The District School

John Orville Taylor

New-York :   Harper & Brothers, 1834

[History of American Public Education] Bound in publisher's cloth. Good binding. Scattered foxing, staining throughout.  An interesting book on the education of American children in the early 19th century.  John Orville Taylor was an early proponent of public education.  Taylor taught at the City University of New York as a professor of education.  His primarily interest was elementary education.  Taylor compared contemporary American education with that of Prussia, highlighting glaring deficiencies in America.  Much of his comparisons were based on the work of Victor Cousin.  Taylor's work was widely influential; he toured the country giving lectures on educational reform and this work sold more than 5000 copies.  He advocated greater pay, professionalism, and qualification for teachers; arguing that by improving the status of teachers the quality of teaching applicants and ultimately education would improve.  In Part II of this book, Taylor deals with education from an American perspective, arguing for the necessity of general intelligence in a free government.  He goes on to argue for education as part of living in society, for the duties we owe each other, and for the patriotic duties to our country.  He aptly states, "The free institutions of the United States are not secured by armies, revenues, or constitutions; but by universal education.  The education of the people stands in the place of armies, bulwarks, and a throne.  Knowledge and virtue are not only power and happiness, but they are 'Liberty.'" - p. 291.

Sabin 94511.