Twelfth Annual Report
by
Horace Mann
This is his summing up after 12 years. It is considered the
"great credo of public education" where he discusses the relation
of church, state, and the public school in a free society.
He is an evangelist
He has wonderful images of the students:
raw material
embryos of talent
nursling of our schools
rising generation
lithe sapling
tender germ
analogy: schoolroom:society::infant:adult
Mann portrays the glory of education in grand, almost heroic
terms. He is speaking specifically about the 12 experiment of
Common Schools.
- it may become the most effective and benign of all forces of
civilization.
- it is universal serving generation after generation.
- great results from a system so imperfect and an
administration o feeble.
- In teaching the blind, deaf and dumb, in kindling the latent
spark of intelligence that lurks in an idiot's mind.. education
has proved what it can do, by glorious experiments.
- it will create: inventors, discoverers, artisans, scientific
farmers, Presidents, Professors, Generals...
Physical Education
The compares health to money two ways:
loss to community, employer, family when someone is sick and
unable.
not transferred like stolen money, just gone. a dead loss to
the community.
Thus it is civic duty to stay healthy. Health is within our
own control, thus health of race is dependent upon health of
race. God may ordain it, but we must be diligent. Each child
must prescribe for himself. Schools should spread this info
across the state: to popularize them. This should be practiced
in all areas of public activity and in capitalists buildings.
Sanitary intelligence should be dispensed from the Common School.
All teachers should be versed in Human Physiology to teach.
Intellectual Education, as a Means of Removing Poverty, and
Science Abundance
The state should be sure to provide the good life: the well-
being of its people.
In Eur men are born into classes; in Mass all men are equal.
Dividends earned in state should go to benefit people.
Only Universal education can separate us from Eur and class
struggle. Let the profits of the capitalists p[ass down to the
people. SOCIALISM??
Since the prosperity of the state has been attributed to
education then why not give back?
Education then, beyond all other devices of human origins, is
the great equalizer of the condition of men.
Education prevents both the revenge and the madness.
For the creation of wealth intelligence is the condition.
Success in a political economy is to change a consumer into a
producer.
Political Education
republican govt:without intelligence::mad-house:without
superintendent.
Intelligence should be commensurate with the nature of
the duties.
With intelligence, elective legislators will never far
surpass their electors.
It is easy to make a republic, harder to make republicans.
To understand citizenship the Constitution of US and Mass
should be studied in school: social studies.
Since there are different readings of the Constitution that
is why we should teach it.
Would politics in the schools be catastrophic?? To avoid
this should we banish political discourse or allow the angry ones
to speak? Find a middle course. This is part of the process of
teaching. Present the text without prejudice and let the kids
decide.
Moral Education
Morality is crucial and a homicidal and suicidal man results
in a community without conscience.
Evil triumphed over Good; Wrong follows Right;
more complex = more temptations
Look to the history of Man to see: all of the -cides, fraud,
aggression, war, slavery. Man panders, govt enact laws, rel has
tried, yet education has yet to be brought in to teach morals.
Religious Education
This is more a personal section than anything else. Everyone
knows his views.
grave charges that we have excluded religion.
Free schools opposed and parochial schools pushed.
Wishes to vindicate self.
Look to history: govt which tried to control the religion
fell. We are a nation, the first with freedom of opinion.
Public and common are names attached to these schools. Many
religions, which one?
political educ are not given to make the child vote one way
or another and so religion should not be taught. This is
personal choice. WE TEACH TO ENABLE HIM TO JUDGE HIMSELF.
The Bible is in our schools by common consent. If the Bible
is the book which dispenses Christian beliefs how can it be said
the schools are anti-Christian?
We ask our teachers to exact a certain thing, not explicitly
called Christianity, but which follows the tents of Christianity.
For a govt to coerce and predetermine the religious opinions
of children is sacrilege.
If a govt is recognized to protect the rights of religion,
how can it force one on its young citizens?
Keep the free schools free.
An excerpt
Another excerpt
|