School Spirit 1940-2025

My mother once told me that she had been terrified by the duck & cover drills she and her classmates had done in school. When they started in 1951, she was 13. At the time, I could only compare them to fire drills in my small public school c.1972-78, which ranged from mildly amusing to fun. “Terrified” may be one of my mother’s favorite words, though—maybe most of the kids back then quickly overcame their fear of nuclear war, and after a few drills that weren’t followed by sudden flashes brighter than the sun. Maybe hotrods and soda fountains ruled their minds.

Naturally, I asked AI about it. Based on a 1952 study in The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, a 1965 Child Study Journal article, and a 1963 survey cited in The Journal of Social Issues, AI figured that roughly 20–40% of primary school children and 10–20% of secondary school students likely experienced some level of psychological distress or trauma from the drills, with younger children more affected due to their limited ability to process abstract threats. .

Then I got curious and asked AI about the atmosphere and ‘spirit’ in schools from the WWII years to the present, when the country has had over 25 years of sharply rising school shootings and gun violence in general. Btw, here’s Michael Moore’s 2002 Bowling for Columbine documentary about the 1999 incident that has redefined the school environment since then: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDl-atwBzf0

WWII Years (1939–1945): Fear, Resilience, and Collective Effort

During World War II, school-age children (roughly ages 6–18) faced a world defined by global conflict, economic strain, and uncertainty. The psychological landscape was marked by a blend of fear, patriotism, and resilience, as children were both sheltered from and exposed to the war’s realities.

• Fear and Uncertainty: The war introduced existential fears, even in the US, which was geographically distant from major battlefronts. Children absorbed parental anxieties about loved ones drafted into service or the distant possibility of attack (e.g., Pearl Harbor in 1941 heightened invasion fears). Radio broadcasts and newsreels brought war imagery into homes, fostering a sense of vulnerability. Studies from the era, like those by Anna Freud, noted increased anxiety in children, manifesting as nightmares or clinginess, particularly in younger ones.

• Patriotism and Purpose: Schools became hubs for war efforts, with children participating in scrap metal drives, victory gardens, and war bond campaigns. This gave them a sense of agency, fostering resilience. A 1943 study in The Journal of Educational Psychology found that structured war-related activities reduced feelings of helplessness, as children felt they were contributing to a collective goal.

• Social Cohesion: The war unified communities, and children experienced a strong sense of belonging. However, racial and ethnic divides persisted, with minority children (e.g., Japanese-American students interned after 1942) facing isolation and trauma. For most, school was a stabilizing force, though air raid drills in some areas introduced early exposure to emergency preparedness.

• Psychological Impact: Children developed a heightened awareness of mortality and global stakes but were buffered by community support and clear roles. Anxiety was common but often channeled into productive activities. The absence of direct school-based threats meant fear was more abstract, tied to distant wars rather than immediate environments.

Post-War Transition (1945–1951): Optimism and Emerging Cold War Anxiety

The end of WWII brought relief but also new psychological challenges as the US transitioned into the early Cold War. The period was marked by economic growth, the Baby Boom, and the looming Soviet threat, which began reshaping children’s psychological experiences.

• Post-War Optimism: The victory in 1945 fostered national pride and economic prosperity, boosting family stability. Children benefited from improved living standards, with suburban schools expanding and curricula emphasizing science and democracy. A 1947 study in Child Development noted reduced anxiety in children post-war, as families reunited and rationing ended.

• Emerging Cold War Fears: By 1949, the Soviet Union’s nuclear tests and the start of the Korean War (1950) introduced new anxieties. Children began hearing about communism and nuclear threats, often through media or adult conversations. This created a diffuse sense of danger, less tangible than WWII’s direct war efforts but still unsettling.

• School as a Safe Haven: Schools remained stable environments, with minimal direct threats. However, early civil defense initiatives, like air raid drills in some cities, began acclimating children to emergency preparedness. These were less widespread than later "Duck and Cover" drills but planted seeds of vigilance.

• Psychological Impact: Children experienced a mix of optimism and emerging existential fear. The lack of immediate school-based threats kept anxiety levels lower than during WWII, but the Cold War’s shadow introduced a new psychological burden: the possibility of global annihilation. Social conformity, emphasized in 1950s culture, also pressured children to internalize fears rather than express them.

Duck and Cover Drill Era (1951–1972): Nuclear Anxiety and Institutionalized Fear

The introduction of "Duck and Cover" drills in 1951, prompted by the Federal Civil Defense Administration, marked a significant shift in the psychological landscape for school-age children. This period, spanning the height of the Cold War, was defined by institutionalized fear of nuclear attack, alongside broader social changes.

• Nuclear Fear and Drills: The "Duck and Cover" campaign, popularized by the 1951 film featuring Bert the Turtle, taught children to hide under desks during nuclear alerts. Drills were routine in elementary and high schools, with some colleges participating. A 1952 study in The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry found that these drills heightened anxiety in 30–40% of children, particularly younger ones, who struggled to grasp the abstract nuclear threat. Older students (teenagers) often internalized fears, expressing cynicism or fatalism, as noted in 1960s surveys.

• Cultural Context: The Red Scare, McCarthyism, and events like the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) amplified fears of communism and annihilation. Media, including films and comics, reinforced nuclear imagery, making it inescapable. Children’s books, like The Butter Battle Book (Dr. Seuss, later published), reflected this tension. Meanwhile, the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam War protests introduced social unrest, exposing older students to political polarization.

• School Dynamics: Schools were both safe spaces and sources of stress due to drills. Teachers were trained to project calm, but the repetitive nature of drills normalized fear. A 1965 Child Study Journal article noted that 20% of children exhibited stress symptoms (e.g., bedwetting, fear of loud noises) tied to nuclear drills.

