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second, William and Mary, was established in Virginia in 1693.
Higher education was revolutionized in 1862 by the Morrill Act,
which granted federal lands to each state for the creation of
agricultural and mechanical colleges. These "land-grant" institutions
legitimized vocational and technical education.
By the end of the Civil War in 1865, education was becoming
available to all, and educational institutions began to shape a
distinctive American culture. In the late 19th and early 20th century,
the schools were instrumental in "Americanizing" the massive
numbers of immigrants who arrived in the United States. Indeed,
20th-century America is the product of a nationalism defined in large
part by its schools.
Perhaps the most noteworthy feature about American education is
the absence of a national administration or structure. Each of the 50
states controls and directs its own schools: Most states require that
children attend school from the time they reach six or seven years old
until they are 16 or 17. Educational requirements are set by the state
legislatures, and public schools are managed by local communities,
divided into about 15,600 state school districts.
But what do American public schools teach? Public school
education is constantly debated and continually evolving. In the late
1960s, public schools experimented with the curriculum and
expanded the number of "elective" subjects, deemphasizing the tra-
ditional "three Rs"—reading, writing and arithmetic. During the mid-
1970s, schools moved back to an emphasis on the basics, and many
states began to administer proficiency tests to students graduating
from high school. And in the 1980s, schools have supplemented the
basics with new programs to familiarize students with such rapidly
changing fields as computer technology.
There is no uniform school organization or curriculum throughout
the nation, but certain common features exist. Preschool education
consists of nursery schools and kindergartens, although in recent years
the latter is usually part of the elementary schools. Elementary and
secondary schooling combined consists of 12 years of classes (not
counting kindergarten) which meet for about 10 months a year, five
days a week and five hours a day. Almost every elementary school
curriculum includes English, mathematics, science, social studies,
penmanship, music, art and physical education. Many include classes
teaching basic computer skills. Most secondary schools have a "core
curriculum" of English, mathematics, science, social studies and