Thomas Jefferson believed that education was the "foundation of democracy and a prerequisite to vote" (Jewett, 1996). He believed that a popular government was necessary to maintain a democracy and this could only exist if the people were educated. Jefferson's plan for education was based on four principles:
-that democracy cannot exist without enlightenment
-that it cannot function without wise and honest officials
-that talent and virtues, needed in a free society, should be educated regardless of wealth, birth or other accidental condition
-that the children of the poor must be educated at common expense.
Jefferson envisioned four levels of education: elementary school, grammar school, university and life-long learning (Brulatour). He suggested dividing the state into districts or wards, which would supervise the schools and support them. Elementary school would be free to all children, male and female, and would have a three-year curriculum which included reading, writing, arithmetic, and Greek, Roman, English and American history. This would comprise the education of most people. Grammar schools were to be boarding schools for boys only, to prepare them for university. Entry to university required proficiency in Latin and Greek, and students had to be able to read and understand the classics. Scientific studies were also encouraged. There were to be some ward scholarships, but most students would pay for tuition. It was expected that the six-year courses taken at university would yield future leaders and teachers. Education today is tiered in the same way it was in Jefferson's time, except that all students go on to grammar school and many go on to university, and there is no racial or sex discrimination for attendance at grammar school and university.
Brulatour, M. (ND) Background for the state of education in New England: Post-Revolutionary war to mid-19th century. Retrieved Jan. 21, 2006
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