America was a leader in providing free public schooling to all children. Many rulers feared the educated. America feared the ignorant. The Founding Fathers were resolute that democracy could only work with an educated electorate that could select qualified leaders. The “Three Rs” were important, but most important was critical thinking. People had to be able to independently assess what information made sense. In the 19th century, the importance of education in America skyrocketed. Seventeen million immigrants, mostly Irish Catholics, Italian Catholics, and German and Russian Jews from southern and central Europe, joined a nation overwhelmingly descended from white northern European protestants, in addition to 4 million free blacks. Racial, ethnic, and religious conflict was everywhere. Something had to be done. Schools became essential to developing unity. Instead of Irish Catholics, Italian Catholics, British Anglicans, German Lutherans, Russian Jews, and blacks of various faiths, the job of the schools was …