the power of education (Horace Mann)

The Power of Education

In the essay, “Report of the Massachusetts Board of Education”, written in 1848, Horace Mann argues for reform on public education. Mann was raised in a rural town, receiving a very poor education. He was taught by ill-trained and often abusive teachers, however, through hard work and dedication became one of the most influential people in American public education reform. In-order to have an equal society Mann believed every child should receive the opportunity of an education. And the education these children receive positively correlates to how well our society functions. As an example, “Education, then beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men, - the balance-wheel of the social machinery”(p.120, text). Mann understands the importance of an educated society because without the understanding of each persons individual differences which are taught in school, society would turn in on itself. To rid our nation of all its ignorance is an impossible task, however, Mann hypothesized that the public school system would do just that. “It is expressed in these few simple words: ‘Train up a child in the was he should go; and, when he is old, he will not depart from it”(p.124, text). This statement shows how powerful Mann thought the education system could be. If we were able to capture the mind of a child we could decide the eventual outcome of his or her life, he thought. He meant this not in a greedy, power controlling way, but in a way to help guild and direct the success and well being of our country.  As Theodore Roosevelt said, “The welfare of each of us is dependent fundamentally upon the welfare of all of us." 

The public education system today has come a long way since its beginnings. The quality of the teachers I had from K-12 was very high. All my teachers seemed very passionate about the subject they taught and showed concern about the wellness of their students. Everyday I went to school it felt like I was learning something new, but really tried to make the most out of each day. I know some kids who took for granite the opportunity to learn and those were the kids we call failures. We are all given the same opportunities and it is up to us to determine the outcome of them. The education system “knows no distinction of rich and poor, of bond and free, or between those, who, in the imperfect light of this world, are seeking, through different avenues, to reach the gate of heaven”(p.126, text). Within our society the meaning of success is measured in the amount of money one can make. To succeed at making money, the most formal way to do so is to get the highest education. Those who have chosen to follow this path will be deemed successful. However, everyone has their own definition of success, but through this system Mann has created, everyone has an equal chance to find it.