Rockefeller and the Factory Model of Schooling

What if the modern education system wasn’t designed to create thinkers… …but to create efficient

workers? One name often comes up in this discussion: John D. Rockefeller.

In the early 1900s, Rockefeller was the richest industrialist in history. He didn’t just invest

in oil — he invested heavily in education. Through the General Education Board, founded in 1902,

Rockefeller donated millions to schools and universities across the United States.

These funds helped expand mass public education, especially in rural areas.

The system emphasized: Standardized curricula Punctuality Obedience to authority Repetition and testing

This model matched the needs of an industrial economy, where factories required disciplined,