This paper was written Spring Semester, 1999, under Michael Gagnon, in the History Department, at the University of Georgia, as a requirement for completion of History 4000, "Social History of Antebellum America." The views expressed in this paper are strictly the author's own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the instructor, the department, nor the university.

Education in Antebellum Athens

Charity Nichols

Education is a very significant aspect of our society. Our society believes that the more education we have the more successful we will be in life. One begins grammar school, then advances to middle school, and finally to high school. If one has the money the next step is college. Everyone is required to attend school so they can receive training, knowledge, and information. Have you ever wondered if children were required to attend school in the past or what they did to learn? I ask myself these same questions and decided to search back to the Antebellum time period. I chose Athens, Georgia as my focus and used other places in the United States as other guided sources. Brainstorming opened the door for me to see the vast topics on education; therefore, I chose to narrow down my ideas into four specific areas. I wanted to explore the history of education to see when education became important and the ideas behind it. Another area I wanted to sift through was who could be educated during this time period. Next, I wanted to find out who taught the students and what was the reasoning behind it? Was it much like today or could anyone teach? Finally, I wanted to know what types of schools they attended and if they were even different than those of today. In order to uncover all of this information I visited the Hertiage Room in the Athens Regional Library which contains vast amounts of material on Athens. The sources I located put me on the right path to uncovering all of my questions. I was able find out all about education in Antebellum Athens.

The history of educating students was seen “mainly as a shifting set of institutional arrangements wherein the family had the basic responsibility for education.”1Gradually there was a shift of responsibility given to teachers- those who would teach many children. When the first schools or gathering of children began the main reason was religion. As James Janeway said, “your child is never too young to go to hell.”2 Parents wanted their children to be able to read so that they could understand the bible and be better workers. Then a revolution approached with two main ideas- “first that the freedom of ideas is essential to the development of society, and second, a growing awareness that education and learning can be instrumental and useful in improving the conditions of society.”3 People began to see that their society could be improved if their children became educated. Parents wanted their children to do better in life and not have to struggle. Athens and elsewhere were concerned with establishing schools or academies for boys and girls.

The main concern of parents in sending their children to school was money. If or not a child could attend school depended on if the parents could afford to pay the basic payment. Generally, the poor children were left uneducated because their family could not afford to pay the tuition; therefore, if they were to become educated assistance was needed from other souces. However, “throughout most of the antebellum period, most Georgians were no more willing to spend tax money on public schools than they were to invest in an institution of higher learning.” 4Several people tried to get started public education but failed in the process. Finally, “ the state allotted money to the various counties according to the number of poor children that they had.” 5 The disadvantage to this was that children usually were allowed only three years of schooling. The poor children receive basic reading, writing, and arithmetic, but those who were more endowed with money could receive extended “subjects such as singing, dancing, and painting.” 6 Basically, in Athens the more money one had the more he/she could be educated. In other parts of the U.S. the same held true. Although money was being allotted for those who could not afford to send their children to school many poor whites would not even “send a child to school without paying his way was to advertise desperate financial straits, and few parents were willing to make that admission, even though most families lived in a marginal existence.” 7 Many poor whites let their pride come between their children’s education at times. Another group who did not get to attend schools because it was prohibited by law were African- Americans.

It was believed that all “Africans need to know first was how to plow, reap, forge, build, paint, weave, and print.” 8 The best education that blacks could receive was “the institution of slavery;” however, this all changed within a few years and blacks were allowed to be educated but separately. Many changes took place overtime concerning who was being educated as well as who were the ones educating the children?

The majority of those who taught the children were women. This was mainly due to the “belief that women are better teachers of young children because of their natural child-rearing talents,” 9 and because females minds were not easily distracted by worldly forces. Teachers training was to “link methods of instruction, classroom management, and the character of teachers to moral character development of students. 10 “Miss Emily Witherspoon operated one of the most respected schools in Athens during the 1840s.” 11She taught both the boys and girls for only three dollars a quarter which usually lasted eleven weeks. Miss Wtiherspoon taught the basic subjects-reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, and history. The shift from only women teachers to few men occurred in time.

Later in the 1850's men came into the picture due to the establishment of all boys schools. The prices for attending such a school cost more. It is evident that the amount of payment of a teacher was not high due to the fact it was considered a “women’s job;” however, the wages for men teachers at schools carried more value. For example, women were paid about seven cents while men took in tuition for their schools up to $250. Athens had teachers of both genders and each taught at a variety of schools.

