Rosenwald Schools were a significant stage in education for not only African Americans, but also white Americans. The schools helped start change in the educational system for African Americans and created a stronger sense of community that provided stability in a time period where people were divided based on their skin color. Increasing standards set by the Rosenwald schools caused a chain reaction through southern education. The Rosenwald School Fund was created by a man by the name of Julius Rosenwald. Julius Rosenwald was the CEO of Sears in 1909, leading him to become very wealthy. Rosenwald became a philanthropist who used his money to improve communities and help minority’s conditions. Booker T. Washington came up with an idea of rural …show more content…
A study done by Daniel Aaronson and Bhashkar Mazumder showed that by 1932, when the building projects stopped, 76% of counties with rural black children had access to a Rosenwald school. They estimated that around 25% of all southern black children could have attended a Rosenwald school. The building of new schools increased the ability of more people to attend a school, rather than the school board only donating money to existing schools, preventing new schools from being built. The Rosenwald Fund went towards physical supplies such as the buildings, desks, and blackboards. The buildings were designed to make students want to stay in school longer, meaning they focused on lighting, sanitation, and ventilation, all to make it a comfortable environment for both the teachers and students. The increase in the comfortable conditions caused a higher attendance rate. Booker T. Washington wanted the buildings to be designed in such a way that they were not only a place for schooling, but also a center of the community for meetings and gatherings. The building of schools sometimes resulted in other homes being build around them, making the Rosenwald building a center in the community. Attendance was a key focus for the Rosenwald schools. The idea was the more comfortable and conveniently timed, the higher the attendance, and if that schedule fit with the students, they would stay in school for more years to come. A big part of this schedule was allowing these students long breaks in order to work during a harvest