Lecture on Education: The Principles of Universal Public Education, Expressed by its Historic Founder

Horace Mann

• Publisher: Bonhopai Books
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN: 9781779794369
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

Lecture on Education: The Principles of Universal Public Education, Expressed by its Historic Founder by Horace Mann is a stirring testament to the ideals and convictions of the man often called the father of the American public school system. In this impassioned address, Mann lays out the philosophical and moral foundations of a truly democratic education — one designed not merely to instruct, but to elevate, unify, and ennoble the human spirit.

Delivered in the mid-nineteenth century, this lecture distills Mann's lifelong crusade for free, universal, and nonsectarian education as the cornerstone of a just society. He argues that public schooling is not a privilege but a right; that knowledge is the safeguard of liberty; and that education, properly conducted, must cultivate both intellect and virtue. His words, alive with moral fervor and civic vision, reveal an unshakable belief in humanity's capacity for improvement through learning.

Mann's Lecture on Education remains as relevant today as when it was first spoken. It reminds readers that education is the great equalizer — the tool through which nations secure their future and individuals realize their dignity. More than a historical document, it is a moral call to action, urging teachers, parents, and citizens to see in every child the seed of infinite possibility.

 For educators, reformers, and lovers of civic ideals, this short yet monumental work offers a clear expression of the principles that shaped modern public education — a voice from America's past still speaking powerfully to its conscience. 

Table of contents

• Title page
• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• INTRODUCTION.
• LECTURE