Education: It’s More Than Just a Report Card

When I examine my family’s educational history, I see more than report cards and diplomas – I witness the dramatic transformation of American education itself, played out through four generations of my ancestors. From great-grandparents who never learned to read to siblings with master’s degrees, our family story mirrors the nation’s evolving commitment to universal education and the American Dream realized through learning.

The Foundation: When Literacy Was Optional (1880s-1920s)

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, when my great-grandparents came of age, completing eighth grade represented a solid education for most Americans. The school year in 1869-70 lasted about 132 days, but most students attended only 78 days annually, with attendance rates around 59 percent, partly because children were essential for farm work and family businesses.¹

My great-grandparents Vasil Marcisak and Anna Hurkala exemplified the immigrant commitment to education despite challenging circumstances. Both completed eighth grade after immigrating from Slovakia around 1900 to Fayette County, Pennsylvania. This achievement was remarkable for new immigrants, considering that even in established communities, relatively few students remained in school past age fifteen.²

Similarly, my great-grandparents Thomas Dowling and Mary Plunkett, children of Irish immigrants growing up in Brooklyn, both finished eighth grade. Urban areas like Brooklyn led educational expansion, developing systematic approaches to schooling. By the late 1800s, typical urban schools were graded, with pupils divided into 12 or 14 half-year grade levels, each taught by separate female teachers.³

The stark educational reality of the times is illustrated by my great-grandparents Paul Dubinsky and Julia Knysz, who arrived from Poland in 1903 and 1906 respectively. Census records document that neither could read nor write—a reminder that literacy remained a privilege rather than a guarantee for immigrants struggling to establish themselves in America.

The Changing Landscape: Compulsory Education Takes Hold (1890s-1920s)

My grandparents’ generation experienced the revolutionary changes occurring in American education. Pennsylvania had enacted its compulsory attendance law in 1895, requiring children aged 8-13 to attend school for 16 consecutive weeks.⁵ Education transformed from optional to expected, though implementation varied significantly by location and economic circumstances.

My maternal grandfather George Dubinsky, growing up in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, completed eighth grade but didn’t continue to high school. This pattern was typical for his generation, when high school attendance was still relatively uncommon. For a boy whose parents couldn’t read or write, reaching eighth grade represented remarkable educational progress. Census records show George attended school in 1920 at age nine, demonstrating the family’s commitment to education despite economic pressures.

My maternal grandmother Eva Marcisak achieved even greater educational advancement, completing two years of high school in Hostetter, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

This accomplishment was particularly noteworthy for a young woman in rural Pennsylvania, where agricultural demands significantly shortened school years. Many rural children still attended one-room schools, and rural school attendance was often limited by seasonal farming needs.

In Brooklyn, my paternal grandmother Julia Dowling finished eighth grade, as did my paternal grandfather David Sten in Sweden before immigrating. Urban areas like Brooklyn pioneered educational expansion, with elementary school enrollment growing dramatically in the late 1800s and early 1900s as the city developed its graded school system.

The Transformation: Education Becomes Essential (1930s-1950s)

The shift from my grandparents’ to my parents’ generation represents one of the most dramatic educational transformations in American history. By the 1930s and 1940s, high school graduation evolved from desirable to necessary for many employment opportunities.

My mother finished high school and attended secretarial school—a path increasingly common for young women seeking economic independence. My father completed high school and two years of college, reflecting growing expectations that education should extend beyond elementary schooling.

This transformation occurred during a national educational revolution. In 1940, more than half the U.S. population had completed no more than eighth grade, while only 6 percent of males and 4 percent of females had completed four years of college.⁸ However, the GI Bill and expanding economy rapidly created new educational opportunities, fundamentally altering American expectations about schooling.

The Modern Era: Higher Education Becomes the Norm (1960s-Present)

My generation and siblings represent the culmination of America’s commitment to universal education. I earned an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts, a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature, and a post-baccalaureate certificate in Paralegal Studies. Each of my siblings has college degrees, with two earning master’s degrees.

