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The field trip is a time-honored tradition in American schools and something that almost all of the children look forward to. We are not sure just who invented the idea of a school field trip and when. It is not impossibe it was ancient Greece, but we do no have any documnted example until modern times. It is likely that American teachers if not the first to plan field trips, were among the first. We believe this to be the case for several reasons. First, America along with Germany was a leader in public education. Second, American schools were not as strictly academic as European schools and extra-curicular progeans became an important part of the curocula. Third, Henry Ford and the Model-T solved the transport system. The basic Model-T was soon followed with trucks and busses. The school bus first appeared in America and until after World War II there wee very few school busses in any other country. When the British and Germans (the two most advanced countries besides the United States) evacuated childrn during World War II, it was not done by school busses which were virtully non-existent. Without a school bus, the possibilities for a field trip are extremely limited. City transport could be used, but was not nearly as flexible as a school bus. So basically field trips had to be within walking distance. We have not found any evidence of 19th century field trips yet. We do, however, note field trips at the turn-of-the century. The only activity remotely like a field trip we notice in other countries is the pratice in German schools of teachers taking their students on hikes into the country side after school.
The field trip is a time-honored tradition in American schools and something that almost all of the children look forward to.
We are not sure just who invented the idea of a school field trip and when. It is not impossibe that it was ancient Greece, but we do no have any documnted example until modern times. We do, however, note field trips at the turn-of-the century. The only activity remotely like a field trip we notice in other countries is the pratice in German schools of teachers taking their students on hikes into the country side after school. We have not found any evidence of 19th century field trips yet. Asfar as we can tell, early field trips had to be within walking distance. The field trip pictured here was only possible because the childre lived in Washington, D.C. and their school was close to the Capitol (figure 1). It wold be interesting to know if school groups at this time were visiting Parliament or the Reichstag.
It is likely that American teachers if not the first to plan field trips, were among the first. We believe this to be the case for several reasons.
First, America along with Germany was a leader in public education.
Second, American schools were not as strictly academic as European schools and extra-curicular progeans became an important part of the curocula.
Third, the idea of a field trip fit in perfectly with John Dewey's idea s of pramatism and democracy in public education. Dewey was a major figure in American education.
Fourth, we note American field trips at the turn-of-the 20th century. This began with the children walking short distances Fourth, Henry Ford and the Model-T solved the transport system. The basic Model-T was soon followed with trucks and busses. With school busses appearing after World War II (1920s).
The school bus first appeared in America and until after World War II there wee very few school busses in any other country. When the British and Germans (the two most advanced countries besides the United States) evacuated childrn during World War II, it was not done by school busses which were virtully non-existent. Without a school bus, the possibilities for a field trip are extremely limited. City transport could be used, but was not nearly as flexible as a school bus.
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