Father of American Public Education
Presented by Butch Latimer
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Historical Context of Work Born, 1796 Died, 1859 Horace Mann was into a modest farming family in Massachusetts. Mann would have grown in his orthodoxy style but for tragedy that struck his life. |
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Education and Influences Self-educated through primary years Bachelor’s degree from Brown University in Providence Rhode Island (1816) valedictorian Litchfield Law School admitted to bar (1823) Elected to state legislature 1827 Elected to state senate 1833 Horace Mann was influenced by major tragedies in in personal life. The drowning death of his brother led him to a personal dislike for Calvinism that lasted a lifetime. The death of his first wife of two years also dealt Mann a blow in personal decisions. People that influenced Horace Mann include 1. John Locke “The Reasonableness of Christianity and An Essay for the Understanding of St. Paul's Epistles” and other super naturalism thoughts along with deism. 2. Edmund Dwight was a Springfield philanthropist. |
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Work Life Horace Mann began a law practice in 1823. He resigned and was elected as secretary of Massachusetts Board of Education secretary in 1837. |
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Impact on Best Practices Horace Mann believed that public school is essential to being a good citizen and the wellbeing of society. He felt that a Republican form of government without people of intelligence would be like a mad-house without a superintendent. In 1838, Man was crucial in the establishment of the first Normal Schools in Massachusetts. His goal was to raise the quality of rural schools. |
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Problems or Failures Although Mann’s writings reflect a love and respect of the Holy Bible and Jesus Christ, his biggest challenge was the church. The Puritan church had established schools with the “Old Deluder Act” in Massachusetts. The early school’s goal was to keep Satan (the old deluder) away so he could not prevent knowledge from being gained. Mann fought the theological principals constantly. The point of issue to Mann was the place of religious education in the common school. |
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Impact on Others Horace Mann believed that public school is essential to being a good citizen and the wellbeing of society. He felt that a Republican form of government without people of intelligence would be like a mad-house without a superintendent. In 1838, Man was crucial in the establishment of the first Normal Schools in Massachusetts. His goal was to raise the quality of rural schools. |
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References Horace Mann. (2010). Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, 1. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Houston, P. D. (1996, May). From Horace Mann to the Contrarians. School Administrator, 53, 10. Retrieved May 20, 2011, from Questia database: http://www.questiaschool.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001739445
Mason-King, Pam. "Horace Mann." nd.edu. 1 Oct. 2007. Retrieved May 20, 20011 http://www.nd.edu/~rbarger/www7/mann.html
McCluskey, N. G. (1958). Public Schools and Moral Education: The Influence of Horace Mann, William Torrey Harris, and John Dewey. New York: Columbia University Press. Retrieved May 20, 2011, from Questia database: http://www.questiaschool.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=100724633
PBS. "Horace Mann (1796-1859). "PBS Online: Only a Teacher: Schoolhouse Pioneers. 10 June 2007. Retreived May 20, 2011. http://www.pbs.org/onlyateacher/horace.html |