1. PUBLIC EDUCATION REFORM MOVEMENT By: Allison Eglow, Alix Gardner, & Milinkumar

2. Background NNo uniform educational policy existed CClassrooms not divided by grade FFew children continued in school beyond the age of 10 FFree public education was common in New England but rare in the South MMost education took place at home with the family or tutors MMany were scared by the idea of uneducated citizens ruining the political structure L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… Horace Mann Continued.. ~ Created 6 th 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 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

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