[wardaddy]

I was in Mississippi public schools

1963-1970

French elementary

Hardy Jr high till forced busing Christmas break 1969 imposed by courts

We were taught phonics

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

In your school, maybe.

In schools in general, no.

It was not implemented everywhere all at once. But it did start in the 1930s. Actually a bit before but at that point it became a policy being pushed. The further out in the sticks you were or the more stubborn your school board/principle the later it arrived but arrive it did. By the mid seventies it had completely saturated the public education system.