Influence of 1870 -1944 History

Influence of 1870 -1944 on Present Day Higher Education

Society witnessed the most significant changes in the 1870 to 1944 educational era. The events during this time frame modified the foundations of modern higher education. With the expansion of the new country, trades and education were essential to support the increasing needs. Education became the foundation as formalized education replaced the traditional apprenticeships so previously widely used.

Societal Wealth and Freedom

The beginning of this era (Influence of 1870 -1944 History) marked the beginning of a tumultuous time which molded the transformation of higher education. The Civil War headed up the era followed by two infamous World Wars which funneled wealth into private individuals and the educational economy. This era created “more than 20,000 new millionaires” (Cohen & Kisker, 2010, p 110). As the wealth of the young nation increased exponentially, the Federal government responded by introducing taxes to cut into these pockets. This in turn brought the philanthropic foundations with their associated tax breaks “to provide a haven for wealth” (p 108).

Wealth, however, was not the only contribution to the educational boom. As the Civil War ended, innumerable new citizens which were previously slaves, required a trade to survive in their new world. They flooded areas where they were respected and acknowledged as having unalienable rights. They were desperate to experience the rights which had been promised them as the war ended. Yet, they were greatly misled as they only experienced greater restrictions. There were little opportunities for the black man who were also not permitted to hold land or even to vote (Hartford Black History, 2010).

The freed slaves sidestepped formal education as they pursued business opportunities to support themselves and their families. With these funds, colleges and universities opened to educate the black man. These colleges accepted the previously scorned slave and educated them to function within the white man’s world (Anonymous, 2002).

Minorities

These changes are witnessed today as increasingly more minorities are educated. Within the last era from 1994 to present day, “underrepresented groups continued to make gains” (Cohen & Kisker, 2010, p 439). Today, more women are earning higher education degrees than men.  Lee (2010) contributes this statistic to several reasons. Women tend to remain in high school and have a greater willingness to stick to higher education than their male counterparts. Gender roles are also changing in our society. And lastly, colleges are courting women into attending their schools in order to be compliant to the Title IX law of 1972 which states “ No person in the United States shall on the basis of sex, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. The law was basically enacted to ensure that women would be afforded the same educational and athletic opportunities as men” (p 1).

Westward Expansion

The expansion westward also noted the need for higher education. As the frontier grew, communities took great pride in organizing institutions of higher education to demonstrate their value to the country and to attract settlers. Although these colleges were erected, they were not “major contributors to growth” (Cohen & Kisker, 2010, p 109) and many of them perished as swiftly as they were started. Despite some of their short lifespans, these brief institutions prepared the way for other universities and colleges to be organized in the west.

Lifelong Learning and Research

Education also witnessed a change from merely transmitting information to being institutions that promoted learning and study. Higher education took on a new face as it became an instrument to guide inquiries (O’Brien, 2002). At the beginning of this era, universities offered bachelor’s degrees but along with the change to being “centers of inquiry” (Cohen & Kisker, 2010, p 109) they began offering postsecondary research which led to master’s and doctoral programs.

The American higher education witnessed this change from being givers of information to creators of information which continues today. Society continues to believe that education is the source of upward mobility and success. It is an essential component for the well being of society (Higher Education, 2010). “National vitality will depend no only on the relatives ages of the population but also on the energy and eagerness of immigrant to seek educational opportunities and the tendency of society to provide for socioeconomic mobility” (Cohen & Kisker, 2010, p 442).

Conclusion

Education became the essential ingredient to support the infrastructure of a swiftly expanding nation as the people were encouraged to seek as much education as possible in their careers and fields. Through such dedication to the acquisition of knowledge, the people would be lifted from a poverty stricken state to being successful contributors of a needing society. Every citizen has a role to play and a contribution to make in this country (Khan & Williams, 2006). This era demonstrated the need to look beyond the acquisition and transmission of information to the generation of new concepts as American higher education molded itself into a world contributor.

References

Anonymous. (2002). Freedmen, The Freed Slaves of the Civil War. Retrieved from www.civilwarhome.com/freedmen.htm

Cohen, A. & Kisker, C. (2010). The shaping of American higher education: Emergence and growth of the contemporary system. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Hartford Black History. (2010). Citizens of Color, 1863-1890: Black society after the Civil War. Retrieved from www.hartford-hwp.com/HBHP/exhibit/05/1.html

Higher Education. (2010). Conjoining Self-Interest and Societal Purpose. Retrieved from www.highereducation.org/reports/wegner/cssp.shtml

Khan, H. & Williams, J. (2006). Poverty Alleviation through Access to Education: Can E-Learning Deliver? Retrieved  from www.u21global.edu.sg/PartnerAdmin/ViewContent?module=DOCUMENTLIBRARY&oid=157294

Lee, T. (2010). The New Gender Gap in College Degrees. Retrieved from             www.elearners.com/projectworkingmom/resources/working-dads/the-new- gender-gap-in-college-degrees/

O’Brien, M. (2002). New pedagogies in the knowledge society: Why this challenge is an     epistemological one. Retrieved August 22, 2010 from www.are.edu.au/02pap/obr02638.htm

By Tracy Harrington-Atkinson

Tracy Harrington-Atkinson, mother of six, lives in the Midwest with her husband. She is a teacher, having taught elementary school to higher education, holding degrees in elementary education, a master’s in higher education and continued on to a PhD in curriculum design. She has published several titles, including Calais: The Annals of the Hidden, Lemosa: The Annals of the Hidden, Book Two, Rachel’s 8 and Securing Your Tent. She is currently working on a non-fiction text exploring the attributes of self-directed learners: The Five Characteristics of Self-directed Learners.