Horace Mann

Horace Mann was a dedicated American educational reformer and politician who championed the concept of universal, free, and non-sectarian public schooling. He believed that education's primary aims should be to cultivate civic virtue and social efficiency, rather than mere learning. Mann's vision emphasized transforming unruly children into disciplined, judicious citizens through a structured public school system. His establishment of normal schools for teacher training and his advocacy for the Common School Movement fundamentally shaped public education.