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21-3 Education and Popular Culture
pp. 624-629
EQ: How did America develop a popular* culture in the 1920s? * = popular here means "of the people" or widespread. It's a little different than "she's such a popular teacher, all the kids like her class best." :- )
Subquestions:
a. How were shifts in school enrollment important in American culture in the 1920s? Be specific.
b. Did mass media promote a uniform culture? Explain. Was there evidence of a backlash against this?
c. How did America chase new heroes and old dreams at the same time? Why did the textbook authors label this section in this way?
d. What was significant about changes in theater, art, music and literature at this time?
Remember, to get maximum credit, you need to cite Danzer (with page number) and a primary source. You can do it!!
Challenge: There is an explosion of cool audio and video sites, plus thousands of images from this era. Can you find files or clips that deepen points made by Danzer?
Significant changes in theatre, art, music and literature:
ReplyDelete"Before this era, most plays in American theateres immitated European melodrama. All that changes with Eugene O'Neill, the first American playright to win a Noble Prize in literature." 628. One of his plays, The Hairy Ape, asked people to reflect on modern isolation, confusion and family conflict. Composers also broke away from the European traditions. George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F are examples. "They were among the first to combine American Jazz and a traditional style." "Most of America's gifted writers were alienated by the values and lifestyles of the 1920's." Sinclair Lewis was America's first to win a Noble Prize in Literature. Much of the work produced was despairing or critical of a society with few ideals or avenues to personal fufillment. F. Scott Fitzgerald revealed the negative side of 1920's gaiety and freedom. Women writers met important issues head on. "Edna St. Vincent Millay wrote poems celebrating youth and a life of independence and freedom from traditional constraints." "During this rich literary era, vital developments also were taking place in African-American soiety. Black Americans of the 1920's began to voice pride in their heritage, and black artists and writers revealed the richness of Afrian-American Culture."
I really wish this thing had the auto correct spell thing.
What was significant about changes in theater, art, music, and literature at this time?
ReplyDeleteMost American theaters imitated European melodrama. Things changed when Eugene O'Neill was the first to win an American playwright to win a Nobel Prize in literature. Composers also began breaking away. George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F made him very famous. American painters also recorded the dreams and realities of America. Edward Hopper caught America's loneliness, drawing empty streets and solitary people. Georgia O'Keefe made intense colored paintings drawing dark nights in bright blues and oranges. Literature was also very important in the 1920's. Writers often criticized and produced work that was despairing or critical of a society with few ideals to personal fulfillments. Sinclair Lewis was the first American to win the Nobel Prize in literature. He was very outspoken. F. Scott Fitzgerald was known as the spokesman of the "Jazz Age." He wrote the Great Gatsby. Edna St. Vincent Millay wrote poems celebrating youth and lives of independence. Finally Ernest Hemingway became the best known expatriate author. He criticized the glorification of literary standard. Developments were taking place among a rich literary era.
http://img.artknowledgenews.com/files2009b/Edward_Hopper_Morning_Sun.jpg
Here is a photo by Edward Hopper. I think it really captures his idea of painting people and streets being empty and lonely.
Ha!, Mariah you make me smile (no "auto correct spell thing". Sometimes I wish this site had it too!) Good job Mariah and Emma, covering some of the greats in American literature and music. I wonder if Emma left any stone unturned? (she mentioned everyone, it seems!)
ReplyDeleteHow were shifts in school enrollment important in American culture in the 1920s? Be specific.
ReplyDeleteIn 1914 the amount of students to attend high school was 1 million. By 1926 it was 4 million. (Danzer, 624) Kids filled city class rooms who couldn't speak English. Teachers helped tons of students become literate. The total cost of American education in the 1920's was about 2.7 billion. (Danzer, 625)
An article I found talks about the disagreements among the Lusk Laws of the 1920's. It talks about how citizens were happy that teacher would be judged on their loyalty however there wasn't a public group that had a say. This eventually led to the repeal of the law. Education was growing rapidly int the 1920's and many things were coming about due to the rise of students in education.
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F40A15FA3F5D1A7A93C0A9178DD85F468285F9
How were shifts in school enrollment in American culture in the 1920s?
