IMPORTANT FIGURES
Amos Bronson Alcott (1799-1888)
A transcendentalist and self-educated teacher and writer, Amos Bronson Alcott believes that the Gospels should be at the center of American education. In 1834, he opens the Temple School in Boston.
William Bentley Fowle (1795-1865)
A leading educator and creative innovator, William Bently Fowle exhibits children’s artistic works and introduces music, blackboards, and physical exercise to the classroom. In 1823, Fowle is offered a position at the Female Monitorial School in Boston. Believing that females should receive the same education as males, Fowle provides drawing instruction to girls.
Horace Mann (1796-1859)
One of the most notable reformers of this time is Bostonian, Horace Mann. Believing that common school education is the intervening link between the privileged few and the poor masses, Mann accepts the position of secretary for the Massachusetts Board of Education in 1837. Mann is a strong advocate for the inclusion of drawing in formal education, believing that it improves handwriting, prepares students for industrial work, and reinforces moral values.
Rembrandt Peale, a Pestalozzian follower, is one of the most esteemed American artists of his time. Peale believes drawing should be taught to everyone. Thus, in 1834, he publishes his ideas in A Manual of Drawing and Writing for the Use of Schools and Families.