Pillars of the Republic: Common Schools and American Society, 1780-1860

by Carl F. Kaestle

Pillars of the Republic is a pioneering study of common-school development in the years before the Civil War. Public acceptance of state school systems, Kaestle argues, was encouraged by the people's commitment to republican government, by their trust in Protestant values, and by the development of capitalism. The author also examines the opposition to the Founding Fathers' educational ideas and shows what effects these had on our school system.

Genres: Education, History, Read For School, Nonfiction, American History, Grad School, College

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

Reviews

[Rogerio Mattos · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1870, just five years after the civil war, americans measured for the first time illiteracy rates and found the figure of just 20%, while in Brazil, for instance, we had over 90% by that same time. This book helps to explain in part why America had acomplished that. As it reports, it was a consequence of serious concerns with creating a society able to make succeed the project of a democratic republic. Since the founding fathers, american society realized that education was key to the success of a democracy, and this book presents an interesting description of the common school movement, which was responsible for the widespread of primary education during the antebellum period.

[Nathan G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is deservedly considered the definitive authority on the Antebellum invention of centralized, state public school systems. The author tells a complex story succinctly and treats the main actors fairly (perhaps too fairly, with a frustrating and predictable tendency to point out reformers' flaws even when unnecessary). Occasionally he goes out of his way to address Marxist and other deconstructionist critiques. The time spent here is disproportionate, and means that he doesn't explore certain themes (like the allure of Prussian schools) deeply enough. But all in all these are minor quibbles with a masterly and very readable book.

[Mikayla Beckman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay disclaimer so I didn't actually read this whole book. I just read a chapter for a class. I don't' care I am going to count it anyways. One thing that this book taught me was that despite being and educational policy studies major, I have no interest in the history of education during the seventeen and eighteen hundreds, or at least the way it was presented in this book.

[Matt Ely · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a useful reference for the period. In trying to cover the various factions contesting the issue of public education across many states, it tends toward repeating slightly different (but mostly similar) versions of events. This is probably one best to extract specific sections from. At a distance, too, it's useful to get a picture of the major forces of the era, but the repeated specificity is probably not necessary for a general approach to the subject.

[Dylan Tian · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ish but rounded up bc I don't think i'm being fair. I think this book mainly showed me that I just do not have the brain power to read academic stuff on the morning subway before work.

Overall, this book was honestly good and interesting, fairly comprehensive, very well-researched and supported, and detailed in synthesizing how early factors/ideologies (protestantism, gender roles, cosmopolitanism, capitalism and industrialization) shaped public schooling, especially the centralization and standardization of the education system. I do not have any gripes with it except it took me forever to get through.

Would recommend The Teacher Wars: A History of America's Most Embattled Profession over this most of the time.

[caroline anhalt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kaestle presents a digestible unfolding of the Common Schools, highlighting the context of the reform. It is readable and concise, but he fails to present ~anything~ outside of the discussion of public schools. Very little mention of any nonwhite individual, and very little mention of other forms of education that wealthier whites had at the same time.

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very informative as it relates to the history of public education. I would definitely recommend to anyone who wants to know about how common schools were started and the evolution of them.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this very interesting and something I knew basically nothing about, the origin of state supported public schooling in the US.

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely informative

[Greta Dietzler]

this is def a book a read I read!

[Ashlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for my Educational Policy courses

[A.B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting view into the history of American Education and the creation of common public schooling. With all that is going on dealing with education, teachers, and government right now I feel it is very important for everyone to read this. Especially those in power.
Admittedly it is not a perfect book, while it looked at different races and groups, it completely ignored Jews and any influence or interest they may have had in education during this time. And there was a total of two sentence that even mentioned American Indians in anyway, much less what was going on with them in terms of American education. But overall a very good scholastic read.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great resource for understanding the rise of the common school and the history of public education in America. A bit dated, but solid information for a good foundation. Easy read, good writing.

[Gray Smith]

This book is a lookat American schooling from 1780 - 1860. Did you know that the first schools were ALL private schools?

[AJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Academic look at colonial schooling through the antebellum period. Best read with others.

[Nataliya · Rating 3 out of 5]

read for History of Education class. Kept me thinking, which is a good thing

[James Wilcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good overview of the rise in the US public school system and the struggles educational reformers had to overcome.

[Aiden McFadden · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting

[Peggy Sharp]

Read for a History of Education class. BORING. Not a good history read.