The American Educational Journey: A Sociopolitical Account from the 1930s to the 1960s

Abstract

Crises present enormous obstacles in achieving education for all; such obstacles may prompt unpredicted and undesirable shifts in education in a specific nation. Generally, conflict situations are linked to a broad range of circumstances in which children’s access to education is in jeopardy. The interest of this research is to provide a historical analysis of the past century of American education in order to understand how far the national commitments have changed during international conflicts ranging from the 1930s until the 1960s. In the previous century, global emergencies exerted a dramatic influence on education; the Great Depression, World War II, and the Cold War presented some of the most significant challenges the United States had ever faced. Throughout these ordeals, citizens and leaders in America have challenged, questioned, or reinvigorated the development goals and progress of education. So to what extent did each period altered the educational institutions? And how did the government, educators and students respond to such circumstances? A case study of the relationship between each disruptive conflict on children and youth’s access to quality education and its process of learning is examined using a historical analysis approach. During all of the mentioned calamities, the United States’ education was drastically altered to keep up with the demands of the students, teachers and the government. Whether it is by establishing educational relief programs, calling for better educational movements, or even relying on youth’s support, and awareness for strengthening social cohesion. The significance of this work relies initially on showcasing the public schools’ shift towards a functional curriculum and adapting the new Progressive instruction to reflect the urgency of education not only as an essential pillar in reinforcing and elevating the American nation, but also its contribution in transforming America to a state of peace, democracy and stability