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reteachinwi

(579 posts)
31. Land Ordinance of 1785
Tue Jan 1, 2013, 01:24 PM
Jan 2013

This predates the constitution.
In an effort to consolidate schools and make education mandatory, Congress enacted the Land Ordinance of 1785. This ordinance set aside what was known as Section Sixteen in every township in the new Western Territory for the maintenance of public schools. It also allotted section number 29 for the purpose of religion and no more than two townships for a University. The separation of church and state was visible by now with the two entities being in different areas. Public schools were organized to corral the best minds for training for public leadership.

Two years later came the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. This ordinance provided land in the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley regions for settlement. (It eventually broke into five states: Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Illinois). Of particular interest is Article 3 of the ordinance, which reads in part:

Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good
government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the
means of education shall forever be encouraged.
The point of this document is that education is necessary to become a good citizen and to have a strong government. Children will be encouraged to go to school, however religion is not specifically to be part of the curriculum. Schools then began to form everywhere over the next one-hundred plus years. Instead of township appointed teachers, they were subsidized to an extent by the government, and the rest by state taxes. Schools began teaching more that just religion, reading, and spelling. Sciences were part of the new curriculum. Thus, the federal government was able to create a public school system furnished to all children, especially in the new and ever growing West.
http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cfrnb/ord17857.html

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Why public education should be scrapped [View all] Left Turn Only Dec 2012 OP
Just get rid of Charter Schools... TheProgressive Dec 2012 #1
Charter schools should NOT exist. They are private schools duffyduff Dec 2012 #10
Well, with your standards, none of my kids would have had an education. Mass Dec 2012 #2
Partial Agree AldoLeopold Dec 2012 #3
Correction Left Turn Only Dec 2012 #11
Scrapping public education is LWolf Dec 2012 #4
duncan was the biggest promoter of private schools in chicago madrchsod Dec 2012 #6
Yes. LWolf Dec 2012 #8
Duncan is the absolute bust of the Obama cabinet. MichiganVote Jan 2013 #17
nice right wing anti union talking points. madrchsod Dec 2012 #5
Damn right! We all need to stop rooting for what "our team" stands... chaska Dec 2012 #7
The problem isn't the existence of public ed. If you are against it, duffyduff Dec 2012 #9
reconstructed...not scrapped auntsue Dec 2012 #12
starting over Left Turn Only Jan 2013 #41
If there is "malfunctioning," it's being done on purpose by the privatizers. n/t duffyduff Jan 2013 #42
The best democracy money can buy Left Turn Only Jan 2013 #43
Education will never be isolated from politics proud2BlibKansan Jan 2013 #44
No real teacher believes in mixed ability grouping?! knitter4democracy Dec 2012 #13
Picking and choosing Left Turn Only Dec 2012 #15
Mixed ability grouping can and does work, though. knitter4democracy Jan 2013 #20
Really? Left Turn Only Jan 2013 #21
My assessments are tied to the standards. Of course they are. knitter4democracy Jan 2013 #34
Damn straight. Excellent response. MichiganVote Jan 2013 #18
+1 proud2BlibKansan Jan 2013 #37
I don't believe your post... Sancho Dec 2012 #14
Public education is NOT about what the taxpaying public gets for its money MichiganVote Dec 2012 #16
+1 n/t duffyduff Jan 2013 #22
You must never have sought an advanced degree. mbperrin Jan 2013 #19
+1, especially those last couple of paragraphs duffyduff Jan 2013 #23
+1 savebigbird Jan 2013 #24
Yes, the elementary kids are far more cooperative to begin with, think that having fun is mbperrin Jan 2013 #25
It seems your views pertaining to elementary education today savebigbird Jan 2013 #33
Details? I'm in an intraschool task force where I meet mbperrin Jan 2013 #35
I am not accusing you of lying. savebigbird Jan 2013 #36
Thanks. No, I would never say that either group is working harder than the other. mbperrin Jan 2013 #39
Rightfully you just had your ass handed to you Tempest Jan 2013 #26
i agree riverbendviewgal Jan 2013 #29
Free public education yellerpup Jan 2013 #27
Land Ordinance of 1785 reteachinwi Jan 2013 #31
This is wonderful to know. yellerpup Jan 2013 #32
Research and statistics reteachinwi Jan 2013 #28
Interesting title Kalidurga Jan 2013 #30
Yes, you not only sound like a Republican, you also don't sound like a teacher. proud2BlibKansan Jan 2013 #38
'Only the educated are free.' - Epictetus Octafish Jan 2013 #40
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