Takin’ You to School:

Issues in Education from a Historical Perspective

AHTC Summer Institute Lesson—2009

Marshall Schacht

To download this lesson in PDF format, click here.

Part 4: Alternative School Settings
Primary Source: Photographs of students at the Geneva Girls’ Reformatory; ca. 1920; Illinois Superintendent of Public Instruction; Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL.

Description: These five photographs provide glimpses into the experiences of girls in a reform school. Three show the students engaged in various activities and two depict the learning atmosphere.

Prompts:

· Picture 1 (Beverly Cottage):

o How would you describe the Geneva Girls’ Reformatory?

o Why is the entrance to the reformatory important?

o How would you feel walking into this learning environment?

o Is this different from most schools that you have seen?

o How would girls (who have dropped out of school or gotten into trouble) respond to this type of atmosphere?

· Picture 2 (Library):

o What skills could be developed here?

o Would this room be conducive for learning?

o Would many of these girls have experienced a library setting before?

o In your opinion, can anyone learn if given the opportunity and proper tools?

· Picture 3 (Working in the Garden):

o What skills are developed when gardening?

o Who do you think would be the typical girl in the reformatory? Would she have had experiences in the fields?

o What other gains would be made by having the girls engaging in strenuous work?

o How and why should alternative schools be different from regular ones?

· Picture 4 (Practicing Millinery):

o What skills would the girls develop here?

o What type of hats do you see?

o Describe the girls pictured working here?

o How are they dressing the part?

o What does this picture (and the previous) say about the learning done there?

o What does it say about the type of people running the school?

o What types of activities would boys have engaged in at reform schools?

o What types of skills and educational experiences should our alternative schools provide today?

· Picture 5 (Saluting the Flag):

o Describe the girls pictured here?

o What does their dress imply about the character that the school is attempting to develop?

o Why would patriotism be an important value to instill?

o Given that many young people in reform schools were sons and daughters of first generation immigrants, why is this especially important?

o Would this type of “Americanization” cause any tension at home?

o Do our schools today teach students to be patriotic?

o Why should reform schools have this as a special focus?

Enrichment:

Students can research alternative schools or reform programs in the area (Lincoln’s Challenge). How does their atmosphere compare to Geneva Girls’ Reformatory?