The Reformer
Horace Mann changed the way children learned as a leader in the Education Reform Movement. He was born on May 4, 1796 in Franklin, Massachusetts. Born into poverty he was chiefly self-taught, and when he was 20 years old Mann was admitted to the sophomore class at Brown University where he took an interest in politics, education, and social reform. When he graduated, he gave a speech on how he would advance the human race through education, philanthropy, and republicanism and join together to help all of mankind.
When Mann took office in the senate, the Massachusetts education system, with a history dating back to 1647, was not prospering, and the quality of education took a huge drop. A reform movement arose and in 1837, the state created the nation’s first board of education, with Mann as its secretary. However, the board had minimal funds so Mann’s position as secretary involved more moral leadership than anything else which Mann possessed in great amounts. He started a biweekly journal in 1838, Common School Journal, for teachers, and lectured on education to all who
would listen. After all the work Mann put in and the changes he made, he had left a legacy after his death on August 2nd, 1859 in Yellow Springs, Ohio. The legacy he left behind and the importance of his work led to the creation of his statue outside the Massachusetts State House in Boston.
When Mann took office in the senate, the Massachusetts education system, with a history dating back to 1647, was not prospering, and the quality of education took a huge drop. A reform movement arose and in 1837, the state created the nation’s first board of education, with Mann as its secretary. However, the board had minimal funds so Mann’s position as secretary involved more moral leadership than anything else which Mann possessed in great amounts. He started a biweekly journal in 1838, Common School Journal, for teachers, and lectured on education to all who
would listen. After all the work Mann put in and the changes he made, he had left a legacy after his death on August 2nd, 1859 in Yellow Springs, Ohio. The legacy he left behind and the importance of his work led to the creation of his statue outside the Massachusetts State House in Boston.
Howe and the education for the blind
Doctor Samuel Howe's career working with blind people began when he received a few blind children at his father’s house on Pleasant Street. He slowly created a school for the visually impaired known as the Perkins Institution. In January of 1833 Howe used up the last of the funds, but the success of his institution led the legislature to approve more funding on the condition that it should educate twenty poor blind from the state. Collections of funds were also given from Salem and Boston. Eventually, Colonel Thomas Handasyd Perkins, a prominent Boston trader in slaves, furs, and opium, presented his mansion and grounds in Pearl Street as a location for the school. In 1839 the institution was moved to the former Mount Washington House Hotel in South Boston, and was named as the Perkins Institution and Massachusetts Asylum or School for the Blind since 1877.
Howe was director, and the life and heart of the school; he opened a printing-office and organized a fund for printing for the blind, which was the first time in the United States. Because of Howe, the Institution became one of the intellectual centers of American philanthropy. In 1837, Howe brought Laura Bridgman, a young deaf-blind girl who later became a teacher at the school. She became famous as the first known deaf-blind person to be successfully educated in the United States.
Dr. Howe originated many improvements in teaching methods, as well as in the process of printing books in Braille. Besides acting as superintendent of the Perkins Institution to the end of his life, he also helped in establishing numerous institutions throughout the country.
Howe was director, and the life and heart of the school; he opened a printing-office and organized a fund for printing for the blind, which was the first time in the United States. Because of Howe, the Institution became one of the intellectual centers of American philanthropy. In 1837, Howe brought Laura Bridgman, a young deaf-blind girl who later became a teacher at the school. She became famous as the first known deaf-blind person to be successfully educated in the United States.
Dr. Howe originated many improvements in teaching methods, as well as in the process of printing books in Braille. Besides acting as superintendent of the Perkins Institution to the end of his life, he also helped in establishing numerous institutions throughout the country.
Gallaudet and the education for the deaf
Thomas Gallaudet was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his mother and father moved to Hartford, Connecticut when Thomas was 13. Originally, Thomas stayed behind because he was training as a youth minister because he wanted to be in the ministry. However, because of
health problems he had to move to Connecticut to stay with his parents. He went to Yale University, and received his bachelor's degree in 1805, graduating at the age of seventeen, with highest honors, and then received a master's degree at Yale in 1808. He had many interests such as study law, trade, or theology. In 1814, Gallaudet became a preacher after his graduation from Andover Theological Seminary after two years of study.
