First off, Mann talks about Physical Education in “the common school”. Mann believed that health and strength were indispensable ingredients to a good education. Horace Mann compares health to money in this section. Therefore, it is civic duty to stay healthy, he claims health is within our own control. Each child must advocate for himself so schools should spread the info of health: to popularize it. Sanitary intelligence should be taught in the “common school” from an early age so kids would be accustomed to it. Mann then starts to discuss Intellectual Education as a Means of Removing Poverty, and Securing Abundance.
Mann starts out this section by saying, “According to the European theory, men are divided into classes, --some to toil and earn, others to seize and enjoy. According to the Massachusetts theory, all are to have an equal chance for earning, and equal security in the enjoyment of what they earn” (112). What Mann means by this is that like so many 19th century American intellectuals, Mann is concerned with distinguishing the young nation from its European origins, here on the simple premise of increased social mobility. He often argues throughout this section and the essay for “universal”, what we would now
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However, he talks about how a complex society will equal more temptations. If one were to look back at all the evil throughout history, education has yet to be brought in to teach morals. Mann goes on to explain Religious Education. This is the most personal of all the sections. If you look to history, the government which tried to control religion fell. He then proceeds to how we are a nation, the first with freedom of opinion. There are so many religions, which one would you choose then? For a government to force and predetermine the religious opinions of children is absurd. If our government is supposed to protect the rights of religion, isn’t it hypocritical for it to force one on its