Moderation Essays - Dorothea Dix, United States Sanitary Commission

In the 1800s, there were very few tax supported schools. These schools were meant to educate the poor and people didnt feel like their hard earned money should not go to someone else. Eventually, conservative Americans gradually saw the fact that if they didn't pay to educate other peoples kids, those kids might grow up and bind together, with the vote as their weapon of choice. Taxation for education was an insurance premium that the wealthy paid for stability and democracy. After this realization, public education grew in the north, but like in all other situations, the south lagged behind. As manhood suffrage increased during Jacksons presidency, a free vote cried aloud for free education. Even according to the 3rd president himself, A civilized nation that was both ignorant and free never was and never will be. As public education increased, the famed little red schoolhouse became a staple of US democracy. But it wasnt. It was anything but perfect. This was especially shown by th e grade of teachers. The teachers were ill-trained, ill-tempered, ill-paid. They were as good at teaching as riff raff is at rapping. Then along came Horace Mann. A Brown graduate and the secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Education, he effectively campaigned for more and better schools, longer school terms, higher teacher pay, and expanded curriculum and he got his requests. The education system was so much of a problem, Abe Lincoln even said on his own childhood education, there was absolutely nothing to excite ambition for education. Still after all of this, by 1860 there were only about 100 secondary schools and still roughly 1 million illiterate adults. Blacks were still legally forbidden to receive instruction in reading or writing, even free ones. Floyd Mayweather would fit right in. To help combat this lack of education, Noah Webster, a Yale graduate deemed the schoolmaster of the republic, wrote reading lessons designed to promote patriotism and used by millions i n the 19th century. He also wrote the webster's dictionary and spent more than a quarter of his life doing so. There was also William H. McGuffey. A native Ohioan, McGuffeys readers taught of morality, patriotism, and idealism and sold more than 122 million copies in the decades after 1830. That is more books sold than Tom Bradys net worth. Even though transcendentalism was at a high, people did want higher education thanks to the earlier 2nd great awakening. This 2nd coming led to many small liberal arts colleges in the south and west. The 1st state supported public universities were in the south. UNC in 1795 and UVA in 1819 which was the brainchild of TJeff. These colleges strived for freedom from religious and political shackles. Even with all of these advances, womens higher education was frowned upon. Their place was believed to be at home and training in sewing rather than algebra. It was a common conception that too much learning injured the feminine brain, undermined health, rendered a lady unfit for marriage. Emma Willard tried to change this stereotype by establishing Troy Female Seminary in 1821. This was followed by Oberlin College opening doors to women in 1837 and the creation of Mount Holyoke Seminary. As people craved more knowledge, tax supported libraries became increasing popular. Along with this came lyceum lectures were also prominent where educated talkers like my (6 greats cousin) Ralph Waldo Emerson spoke about science and philosophy nationwide. Magazines also flourished like the North American Review and Godeys Ladys Book during this time. The 2nd great awakening brought optimistic promises which inspired many to do battle against the earthly evils. Reformers dreamed anew the old Puritan vision of a society free from war, alcohol, and discrimination especially free from slavery. Women were strong advocators especially in their own struggle for suffrage. There was a desire to reaffirm traditional values. ----Unfortunately, Debtors Priso n was still a problem as late as 1830. Hundreds of penniless people were homeless sometimes for owing less than a dollar, but as embattled laborers won the ballot, state legislatures gradually abolished it. As with this, criminal codes in states were being softened. There was a reduction in capital offenses. Brutal punishments like whipping and branding were being