However, Gallaudet's wish to become a professional minister was put aside when he met Alice Cogswell. She was the nine-year-old deaf daughter of a neighbor, Dr. Mason Cogswell. He started to teach Alice what different objects were and their names, teaching her words by writing them with a stick in the dirt, and by drawing pictures of them. Then Dr. Mason Cogswell asked Gallaudet to travel to Europe to study methods for teaching deaf students, especially those of the Braidwood family in England. Gallaudet found the Braidwoods unwilling to share knowledge of their communication method, especially, because he did not have the financial means.
While still in Great Britain, Gallaudet met Abbé Sicard who was head of the Institution Nationale des Sourds-Muets à Paris. Sicard invited Gallaudet to Paris to study the school's method of teaching the deaf using manual communication. Gallaudet was impressed with the teaching, and therefore studied teaching methodology under Sicard, learning sign language from two students of the school, who were both highly educated graduates of the school.
Gallaudet sailed back to America with Clerc, and the two men toured New England, and successfully raised private and public funds to found a school for deaf students in Hartford, which later became known as the American School for the Deaf. Young Alice was one of the first seven students in the United States. In 1821, Gallaudet married one of his former students, Sophia Fowler.
Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet died in Hartford on September 11, 1853, at the age of 73, and was buried in Hartford. In his honor there is a residence hall named in his honor at the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Connecticut.
health problems he had to move to Connecticut to stay with his parents. He went to Yale University, and received his bachelor's degree in 1805, graduating at the age of seventeen, with highest honors, and then received a master's degree at Yale in 1808. He had many interests such as study law, trade, or theology. In 1814, Gallaudet became a preacher after his graduation from Andover Theological Seminary after two years of study.
However, Gallaudet's wish to become a professional minister was put aside when he met Alice Cogswell. She was the nine-year-old deaf daughter of a neighbor, Dr. Mason Cogswell. He started to teach Alice what different objects were and their names, teaching her words by writing them with a stick in the dirt, and by drawing pictures of them. Then Dr. Mason Cogswell asked Gallaudet to travel to Europe to study methods for teaching deaf students, especially those of the Braidwood family in England. Gallaudet found the Braidwoods unwilling to share knowledge of their communication method, especially, because he did not have the financial means.
While still in Great Britain, Gallaudet met Abbé Sicard who was head of the Institution Nationale des Sourds-Muets à Paris. Sicard invited Gallaudet to Paris to study the school's method of teaching the deaf using manual communication. Gallaudet was impressed with the teaching, and therefore studied teaching methodology under Sicard, learning sign language from two students of the school, who were both highly educated graduates of the school.
Gallaudet sailed back to America with Clerc, and the two men toured New England, and successfully raised private and public funds to found a school for deaf students in Hartford, which later became known as the American School for the Deaf. Young Alice was one of the first seven students in the United States. In 1821, Gallaudet married one of his former students, Sophia Fowler.
Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet died in Hartford on September 11, 1853, at the age of 73, and was buried in Hartford. In his honor there is a residence hall named in his honor at the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Connecticut.
Catharine Beecher and Women's Education
Another member of the education reform was Catharine Beecher. In the mid 1800s Beecher recognized public schools' responsibility to focus on the moral, physical, and intellectual development of children. She promoted the expansion and development of teacher training programs because she believed that teaching was more important to society than lawyers or doctors. Beecher was a strong advocate of the inclusion of daily Physical Education and developed a program of calisthenics that were performed to music.
Beecher believed that women have inherent qualities that make them the preferred sex as teachers. As men left teaching to pursue business and industry, she saw the untapped potential of educated women and encouraged education of women to fill the increasing need for teachers. She considered women natural teachers, with teaching as an extension of their domestic role. She pushed and transformed teaching into women’s work.
Beecher believed that women have inherent qualities that make them the preferred sex as teachers. As men left teaching to pursue business and industry, she saw the untapped potential of educated women and encouraged education of women to fill the increasing need for teachers. She considered women natural teachers, with teaching as an extension of their domestic role. She pushed and transformed teaching into women’s work.
Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington also had a role in the reformation of education for African Americans. While the whole change in education was going
through, Booker wanted to make education more equal for the African Americans because they didn’t have an equal education to the white children . Just like any other reformer, Booker committed to making a school available to African Americans.
through, Booker wanted to make education more equal for the African Americans because they didn’t have an equal education to the white children . Just like any other reformer, Booker committed to making a school available to African Americans.