ReplyDeleteIn 12 years, high school enrollment had climbed 3 million. Because of this expanding student population, schools also changed who they catered too. "Before the 1920s, most high schools had catered to college-bound students. In contrast, the new high schools offered courses for a broad range of students..." (Danzer 624) New schools also started to help children of immigrant families, which was no small task. The immigrant rate increased as well. World events, also influenced the education reform. "Social and economic factors produced such phenomena as the Red Scare, religious controversy, and political strife, which in turn influenced education in the United States. New classes in the sciences, physical education, home economics, geography, and industrial arts expanded the curriculum from the traditional focus on the Three Rs (readin', ritin', and' rithmetic)." (enotes.com) This talks about the many influences of the education system reform. With all these different events in the world, it shaped the education system as we know it today. But it raised the question, what would education be like if something was different? These shifts were important, because it gave options to those, who may not have had any before the change.
http://www.enotes.com/1920-education-american-decades
How did America chase new heroes and old dreams at the same time? Why did the textbook authors label this section in this way?
ReplyDeleteAmerica's dearm was to make money and enjoy it. By the 1920's America accomplished that dream. They started to relax more and enjoy what they had. Sport Heros were important in this time becuase it restored Americans' belief in the power of the individual to improve his or her life. (Danzer 626) This was the Golden Age of sports and people started to come out of working all the time and enjoying their life. Americans spent $4.5 billion on entertainment (Danzar 626) Heroes like the great Babe Ruth who hit 60 homeruns for the Yankees in 1927.(Danzar 626) Boxing stars like Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney who brought a record crowd of 150,000 people to watch and made avout $2,650,000 on one boxing match! Also famous tenis players like Bill Tilden and Helen Wills and Gertrude Ederle who in 1926 became the first women to swim the English Channel (Danzar 626) Also a big event in history was another American Hero named Charles A. Lindbergh who made the first solo flight nonstop across the Atlantic. On may 20, 1927 he flew from NYC to Paris in 33 hrs and 29 minutes(Danzar 623) This trip also helped Americans to see the honestly and bravery the nation had made that has been lost since the war. I found a video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMEbcFBdRsA&NR=1&feature=fvwp )that helps for me to see how much of an impact that this flight really took on Americans at the end you will see an american flag flying with confedy everywhere and millions of people in the street congradulating him on his adventure. I think that this section is labeled America Chases New Heros and Old dreams becuase the dreams of Americans have all played out and new heros are to come out of it. the War is over and people are starting to feel confortable in doing what they love like sports and creating hope for other Americans that they did come to America for a better life and they are getting it.
How were shifts in school enrollment important in American culture in the 1920s?
ReplyDeleteOn page 624 Danzer stated the fact the immigrant populations boomed before WW1 and that many of these immigrants spoke no English. Teachers banned together and created a huge group of literate American immigrants. But not only immigrants were new to a high school classroom. Large numbers of farmer’s families moved to cities and needed to become educated to compete for jobs. Also with job needing more education high schools became what they are today. They offered special classes for the students based on what they aimed to do after high school. High just wasn’t for college bound students but all children. “231,000 received diplomas in 1920 compared to 592,000 in 1930.” This is from encyclopedia.com. This shows how over the 1920’s the number of students graduating high school increased dramatically do to changing conditions.
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3468300763.html
How were shifts in school enrollment in American culture in the 1920s?
ReplyDeleteIn the year of 1914 1 million American students attended high school. In 1924, it rose to 4 million children. High schools became more modernized of when education was expanding. Teachers helped kids become more literate who did not speak a word English. As the demands on public schools increased so did the taxes. "School costs doubled in 1913-1920 and doubled again in 1926." (page 625 Danzer.) This source that I found below, I thought was a perfect fit for what I just read, because it shows the enrollments in North Carolina in the years 1910-1930. It shows how the population increased over the years and also shows how well people were educated.
