1. Dealing with Immigrants
Common schools adopted texts, curriculum that were intended to create ‘new Americans’ from newly arrived immigrants
Approach and consequences?

2. Common School Reform in the South
Movement struggled to take hold in South
Possible reasons?
Difference in immigration patterns
Demographics
Economics
Supporters used similar arguments, shared goals as those in the North
Social conditions simply may have been more favorable in the North!

3. Horace Mann and the Moral Crusade for Common Schools

4. Why Mann? Often considered the ‘father’ of common school movement
Worked tirelessly as an advocate of common public schooling his entire adult life
Wide and complex variety of arguments in favor of common schooling

5. An Early Reformer Advocate of social justice for all
Favored economic development as path towards improving the living standard of all citizens
Temperance
Asylums for ‘insane’
Alternatives to debtors’ prison

6. Mann Becomes Secretary
Becomes Secretary of Education of Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1837)
First SecEd in history!
Devotes his life for the next 12 years to establishing common schools as a means of alleviating social and economic division

7. Protestant Republicanism
Concept of ‘Protestant Republicanism’
Built off values of Protestantism of early settlers
Evolved to become a non-sectarian, secular morality
Avoided emphasis on any one version of Protestantism
Broad Christian principles of morality
Assimilation of various groups into mainstream

8. The Role of the State in Protestant Republicanism
Major and necessary role!
State influence was vital to ensure economic and social reform
Local communities not always willing to embrace change!
The Problem of Localism
State and reformers unable to truly eliminate sectarianism from local community schools
Is it even possible (or right)?

9. Justify your Love (of the common school)
Why should wealthy support common schools?
5th Annual Report (1842)
Education creates:
Safe and malleable workers
Less likely to drink or be incompetent
More stable home life, more likely to attend church
Reinforce the social stratification!

10. Mann’s Argument
Education prevents social disorder and a disruption of the system!
Respect for property
Work ethic
Recognition of roles in society
Respect and docility for authority and especially capitalism
Capitalism equated with morality!

11. Property and Taxation Tenth Annual Report (1846)
Attacked those wealthy who complained about use of property taxes to support schooling
Common schools benefit the entire community, so demand the support of the entire community!
Property as intended “for the benefit and subsistence of the whole race…,collectively.”

12. Right to an Education
Mann associated the ‘pursuit of happiness’ with the right of a child to a quality education
Necessary not only for the stability of society but also as the duty of moral Christianity
10th Report led to adoption of first true compulsory ed law in Massachusetts

13. The Working Class Appeal
Twelfth Annual Report (1848)
Schools as the only way to prevent the division of society based on class
Avoided domination of capital and servility of labor
‘the great equalizer of the conditions of men-the balance wheel of the social machinery’
How does this appeal compare to the appeal to the wealthy?

14. Opposing the Mann Basic Purpose of Moral Education
Was there truly a social crisis?
Differences in pedagogy
Seventh Annual Report (1843)
All children are different and must be guided, not forced, where they need to be
Boston schoolmasters demanded emulation approach!

15. Challenging the Masters
Corporal punishment
Mann: counterproductive!
Masters: maintained order and decorum
Reading Instruction
Mann: whole word and child centered
Masters: phonics and teacher directed
Mann viewed as inexperienced dreamer

16. The True Appeal of Mann Women loved the Mann!
Mann’s approach and beliefs appealed to an increasingly feminized work force!
Child centered, morally persuasive education and discipline
Appeal to the needs of the community and society and limitation on divisions