This page contains a short summary of each different individual's educational goals and impacts on education as well as how these parts impact the American educational system to this day. These educational leaders are studied in colleges and universities nationwide, as well as in other countries who have educational systems that are similar to our own. These short glimpses into these leaders lives are arranged so that you can see the differences between them, therefore, they have no particular order. Clicking on each name or picture will take you to external websites if you wish to learn more about each of these individuals.
Thomas Jefferson - He served as the 3rd President of the United States and advocated for a public library system, to make the College of William and Mary more Democratic, as well as create a state-wide school system for the state of Virginia. Although these propositions weren't successful in being adopted, the University of Virginia implemented the plans he had for the College of William and Mary when it was established in 1819. This democratic approach to colleges and universities is still widely used today.
Benjamin Rush - He believed in aligning the American education system with those of American needs, specifically through usage of the principles of democracy. Alongside these beliefs of American societal integration into public education, he believed that the Bible should be a main text within schools. He also advocated for basic education for females in the nation so that they could perform the tasks they were expected to more effectively.
Noah Webster - He is known as the "Father of Modern Scholarship and Education" because he believed in the proper spelling and grammar for all students in the public education system. This belief led him to author An American Dictionary of the English Language in 1828. In addition to this, he believed that the Bible should be removed from schools and decided to write his own textbooks for his students.
Horace Mann - He is known as the "Father of the Common School" because he led the movement for a school system where all students in the state could get a basic education that was funded upon local taxes. He did all of this when he was elected as the Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education in 1837.
Booker T. Washington - He founded the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, now known as Tuskegee University, following the American Civil War and becoming a free man. He wrote The Future of the American Negro in 1899 which detailed his belief that members of both races should work together as Christians to educate all members of society in order to rebuild and grow the nation after the war.
Ella Flagg Young - She served as Chicago Public School District's first female superintendent and was later elected as the first female president of the National Education Association. She also served as one of the most theoretical voices of the teaching movement in the United States in the early 1900s. She specifically advocated for the unity of teachers to push for the limiting teacher involvement in planning courses of study so that they can focus on teaching.
John Dewey - He believed that human beings learned best through hands-on interactions, which is why he is considered to be one of the most pragmatic educational philosophers. He advocated against tax-supported training for specific jobs while advocating for schooling to be more interesting and engaging for students by being progressive through the usage of the world of work within the classroom.
George W. Bush - He served as the 43rd President of the United States and actively worked to establish a new set of education standards nationwide following the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001. These standards that were created are known as the Common Core Standards and institutionalized standardized testing as the measure by which public schools are measured on their success or lack thereof of educating their students. These standards are actively used today in educational legislation and public school administrations in the design of curriculum.
W. E. B. Du Bois - He was an influential African-American civil rights activist who was a co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, as well as the author of The Souls of Black Folk which was published in 1903. He advocated for a wide vision towards the liberation of the African-American community in the United States, specifically the equal education of all members of society so that they can build each other up and prosper as a nation.
Frederick Douglass - He wrote his autobiography titled: The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave which was published in 1845 documenting his life as a child slave and how the various avenues of him becoming an educated man is what ultimately led to his freedom from slavery. He explains that he fought and worked hard in order to receive every piece of education he had, which led to his freedom. This therefore showed him the value of education and its necessity for the holding of freedom.