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in 1900 only about 51 percent of kids from 5 to 19 years old even enrolled in school.
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What's the figure for the ages of 7 or 8 through 14. That is the number that is significant here.

Is it possible that 99% of children between the ages of 7 and 14 were in school? ( Is a “duh” needed here?)

In 1900 likely more than 50% of the nation earned their living in agriculture.. There was little need for children to attend school beyond grade 8. But...I bet when they did graduate they knew the difference between a bushel and a peck , read contracts, write a well composed letter, read a tape measure. They could likely add subtract, multiply, and divide and convert fractions to decimals in their heads, too.

I was born immediately after WWII. There was NO kindergarten for me. It didn't exist for the children in our neighborhood. It likely didn't exists for most children in 1900, either. So, naturally the percentage of school attendance for the 5 to 7 year old of that era was ZERO! That will skew that bogus 51% figure that you stated.

Also....My parents were born in 1913. All of my aunts left school by the age of 14. Most worked as secretaries. ( Yes, by 14 they could take dictation, type 60 to 100 words a minute, spell without a spell checker, compose grammatically correct letters, and conduct themselves in a professional manner with only an 8th, 9th, or 10th grade education.) Many of the men in the family entered the skilled trades at that age. Most, as adults, owned their own highly successful business. So?...Why would we be surprised that 51% of those 5 to 19 years of ages were not in school? The percentage was skewed by those 14 and older who were working or learning a trade.

Finally....My parents and grandparents would find it ridiculous that the check-in clerk at the local Marriott now needs to be college educated. They would be appalled that it now takes up to 14 to 16 years of formal education to learn the basics that they acquired in 8.

What’s the figure for the ages of 7 or 8 through 14. That is the number that is significant here.

I agree, the percentage 7 through 14 would have been greater but would still not be nearly as high as it is today.

It was only in the late 40s that the enrollment rate rose to 99 percent for 7 to 13 year old, the 14 year old were dropping out so that age would be a little less.

I started in the first grade in 1942 and dropped out after getting through the seventh grade at 14, also i had 3 older brothers and two older sisters who dropped out at a younger age than i did and a younger brother who finished the eight grade.

So, naturally the percentage of school attendance for the 5 to 7 year old of that era was ZERO! That will skew that bogus 51% figure that you stated.

I doubt if that would be bogus because many if not most of the wealthy people sent their kids to private schools.

But the point is not why the kids never went to school as long as they do now but the fact that they did not.

That is exactly the way i see it, we have no disagreement here.

People are getting much more schooling today than what they did i50 or 100 or even 50 years ago, at the same time people are falling away from God and family which is what the thread was all about.

So it is evident that education rather than the lack of it is the culprit if in fact it has anything to do with it.