The Different Changes in Effect During The Progressive Era

Many new social institutions were implemented during the progressive era as a way to better society by help minorities and those less privileged. As a result of these beliefs becoming widespread, things such as public education reformation and other equality driven movements began to gain traction throughout the country. Before this movement, education was not strictly mandated by the government and many children, especially minorities, were only educated up to primary school because many thought that their children only needed to be taught the bare minimum of what was necessary in order to function. White male teenagers from upper class families tended to have a higher level of education as opposed to females, who were expected to take care of the household, and minorities who were still facing discrimination.

As a way to better prepare the youth for their future of most likely working in some type of factory setting, schools began to make drastic changes in order to replicate what factories were like. Schools across the country implemented changes such as bell dismissal systems, schedule repetition, and mandatory attendance. The government funded many of the resources necessary for the schools to be successful nationwide. Before laws were put in place stating that school attendance was not optional, many children didn’t have a choice to go to school even if they wanted to. Many children had to work in farms or fields in order to help their families make a living while those from families who were financially better off got to make the decision of whether or not they wanted to further their education.

During this time there was also a shift from religion being the foundation for mostly everything in society to science beginning to play a larger role. As a result of this, a method of scientific management called taylorism began to become more common in schools and factories. Taylorism was a method used in order to maximize efficiency by breaking down individual tasks in ways that makes concepts easier to be analyzed and understood. The reasoning behind taylorism was that the way skills would be taught through this method would reduce the time needed to teach important skills while also increasing profits. The factory workers were subjected to extremely repetitive schedules and routines in order to make certain tasks become almost second nature to them, resulting in work getting done quickly and more efficiently than before this method was implemented.

Originally Settlement housing was intended for the privileged class of society to live and work as settlers in the poor parts of the city. Settlement housing was meant to make rich people know their neighbors intimately. Settlement housing was also used for a social or psychological experiment. It was also a means for some to share their education and or beliefs to help the less fortunate overcome their personal handicaps.