How did school start and become what it is now? The story of school

Everyday you spend 6 hours of your life at school! You learn a lot of things, you have many classes, some short breaks too. In short form, you do a lot in one day! I know it can get tiring sometimes, but why do we go to school?
Did you know that the concept of school started when the earliest of humans inhabited Earth? Well, it did! According to Wonderopolis, at first one person would pass information onto another, like how our parents pass on what they have learned to us. But, after learning a lot, the population grew and societies formed, people realised that it would be a lot easier if a small group of adults taught a big group of children. And that is when the concept of school started.
Although adults taught children, like what our parents and teachers do now, what they learnt wasn’t exactly the same. Instead of learning subjects, like science or math, they learnt more religion and life lessons. The idea was to prepare the children for the future.
People kept doing this, but later on April 23rd, 1635, the first public school in U.S. was built! It was called Boston Latin School. Before the school house was finished, though, school was held in the first headmaster’s, or principal’s home. His name was Philemon Pormort. Back then, there was a teacher and an assistant, just like now sometimes. According to the Boston Latin School website, the teacher was paid around 50 pounds and the assistant was paid around 30. The students learnt things like Latin and Greek. Later on, they started to study math, writing, and reading.
Once the school was built, classes were held there. There are a few similarities to the school back then and our school now, such as the routines. During the summer, school started at 7, and during the winter it started at 8. Then at 11 it was paused for a break and then resumed at 1. From there, it went on until 5. The only time this schedule changed was on Thursdays. On Thursdays, school paused at 10, so students could listen to the Thursday lecture, a lecture that happened only on Thursdays.
Once the school was built, classes were held there. There are a few similarities to the school back then and our school now, such as the routines. During the summer, school started at 7, and during the winter it started at 8. Then at 11 it was paused for a break and then resumed at 1. From there, it went on until 5. The only time this schedule changed was on Thursdays. On Thursdays, school paused at 10, so students could listen to the Thursday lecture, a lecture that happened only on Thursdays.
Now, you might be wondering, did anyone famous that we know go to the Boston Latin School? According to the website, The Freedom Trail, actually, there are. 5 people who signed the Declaration of Independence went to Boston Latin School. One of the five were Benjamin Franklin! Without school we probably wouldn’t have discovered so much about electricity. So, as you can see, education is very important.
Later on, more public schools were made. But, education wasn’t very good then. Ages of different kids were all mixed up, not all teachers were well trained. It was like this until a man named Horace Mann came along. He became secretary of education in 1837, he changed education for the better. He wanted professional and well trained teachers, as he had a vision for education. In 1918, there was a rule that every student had to complete elementary school, and in 1942, Massachusetts Bay, a settlement in the U.S., made a basic education requirement. This means there were some things people had to learn when they went to school.

As more years past, school became more important and more requirements were made. Slowly schools started to advance and has become what they are today. But still, there are some kids who aren’t as privileged as others and can’t go to school. Why can't they go? Don't they have the right? Let’s hope that in the future things change a lot, like they have now.

This is an timeline/infographic of school!
Back to the first slide!
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Credits:

Created with images by jarmoluk - "apple education school" • Pixapopz - "math blackboard education" • Fæ - "Cuneiform Tablet LACMA M.41.5.1b (2 of 2)" • Pixstar - "cape town beach sand" • City of Boston Archives - "Boston Latin School" • City of Boston Archives - "Boston Latin School" • simpleinsomnia - "Group of European school boys" • Tony Fischer Photography - "Benjamin Franklin, Born in...Boston!" • City of Boston Archives - "Classroom scene with teacher Sally B. Tripp and students" • jarmoluk - "apple education school" • geralt - "leave board hand" • kevin dooley - "School bus" • jaycross - "IMG_3533.JPG"

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