Although both earlier and later periods in the history of English instruction in secondary schools have been extensively researched, developments from 1935 to the mid 1950s have received little attention. This study builds upon the works of Judy, Flanigan, and Botts, which provide a history of English instruction in the United States from its inception through 1935 and examines educational trends through the 1950s as they are reflected in the major curriculum statements of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and the Modern Language Association (MLA). Research indicates that leading professionals were torn between a growing commitment to instruction based on individual student needs and the desire to maintain the traditional emphasis on content mastery. Attempts to reform the English curriculum failed primarily because of the strengths of tradition, the inability of English teachers to move from theories to practices, and a lack of applied knowledge about the emotional, cognitive, and social growth of youth. (Author/KS)