Life in the Roaring Twenties

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Student Question

What was education like during the 1920s and 1930s?

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During the 1920s, education expanded with new schools and progressive, experimental approaches influenced by figures like John Dewey, who advocated for experiential learning. However, in the 1930s, economic hardships left many schools underutilized but led to the hiring of higher-quality teachers due to job scarcity. The purpose of education also shifted towards preparing students for industrial jobs, reflecting the era's focus on producing skilled factory workers.

Expert Answers

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I have read some interesting research on education in the twenties and thirties. Basically, more schools were built during the prosperity of the twenties. Educational movements were progressive and experimental. There was Dewey to conend with. He felt that children should experience their educational. During the thirties, times were tough. Those beautiful grand schools were mostly empty, and people were so desperate for jobs that there were higher quality teachers. Or so I have read.
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Something that might be considered as well is when schools became bigger, sometimes their focus changed. With increased industrialization of America, the purpose of many schools became to produce students who were cabable and skilled to become factory workers. The schools were business and educating competent workers was the product.

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