The US had more than English-style grammar schools. I'm a programmer, but even I know some of the US presidents had rather informal training. Lincoln, while m

The US had more than English-style grammar schools. I'm a programmer, but even I know some of the US presidents had rather informal training. Lincoln, while mostly self-educated, received formal schooling from itinerant teachers. Andrew Johnson's education was through his employer and "augmented by citizens who would come to Selby's shop to read to the tailors as they worked" says https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Johnson#Childhood https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Johnson#Childhood . (This reminds me of Cuban cigar factories of Ybor City, where the workers hired "El Lector" to read while they worked, from topics ranging from socialism and unionization to romantic novels.) While my formal education didn't really cover it, there's also the infamous and repugnant American Indian boarding schools, whose inhumane practices continue to make the news as people continue to find new unmarked graves. So that's three distinct education approaches in addition to the grammar school one. FWIW, I interpret "The Prussian Model" as "tax-funded compulsory universal education." I think this linked-to essay, which cherry-picks quotes to interpret "The Prussian Model" as specifically an educational policy of non-thinking conformity, is poppy-cocky nonsense. EDIT: there were also schools which started after the Civil War to teach freedmen, eg, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton_University https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton_University (founded 1868) and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_University https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_University (founded 1881). These both predate Frederick Taylor Gates (born 1853) who didn't start working with Rockefeller until 1889.