http://toto.lib.unca.edu/booklets/wnc_travel_tourism_lit/wncstate/jpegs/wnc0005.jpg
D) liturature seemed to be the biggest change in america. 2 authors (Sinclair and Fitzgerald) showed what life was like in the 20's. sinclair took the middle class road while Fitz used the upper class."A sensational event was changingfrom the brown suit to the gray contents of his pockets"(sinclair 528) in sinclairs babbit, George F Babbit was a real estate salesman who ridicueld the americans comformity. Fitz maneged to mock the upper class system by writing The Great Gatsby. he portrayed the rich as people who lived empty lives. basicly no one loved each other, "you must have alot of money...me to...Sure lets go to the city togather"(a joke 1920's conversation both authors showed that the "jazz age" wasnt so good. i think people really havent changed that much since 1920
ReplyDeleteSQa: How were shifts in school enrollment important in American culture in the 1920s? Be specific.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mainememory.net/media/images/450/75/5646.JPG
The 1920’s was an incredibly important time for education. High schools had evolved so they were no longer just for people going to college. They began to offer vocational training for those interested in industrial jobs and home economics for future homemakers (Danzer, p624). By 1926 four million people were attending high school (Danzer, p624). This was a great leap from the mere one million that had attended in 1914 (Danzer, p624). I would assume that since people became more educated more of them were successful in finding work. Another event was the enrollment of more immigrants. I’d think that since the immigrants became more educated they would have a slightly easier time dealing with American life. Since, y’know, they were taught English…
This photo from 1923 shows the evening out of male to female student population.
http://www.txgenweb6.org/txnavarro/schools/rice_high_school/rice_high_school_class_photo_abt1920.jpg
How were shifts in school enrollment important in American culture in the 1920s?
ReplyDeleteSchool enrollment went from one to four million from 1914-1926. This abrupt change called for improvements in education, whether it was in new courses that would prepare students for their future(ex:home economics)or teaching the children of new immigrant families. High schools were not only for college-bound students anymore, giving more people opportunity. The educational system offered learning of the skills the industrial economy demanded. Danzer seems to respect the cooperation of the school system when he speaks about teaching children of immigrant families, saying "Determined teachers met the challege and created a huge pool of literate Americans."
I found an article on http://www.uvm.edu/~dewey/articles/proged.html, calling this era of education "Progressive Education"-defined as education aimed to support society. "Respect for diversity" and "critical, socially engaged intelligence" were both key ideas.
Did mass media promote a uniform culture? Explain. Was there evidence of a backlash against this?
ReplyDeleteI think that the media's ability to hook readers like the 36 million Americans that read newspapers and the 2 million tabloid readers(Danzer 625) lead to a more uniform public because they published stories that satisfied public interest. Stories like that of Charles A. Lindbergh and Amelia Eahart which created new American heroes and it was the dream that anyone can rise from nothing and become someone.
How were shifts in school enrollment important in American culture in the 1920s? Be specific.
ReplyDelete"(P.624, Danzer) In 1914, approximately one million american students attended high school. By 1926, that number had skyrocketed to four million". What's not included in this quote is that America had become more prosperous and higher education was needed for well paying industry jobs. Just by this one blurb you can tell a lot about the importance of schooling in the 1920's. To me it's the beginning of the era where in order to get anywhere or get money, you really need an education. The quote already tells you that people thought education was becoming more important since the number of students went up three million. This also changed the culture, because the new immigrants did not know any english, and this created new jobs for teachers, making "a huge pool of literate Americans," (Danzer P.625). To be literate an intelligent was suddenly more important and vital to your success of the American dream.
c. How did America chase new heroes and old dreams at the same time? Why did the textbook authors label this section in this way?
ReplyDelete“During the 1920s, many people had money and the leisure time to enjoy it.” (Danzer page 626) The leisure Danzer talked about included flagpole sitting, dance marathons, and most of all sports. The 1920s was known as the Golden Age of Sports. “This was a time when America and the world wanted to put the memory of the Great War behind them and enjoy life.” http://www.sportplanet.com/sbb/apfas/20R.HTM People during this time period began to idolize sports stars such as Babe Ruth as national heroes. So what does this have to do with old dreams? This was the first time in history people became heroes of a nation for hitting a ball far. But, by hitting a ball far (or whatever else these heroes accomplished) they embodied the American Dream. They see the person’s ability to change their lives for the better. While the outlet for the dream was new, it was still the same dream of the man and women back in the 1600s. It is the same dream that continues to this day. We look towards Kobe, or Messi, or any other sports star and see what we can one day achieve.
This wasn’t done late what are you talking about? Also my computer was broken/ my power went out/ my dog ate it…../ : )