In this paper, the author first cites passages that highlight the key developments and dilemmas of teacher education in Ghana in the 1960s, when the new nation resolved to prepare its largely untrained teaching force in "progressive" methods. Across the decade--and across subject areas--Ghana conducted in-service teacher training to…

This article focuses on historical admissions policies and offers a more nuanced and more substantial treatment of the relationship between Populism and higher education. Prior accounts of admissions in the late nineteenth century have sensibly focused upon the tension between secondary school leaders who were mindful of their multiple…

In the Netherlands, the first girl admitted to a qualifying secondary education and the first female university student were sisters, Frederika and Aletta Jacobs, after the father and Aletta had made successful requests. In each case, the admission brought an end to a long-standing male privilege. And in each case contemporaries conceived of these…

Before the French Revolution, in 1789, 46 percent of the pupils in public secondary schools received free instruction compared to 13 percent of the pupils in 1842. The article examines the means by which the conclusion is arrived at, assesses its validity, and comments on some of its implications. (Author/SM)

The original goals and theoretical base for the development of mass sports in the United States are discussed. (Author)

The rate of female labor force participation between 1880 and 1930 increased from 15 to 25 percent. Home economics, commercial education, and industrial education were new elements of the curriculum designed for female occupations. Other programs, though coeducational, became sex-typed by the occupational roles with which they were associated. (RM)

Describes the growth of extracurricular activities in Chicago, Illinois high schools in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Examines the origins and membership of student clubs and the emergence of systematic educator involvement in them, which established adult control and discipline. Discusses implications for the ongoing study of…

Presents a consistent body of evidence to support the conclusion that, from the earliest decades of the 19th century, scientific subjects represented a significant and popular part of the curriculum in schools for girls. Includes evidence from primary and secondary sources. (MJP)

Offers an account of the origins of the Regents examination system in New York providing an assessment of the preliminary examination results from 1866 to 1885 and a description of the development of advanced examinations. Discusses the implications of the New York case for understanding the emergence of credential markets. (CMK)

Asserts that the question of whether high school students should follow a uniform academic program or choose options from a differentiated curriculum has reemerged as a crucial issue. Describes how the Detroit (Michigan) Public Schools enrolled most students in a "general" track that did little to meet actual student needs. (CFR)

Reviews the reform of secondary school physics in the United States from the 1930s through the mid-1960s. Describes the impact of progressive education, World War II, and the post-Sputnik reforms. Points out differences between past reform efforts and the current Project 2061 of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). (CFR)

Reviews the origins and development of the 20th-century term "drop-out." Asserts that the social construction of the drop-out problem explicitly marks the time when secondary education became a common expectation in the United States. Contends that secondary education's success created the concept of a drop-out "problem." (CFR)

Discusses changes in the education of middle class British girls during the nineteenth century. Reports that, although girls' education resembled boys' and promoted self-actualization and vocational preparation, an accepted aim was to produce good wives and mothers. Observes that challenges to women's presumed roles were not widespread until later…

Explores the predominance of coeducation of secondary schools in The Netherlands, focusing on the years between 1871, when the first girl was admitted to a boys' school, and 1929. Considers topics such as the conditions of entry of the first generation of girls and the results of inquiries into school practices. (CMK)

Explores the extent to which diverse school populations truly benefited from the creation of a mass system of public high schools in Australia. Uses the Melbourne Public High School to assess the higher drop-out rate for girls and the influence of social class on access to a high school education. (KO)