Free And Universal Education

In the document “Report of the Massachusetts Board of Education”, Horace Mann believes that education should be readily available to everyone in order to counteract the “tendency to the domination of capital and servility of labor.” Universal education can potentially be the difference between, the wealthy capitalizing the poor, and a society where the poor are given an equal opportunity to excel and be a part of the capital rather than the labor. Mann states, “Education, then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of man…” When everyone is given the same chance to obtain a well rounded education, social status and factions begin to diminish. Mann seems to be an idealist as well

Throughout the history of public education, there have been barriers to the equality of opportunity philosophy. Thomas Jefferson’s proposal and Horace Mann’s implementation of public schools excluded non-citizens like blacks, women, and Native Americans. Next, an increase in immigration and industrialization widened cultural and economic differences between students. The greatest obstacle to equal education

This paper discusses the influence of Horace Mann on the issue of education of the masses, evident in his dedication to improving the quality of education through the process of improving teacher education, increasing available funding, and standardizing the quality of educational experience provided to its students. It addresses specifically the areas presented in several of Mann’s Annual Reports published during his tenure including the areas of school buildings, moral values, school discipline, and the quality of teachers.

Horace Mann, known as the "father of American public education", wrote the policy document Report of the Massachusetts Board of Education, that claims Massachusetts's school education is becoming unequal among the citizens. Mann develops his argument by using European and American values of men, and how society functions with men that have been treated as equals. Mann's purpose was to discuss the problems in Massachusetts's education system in order to inform his audience and persuade a change. Mann's audience assumes an audience that would be government workers or officials because of his message of changing the education system.

In his Twelfth Report, Horace Mann discusses reasons that public education is imperative in the success of a peaceful, prominent society. Mann maintains that education is a way to produce successful and resourceful citizens. Without education, people can only do so much and can only go so far; they are raw materials that need to be developed into something more. Mann lists all of the important and necessary institutions in society that require educated people in order to flourish. Society, in turn, depends on those institutions to succeed. His main effort was to give all members of society the same tools for success, thus giving society a chance to thrive.

	Mann thought that schools must emphasize moral, civic, and cultural values. These ideas are what schools try to accomplish today. Mann believed in a common program in schools that would educate everyone. He thought that common schools should not teach vocational training, but instead offer an education beneficial to all. Schools today follow the same purpose that Mann laid out long ago. Schools today follow Mann’s ideas by offering a program that opens opportunities in any field. There is also a common curriculum in most schools because many courses are state required and standard to all schools.

In the "Report of the Massachusetts Board of Education," by Horace Mann, he expresses his belief in the power of "universal education" to counteract the "tendency to the domination of capital and servility of labor” (Mann 158). If society is split between those who are "ignorant and poor" and those who hold "all the wealth and the education," then the latter is powerful and the former are both powerless and hopeless. Education must be made available to all he believes since it is "beyond all other devices of human origin is the great equalizer of the conditions of men,-the balance-wheel of the social machinery" (Mann 159). As a result, access to education "will open a wider area over which the social feelings will expand; and if this education

Mann was a prominent figure in politics for many years and eventually served on the Massachusetts Board of Education for several years. In that time Mann came to believe that education should be based around physical, intellectual, political, moral, and religious educations. Mann got most of his ideas from how schools in the Persian taught these different types of education. (110)

Horace Mann’s 12th Annual Report stressed the idea that education should be in anyone’s reach. Education isn’t and shouldn’t be limited to only upper class children because, by providing free education to all, is insuring that everyone is and will be receiving the best education and treated equally. Throughout Mann’s 12th Annual Report, there is discussion of the concept of a common school. From my understanding, this is the awareness that all children attend the same type of school and taught the same concepts, despite social class. This report discussed the idea that money should be spent on education instead of funding less important mandates. I agree with this because educating our children is one the most important mission that we could

A persistent educational goal of school was to give everyone the same chance to pursue wealth, which is known as equality of opportunity. Equality of opportunity is the idea that individuals compete with one another with all participants starting at the same point, which Horace Mann referred to as the, “great balance wheel of society” (Spring, 2016, p. 66). Schools provide everyone with an equal opportunity to pursue an education and wealth; however, I believe there are factors that alter that equilibrium. Mann believed that equality of opportunity would reduce tensions between the rich and the poor. It allowed the poor to believe that regardless of their circumstance their children had an equal chance to compete with children of rich families (Spring, 2016 p. 67). However, there are factors that will contribute to your opportunity to succeed, but schools give students the opportunity to all start on the same path that end in different destinations.

In the farming society of the early 1800’s, education was not possible for many children. Horace Mann, a farm boy himself and an early advocate for educational reform, saw the deficiencies in the educational system. He pushed for “common schools” that would retain local control, be co-educational and revolve around the agricultural year. Mann’s ideas began to be adopted around the country in the second half of the nineteenth century. By the start of the twentieth century, mandatory public schooling was the norm. This was the height of the industrial revolution. As Davidson notes in “Project Classroom Makeover”, “Public Education was seen as the most efficient way to train potential workers for labor in the newly urbanized factories (197).” Schools began to work like an assembly line with a focus on efficiency, attention to detail, memorization of facts and staying on task. Curriculum became standardized and states began to replace the local management of education. Critically thinking outside the box was less valued. Regardless of ability, children started school at the same age and were moved through their education in a regulated process.

Consequently, the rational step taken is to deconsecrate schools into outwardly irreversible place of esteemed value of social order (Kozol, 3). He further noted many ways of opening the issue in complete observation of the class, which he believed can be attained by the quotation of many respected people’s word, such as Horace Mann who was diffident in articulating the real utility of public schools. Nonetheless, he also provided some other ways of embarking on this which he conscientiously noted that has exposed their conjecture of public schools as adults (Kozol, 4). Additionally, he said the best way of achieving this is by disseminating this purpose to students through dialogue as recommended by Doris Lessing (Kozol 4). Finally, he stated that there is no deceit of learning to be a responsive, affectionate or sympathetic person.

Horace Mann improved the educational system in many ways by expressing his views in his essay “From the Report of the Massachusetts Board of Education, 1848.” Mann brings up many points in which that are important to improve education, such as political education and physical education. He states

Horace Mann was an early 18th century politician and a visionary in the area of education reform. He is credited as the person responsible promoting the belief that education not only be free, but should be available to all. Horace Mann’s concept for equality in education ensures “that everyone receives an education that will allow them to compete for wealth on equal terms.” (Spring, 2014 p. 58.)

During Mann’s twelve years as secretary of the Massachusetts board of education he sent back reports to the board as to the condition of schools and what he thought should be taught in them. His ideas in these reports revolved around six ideas: “(1) that a republic cannot long remain ignorant and free, hence the necessity of universal education; (2) that such education must be paid for, controlled, and sustained by an interested public; (3) that such education is best provided in schools embracing children of all religious, social, and ethnic backgrounds; (4) that such education, while profoundly moral in character, must be free of sectarian religious influence; (5) that such education must be permeated throughout by the spirit, methods, and discipline of a free society, which preclude pedagogy in the classroom; and (6) that such education can be provided only by well-trained, professional