a skilled worker, you would usually end up working for your master. Boys were required to have good penmanship. Apprenticeship masters were required to teach them this. Boys and girls each had a vast amount of choices to choose from for being an apprentice.

Girls apprenticeships were not as important and did not go as long as boys apprenticeships. A girl’s apprenticeship went from age 8 or 9 up to age 18. Like some boys, during an apprenticeship girl’s would learn the most. Some girls would become an apprentice after Dame school but, some would work at home or continue their education at home. “Male apprentices learned a range of skills, from blacksmithing to tailoring. But female apprentices were only expected to learn ‘woman’s work’ or ‘housewifery,’” it says in the book, Schools in Colonial America on page 33. Girls had a small amount of choices to choose from rather than boys. The only choices a woman would have would be housewifery or do woman’s work. A woman’s education didn’t go for as long as a man’s education because later in life they would most likely have no use for it. Girls were also not taught to have good penmanship like boys. Girls did not have the option to go to grammar school. Although gentry class girls were educated for longer periods of time than most children, so the education they got was almost as good as going to a Latin grammar school.

Schoolmasters were someone who came town to town and helped children with their education for a couple of hours. Most parents or craftsmen in the town did not have the time or did not want to educate children. This is the reason why a schoolmaster became a job. In the book The Schoolmasters, Leonard Everett Fisher writes, “Here and there a stranger calling himself a schoolmaster would appear in a town or village.” Schoolmasters would usually come to middling class towns and villages. Schoolmasters were not expensive so people could afford it. They were paid cheaply or were paid for a place to stay the night. The best teachers who taught at Latin grammar schools or colleges did not have the time for middling class people and thought it was unnecessary for middling class people to use Greek or Latin later on. Although schoolmasters were not as educated as the best teachers around, they were educated and could help children with their studies. They were usually a very helpful resource to the people.

Most gentry class children would have a tutor. They were people who helped children with their school work at home. Tutors had formal education and were very qualified teachers. They were well-educated men that went to Latin grammar school and rarely college. Tutors were not gentry class but, possibly higher middling class people. The tutor who taught the child’s basic education lived on the plantation with them. Wealthy children had multiple tutors, and they all taught different subjects. For example, they had tutors for music, dance and sometimes social skills. Gentry class children were required to learn social skills so they can have conversations during dinner and when they are invited to have parties.

Gentry class learned a huge range of subjects much more than middling class. They learned music, dance, social skills, mathematics, reading, writing, and religion. All these subjects were usually packed into a whole day. The wealthy used feather and ink to write with. Sometimes gentry class women were capable and were allowed to be as educated as men. Some gentry class women were more educated than men.

Schools in the colonial period would not use computers or pens and pencils at school as we do today. Instead, they would use hornbooks, quills, and ink. We have evolved from doing everything by hand to typing everything out. We still use similar objects like the hornbook. In modern day, people use research books in replacement of hornbooks. Today, we use some of the concepts in education that the Europeans came up with. Such as math, reading and writing! Most of the classes that we learn today came from the colonial period.