The Common School

"Without undervaluing any other human agency, it may be safely affirmed that the Common School...may become the

most effective and benignant of all forces of civilization.”

-Horace Mann

Objectives

http://youtu.be/IHYtYE8_bzU

Define the Common School, including history,

characteristics, and function

Discuss important historical figure Horace Mann

Instructional Tools: Then & Now

Compare/Contrast the Common School to schools

of today

History of the Common School

Precursor to today’s public elementary school

Established in the 1830’s

A system of schools proposed by Horace Mann

Proposed free, universal, non-sectarian schooling

For all children, regardless of religion or social class

Funded by taxes and special fees paid by parents

Compulsory attendance laws

Not only literacy and arithmetic, but civic responsibility

Children would gain knowledge while learning how to be productive democratic citizens

The First Common School Building (1753-1838)

Horace Mann

• 1st State Secretary of Education

• Principal advocate of the nineteenth-century common school movement

• Visionary in education• Teachers need proper

training• His influence soon

spread beyond Massachusetts as more states took up the idea of universal schooling

Debate over the Common School

Arguments For

Strengthen the new nation’s unity

Serve to “Americanize” or assimilate waves of foreigners

Better educated = increase in workforce productivity

Better educated = decrease in crime and reduced poverty

Equal education opportunities for everyone including minorities and children with disabilities

Arguments Against

Why should one family pay for the education of another family’s children

Educating the poor should be the responsibility of religious groups

Mingling of classes and races may dilute the “American” culture and language

What would happen to religious study

Class Activity

Read about the Common School in the textbook, pages 329-331

Each group will take a few minutes and fill-out a Box T-Chart with a few similarities and differences between the Common School and Today’s Schools

Each group will share what they came up with, and as a group we will try to expand on the discussion

Other Ideas

Yesterday’s Common School vs. Today’s Public School

Yesterday’s Instructional Tools vs. Today’s Instructional Tools

Similarities

Universal Education

Funded by taxes

Public education provided, other choices are not subsidized

Local Control (District/Community Structure)

Mostly non-sectarian, but highly debated

Way to provide a common cultural experience (assimilation)

Differences

Expanded Curriculum today

Technology

One room instruction ages 4-12 (all ages grouped together)

Prominently individual instruction, like Little House on the Prairie

Lack of mobility and therefore school choice in Common School Era

True equity in public schools is almost impossible