While illustrating how the Founders drew upon and transformed the ideas of earlier philosophers of education, the authors trace the emergence of a new American ideal of public education. This puts civic instruction at the centre, in order to sustain qualities of leadership and public discourse.
"A marvelous work, full of learning and wisdom, certain to interest and enlighten its readers. The authors raise the current discussion of the problems facing American education to a level that towers above the usual topics. They ask what is education for and make a powerful case that in a democratic republic it must focus on civic and moral questions. Their sympathetic and critical account of the ideas and lives of such men as Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin is fascinating in itself and a superb way to illuminate the issues. "--
Donald Kagan, author of
The Fall of the Athenian Empire and coauthor of
The Western Heritage"Essential reading for every student and scholar of American education. I found myself wondering why no one had written this book before." --Diane Ravitch, author of The Schools We Deserve: Reflections on the Educational Crisis of Our Time and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education
"This thoughtful and thought-provoking book demonstrates that the contradictions that informed the educational theories of even the noblest and most generous Founders continue to haunt American education today, notably the challenge of reconciling the claims of a secular democracy with the claims of excellence, honor, and reverence that are necessary to individuals and to the quality of our political life."--Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, author of Feminism without Illusions: A Critique of Individualism
"This wonderful book reminds us of the importance that the Founders placed on education. Their ideas are full of sustenance and provocation for anyone interested in improving our schools."Lynne V. Cheney, former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities
"The Pangles direct our attention to what is best in America, the thought of our Founders, and make it available to the debate on education today. This is a work of careful scholarship and political philosophy in high style."--Harvey C. Mansfield, Jr., author of America's Constitutional Soul
"A truly admirable work written with genuine grace. To my knowledge, this is the fullest, richest study of the subject."--Lance Banning, author of The Jeffersonian Persuasion: Evolution of a Party Ideology
"This is a welcome book, and one that will inform the debate about the goals of our national schooling."--Journal of the Early Republic
"Original, sweeping, and wise about the relation between education and liberal democracy in the United States."--American Political Science Review
"This excellent study provides a wealth of historical material that should be of special interest to those who wish to restore a concern for civic virtue to prominence in educational thought or who wish to explore the connections between public virtue and private aspirations."--Ethics
"An excellent contribution to American education because of the depth of its engagement with the classics."--Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography
"Timely, informative, and richly textured analysis of the educational theories of the Founding Fathers."--Harvard Educational Review
"If [one] is searching for a well-written book that thoughtfully applies both ancient and early modern education philosophies to contemporary concerns, he need look no farther."--International Journal of the Classical Tradition
