Question

Difficulty: EasyBlack Education, HBCUs, and Philosophical Debates

An educator describes the hands-on learning experiences at a southern school during the late nineteenth century:

'We wanted to teach the students how to make bricks... We began making bricks... It was hard work, but we succeeded. The students built their own dormitories and classrooms... We wanted to teach them not only how to work, but the dignity of labor.'

Which of the following educational approaches is most directly represented in this description?

  1. Industrial education designed to build self-reliance and practical skills for economic independence.Answer
  2. B
    The 'Talented Tenth' model focused on classical liberal arts to train political leaders.
  3. C
    Emigrationist training programs preparing students to establish colonies in West Africa.
  4. D
    A curriculum focused exclusively on spiritual development and theological training within Black churches.

Answer

Industrial education designed to build self-reliance and practical skills for economic independence.
The correct answer is correct because the description of students making bricks and building their own schoolhouses directly exemplifies the philosophy of industrial education. This model, championed by Booker T. Washington at the Tuskegee Institute, emphasized practical labor, self-reliance, and vocational training as a path to economic independence for African Americans in the Jim Crow South.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the text for key historical activities.
The text describes students making bricks, building their own classrooms, and learning the dignity of physical labor.
Identifying the primary activity helps connect the source to a specific historical debate in African American education.
2
Match the activities to the educational philosophies of the Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras.
Practical labor, vocational training, and self-reliance align directly with Booker T. Washington's model at the Tuskegee Institute.
This step distinguishes between Washington's industrial model and Du Bois's liberal arts model.
3
Select the option that correctly characterizes this educational approach.
The correct option identifies the model as industrial education focused on economic independence.
This satisfies the question by identifying the philosophy represented in the excerpt.

Key Concept

Industrial Education vs. Liberal Arts Debate
Estimated Time:45s
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