It was 1850 when Massachusetts required all children to attend school.  Today all states have the Compulsory School Attendance Law.

 

But, before that...   Before that...   Ah, before that?   Hmmmm.  How did we have educated people before that?

    How did we do it?
    Who was in charge?
    Where was it done?
    Why was it done?
    When was it done?
    What did they teach?

Absolutely amazing how society, culture, and civilization itself made so much progress with no public money spent to educate children.