Talk:Horace Mann

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Unsourced

These should be provided with sources before being moved back into the article.

• Teaching isn't one-tenth as effective as training.

Lost

The "Published as `A Beautiful Thought...'" explanation is very unclear. It implies that the quote is not by Horace Mann, and was misattributed to him by William Mathews in 1874. However, the phrasing "is often quoted as an advertisement originally written by Mann" seems to contradict this and imply that it is an advertisement originally written by Mann. This is supported by the fact that it is listed under Sourced, rather than Misattributed. As an aside, it also appears in "The True Briton," 1851, without attribution, as sent in by reader "R. B."

So what's the deal with this quote? Is it by Mann or not? Prignillius 20:30, 19 August 2011 (UTC)

The quotes about him aren't very representative

It seems odd that two of the three quotes by others about one of the foremost educators in American history should be somewhat conspiratorial and presentist takes on his desires to secularize education. One quotation of that sort from the present day seems sufficient to represent that point of view, but two out of three seems like it's stacking the deck. They hardly seems representative of the broad range of responses his ideas inspired and provoked. I'm sure his contemporaries had strong opinions of him or his ideas. Surely some other notables like John Dewey, Edward Thorndike, Booker T. Washington, Jane Addams, Louis Terman, Lev Vygotsky, Ivan Illich, or Herbert Kohl have had opinions of his impact. Present day historians and educators have plenty to say about him, given that he was such a towering figure in 19th century educational thought and practices. Why is so little of that here?

foolishness in serious plans

"Mix a little foolishness with your serious plans; it's lovely to be silly at the right moment."

This is often attributed either to Horace Mann or Horace, but always without any source. Not knowing either of them, I cannot even estimates which is more likely. Does anyone have a bit of insight into this quote? --Trublu (talk) 11:43, 23 April 2017 (UTC)

@Trublu: "Misce stultitiam consiliis brevem: dulce est desipere in loco." —Horace, Carmina 4, 12, 27–28. ~ DanielTom (talk) 12:14, 23 April 2017 (UTC)

Thank you! --Trublu (talk) 12:18, 23 April 2017 (UTC)

You're welcome. ~ DanielTom (talk) 12:25, 23 April 2017 (UTC)

Can anyone locate this quote?

Horace Mann wrote to Reverend Samuel May that "Schools will be found to be the way God has chosen for the reformation of the world." Cited by John Taylor Gatto, The Underground History of American Education, page 82, Section 58. The date I have is February 8, 1843, but I need confirmation. Thanks! 50.4.132.185 22:03, 11 November 2023 (UTC)