▁First ▁W ave : ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁comp uls ory ▁public ▁education ▁gained ▁tra ction ▁in ▁various ▁states , ▁largely ▁as ▁a ▁reaction ▁against ▁par och ial ▁schools . ▁The ▁Ku ▁Kl ux ▁K lan ▁supported ▁the ▁movement . ▁In ▁Michigan ▁the ▁movement ▁achieved ▁a ▁refer endum ▁on ▁the ▁subject ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁but ▁won ▁less ▁than ▁ 4 0 ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁vote . ▁ ▁In ▁Oregon ▁a ▁similar ▁measure ▁passed ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 . ▁Camp aign ing ▁for ▁it , ▁the ▁Ku ▁Kl ux ▁K lan ▁“ cir cul ated ▁a ▁tract ▁that ▁p ict ured ▁a ▁gr in ning , ▁tor ch - w ield ing ▁Catholic ▁bishop ▁triumph antly ▁depart ing ▁from ▁a ▁burning ▁public ▁school ▁house ▁whose ▁teacher ▁rang ▁the ▁school ▁bell ▁one ▁last ▁time ▁as ▁he ▁lay ▁dying ▁in ▁the ▁vest ib ule , ▁m ourn ed ▁by ▁cry ing ▁children .” ▁ ▁In ▁Pier ce ▁v . ▁Society ▁of ▁Sister s ▁( 1 9 2 5 ) ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁un anim ously ▁struck ▁down ▁Oregon ' s ▁law . ▁The ▁decision ▁was ▁widely ▁ha iled ▁by ▁progress ives ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁pres idents ▁of ▁Y ale ▁University ▁and ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Texas , ▁the ▁Journal ▁of ▁Education , ▁John ▁De we y , ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁Education ▁Association . ▁However , ▁other ▁Progress ives , ▁such ▁as ▁future ▁Supreme