Horace Mann And The MA Board Of Education

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“The Common School is the greatest discovery ever made by man,” said Horace Mann a fundamental 19th Century education reformer. Horace Mann’s focus on education was to get equal education for all, no matter the class.
Horace Mann was the secretary of the MA Board of Education from 1837 to 1848. Mann encouraged for free, universal nonsectarian Protestant common schools. Universal common schools did not always mean females, African Americans, Catholics could also attend. In his 12th annual report directed at poor/working class, Mann states that: children are treasures; education will prevent class hardening, which occurs in Europe; education is a great equalizer – American dream means future mobility. Mann created the county educational conventions …show more content…

Mann saw complications with the current schools in practice and wanted to fix these problems. The six main problems he targeted were: (1) the public should not longer remain ignorant and free, (2) that education should be paid for, controlled and sustained by an interested public, (3) that this education will best be provided in schools that embrace children of all diversities, (4) that education must be non-sectarian, (5) that this education must be taught by the spirit, methods, and discipline of a free society, (6) that education should be provided by well-trained, professional …show more content…

Mann advocated for free, universal nonsectarian Protestant common schools. Universal common schools did not always mean females, African Americans, Catholics could also attend. In his 12th annual report directed at poor/working class, Mann states that: children are treasures; education will prevent class hardening, which occurs in Europe; education is a great equalizer – American dream means future mobility. Mann created the county educational conventions where he distributed annual reports. Mann also established the Common School Journal in