Horace Mann and the Common School Revival in the United States (Classic Reprint)

Book excerpt: Excerpt from Horace Mann and the Common School Revival in the United States This book aims to realize, in respect to its subject, the ideal of the series of volumes to which it belongs. From an important point of view, the history of great educators is a history of education itself. Books deal ing with such men, when written on this plan, are not only biographies, but comprehensive, although con cise, accounts of the great educational movements with which the men are identified. In other words, the single purpose of this book is to set before the reader Horace Mann as an educator, in his historical position and relations. Everything is made to bend to this central idea. The work is therefore double Horace Mann and his Historical Environment. It seeks pri marily to tell the story of Mann's life and labors simply and clearly, but in a manner to utilize some part, at least, of the great motive power with which his life is charged. The material for the life, or story proper, has been drawn mainly, but not exclusively, from the Life and Works of Horace Mann, five vol umes, Boston, 1891. Mrs. Mann's In'fe, which is Vol. I. Of the Life and Works, abounds in extracts from his letters and diaries, and also contains many letters and extracts from letters written to him. It is to a great extent a book of original materials, and its value is largely due to this fact. In some parts of the present. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.