re: When did the idea all kids go to college begin?

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The problem is that blue-collar jobs are trivialized as what you do because you didn't go to college. It's the stupidest thing, since I know a lot of bartenders, waitresses and hairdressers with some extremely impressive history and literature degrees. The more we move away from being a proud country of makers towards this country of service workers, the views aren't going to get better. Globalization has also made the career job in the factory nearly impossible, so I think there is a fear by parents that an education is necessary to stay competitive in a market that does not guarantee a job that doesn't require class-taught skills.

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We are witnessing the effects of a post-modern economy, similar to what happened in Britain during the Thatcher years.

There are few native-born citizens who work in the primary (agriculture) and secondary (industrial) sectors of the economy because most work is either outsourced to other countries, carried out by migrant workers, or performed by robots and mechanized assembly lines.

The service industry has become the new secondary sector of our economy. It is a fall-back for most individuals, regardless of their educational background.

Very seldom do you meet an individual, outside of perhaps plant/offshore workers in south Louisiana, who is willing to learn a trade or undergo specialized training apart from the collegiate/university setting.

While the advancement of American society is hinged on the educational progress of the population, it is not imperative that everyone obtain a degree in order to contribute to their community.

Another thing that really hurts is that you have a vast number of American women who have become college educated and who possess a degree, but who also ultimately wind up working positions comparable to their mothers from the generation prior. It has been proven that you don't need an extensive education to perform basic clerical work or data entry. Still, employers seem to demand such qualifications in a potential employee as though it was a necessary skill-set to possess.