Figure 1.-- This is a graduation portrait which looks like the 1910s. A note on the back read, "8th gr Addie Richmond top Eight Grade Graduation". I think Addie was one of the children. We thought at first this meant that the children werev the top students and not the whole graduating class. But on sonsideration we think it means that Addie was one of the girls in the top row. I am guessing this was a party at one one of the children's homes in a small town. It clearly was not at the school.

There are a variety of special events at American shoolds. Unlike some European countries and Japan, I don't recall anything special for the first day or beggining of school. There are a variety of holiday celebrations. I recall Haloween and Christmas in particular. Noth have become controversial in our modern politically correct world. The end of the school year was a popular time of course, but I dont recall any celebrations. Graduation in cotrast was a major event. Some schools now turn finishing pre-school/kindergarden into a major event. Until after World War II, finishing primary (elementary) school was a big event. This meant graduating 8th grade. Until World War II, most children did not go beyond the 8th grade. Gradually elementary school begame the first 6 years and junior high schools were opened in the cities. Graudating from high school was a major very formal event conducted with academic gowns.

Beginning School

There are a variety of special events at American shools. Unlike some European countries and Japan, I don't recall anything special for the first day or beggining of school or when the first one was held.

Field Trips

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 truvks 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 basicallyh 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.

Science Fairs

Science is not the most popular subbject for most American school children. It is, however, among the most important subjects. An important part of the school science program is today the science fair. As far as we know, the school science fair is an American innovation. The science fair is today a well estblished tradition at American secondary and many primary schools as well as schools in many other countries. The modern science fair has it roots in the science clubs which began to appear in high schools in the late 19th century. Some of these clubs began to organize comoetitions in the early-20th century. But this was strictly a school activity and no overall natioinal or even state coordination. The first major step toward establishing a formak national orogram began afyer World War I. The first important step in this direction didn't actually concern the schools. E.W. Scripps founded Science Services (SS) as a nonprofit organization (1921). The purpose was to make the science which was revolutionizing America more understandable to the lay public. He wanted to make sceience more understandable to the general public. Scripps is an interesting figure and played an important role in both American journalism and science. Scripps founded the United Press, Scripps-Howard Newspaper Alliance, and the Institute of Biological Research at La Jolla. Science Service founded to disseminate science news. At the time the popular press covered science developments to some extent, but few reporters had even a basic understanding of sceince and often sensatiinalized reports on scientific developments. it. At the time, accurate science reporting occurred in scholarly journals which the public did not read or, given the way they were written, understand. Scripps set out to offer a news service to explain scientific ideas in an accurate, but inderstanable way. The Science Service sent representative to a meeting of the American Association for Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Toronto. Watson Davis became the editor of SS publication, the Science News Bulletin, todays Science News-Letter. And 'Radio News of the Week' was first broacast (1926). Watson tirelessly worked to expand public understanding of science. And part of this effort was to improve science instruction in the schools. He was especially interested in school science clubs which were well estanlished in high schools. SS in cooperation with the American Institute of the city of New York founded a national organization to support school science--the Science Clubs of America (1941). At the time there were about 800 sdciernce clubs in America. Junior academies of science, museums and local science clubs joined the national organization. The results were dramatic, over 600,000 young scientists were organized into 25,000 science clubs. One early projerct was the Science Talent Search (STS) (1942). It was the first and still the miost highly regarded scholastic science contest. It was for high school seniors. It was supported by both the SS and the Westinghouse Corporation. Thevgoal was to encourage talented science students to pursue a career in science or engineering. This was the beginning of the American school science fair tradition.

Holiday Celebrations

Schools often celebrate major holidays. There are a variety of holiday celebrations. I recall Haloween and Christmas in particular. Both have become controversial in our modern politically correct world. This has become a little complicated as American becomes more diverse and secular, but until recently all the major holidays were celebrated at school, bith Chrisian holidays and secular holidays. One popular event in the early 20th century was May Day. A good example of a May Day celebration comes from an Indianapolis school in 1929.

Last Day of School

The end of the school year was a popular time of course, but I don't recall any celebrations.

Graduations

Graduation was a major event in a young person's life and of course still is/ Some schools now turn finishing pre-school/kindergarden into a big event. This did not used to be the case. We see some schools with caps and gowns for the little ones. Until after World War II, finishing primary (elementary) school was a big event. This commonly meant graduating 8th grade. High school began with the 9th grade. We behan to see junior hiogh schools and middle schools, bit finishing here as not such a big event as high schools become more common. Few children attended high school in the 19th century. And graduation was a major accomplishment. Attendance began to increase during the Depression (1930s) as jobs were hard to come boy. Until World War II, most children did not go beyond the 8th grade. Graduation portarits show just how seriously the children and parents took it with very formal attire, but no gaps and gowns. This began to change as an increasinly sophisticated job market demanded better educated personnel. Thus 8th grade graduations became less important. Gradually elementary school begame the first 6 years and junior high schools were opened in the cities. And as the GI Bill made college accessable to veterans, they began sending their children to highschool. State legislatures began passiong laws reuiring children to stay in school ubntil 1ge15-016byears. This meant begnninh high school. After World war II with the widespread prosperity, attending high school became standard. Graudating from high school was a major very formal event conducted with academic gowns.

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Created: 1:22 AM 12/12/2009
Last updated: 11:11 PM 12/25/2018