Education
Except in New England, most children in the colonies received little or no formal education. Few places in the Middle and Southern Colonies had public schools.
In the Southern Colonies, most families were spread out along rivers. Neighbors might pool their resources to hire a teacher for their children, while wealthy planters often hired tutors to educate younger children at home. Older children were often sent to schools in distant cities, or even England, to complete their college education.
In the Middle Colonies, religious differences among Quakers, Catholics, Jews, Baptists, and other religious groups slowed the growth of public education. Each religious group or family had to decide for itself how to educate its children. Some groups built church schools, while others were content to have parents teach their children at home.
Only in New England were towns required to provide public schools. The Puritans' support for education was inspired by their religious faith because they wanted their children to be able to read and understand the teachings of the Bible.
To encourage education, Massachusetts passed a law in 1647 that required every town with 50 families or more to hire an instructor to teach their children to read and write. Towns with more than 100 families were required to build a school. Following Massachusetts' example, similar laws were passed throughout other states in the New England colonies.
Parents were asked to contribute whatever they could to the village school. Contributions included money, vegetables, firewood, or anything else the school needed. Often, land was set aside as “school meadows” or “school fields” which could then be rented out to raise money for teachers' salaries.
Schools were one-room buildings with a chimney and fireplace. There were no boards to write on or maps of the Americas, and pencils and paper were scarce. Students shouted out spelling words and wrote sums in ink on pieces of bark. There was usually one book, the New England Primer, which was used to teach the alphabet, syllables, and prayers.
Most colonists believed that boys needed more education than girls. “Female education, in the best families,” wrote First Lady Abigail Adams, “went no further than writing and arithmetic; in some few and rare instances, music, and dancing.”
In the Southern Colonies, most families were spread out along rivers. Neighbors might pool their resources to hire a teacher for their children, while wealthy planters often hired tutors to educate younger children at home. Older children were often sent to schools in distant cities, or even England, to complete their college education.
In the Middle Colonies, religious differences among Quakers, Catholics, Jews, Baptists, and other religious groups slowed the growth of public education. Each religious group or family had to decide for itself how to educate its children. Some groups built church schools, while others were content to have parents teach their children at home.
Only in New England were towns required to provide public schools. The Puritans' support for education was inspired by their religious faith because they wanted their children to be able to read and understand the teachings of the Bible.
To encourage education, Massachusetts passed a law in 1647 that required every town with 50 families or more to hire an instructor to teach their children to read and write. Towns with more than 100 families were required to build a school. Following Massachusetts' example, similar laws were passed throughout other states in the New England colonies.
Parents were asked to contribute whatever they could to the village school. Contributions included money, vegetables, firewood, or anything else the school needed. Often, land was set aside as “school meadows” or “school fields” which could then be rented out to raise money for teachers' salaries.
Schools were one-room buildings with a chimney and fireplace. There were no boards to write on or maps of the Americas, and pencils and paper were scarce. Students shouted out spelling words and wrote sums in ink on pieces of bark. There was usually one book, the New England Primer, which was used to teach the alphabet, syllables, and prayers.
Most colonists believed that boys needed more education than girls. “Female education, in the best families,” wrote First Lady Abigail Adams, “went no further than writing and arithmetic; in some few and rare instances, music, and dancing.”