Arts Education in the 19th Century

Technological advances in the 19th century greatly influenced the spread of the arts.

For example, formal music education in the United States was introduced in the 19th century when Lowell Mason and George Webb founded the Boston Academy of Music, and Mason published a Manual of Instruction that taught music theory. The publication and spread of this handbook was influential to the spread of music education in the United States. While music education was first used just in the elementary schools in the 19th century, Luther Whiting Mason influenced the spread of music education to grammar, primary and high schools. Music education for teachers also developed in this period, starting in what was called the Normal School. During this time, the spread of music in general was greatly influenced by technology through the invention of the phonograph by Thomas Edison.

Art education was influenced through the Picture Study Movement, which started late in the 19th century, and focused on learning in school to appreciate the art found in daily life. This appreciation of art found everywhere was greatly influenced by technology through the invention of photograph technology.

The Physical Culture Movement also occurred in the 19th century, promoting physical activity in normal life through dance and exercise. Technological advancements in mass production techniques allowed for the widespread distribution of exercise equipment.

Certainly these things could probably have developed to some degree without the accompanying technology, but it is certain that without publishing, phonograph abilities, photography, and mass production techniques, the advances of the arts in the 19th century likely could not have turned out to be what history has shown them to have become.