“What shall we do about the ‘backwards’ South? One of the enduring myths of American life—and, too often, of American historians—is that the South lags behind, especially when it comes to education. But as Heffron shows, Southerners pioneered practices and themes that the rest of the country would eventually embrace. Hardly the caboose of progress, as Northerners imagined, the South was often its engine. If you want to track the development of American education, in a fresh and fascinating way, read this bold and original book. It will take you to places you hadn’t imagined.” —Jon Zimmerman, University of Pennsylvania