Public Education : Horace Mann's Theory Of 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

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.

	Horace Mann was the father of the American School System. Horace Mann’s had many reforms on education. He was born in 1796. Mann determined what the purpose of education should be based on his own experience and observation. Mann also had many ideas how education could be improved. Many of these ideas have been followed by schools today as well. Mann also had ideas on topics which one considers today to be controversial. The public should take into account what Mann’s ideas were on these issues.

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

The second issue upon which Horace Mann and Geoffrey Canada both agree upon is the expunging of Standardised Testing and High Risk test taking. Horace Mann in the “Communist Manifesto” points out that tax-funded, government run school systems control the information taught. He later writes that the tuition free educational system would bring an end to the “government force-tax funded schools”, and he later says that the justification for tax-funded school systems is “to train the young to work for the communal debt system” (). It can be inferred from the quote that

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.

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.)

Horace Mann was the father of the American School System. Horace Mann’s had many reforms on education. He was born in 1796. Mann determined what the purpose of education should be based on his own experience and observation. Mann also had many ideas how education could be improved. Many of these ideas have been followed by schools today as well. Mann also had ideas on topics which one considers today to be controversial. The public should take into account what Mann’s ideas were on these issues.

Growing up in school, when “Dewey” was mentioned, one more than likely thought of the Dewey decimal system, which was used in libraries. However, that system was created by Melvil Dewey, and while he was an important person, there was another Dewey that impacted education in extraordinary ways. That man is known as John Dewey. John Dewey shaped the education system that we have today by reconstructing the progressive education. Dewey was a philosopher, and educational theorist who used experimentalism, as well as many other theories to change the way the American Education system was done. He lived during the time period where traditional and progressive education were coming together, so he used both to create his own personal philosophies. Once of his major philosophies was relating learning to society. Additionally, he used dualism as an approach to his philosophies that changed the education system. He impacted today’s education system in many ways, with his different ideas still being seen in school’s today. Incorporating multiple subjects into school’s, as well as taking a hand’s on learning approach are two theories that while many other philosophers believed in as well, Dewey used to develop the education system. John Dewey was a model citizen, that benefited society and the American education system in a variety of ways.

John Dewey in Democracy and Education, stresses the importance of formal education and how the mass media has manipulated the uneducated in our society. However, Dewey explains how manipulation is prevented through formal education. Not only will society become intelligent, they will be better-educated, informed citizens with knowledge about serving others. Therefore, creating citizens that want to help each other and make a successful democracy. Dewey is still speaking to us today, about the mass media and technology and that the educated will use it from connecting on a global level for the betterment of society and grow culturally into globalism. Based on my understanding of Dewey’s argument on the process by which education realizes in each individual, and on the importance of democracy for the betterment of humanity; the role formal schooling has in creating better, more democratic citizens. They are communicating with different cultures of people in society, they have individual freedoms and use them, and useful communication through technology and improving democracy for all citizens.

John Dewey’s famous declaration of education, My Pedagogic Creed, contains five articles that list Dewey’s own personal beliefs regarding education, schools, subject matter, and nature of method. Dewey’s last article records his concern for school and social progress. Dewey begins with the assertion that “education is the fundamental method of social progress and reform” (Dewey 8). Dewey believes that society has the obligation to reform education, and as a society, each person is responsible for the next. Dewey states that "through education society can formulate its own purposes, can organize its own means and resources, and thus shape itself with definiteness and economy in the direction in which it wishes to move" (Dewey 8). Dewey later concludes the fifth article with the stance that “every teacher should realize the dignity of his calling” and be proud of his profession for he “is the prophet of the true God” (Dewey 9). Some of the most significant statements in the article are seen between the middle and end of the passage. Dewey believes that art and science are considered two of the most important subjects, but when the two come together as one, they become even more significant to the learner.

Dewey’s approach to learning is that of hands-on learning, oppose to conforming to a lectured approach., education should stem from the principle of learning