Homeschooling, the Life of Gloria Steinem, and PBR Heists

Homeschooling is a form of education that eschews traditional classrooms and school systems. Students are usually taught by their parents, though some homeschooling families form cooperative groups or hire instructors.

> Homeschooling was illegal in some US states until 1993. (Read)
> Most states don't require homeschooled students to take standardized tests. (Read)

Homeschooling was once the norm in the United States until compulsory education laws, first established in the 17th century, began to spread across the country in the 19th century. The practice became more popular in the 1970s and '80s thanks to advocates who argued that formal schooling stifled students' ability, creativity, religious freedom, and family ties.

> Massachusetts passed the first law requiring children to be educated. (Read)

> Homeschooling's 1970s advocates came from both the left and the right. (Read)

> "Unschooling" advocates believe education should be student-directed, with adults merely providing access to information and opportunities. (Read)

School closures during the COVID-19 pandemic caused many parents to reevaluate their children's education, leading to an uptick in homeschooled students. Approximately 6% of American school-age children were homeschooled during the 2023-24 school year, about double the number before the pandemic.

> Some parents who began homeschooling their children during the pandemic said the experience convinced them it was more beneficial than traditional school. (Read)

> After expanding significantly during the pandemic, homeschooling has continued to grow since. (Read)

Discover more: 

> A 1922 Oregon law that sought to ban private education inadvertently strengthened parents' ability to pursue options outside the public school system. (Read)

> A 1972 Supreme Court decision about Amish children and education helped pave the way for homeschooling in the US. (Read)

> Explore an archive of an influential homeschooling newsletter. (Read)

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Behind the News 

1440 brings you the knowledge behind the week's stories:

Public school enrollment continues a post-COVID slide. (More)
 

> The charter school model is one innovation that has expanded in the 21st century.

> Horace Mann believed a "common school," his term for public schools, was essential for American democracy.

Gloria Steinem, journalist and feminist activist, dies at 92. (More)

> Watch a 2008 interview with Steinem.

> Explore an annotated cover of the inaugural issue of the magazine she cofounded.

Janie Bradford, who cowrote Motown's first hit record, dies at 87. (More)

> The song, "Money (That's What I Want)," is considered an R&B classic.

> Dozens of acts have covered the song, including Charli XCX, the Kingsmen, and the Beatles.

$70K of beer—mostly Pabst Blue Ribbon—stolen in warehouse heists. (More)

> During Prohibition, the Pabst Brewing Company began making cheese.

> A Portland dive bar helped drive Pabst Blue Ribbon's early 2000s comeback by selling cans for $1 apiece.

Cultural Context

Beyond our weekly deep dives, we love finding great takes on the culture currently shaping our lives. Here are some of the best reactions, profiles, and think pieces we encountered this week.

How Dolly Parton Wrote the Story of a Changing America

NPR | Ann Powers. There have been plenty of memorials to Parton, who died on Aug. 25, that emphasize how she transcended music to become a national hero. Powers, though, focuses on Parton's status as one of America's greatest songwriters. (Read)

> "Jolene" was partly based on a real woman who flirted with Parton's husband.

> Parton got the idea for "9 to 5" while clacking her acrylic nails together.

Beyond Wilderness and Lawn

Harvard Design Magazine | Michael Pollan. The eternally curious author of "How to Change Your Mind" and "The Omnivore's Dilemma" explores the history of the manicured lawn and why Americans so often long to tame the wonders of nature in their front yards. (Read)

> The front lawn became an American ideal in the 20th century.

Hollywood's Video Game Era Is Here

Stat Significant | Daniel Parris. Parris believes Hollywood's recent success with the "Super Mario Bros." franchise is a sign of things to come. By comparing data on comic books and video games, he argues that the movie industry is likely leaving superheroes behind. (Read)

> 1993's "Super Mario Bros.," the first live-action feature film based on a video game, was a massive commercial flop.

When Pregnancy Cost Teachers Their Jobs

In partnership with Birdfy

The Feeder That Answers 'What Bird Is That'

A single feeder can pull in a far wider cast of characters than most people expect: regulars, seasonal passersby, the occasional rare visitor blown off its usual route. Most of it goes unnoticed, because nobody's standing at the window all day.

Birdfy's camera catches every one of them and sorts species from a library of more than 6,000, building a running record of exactly who's been treating your yard like a rest stop. See the full cast of characters your feeder has been attracting.

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 Etcetera 

> RIP to poet Wendell Berry—hear actor Nick Offerman read one of his most famous poems.

> Steven Spielberg submitted some of his most famous films for college credit.

> The word "jazz" was used to describe a baseball pitch before it came to mean a genre of music.

> The US Navy once prohibited sailors from toasting with water, believing it to be bad luck.

> The creator of "The Simpsons" made his characters yellow so they would contrast with everything else on TV.

> The legendary "Armory Show" brought modern, "avant-garde" art to the US.

> Although no longer the dominant format, CDs are increasingly popular with younger people.
 

> Westerners didn't encounter sushi until the mid-1800s.

> Thirty years ago, IBM's supercomputer beat a chess superstar, marking a pivotal moment in the development of artificial intelligence.
 

> After his popularity surged, Stephen King began using a pseudonym so he could publish more books.

> Writers JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis were close friends who bonded over a shared interest in Norse mythology.

> Explore an archive of early hip-hop gigs, Uno's antagonistic origins, and a database of free games at 1440's Society & Culture hub.