DOCUMENTS

Massachusetts Laws of 1642 and 1647
Settling in Massachusetts, the Puritans believe that the Bible is law; therefore, everyone must be able to read and understand the law. The Law of 1642 requires that every child be taught to read and write, establishing Massachusetts as the first colony with a law for compulsory education. In 1647, the Old Deluder Satan Act is passed requiring towns with fifty households or more to provide a schoolmaster for their communities.

Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pennsylvania
In 1749, Benjamin Franklin writes Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pensilvania. He supports education in art, specifically in drawing. He is successful in winning economic support, and the Philadelphia Academy opens in 1751. It has been known as the University of Pennsylvania since 1791.

A B C der Anschauung
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi and his assistant, Johannes C. Buss, write A B C der Anschauung (1803). The text outlines Pestalozzi's method of drawing. Pestalozzi does not teach drawing as a way for creative expression, instead, he advocates drawing as a way to train the mind and to further cognitive development. He favors more hands-on activities and learning from direct observation. Moving from simple to more complex forms, children begin by mastering the alphabet through linear mark making. By focusing on the alphabet, children master the creation of straight and curved lines while learning to write.

Sketch of a Plan and Method for EducationPestalozzian pedagogical ideas first come to the United States via Joseph Neef, who authors the book, Sketch of a Plan and Method of Education (1808). Under contract, Neef opens a school for boys in Pennsylvania and bases it on Pestalozzian methods. The school quickly closes, and Neef turns to a life of farming.