Women as Teachers in the 18th Century

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Questions and Answers

What opportunities did teaching in the West offer to women according to the text?

A path to becoming a missionary

An opportunity for financial dependence

An alternative to marriage (correct)

A chance to join radical groups

Why did some schoolmarms seek positions in the West?

To establish a new religious community

To become farmers

To pursue a career in politics

To find adventure (correct)

What was a reason for women to take up teaching roles in the West?

To find a husband quickly

To join professional organizations

To avoid working altogether

To be financially capable of making their own way in life (correct)

What role did teaching play in the lives of women seeking independence according to the text?

It provided them with an outlet for their skills Signup and view all the answers

What did teaching offer women beyond just a job?

Self-realization and financial independence Signup and view all the answers

Why were female teachers in Massachusetts paid less than male teachers?

Because the Board believed women were perfect agents of Christian civilization and cost less to employ. Signup and view all the answers

Why did the Board of National Popular Education believe women teachers were the perfect agents of Christian civilization?

Because they were cheaper to employ compared to male teachers. Signup and view all the answers

What motivated many women to apply for teaching positions in the West according to the records of the Board of National Popular Education?

The opportunity for adventure and the need to earn money. Signup and view all the answers

What was a common reason why some women applied for teaching positions in the West, according to Augusta Moore?

They sought economic opportunities to pay off debts. Signup and view all the answers

How did some women who applied for teaching positions in the West view their reasons for doing so?

As an opportunity to be useful and gain financial stability. Signup and view all the answers

What role did economic reasons play in motivating women to teach in the West?

Economic factors played a significant role, prompting nearly half of the women applicants to teach in the West. Signup and view all the answers

What encouraged the growth of schoolteaching as a non-domestic occupation for women?

The idea of women as the proper teachers of republican virtues Signup and view all the answers

Why did school districts start hiring women instead of men during the summer sessions of primary schools in the 1760s?

To reduce costs due to men seeking higher-paying jobs Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant factor that enabled women teachers to find positions in the regular winter term instruction?

Increase in demand for teachers due to a growing number of pupils Signup and view all the answers

In the 1820s, who were the first women teachers to travel to the frontier?

Missionaries teaching American Indians about Christianity Signup and view all the answers

How did women seek the opportunity to migrate west in the 1820s?

Through involvement in the home missionary movement Signup and view all the answers

What facilitated the acceptance of women leaving their homes to teach in the community?

The increasing need for educating young people Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Women in Teaching

Women's occupation as teachers became socially acceptable due to the need for education and men leaving for higher-paying jobs.
By the 1760s, women were hired to teach in primary schools during summer sessions, focusing on young children and older girls.
Women also found teaching positions in academies for girls, leading to an increase in their employment in regular winter term instruction.

Women Teachers on the Frontier

By the 1820s, women missionaries began teaching American Indians in the west, promoting Christianity through the home missionary movement.
The movement, supported by the American Home Missionary Society, aimed to bring religious and educational institutions to the frontier.
Women sought teaching positions in the West for various reasons, including adventure, financial independence, and self-realization.
Teaching allowed women to be independent and financially capable of making their own way in life.

Women's Salaries and Motivations

Women worked for lower wages than men, with the average salary of female teachers in Massachusetts being less than half of male teachers.
The Board believed women were the perfect agents of Christian civilization and cost-effective to employ.
While some women applied for teaching positions out of benevolence, nearly half did so for economic reasons, such as paying off debts.
Other women applied due to a mix of adventure and the need to be useful.

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Description

Explore the role of women as teachers in the 18th century and how the idea of women as the proper instructors of republican virtues led to the growth of schoolteaching as a non-domestic occupation. Discover the societal shifts that made it socially acceptable for women to leave their homes and become educators in the community.