Question 1

Reasons for conflict over reform efforts during the common school era included

Accepted Answer

A)   a contradiction between the idea of individualism and the idea of broadening the authority of the state on behalf of social welfare programming.
B)   conflict between religious authority and the authority of the crown.
C)   a concern for social harmony.
D)   both conflict between religious authority and the authority of the crown, and a contradiction between the idea of individualism and the idea of broadening the authority of the state on behalf of social welfare programming. A

Question 2

John Stuart Mill's statement that "Education provided by the public must be education for all..." was made in regard to his concern that

Accepted Answer

A)   public schooling should be made available to all people.
B)   public schooling should provide all people with the same kind of education.
C)   public schooling should be secular.
D)   All these answers are correct. A

Question 3

Focusing efforts on achieving social harmony could most likely lead to

Accepted Answer

A)   encouraging individualism.
B)   encouraging conformity.
C)   encouraging religious toleration.
D)   All these answers are correct. B

Question 4

Brownson's position that every child had a "natural right to the best education..." reflects his belief that

Accepted Answer

A)   every state should regulate education.
B)   all human beings have the capacity for developing their intellectual capacities.
C)   education should be determined by the needs of the child.
D)   All these answers are correct.

Question 5

The idea that schools could create wealth, thus relieving the plight of the poor without cost to the rich, is reflective of

Accepted Answer

A)   social capital theory.
B)   human capital theory.
C)   economic capital theory.
D)   None of these answers is correct.

Question 6

Women began dominating the ranks of teachers due in part to the belief that

Accepted Answer

A)   women were more virtuous than men.
B)   more women were qualified to teach than men.
C)   women could be paid less than men.
D)   women were more virtuous than men, and women could be paid less than men.

Question 7

The notion of industrial morality can be described as:

Accepted Answer

A)   values that include clear demarcations between childhood, youth, and adulthood.
B)   values that revolve around notions of clock time and punctuality.
C)   values that respect rules, law, and authority.
D)   All these answers are correct.

Question 8

Mann's belief that women would make better teachers than men reflects

Accepted Answer

A)   his concerns about keeping educational costs low, since women were paid less than men.
B)   his belief that men as teachers were not good role models for youths.
C)   his belief that women and men have inherently different natures.
D)   All these answers are correct.

Question 9

Education has often been touted as the "answer" to alleviating or preventing huge disparities in social and economic class. However, there is much discussion today about the ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor. Has education failed in this part of its mission? Regardless of the rhetoric, do you believe that eliminating the gap was a legitimate aim of education? Should it be?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Education has often been touted as the...

Question 10

Clearly, the inadequacy of school facilities, both in terms of educational resources and physical facilities, as well as our social acceptance of these inadequacies, has plagued the American school system since the beginning. On one hand, we as a society say we value education, yet on the other hand, we as a society fail to demonstrate this "valuing" as illustrated by our tolerance of this historical problem. How can we explain, and address, this phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Clearly, the inadequacy of school facilities, both...

Question 11

Resistance to Mann's "common elements" approach came from

Accepted Answer

A)   those wanting a strict division between church and state.
B)   those wanting their own religion to be taught in schools.
C)   those fearing that no religion would be taught in schools.
D)   All these answers are correct.

Question 12

Jefferson and Mann would probably agree on

Accepted Answer

A)   taxpayer funding of education.
B)   states' sovereignty in matters of education.
C)   different kinds of education, according to merit.
D)   All these answers are correct.

Question 13

How do the physical, environmental and resource-related challenges of schools in Mann's time parallel the challenges schools, teachers, and students experience today, particularly in urban or low-income schools?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How do the physical, environmental and resource-related...

Question 14

Women's opportunities for employment as teachers increased during the common school era primarily because

Accepted Answer

A)   more teachers were needed, and women represented an untapped human resource.
B)   common school supporters recognized that women were the primary teachers in the home.
C)   the ability to nurture was seen as a primary characteristic of women.
D)   All these answers are correct.

Question 15

According to Brownson, a government that neglects to provide an equal education for all members of the society forfeits the right to

Accepted Answer

A)   receive funding for education.
B)   punish the offender who may be uneducated.
C)   collect taxes from those individuals that are uneducated.
D)   All these answers are correct.

Question 16

The idea of educating the "citizen" was central to Horace Mann's educational ideals. Discuss Mann's concept of the "citizen" and show how it was reflected in his educational proposals.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The idea of educating the "citizen" was...

Question 17

Horace Mann saw the teacher's role as that of exemplar of moral behavior, and went so far as to suggest that teachers should prevent violations of moral law by inculcating a moral state of mind in their students. How responsible do you think teachers today can and should be with their students, especially those thought of as coming from "at risk" backgrounds?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Horace Mann saw the teacher's role as...

Question 18

The rise of Catholic schools can be seen as a response to

Accepted Answer

A)   Catholics' belief that academic standards would be lower in public schools.
B)   the anti-Catholic sentiments of the majority of common school supporters.
C)   common-school supporters' insistence on separation between church and state.
D)  the anti-Catholic sentiments of the majority of common school supporters, and also common-school . supporters' insistence on separation between church and state.

Question 19

Many attempts at social reform during the common school era were guided by humanitarian concerns. This humanitarian emphasis was largely a result of

Accepted Answer

A)   popular skepticism about people being able to take control of their own destiny.
B)   a sense of religious obligation.
C)   an increase in scientific discoveries.
D)   both a sense of religious obligation, and popular skepticism about people being able to take control of their own destiny.

Question 20

School was viewed as a vehicle for building nationalistic spirit because

Accepted Answer

A)   westward migration had resulted in decreases in national loyalty.
B)   the flood of immigrants challenged the American identity.
C)   individuals expressed greater loyalty to the local community.
D)   All these answers are correct.

Exam 3: School As a Public Institution: The Common-School ERA