Courtesy of the State Historical Society of Iowa, 1856
Description
In 1856, the Iowa legislature determined that the school system in the state needed reform. To study Iowa's system and work toward improvement, they hired the most famous school reformer of the period, Horace Mann, and Amos Dean as commissioners to recommend measures for state improvement.
Transcript of Excerpts from the Commissioners' Report of Recommendations for Iowa School Laws
Source-Dependent Questions
- Why do you think the Iowa legislature would hire someone from Massachusetts (Horace Mann) to make recommendations about Iowa's schools? Consider that Horace Mann was one of the most influential educators of the antebellum period and he was well-known throughout the United States. Do you agree with their decision? Why or why not?
- How do the commissioners justify their recommendations? Cite evidence from the text.
- The commissioners compare the educational systems of New York and Massachusetts several times in their report. Why would this persuade Iowa?
- How did the commissioners propose to pay for Iowa's education system?
- On Page 198, the commissioners describe what today is known as professional development for teachers. How does the description from 1856 compare with what your teacher(s) experience today?