This educational progression reflects broader national trends. What once seemed exceptional—completing high school—became expected. What once appeared rare—attending college—became increasingly common. The one-room schoolhouses of my great-grandparents’ era, where single teachers taught grades one through eight together, evolved into complex educational systems designed to prepare students for an increasingly knowledge-based economy.

From Survival to Success: The Broader Picture

The evolution from my great-grandparents’ literacy struggles to my siblings’ advanced degrees illustrates the democratization of American education. By 1920, all states required students aged 8 to 14 to attend school for part of the year,⁹ transforming education from privilege to right.

Looking at my family’s educational journey, I’m struck by how each generation built upon previous achievements. My illiterate great-grandparents laid the foundation for grandparents who completed elementary school, who supported parents finishing high school, who ultimately raised children earning college degrees.

This progression wasn’t merely about individual ambition—it reflected America’s growing understanding that education was essential for both personal success and national prosperity. From the one-room schoolhouses of rural Pennsylvania to Brooklyn’s urban systems, from the 78-day school years of the 1870s to today’s comprehensive educational programs, my family’s story embodies America’s gradual, sometimes difficult, but ultimately triumphant expansion of educational opportunity for all.

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The sources I used for this blog post are well worth a full read.

• Government Documents:
  • Pennsylvania State Education Association. “PSEA: A Timeline.” PSEA. https://www.psea.org/about-psea/mission–history/psea-a-timeline/ : accessed 6 September 2025.
  • U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. 120 Years of American Education: A Statistical Portrait. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1993. Accessed through https://nces.ed.gov/pubs93/93442.pdf, 6 September 2025.
• Educational Resources:
  • “Consider the Source Online.” “The Development of Elementary and Secondary Education in New York.” Consider the Source Online. https://considerthesourceny.org/using-primary-sources/researching-history-your-school/development-elementary-and-secondary-education-new-york : accessed 6 September 2025.
  • Library of Congress. “Children’s Lives at the Turn of the Twentieth Century.” Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/childrens-lives-at-the-turn-of-the-twentieth-century : accessed 7 September 2025.

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1. U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 120 Years of American Education: A Statistical Portrait (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1993), accessed through https://nces.ed.gov/pubs93/93442.pdf, 6 September 2025. ↩︎
2. “Consider the Source Online,” “The Development of Elementary and Secondary Education in New York,” Consider the Source Online (https://considerthesourceny.org/using-primary-sources/researching-history-your-school/development-elementary-and-secondary-education-new-york : accessed 6 September 2025). ↩︎
3. Ibid. ↩︎
4. U.S. 1910 census, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Lower Yoder Township, Enumeration District 0143, page 25A (penned), dwelling 218, family 300, Paul Dubnyanski household; imaged in “1910 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884/ : accessed 28 July 2024). ↩︎
5. Pennsylvania State Education Association, “PSEA: A Timeline,” PSEA (https://www.psea.org/about-psea/mission–history/psea-a-timeline/ : accessed 6 September 2025). ↩︎
6. U.S. 1920 census, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Johnstown city, Enumeration District 171, page 17B, line 91, George Dubinsky; imaged in “1920 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6061/ : accessed 18 August 2024).  ↩︎
7. U.S. 1940 census, New York County, New York, Manhattan Borough, Enumeration District 31-104, sheet 10A (penned), Morris Street, house 12, dwelling 209, Eva Marcisak; imaged in “1940 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/14010832:2442 : accessed 22 October 2024). ↩︎
   U.S. Department of Education, 120 Years of American Education.  ↩︎
8. U.S. Department of Education, 120 Years of American Education. ↩︎
9. Library of Congress, “Children’s Lives at the Turn of the Twentieth Century,” Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/childrens-lives-at-the-turn-of-the-twentieth-century : accessed 7 September 2025). ↩︎