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1. Horace Mann
Presentation by Rebecca Agostino
and Douglas Schall

2. Our Survey
Throughout this presentation, you will be prompted to
answer questions through an online survey. Please only
complete the question in the powerpoint directions (no
peaking ahead!) The results will be shared on the
discussion board at the end of the week. All responses
will be recorded anonymously
The green button symbol (around this
text box) will remind you to refer
back to the survey

3. What is the purpose of
education? Who should benefit
from our public education
system?
Who should finance public
education? Should this financial
burden be shared equally?
Is education a natural right?

4. Background on Horace Mann
(Baines, 2006, 269)
 Worked first as a lawyer, and then as a senator
 Tireless advocate for not only public education, but also
good public education
 Promoted institutions to train teachers and establish
libraries
 Also was a strong proponent of physical education
 Mann considered education the "antidote" to many
issues that plagued society, including "poverty, crime,
poor health, ignorance…" (Mann, 1891, 269)

5. What is the Purpose of Public
Education? Before you start- what do
you think? You should
complete “Purpose of
Cornell West believes that the role of Education” Parts I and II
education is to prepare one for their on the survey
eminent death.
Don‟t believe me? Watch this clip.
AND: The Massachusetts 1647 Charter on
Education asserted that, “‟every town
with 100 families‟ was required to „set
up a grammar school‟ whose master
should be „able to instruct youth so far
as they are fitted for university.‟‟‟
Respond to this quote through (Valentine, 1891, p.108)
the next question on the
survey!

6. So What did Mann think?
Mann argues that free and universal education is,
“indispensable to the continuance of republican
government.” (Mann, 1891, p.113)
“Mann envisioned a “common school” that would unite all
citizens—of varied religions, ethnic backgrounds,
socioeconomic levels, and professions—into one community,
educated in the values of a basically white Protestant
society.” (Berkman, 2009, p.253)

7. 2 sides of the argument
Without public
education… But…
 Mann asserted that, society,  Think about it! What are
as a whole, would be harmed some downsides to public
if all did not participate in
education? (We know you
educating the younger
generations: “They who are in an education
refuse to train up children in program! Don‟t worry- your
a way they should go are responses are anonymous…)
training up incendiaries and
madmen to destroy property
and life, and to invade and
pollute the sanctuaries of Enter your thoughts into the
society.” (Valentine, 1891, survey
p.129)

8. Who Should Finance Public
Education?
Mann asserted that it was the government’s responsibility to foot the bill
for the country‟s educational system because government has a moral
obligation to protect the rights of the minority (i.e. the youth), by ensuring
their access to the shared intellectual property from past generations
(Valentine, 1891, p.126)
This is the manifestation of Mann‟s greatest fears (of young people being
denied an education).
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Survey time! Complete the
question following the title
page “Financing Public
Education”

9. Mann’s serious about this!! Really serious. He feels that it’s
societies MORAL DUTY to provide all citizens with an education.
“…any community, whether nation or state, that ventures to
organize a government, or administer a government already
organized, without making provisions for the free education of all
its children, dares the certain vengeances of Heaven, and in the
squalid forms of poverty and destitution, in the scourges of
violence and misrule, in the heart destroying corruptions of
licentiousness and debauchery and in political profligacy and
legalized perfidy, in all the blended and mutually aggravated
crimes of civilization and barbarism, will be sure to feel the
terrible retribution of its delinquency. (Mann, 1891, p.130)
Do you agree? To what extent??

10. “Every Child”
 "In 1642, the General Court of the colony, by a public
act, enjoined upon the municipal authorities the duty of
seeing that every child within their respective
jurisdictions should be educated." (106)
Thanks to civil rights activists, parents,
Survey time! Complete
students, teachers, and administrators, ALL
the next question in
children today must receive a Fair and
the survey.
Appropriate Education (FAPE), regardless of
disability. However, some people think that we
should modify our rules and/or expectations
around students with special needs. What do
you think?

11. What’s the legal rationale for Government to
extract money from its citizens in order to pay for
the enterprise of public education?
Mann believed that the legal basis for the common school
movement rested in what is called Natural Law, which
“compels the state to provide [for] schools that prepare
individuals to perform all the duties essential for
citizenship.” (Grande, 2006, p.69)

12. Natural law asserts two things
First Second
 There is such a thing as  The existence of this
human nature nature means that there
are certain basic goods that
we should all pursue in our
actions
Want to learn more?
Or even more? (please excuse the
advertisement that precedes the video)

13. Opposing Viewpoints (Berkman,2009, 252)
Mann On the other hand…
 According to Mann, all  This might imply that
students should be a part of school choice threatens the
a “common school” public school values, by
community allowing parents to “opt
out” of the public
education
Whose side are you on? Go to the survey to
identify where on the spectrum you fall

14. More opposing viewpoints
(Baines, 2006, 270)
Mann On the other hand…
 Viewed education as  Many poor families wanted
compulsory their children to work, as
they needed income merely
to sustain their households
 The beginning of this video
describes many opponents
of Mann, and current
education reformers, quite
well
Whose side are you on? Go to the
survey to identify where on the
spectrum you fall

15. Citations
Baines, Lawrence (2005, Fall- 2006, Summer). A school for
the common good: does Horace Mann still matter.
Educational Horizons, 84(2), 268-274
Berkman, James S. (2009, Fall). Mann‟s democratic vision
of school choice. Schools: Studies in Education,
6(2), 251-256
Brick, Blanch (2005). Changing concepts of equal education
opportunity: A comparison of the views of Thomas
Jefferson, Horace Mann, and John Dewey. American
Educational History Journal, 32(2), 166-174

16. Citations
Grande, Albert (2006, November). Education as a natural
right. St. John’s Journal of Legal Commentary,
21(1), 63-72
Valentine (1891). Foundations in education: life and
works of Horace Mann, vol. IV. Boston: Lee and
Shepard, 105-140