Sunday, January 27, 2019

Contributors to the Evolution of American Higher Education System

The phylogenesis of higher(prenominal)(prenominal) schoolingal System the United States can be attributed from several(prenominal) components. Among these attributes are the 1944 GI schnoz of Rights and the appointment of the Presidents Commission on high teaching by President Truman in 1946. Such significant contributions not only greatly affected the American Education System during those multiplication but similarly served as catalysts that continue to benefit the modern b on the whole club. These also paved the way improvement, acceleration and the widening the brass of culture as well as has opened opportunities for Americans of past, present and future generations.The significant schooling of the American higher education brass can be traced from the mandate by President Franklin Roosevelt on June 22, 1944 of the GI Bill of Rights which was also called as the Servicemens Readjustment Act of 1944 (cited in Greenberg, 2007, p. 47). The law changed the American economi c and amicable standpoints since among its provisions provided veterans of World War II an easy and immediate pecuniary assistance by centre of unemployment insurance.Most importantly, the law gave American veterans big opportunities such as vocational and practicable activities relating to college learning as well as free access to housing and business loans (Greenberg, 2007). One of the permanent legacies of the GI Bill of Rights is now the familiar impression that anyone can and should have education irrespective of age, sex, race, religion, or family status (Greenberg, 2007, p. 49). The law was also say for bring back the veterans interest in education, majority of who have not achieved so far secondary diplomas because of the World War II.With the provision of a better reference of higher education which the veterans have longed for, the law provided a broad and unyielding acceptance of the notion that learning, particularly post-secondary or college education is the Americans pathway to an change employment and life (Greenberg, 2007). Aside from providing Americans from all walks of life a practical access to higher education, the GI Bill of Rights has also altered the explanation of college learning in public awareness starting from 1950s until today.Before the war, the dust was characterized mostly by private, liberal arts, small-college, rural, residential, elitist, and often discriminatory from existence to institution with respect to race and religion (Greenberg, 2007, p. 50). However, the current higher education system now is noticeably public that centers on occupational, technical, and scientific education, huge, urban-oriented, suitable for commuter train attendance, and highly democratic (Greenberg, 2007, p. 50).At present, the system focuses and offers character cultural, learning and financial aspects of higher education instead of just authorization of the upper members of the society. Lastly, the law is best(p) noted as on e factor that led to tremendous amicable change. Since there was shake up of perspectives as regards sex, religion, and race, the law subjected even the ordinary Americans to liberated ideas of the society by means of higher education (Greeberg, 2007, p. 51). Meanwhile, a lot of veterans returned to college or post-secondary education in 1946.The heavy influx of students and industrialization of the economy, however, overstressed the system, curriculum and facilities. Additionally, the increasing number of war veterans studying again aggravate the existing educational problems being experienced by regular college students. This is because the grouping of veterans has to struggle it unwrap with the American youthfulness in their pursuit of a quality higher education. Hence, some(prenominal) the two groups change magnitude the demands of college education.However, government assets and means of instrument are unable to adapt with the requirements such as an increased enrollees as well as variety of needs and involvements of both the veterans and youth as college students (Alexander, 1998). With the above situation in 1946, President Truman established a Presidents Commission on higher(prenominal) Education and said that we should now canvas our system of higher education in terms of its objectives, methods, and facilities and in the glister of the social role it has to play (Presidents Commission on Higher Education, 1947).The committee was composed of 28 prominent and outstanding Americans such as professionals and laymen wish George F. Zook. The group immediately worked and in December of 1947, made a 377-page cover titled Higher Education for American Democracy which was composed of sixsome volumes under the following titles Establishing the Goals, Equalizing and Expanding Individual Opportunity, Organizing Higher Education, Staffing Higher Education, Financing Higher Education and Resource Data (Presidents Commission on Higher Education, 1947, pp.1-3, 5-8, 25-29, 32-39, 47-49). With a task to carry out what President Truman has said and define the obligations of colleges and universities, the commissions worked it out with the said educational facilities but were initially unsatisfied with the results. This is because education experts noted an apprehensive sense of failure or defect in the system. They also felt that the facilities are unable to keep up with the pace of the ever-changing state of the system as the society.Additionally, they see a need to re-pattern everything in order to meet the needs and address the concerns of the veterans and youth students which in the end depart bring out the powerfulness of the modern education and system and society Moreover, the escalating desire of Americans to aspire for college education and critical necessity for such effective system became the determining factors for the need to improve the execution of the conventional tasks.This, in effect, eventually enabled the syst em, to assume the new challenge such the as re-entry in college of war veterans as the growing number of youth students, who are both motivated to improve their worth as a free and ameliorate Americans (Alexander, 1998). The above-cited commission and measure are both significant as they greatly contributed on the evolution of the American Higher Education System. This is because the improved system of American higher education enabled the achievement of a more quality of living and democracy in the country for the reason that the benefits equally blanket(a) to all citizens.The GI Bill of Rights and 1947 Presidents Commission on Higher Education have proven their existence and worth because they paved the way for renouncing the below the belt education practices of discrimination and separation. Moreover, the said two contributors have resulted in leaders acknowledgment of the importance of quality and accessible college education system and equal opportunities in life. Ultimate ly, higher education system should be targeted at weakening as well as getting rid of learning discrimination and eventually establishing attitude that will offer the system freely accessible to all Americans. ReferencesAlexander, F. K. (1998). The Presidents Commission Higher Education for Democracy, 1947. The American College and University EOL 474. Retrieved June 20, 2008 from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign database. Greenberg, M. (2007). The GI Bill of Rights. Historians on America Decisions that Made America (pp. 46-54). Washington, DC U. S. Department of States chest of drawers of International Information Programs Presidents Commission on Higher Education. (1947). Higher Education for American Democracy A Report of the Presidents Commission on Higher Education. Washington, D. C. Government Printing Office.a

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