Historical Implications on Educational Reform

In his Farewell Address to Congress, George Washington advised that the country should, “Promote then as an object of primary importance, Institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened” (Brown, p. 582). As implied through his rhetoric, Washington desired for the nation to link education, civic responsibility, and virtue in an attempt to ensure nationhood and national stability. The Washington administration’s achievements with regards to stabilizing the national economy and unifying the military were not mirrored in the realm of educational reform. At that time, public education was categorized as a reserved power, leaving matters of education and instruction to the jurisdiction of state governments. While Washington upheld education as a means to enlighten the citizenry, he did not chart a clear path for how to enlighten the public. As the nation has evolved, each generation has had to wrestle with the questions: who should be enlightened, to what degree, in what manner, and at whose expense?