Americans foreign or native born, poor and rich, had a high regard for classic literature and other liberal arts and letters. Now since John Dewey staged cultural revolution in Normal Schools from Columbia Teacher's College, by the time of Why Johnny Can't Read in the 50s, there were no teachers left who had themselves been taught the classics, of the West or any of 9 or so World Civilizations. These can be restored in home school or charter from
Senior's List of 1,000 Good Books.