Horace Mann (1796-1859) was a lawyer in Boston who had a strong interest in education reform. He was appointed to be the head of the first Massachusetts Board of Education in 1837. The board had only advisory powers, but Mann strove to use his influence to improve the commonwealth’s schools. This is the board’s first abstract. The reports from Franklin County reproduced here provide information about teacher pay, student attendance, how much each town designated to support its schools, along with an assessment of the schools by concerned citizens. These return reports spurred the Commonwealth to pass laws to improve its schools and led to a universal education system.
Mann, Horace. Abstract of the Massachusetts School Returns for 1838-9. 1839. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/l02-129/. Accessed on October 16, 2024.
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