Friends (Quakers) and Education

In the United States, Friends were concerned in the 19th century for education of children on the frontier. Most Friends meetings in frontier towns established schools. They were generally poorly equipped and had inexperienced teachers, but nevertheless became centers of literacy and educational inspiration. In some states, these schools laid the foundation of the public school system.

Growth of Friends Education at Higher Levels

For a long time, Friends educational efforts were concentrated at the elementary level. But in the 18th century, American Friends began establishing academies to continue the education of students. Many of these were boarding schools. They emphasized teaching of the Bible and Friends principles, and were based on the idea of a guarded education protecting children from contact with the evils of the world. While established primarily for Friends children, most of them also admitted non-Friends. Several of these academies later became colleges.

Friends and the Education of Freed Slaves

After the Civil War, Friends were greatly concerned for the needs of the former slaves and their children, who were destitute and uneducated. One area in which they were especially active was schools for this population. They raised considerable funds to establish schools in many parts of the South educated many thousands of blacks. The national government welcomed the efforts of Friends.

Later Developments

As public elementary and secondary education expanded in the United States, many of the Friends schools and academies were displaced or absorbed into the public systems. However, in the East, well-established Friends schools generally continued, often independent of Friends meetings. They have often become among the academically best of the schools in their areas. Similarly, a number of excellent Friends schools have continued in Great Britain.

In the second half of the 20th century, there has been renewed interest in Friends schools in some areas of the United States. Motivations for the establishment of new Friends schools include concern for the values in public schools, and desire for greater attention to the needs of individual students than can be provided in increasingly large public schools.

In the 20th century, the population concentrations of Friends have shifted from Great Britain and the United States to less affluent countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia due to missionary efforts. In many of these countries, there was, and often still is, no system of universal,

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