Public education reform movement

1. Public education reform movement By: Allison Eglow, Alix Gardner, & Milinkumar

2. Background • No uniform educational policy existed • Classrooms not divided by grade • Few children continued in school beyond the age of 10 • Free public education was common in New England but rare in the South • Most education took place at home with the family or tutors • Many were scared by the idea of uneducated citizens ruining the political structure • Little was taught and teachers were not very educated themselves schools were very inefficient

3. Accomplishments • By 1850s all states had accepted three basic principles of public education: • schools should be free and supported by taxes • Teachers should be trained • Children should be required to attend school • Larger school houses, longer school terms, more criteria to teach students • American women gained their first opportunities for higher education • 1837 Mount Holyoke Seminary • Emphasis on increased education led to institutions to aid handicapped people • US literacy rate became highest in the world

4. Important Leaders • Horace Mann- “Father of the Common School” • Background • Born into a poor farming family with little to no education • Took a great interest in reading later a tutor helped him get into the sophomore class at Brown University • Studied to be a lawyer and became Senator of Massachusetts • Elected Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education in 1837 • Passion • Felt that the Common School would be a great balance for society essential for the harmony and stability of society “Education is the only political safety. Outside of this ark all is deluge.”

5. Important Leaders Continued… • Emma Willard • ~ First American female advocate of higher education for women • ~ Published “Plan for Improving Female Education” • -- Basis for public education of women in New York • ~ 1821 opened her own girls’ school the Troy Female Seminary • Horace Mann Continued.. • ~ Created 6th month minimum school year • ~ Campaigned for better school houses, longer school terms, expanded curriculum, and higher pay for teachers • ~ His ideals spread to mostly northern states and strongly effected the public school movement • Noah Webster - “School Master of the public” • ~ Wrote reading primers and texts for school use • ~ Created American Dictionary of 1828 • ~ Wrote Grammatical Institute of the English Language

6. Connection to Jacksonian Democracy • “Rise of common man” more of the poor class are getting the education and have the right to attend school • Not only wealthy people can get a proper education • More educated people= more educated votes • More educated people led to more educated participation in government

7. Multiple Choice • Who was the leader of the Education Reform Movement? • A) Emma Willard • B) Andrew Jackson • C) A slave in South Carolina • D) Horace Mann • Many people were scared of: • A) Uneducated people ruining political structure • B) Slaves revolting • C) Horace Mann ruining political structure • D) A balance in society • Which group of people did the Education Reform benefit most? • A) Northern plantation owners • B) Women and kids in the South • C) Children in the North • D) Free African Americans