School is one of the most dreaded words for many children and adults in American society today. The mention of the word for some children makes them irritable and angry, as for some adults it brings back memories that they have forgotten in time. Do you remember what it was like to go to school? Getting up early in the mornings, waiting on the bus or our parents to take us to school, and as we got to school the feeling of nervousness setting in as we got to class. Let us not forget those summer vacations that seemed to come and go so quickly. For some Americans, the opportunity to obtain an education was out of reach for one reason or another. Stories have been told by parents of quitting school at an early age to help support their families’ or people just did not want to go to school. The history of education in America and the quality of the system it-self has been a focus for many politicians, parents, students and teachers, from the early years of colonial America to the present day; the American educational system has been a process in the making. American education has advanced greatly over the past few decades, from one room schoolhouses to distance learning, providing a better opportunity for everyone to obtain an education.
The earliest classrooms in American society were usually held in one-room schoolhouses, and sometimes in people’s own home. These classrooms were small and rarely furnished with a basic design. Students were comprised of different age groups and grade levels sharing the same classroom and a lot of times the same books. According to PBS (2001), in rural communities the resources for education was limited, and there was a lack of commercially available products for schools. Most of the time the schools would be open only for a few months of the year, usually when children were not needed to work at home or on the farm. Many children who attended school had to quit to go to work and help support their families. (Evolving Classroom,...