Final answer:
The Massachusetts board of education, led by Horace Mann, is often considered the first step in creating the American high school. They emphasized teaching not only academic subjects, but also morality and discipline. McGuffey's Readers played a role in teaching values as well as spelling and vocabulary.
Step-by-step explanation:
The school considered to be the first step on the road to creating the American high school, although its curriculum reflected European roots, is the Massachusetts board of education headed by Horace Mann. Mann and other education reformers charged public schools with teaching not only academic subjects, but also morality and discipline. One means of teaching these values was through the series McGuffey's Readers, which taught spelling, vocabulary, and values like punctuality, frugality, and temperance.