The beginning of public education

THE BEGINNING OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI

Suzanne D Jackson, November 2010

WHY PUBLIC EDUCATION

Decrease poverty Raise good citizens Decrease immorality

PUBLIC SCHOOLS—TAKE ONE

Thomas Fiveash Riddick Part lobbyist, part Paul Revere

REAL ESTATE

Every year Congress passed an law dealing with land claims in the Missouri Territory

1812 most significant, giving land to schools

1824 Congress expressly stated to give the lands to schools

1831 US Government relinquishes all claims

1812 CONGRESSIONAL ACT

Sec. 2 That all town or village lots, out-lots, or common field lots, included in such surveys, which are not rightfully owned or claimed by any private individuals or held as commons belonging to such towns to reserve for military purposes, shall be, and the same are herby, reserved for the support of schools in the respective towns or villages aforesaid: Provided, That the whole quantity of land contained in the lots reserved for the support of schools in any one town or village, shall not exceed one-twentieth part of the whole lands included in the general survey of such town or village.

THE 1817 BOARD

January 30, 1817board is established to manage the lands reserved for the schools.

Original members:Gen. William Clark August Choteau

Thomas Hart Benton William C Carr

Alexander McNair Bernard Pratte

John Cabanne

1817 BOARD’S FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES Control of land reserved for education Employ teachers Make by-laws, rules, and regulations for

schools Forbidden from giving preference to any

religion Secure Finances Construct School Buildings Any other business necessary to establish

schools

MAYOR WILLIAM CARR LANE

Appeals to Board of Alderman

“a free school is more needed here than in any town of the same magnitude in the country”

10 YEARS LATER…THE NEW/IMPROVE BOARD

Incorporated in 1833 Created by legislature Jacksonian in nature Board would be elected All white adult males were

“shareholders” in the St Louis Public Schools

FIRST BOARD

South Ward Middle Ward North Ward

Edward Bates Josiah Spalding Dr Cornelius Campbell

John P Reilly Judge Mary P Leduc Hugh O’Neil, Sr

First meeting April 27, 1833

THE COURT SYSTEM

School Board fought to hold lands in court

Missouri Supreme Court Jones v Soulard Department of the Interior Supreme Court of the United States Spending $50,000 in legal fees plus

$1,000/year in retainer

REAL ESTATE--1854

Holdings valued at $400,000 Annual rents of $14,500

BUILDING COMMITTEE

Formed November 1834 Census of school-aged children

February to June 1835 Crickets…. December 1836, new building

committee Sites were picked in early 1837

FIRST SCHOOL

Opened April 1838 Curriculum of math, grammar, reading,

geography and music Second school opened shortly

thereafter. Benton School/School#3 opened in

1842

1842—REOGRANIZATION COMMITTEE Tasked with efficiency and

consolidation review Report: Should expand 4 schools in each ward 2 Primary and 2 elementary (one for

each gender)

EXPANSION—WHAT TO BUILD?

Student Capacity Cost Cost per Pupil

400 $30,000 $75

600 $33,000 $55

1000 $35,000 $35

HIGH SCHOOL

Lot was purchased in January 1853 Land costs: $17,900 Building costs: $45,000

TEACHERS

Initially 12 applicants—10 male and 2 female.

Initial salaries $900/males and $500/females

One year contracts Women would be fired if married while

under contract Teachers for School#1 (South school)

introduced to the public at community forum

Fun fact

BUDGET CRISES AND SALARIES

Date Male Principal

Female Principal

Male Assistant Teacher

Female Asst Teacher

April 1838 $900 $500

January 1842 (Benton/Sch#3)

$900 $500 $200 $200

January 1842 (Sch#1 and #2)

$800 $400

June 1842 $800 $500 n/a $250

December 1842

$600 $360 $200 $200

June 1843 $800 $450 $250 $250

July 1843 (new Ward 1 and Ward 6 schools)

$500 $300 $250 $250

Fall 1844 (Benton/Sch#3)

$700 $400 $250 $250

Fall 1844-all other schools

$500 $300 $250 $250

TEACHER INCENTIVES AND TRAINING Salary schedules Normal School Principal takes supervisory role

COMMON SCHOOLS = COMMONALITY? Tuition Commonality vs Conformity Religion

TUITION

$2.50 per quarter in 1838 Tuition waivers available Public school = charity / overun by poor Tuition eventually phased out by 1847 Tuition charges and public support

COMMONALITY VS CONFORMITY

Large immigrant populations Germans want bilingual school

RELIGION

If teaching morality, what value system?

If using Bible, what version? Board regulations Problems with non-secular moral

teaching

PUBLIC VS PAROCHIAL

The Four “R”s Tradition Lutheran Germans Taxation Fun Fact

PUBLIC SUPPORT

Elections as a barometer 1836—sale of land, 10% to fund

building of schools 1849—property tax approved, even

though vote was held two weeks after a major fire

STATE LEVEL ACTION

1820 Missouri Constitution 1833 State Commission 1835 legislation 1837 legislation Geyer Act 1839 Kelley Act 1853 1854 Legislative passage of state

budget

SPLS AND JACKSONIAN DEMOCRACY

Board’s incorporation Eliot Common Schools