Horace MannHorace Mann, born in 1796, was born into a life of poverty. He pursued a career as a lawyer and legislator in Massachusetts, meaning he was able to see the lives of both classes. This is one of the many reasons he has taken an active role in education reform. He was unable to enroll in school until he was twenty due to his financial situation. This was what led him to suggest that public schools should be paid for with tax money. Because of this profession, he naturally wanted to fight for what he felt was necessary. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay According to him, the basis of political stability and social harmony is based on education. If people don't know basic information and morals, they can't live a good life. With these beliefs, he was the perfect person to become the secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education. This position allowed him to be influential in public school debates. Of course, the number of people against his ideas was notable, but he also had a large group of supporters. Many people protested about having to pay for the education of other people's children. However, as voting requirements were changing, younger people were able to vote. With their votes, education reform was quickly underway. Logically, young people who are offered this education will not refuse a free opportunity, Mann quickly came up with six educational principles. The first was that citizens cannot have ignorance and freedom. Second, education should be paid for and maintained by the public. Third, children from different social backgrounds should be accepted, not just Caucasians. As a fourth idea, Horace stated that education should not be sectarian. Fifth, there should be free places to use for learning. Finally, educators should be well trained and prepared for the job. These ideas angered many groups, from politicians to ordinary people, but his ideas continued to prevail. Mann also believed strongly in the idea that children of all classes should study together, allowing for a feeling of equality that he had lacked during his childhood. Most of the other reforms that occurred during this time period created a larger gap between social classes while Horace wanted to do the opposite. With these schools, all children could develop character outside the home. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay With all his efforts, he became known as the “Father of Education”. Without Horace Mann we would not have the education systems we have today. He had a centuries-long impact with his intellectual ideas and concepts. From educators suited to environments of positive learning, he changed the whole way learning and education were seen in his era. Without him the world would no longer be the same.