Final answer:
The earliest youth institutions begun around 1825 in major US cities were known as public schools, established as part of the larger school reform movement led by figures such as Horace Mann.
Step-by-step explanation:
The earliest youth institutions in the United States were started in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia around 1825 and were known as public schools. This was a time when American reformers sought to implement school reform to combat ignorance and prepare youth for their social and civic duties as adults. The rise of public education in the northeast was driven by numerous factors, including the surge of immigrants and the belief in maintaining a democracy through an educated population. The iconic education reformer of this time was Horace Mann, known as the father of the public school system, who, through the Massachusetts board of education, promoted the teaching of academic subjects along with morality and discipline. The McGuffey's Readers textbooks were one medium used to impart these values to students.