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Morrill Act
The Morrill Act created Land Grant Colleges signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862. These colleges were to provide studies of practical arts such as mechanics and agriculture (Kliebard 110) -
Dewey School
John Dewey in association with the University of Chicago created an experimental school where Dewey could put his theories to the test. The curriculum was constructed on the "process of leading the child from the present interest to an intellectual command of the modern world" (Kliebard 55). -
Douglas Commission
Passed by the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives this commission created a more direct utilitarian curriculum. It authorized Governor William L. Douglas to appoint Commission on Industrial and Technical Education to determine the needs of the state in various industries. The investigation found out the the old curriculum in MA was too far removed from the industrial society and the answer lay in "practical training" (Kliebard 85). -
Scientific Management Movement
The first goal of Fredrick Winslow Taylor's scientific management was to increase production and lower the costs within factories. This increase in efficiency soon worked its way into the school system. It provided a new way to develop curriculum making it a "direct and potent force" (Kliebard 83). -
Smith & Hughes Act
Also known as the National Vocational Education Act was to bring training for agricultural, trade industry, and homemaking into the public schools.With a drive for industrial education the need to preserve the agrarian life became a concern the Smith & Hughes Act intertwined these two movements (Kliebard 121). -
Cardinal Principles Report
This Reorganization of Secondary Education provided that seven aims that would guide curriculum. These include: Health, Command of fundamental processes, Worthy home-membership, Vocation, Citizenship, Worthy use of leisure, and Ethical character. The curriculum was directed toward efficient performance within these life activities (Kliebard 97). -
Progressive Education Association
Marietta Johnson in Fairhope, AL had an Organic School where schools based strictly on developmentalist principles. The activities were solely based off of the interests of the students. Johnson approached Standwood Cobb to start an organization with these specific ideals. Cobb agreed and soon after the organization was founded. (Kliebard 159) -
Black Thursday
Black Thursday was the crash of the stock market and the beginning of the Great Depression. By 1932 teachers salaries had been dropped across the country. Those educational leaders that were enthused and optimistic about the future of education soon were brought down. However, Counts idea of the need to of social reconstructionism in education soon flourished in the 1930's. (Kliebard 157) -
Virginia Curriculum Program
Hollis P. Caswell initiated this course of study for elementary schools. This was the first closest resemblance to core curriculum where there were objectives and a process to carrying out these methods. Caswell developed the "scope-and-sequence chart" which was a new curriculum device to organize curriculum (Kliebard 187). -
World War II
Many American thought that as we entered the second World War education would stay on idle until the war was over. However, American curriculum was accelerated. One of the roles of the school was "helping to create and maintain a democratic moral" (Kliebard 200). -
Reorganization of the High School Curriculum
Work done by Harold Alberty was the best known work of the support of core curriculum at the secondary level. His works suggested to reorganize the entire secondary curriculum. He provided a list of 17 core subjects that was approved for the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades (Kliebard 211). -
Sputnik
Sputnik was the first orbiting satellite launch into space with a rocket by Russia. This brought great concern to America that we were behind our greatest enemy. Soon our education system was to blame. Russia seemed to be educating their students at a young age about Science and Mathematics. A change had to come in American education if they wanted to stay in the technology race (Kliebard 266). -
National Defense Education Act
This act was in reaction to the launch of Sputnik by Russia. There was a curriculum revision and soon emphasis was put on mathematics, science, and foreign language. Additionally there was emphasis put on identifying talented students in hopes of defeated the Russians in this technology race. (Kliebard 268)