8.2 Guided Reading

What was the main idea of the reforms in public education?

• A. To reduce the number of schools

• B. To promote national literacy and public education

• C. To increase the number of private schools

• D. To focus on higher education only

Why is the public education system important according to the document?

• A. It is the foundation of the democratic ideals of American society

• B. It helps in reducing taxes

• C. It promotes private schooling

• D. It focuses on higher education only

What did many middle-class reformers believe about public schools?

• A. They were unnecessary

• B. They were training grounds for employment and citizenship

• C. They should be abolished

• D. They should only teach basic literacy

What was the impact of compulsory attendance laws?

• A. They were ignored by most states

• B. They helped fill classrooms at the turn of the 20th century

• C. They were only enforced in urban areas

• D. They had no significant impact

Between which years did states pass laws requiring 12 to 16 weeks of school attendance annually for students between the ages of 8 and 14?

• 1850 to 1880

• 1865 to 1895

• 1870 to 1900

• 1880 to 1910

What did the curriculum emphasize during the period between 1865 and 1895?

• Science and technology

• Physical education and sports

• Reading, writing, and arithmetic

• Music and arts

What was one of the reasons a 13-year-old boy gave for hiding in a warehouse basement instead of going to school?

• He was afraid of bullies.

• He had to work to support his family.

• He was afraid of strict rules and physical punishment.

• He did not like the subjects taught in school.

What percentage of white children attended elementary school in 1880?

• 34%

• 50%

• 62%

• 75%

Who guided the public school systems to add kindergartens to their programs?

• Andrew Carnegie

• William Torrey Harris

• John Dewey

• Horace Mann

By early 1900, how many students attended high school?

• 200,000

• 300,000

• 400,000

• 500,000