--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One way in which Americans have always…" description: "\"One way in which Americans have always been exceptional has been in our support for education. First we took the lead in universal primary education; t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b55/paul-krugman-2255_education_one-way-in-which-americans-have-always-b_2961561.png" --- # One way in which Americans have always been exceptional… ![“One way in which Americans have always been exceptional has been in our support for education. First we took the lead in universal primary education; then the “high school movement” made us the first nation to embrace widespread secondary education.” quote by Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b55/paul-krugman-2255_education_one-way-in-which-americans-have-always-b_2961561.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b55/paul-krugman-2255_education_one-way-in-which-americans-have-always-b_2961561.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b55/paul-krugman-2255_education_one-way-in-which-americans-have-always-b_2961561.png) > “One way in which Americans have always been exceptional has been in our support for education. First we took the lead in universal primary education; then the “high school movement” made us the first nation to embrace widespread secondary education.” [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America’s historical edge lies in pioneering universal primary and secondary schooling, setting a global standard for education access. **In simple terms:** U.S. led early universal schooling. Key Takeaway Support and expand education initiatives. Themes education leadership innovation equality Mood optimistic determined Type historical policy When to use this quote - school reform - international aid - curriculum design - teacher training Key Concepts public policy human capital development Questions to Reflect On - How can modern policy sustain this leadership? - What barriers hinder universal education today? A Different Perspective Challenges include funding and political resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Americans Exceptional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans-exceptional-4512643/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Education High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education-high-1775494/) [Education Took](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education-took-2597767/) [Embrace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embrace/) [Exceptional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exceptional/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Lead in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lead-in/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [One way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-way/) [Primaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primaries/) [Primary education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primary-education/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-movement-4512644/) [Secondary education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secondary-education/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Universal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [The idea of American exceptionalism doesn't extend to Americans being exceptional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/the-idea-of-american-exceptionalism-doesn-t-extend-to-americans-being/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [In America today, a young person needs more education after high school just to have a chance to make it in the middle class.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/in-america-today-a-young-person-needs-more-education-after-high/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [The cost of an education is high - but not as expensive as ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/the-cost-of-an-education-is-high-but-not-as-expensive-as-ignorance/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I just believe strongly that anybody who wants to pursue additional education after high school ought to be given that chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-schatz/i-just-believe-strongly-that-anybody-who-wants-to-pursue-additional/) [Brian Schatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-schatz/) > [The instrument for measuring your level of education is not your high school or college but by your character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-instrument-for-measuring-your-level-of-education-is-not-your-high/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I did Wall Street, and then everything that happened with An Education took me up until March. 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Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-d-patel/) ## More by Paul Krugman > [People who are complaining about the Fed are people who've been predicting runaway inflation for five and six years, and it hasn't happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/people-who-are-complaining-about-the-fed-are-people-who-ve-been/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [Surely I'm not the only person to ask the obvious question: How different, really, is Mr. Madoff's tale from the story of the investment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/surely-i-m-not-the-only-person-to-ask-the-obvious-question-how/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [“The rich are different from you and me: they have more influence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/the-rich-are-different-from-you-and-me-they-have-more-influence/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [“The Internet’s impact on the economy has been no greater than the fax machine’s….ten years from now, the phrase “information economy” will sound silly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/the-internet-s-impact-on-the-economy-has-been-no-greater-than-the-fax/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [Not all private equity people are evil. 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But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. 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