There were many different types of schools in Athens. Generally, boy and girls did not attend the same school. The main reason for attending separate schools was because their studies were different. For example, “schooling for boys was intended to make them good citizens and successful in their work; schooling for girls was expected to prepare them to be the help mates of men and the mothers of boys who would be in turn civic minded and successful.” 12So what schools did they attend? The most common schools ranged from manual labor schools, academies, female schools, male schools, private schools, and public schools.

“An Athens Manual Labor School was operated for a time in the 1830s by the Presbyterian Education Society of Georgia” in which students attended school for an amount of time and worked for the other part of the year. It was thought that this could affect the students learning; however, “time spent on labor had not hurt the students’ academic work, and sufficient corn, fodder, and oats had been stored for the next year.” 13 Many saw this type of school to be very beneficial to the agricultural community. This particular school was mainly for those boys “studying to become Presbyterian Ministers” and those who were “working their way through and preparing for college.” 14

Male Academies were also very renown during this time. Two popular academies were Center Hill Classical School and Cobbham Academy in Athens. The intent for the boys at this school was to “prepare them for college or business.” 15

There were also academies for females. The Athens Female Academy was begun in late 18th century. “Tuition there was four dollars a quarter for reading, writing, arithmetic to rule of three, and seven dollars a quarter for other higher branches.” 16 The tuition depended “on the amount of course work taken.” 17 This academy expanded with a “teacher-student ratio of not more than twenty to one.” 18 Once again remember that those who attended these types of schools were of the wealthier class.

There were not only separate academies but high schools as well. One private high school for women promised to “teach everything taught in schools up north.” 19 William C. Richards in October of 1842 opened up the Athens High School for Young Ladies. He said that it would be “limited to thirty pupils, none under ten years of age, and that its course of work would embrace all studies taught in the North.” 20 As one can see the south was very adamant about having their children taught the same studies as in the north. The big controversy in educating came with the establishment of public schools. Many disagreed with the idea of public schooling.

“The agitation for public schools first began in 1879, and gave rise to much discussion and arguments pro and con.” The conservatives opposed the idea because they had never been to public schools and had turned out just fine. The belief was that public schools would cause an increase in taxes. The progressive group favored it because they believed “it was what the country needed was education, systematic education; it was for the public good and the public should pay for it.” 21 It is amazing how Athens came about having a public school system. After much debate and no conclusion as to if whether or not to have public schools “in 1885 the people by a majority of 603 voted an issue of bonds for school buildings, and an act of legislature authorized the public school system of Athens.” 22 It was located on the old cemetery where the negroes were buried. The land did not workout and “offended the sentiment of the people that the site was abandoned.” 23 The new site was a lot on Washington street. There is a continuos debate on what is better for a child- public or private school. The controversy dates all the way back into the antebellum period which proves how people will always carry different views with them through history. I think Ellwood Cubberley described the rise of public schools best when he stated, “schools in America gradually have been transformed from instruments of religion into instruments of the state.” 24

In conclusion, education plays a significant part in the past and the present. Although many aspects have changed such as why children attend school, who teaches them, the types they attend, and much more. One thing remains that no one will ever agree on the subject of education. Everyone is different and has their own opinions so who is to say which advocate is right or wrong? I have gained a great amount of knowledge in doing my study on education during the antebellum time period, especially on Athens. Athens was definitely the educational center of Clarke, County. The majority of issues during this time period concerned money. If the parents had the money then the children could attend schools. These schools were generally private and you paid for what you were taught. It is much like going into a restruant. You can get the basic steak, potato, and drink for a certain price but you can also get a salad, appetizer, or bread for extra money if you want it. Athens contained a variety of schools which most are still around today. For example, there are all girl and boys schools, Catholic schools, public and private schools. I have learned that things carry from one generation to another and remain the same in some shape or fashion. The students use to be only educated by women because they could teach the morals and knew how to deal with the children until male schools were developed. Today anyone can teach children but this change began during the antebellum period. As I set out to find information on the history of education, who could or was being educated, who was doing the educating, and the types of schools I gained more than just the knowledge concerning these topics. I learned that even though society changes the roots never disappear; it makes me think of fashion trends. I have come to terms that Yoruba Proverb was correct when he said, “However far the stream flows, it never forgets its source.”

Endnotes

1 Joel Spring, The American School (New York: Longman , 1990), 25. To Return to the text click here

2 Ruskin Teeter, The Opening Up Of American Education (New York: University Press of America, 1983).