• Psychological Impact: Children developed a dual mindset: outward conformity (following drill protocols) and inward anxiety about survival. The abstract nature of the threat—unlike WWII’s tangible enemy—fostered helplessness in some, while others adopted a "live for today" attitude, especially in the 1960s counterculture. Resilience varied by age, with younger children more dependent on adult reassurance.

Relative Calm (1972–1998): Stability with Underlying Tensions

The period from 1972 to 1998 was relatively calm for school-age children, with no widespread existential threats like nuclear war. However, social changes, media exposure, and isolated incidents began shaping a new psychological landscape.

• Decline of Nuclear Fears: By the mid-1970s, "Duck and Cover" drills faded as Cold War tensions eased (e.g., détente, SALT treaties). Schools shifted focus to academic achievement and social integration, with desegregation efforts post-Brown v. Board (1954). Children faced fewer institutionalized fears. Fire drills and, in some regions, tornado drills happened, but they were stress-free.

• Emerging Social Stressors: The 1980s and 1990s brought new pressures: rising divorce rates (peaking at 50% by 1980), economic inequality, and media saturation. TV shows and news exposed children to violence (e.g., 1980s crime waves, gang violence). A 1990 Journal of Youth and Adolescence study found that 15% of teens reported anxiety tied to media portrayals of crime, though school remained a perceived safe space.

• Early School Violence: Incidents like the 1979 Cleveland Elementary School shooting (2 deaths) were rare but foreshadowed later trends. Most children didn’t perceive schools as dangerous, and bullying was the primary school-based stressor. A 1995 CDC survey noted 8% of students reported feeling unsafe at school, a low but growing concern.

• Psychological Impact: Children enjoyed relative stability, with anxiety tied more to personal (family, peer) than societal threats. The rise of latchkey kids and dual-income households increased independence but also loneliness in some. Schools fostered socialization, but emerging technologies (e.g., early internet in the 1990s) began shifting attention to virtual spaces, laying groundwork for future challenges.

Post-Columbine Era (1999–Present): Rising School Shootings and Gun Violence

The 1999 Columbine High School shooting (13 deaths) marked a turning point, ushering in an era where school shootings and gun violence became central to children’s psychological experiences. This continuing period is defined by heightened fear, lockdown drills, and a pervasive sense of vulnerability.

• School Shootings Surge: From 1999 to 2025, school shootings skyrocketed. The K-12 School Shooting Database records over 2,700 incidents since 1970, with 80% occurring post-1999. Notable tragedies include Sandy Hook (2012, 26 deaths), Parkland (2018, 17 deaths), and Uvalde (2022, 21 deaths). In 2024, 59 school shootings with injuries/deaths were reported, per Everytown for Gun Safety. Gun violence outside schools also rose, with CDC data showing firearms as the leading cause of death for children ages 1–19 by 2020 (3,200 deaths annually).

• Lockdown Drills and Fear: Post-Columbine, lockdown drills became standard, replacing "Duck and Cover." A 2019 American Journal of Public Health study found 95% of schools conducted active shooter drills by 2018, often simulating gunfire or intruders. These drills, while intended to prepare, increase anxiety: a 2020 study in Journal of Child Psychology reported 60% of students felt unsafe during drills, with 20% showing PTSD-like symptoms (e.g., hypervigilance). By 2025, drills are more trauma-informed but still stressful.

• Media and Social Media Impact: 24/7 news cycles and social media (post-2005) amplify exposure to violence. Platforms like X show real-time shooting updates, heightening fear. A 2023 Pediatrics study found 30% of teens reported anxiety tied to social media posts about shootings. Misinformation (e.g., false threats) further escalates stress.

• Mental Health Crisis: The post-1999 era saw a mental health crisis among youth. CDC data from 2023 shows 42% of high school students reported persistent sadness, 22% considered suicide, and 10% attempted it—rates doubled since 1999. School shootings, gun violence, and societal pressures (e.g., social media comparison, academic stress) contribute. Long COVID, affecting 1 million US children by 2025, adds cognitive and emotional burdens.

• Social and Political Polarization: Debates over gun control, school safety, and mental health divide communities, exposing children to adult conflicts. Movements like March for Our Lives (post-Parkland) empowered some teens but also highlighted their vulnerability. A 2024 Child Trends report noted 25% of students fear gun violence daily, impacting concentration and trust in institutions.

• Psychological Impact: Children today face chronic hypervigilance, with school no longer a guaranteed safe space. Anxiety disorders have risen 20% since 2000, per NIMH. Younger children fear physical harm; teens grapple with existential dread and distrust of systems. Yet, resilience persists—activism and peer support (e.g., student-led safety initiatives) reflect agency amid fear.

Across these periods, the psychology of school-age children evolved from collective resilience to individualized fear. Key trends include a shift from external to internal threats, institutionalized safety measures, and mental health decline. Regarding resilience and agency, each era shows children adapting, but modern stressors (e.g., shootings) challenge coping mechanisms. While earlier eras provided structured outlets for anxiety, today’s children navigate a complex landscape of immediate, unpredictable threats, amplified by media and social pressures. Schools, once safe havens, are now sites of both learning and potential danger, necessitating trauma-informed approaches to support mental health and foster resilience in an increasingly volatile world. Budget cuts since 1980, along with Church encroachment into State, have compounded the problem.

Questions: Can the unfolding threat of World War III recreate a sense of unity and resiliance, as it did during WWII, when children (and everyone) were buffered by community support and clear roles, despite WWII’s absence of direct school-based threats? Can we set up systems whereby anxiety is channeled into productive activities? And can we not make it a fascistic scenario like the sci-fi fascist parody, Starship Troopers?