Before the progressives we emphasized patriotism, respect for the Constitution, and the exceptionalism of this great country. Children prayed in the schools and pledge allegiance. The progressives gradually substituted that agenda. But the did so only because patriots, resting on the laurals, left moral vacuum to be filled by the Left.
What I meant in the article was that the Progressives understood the psychology in creating an environment that “molded” the child into the model that the Progressives wanted. They created forced public schooling and lowered the ages for indoctrination of children to get them away from the influence of family because their minds were more “plastic”.
Parents, even very religious ones, did not understand the covert psychological conditioning that was put into the Prussian school models of single grades which used humiliation as a way to get children to conform to the “one way of thinking”.
Skinner, Freud, and Pavlov, etc... were just coming out with their theories and most people had never heard of them while their ideas were incorporated into schools by the elites who had infiltrated the Universities.
True, there was a moral vacuum which was very evident in the roaring 20’s, but with the Great Depression, people populated the churches again. What they didn’t realize at the time was that schools were undermining their values for six hours, five days a week. The schools were increasing the time that children had to be held captive in the schools so that parental influence would be less pervasive.
I think you are discounting the incredible influence that teachers (esp. when using psychology) have over captive children who seek approval and are among peers. Even adults in group situations can be manipulated. Children are much, much easier to mold.