1. 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
2. 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
3. History of the Common School
Precursor to today’s public Funded by taxes and special
elementary school fees paid by parents
Established in the 1830’s Compulsory attendance laws
A system of schools proposed Not only literacy and
by Horace Mann arithmetic, but civic
responsibility
Proposed free, universal,
non-sectarian schooling Children would gain
knowledge while learning
For all children, regardless of how to be productive
religion or social class democratic citizens
5. 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
6. Debate over the Common School
Arguments For Arguments Against
Strengthen the new nation’s unity Why should one family pay for the
education of another family’s
Serve to “Americanize” or children
assimilate waves of foreigners
Educating the poor should be the
Better educated = increase in
responsibility of religious groups
workforce productivity
Mingling of classes and races may
Better educated = decrease in
crime and reduced poverty dilute the “American” culture and
language
Equal education opportunities for
everyone including minorities and What would happen to religious
children with disabilities study
7. 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
10. 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)
11. 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
