Prior to WWII America was more of an industrial society that was known

Prior to WWII America was more of an industrial society that was known for manufacturing goods and services even during the war. After WWII the focus began to turn towards education and technology. It was becoming apparent that education in America was lacking especially compared to other developing countries around the world. This became all too real in 1957 as the Soviet Union launched a satellite called Sputnik beginning the space and technology races. The American government immediately felt fear and uncertainty for our national security and began looking at education in American schools. It was found that education in America was behind and was not keeping up with the technology found in other developing countries. The public also became aware of these facts and education reform became a national priority.[1] America needed scientists and engineers but more importantly leaders to step up and take the reigns to move education reform forward in America.
Admiral Hyman Rickover was one of the leaders of this movement. He felt that American schools were weak in comparison with European schools as America tried to educate all children equally. He wanted to see science and math strengthened and all frills such as the arts, be removed from the curriculum.[2] Other leaders such as Dr. James Bryant Constant, pushed for “stronger academic preparation” but felt that students should still study the arts along with science and math. Later the government became involved in education and dumped a vast amount of resources into improving the curriculum, which related to the needs of American society. This led to education leaders finding the proposed unbalanced curriculum dangerous and the arts a necessary part of a well-rounded education. [3] The National Defense Education Act even supported the arts and considered it a worthwhile subject. It appears to me, the more the arts were considered the more educators and reformers noticed its importance and value. This equated to more funding and support of the arts in American schools. It is apparent to me that music had the power to inspire and motivate society, students, and educators in many different ways as it continues to do so today. Organizations such as MENC came about because of the arts. Their mission back then as it is today is to support the integration and education of the arts in American schools.

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1. Michael Mark, A Concise History of American Music Education (New York, NY: Rowman and Littlefield Education, 2008): 137.

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2. Ibid. 138.
3. Ibid.138-139.