In the early nineteenth century, America witnessed the rise of a peculiar form of school technology known as Lancaster schools, where children from lower-class backgrounds were conditioned to obey authority under the guise of learning basic skills like reading and counting. These schools were sponsored by prominent figures such as Governor DeWitt Clinton of New York and Quaker philanthropist Thomas Eddy, who had been involved in the construction of the Erie Canal. While these schools may appear to be a precursor to modern education, few knew at the time or realize today that they were, in fact, inspired by Hindu educational practices with the explicit purpose of preserving a caste system.
The Historical Context
To understand the origins of Lancaster schools, we must delve into the historical context of India during the late eighteenth century when the American Revolution had ended. India, at the time, had fallen under Western dominance, largely due to advancements in nautical technology. European powers, including Portugal, Spain, France, the Netherlands, and England, competed for control over global trade routes and the vast resources of the subcontinent. By the seventeenth century, England and France emerged as the dominant sea powers, vying for supremacy in regions such as Canada, India, and the territory that would become the United States. Ultimately, the British East India Company triumphed, securing the lucrative opium monopoly.
Hinduism and the Caste System
Hinduism played a pivotal role in shaping the social structure of India, which was a nation of over a hundred million people. The caste system in Hinduism was a complex hierarchy that segregated individuals into various categories. The top three castes, consisting of Brahmins (priests and professionals), warriors, and industrialists, held power and prestige. The lower 95 percent of the population included a menial caste and the "untouchables," who were marginalized and excluded from the main society. The primary objective of Hindu schooling was to uphold this caste system, ensuring that only the privileged few received a comprehensive education.
Andrew Bell's Discovery
Andrew Bell, a Scottish military chaplain, found inspiration in the Hindu system of schooling. He recognized that it could be adapted to serve the needs of Britain, which sought to create a compliant industrial proletariat. Bell noted the effectiveness of Hindu drills in reducing intellectual development, fostering servility, and rote memorization, all qualities desirable for factory laborers.
Joseph Lancaster's Contribution
Joseph Lancaster, a young Quaker, was deeply influenced by Bell's observations. He believed that this method could provide a cost-effective means of stimulating intellectual development among the lower classes. Lancaster began by offering rudimentary education to poor children, attracting significant attention and support from various quarters. His monitorial system, with student leaders directing their peers, promised to create a disciplined, efficient, and obedient workforce, resembling a mental counterpart to the emerging factories.
The Lancaster Schools in the United States
Lancaster's approach soon spread to the United States, where it was embraced enthusiastically. The first Lancaster school opened in New York City in 1806, and within a couple of decades, this model had reached as far west as Cincinnati, Louisville, and Detroit. Governors of states like New York and Pennsylvania recommended its widespread adoption.
Lancaster Schools: A Factory-Like System
The Lancaster schools shared a common structure. Encompassing a large room with hundreds of children, these schools employed a single teacher, who functioned as an observer rather than an instructor. The actual teaching was conducted by student leaders, organized in a military hierarchy, which minimized the teacher's role. This model foreshadowed the modern technologicus pedagogus, a precursor to computerized instruction, with strict adherence to predefined instructions and routines.
The Lancaster schools of the early nineteenth century, initially inspired by Hindu educational practices, marked a significant chapter in the history of American schooling. Despite their roots, these schools, while focusing on obedience and rote memorization, were not the primary form of education in America until the twentieth century. American schools were created to maintain a new caste system.
While we all were being told that we must go to school to become educated, we were only being dumbed-down.
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The Surprising Roots of American Schooling: Hindu-Inspired Lancaster Schools
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In the early nineteenth century, America witnessed the rise of a peculiar form of school technology known as Lancaster schools, where children from lower-class backgrounds were conditioned to obey authority under the guise of learning basic skills like reading and counting. These schools were sponsored by prominent figures such as Governor DeWitt Clinton of New York and Quaker philanthropist Thomas Eddy, who had been involved in the construction of the Erie Canal. While these schools may appear to be a precursor to modern education, few knew at the time or realize today that they were, in fact, inspired by Hindu educational practices with the explicit purpose of preserving a caste system.
The Historical Context
To understand the origins of Lancaster schools, we must delve into the historical context of India during the late eighteenth century when the American Revolution had ended. India, at the time, had fallen under Western dominance, largely due to advancements in nautical technology. European powers, including Portugal, Spain, France, the Netherlands, and England, competed for control over global trade routes and the vast resources of the subcontinent. By the seventeenth century, England and France emerged as the dominant sea powers, vying for supremacy in regions such as Canada, India, and the territory that would become the United States. Ultimately, the British East India Company triumphed, securing the lucrative opium monopoly.
Hinduism and the Caste System
Hinduism played a pivotal role in shaping the social structure of India, which was a nation of over a hundred million people. The caste system in Hinduism was a complex hierarchy that segregated individuals into various categories. The top three castes, consisting of Brahmins (priests and professionals), warriors, and industrialists, held power and prestige. The lower 95 percent of the population included a menial caste and the "untouchables," who were marginalized and excluded from the main society. The primary objective of Hindu schooling was to uphold this caste system, ensuring that only the privileged few received a comprehensive education.
Andrew Bell's Discovery
Andrew Bell, a Scottish military chaplain, found inspiration in the Hindu system of schooling. He recognized that it could be adapted to serve the needs of Britain, which sought to create a compliant industrial proletariat. Bell noted the effectiveness of Hindu drills in reducing intellectual development, fostering servility, and rote memorization, all qualities desirable for factory laborers.
Joseph Lancaster's Contribution
Joseph Lancaster, a young Quaker, was deeply influenced by Bell's observations. He believed that this method could provide a cost-effective means of stimulating intellectual development among the lower classes. Lancaster began by offering rudimentary education to poor children, attracting significant attention and support from various quarters. His monitorial system, with student leaders directing their peers, promised to create a disciplined, efficient, and obedient workforce, resembling a mental counterpart to the emerging factories.
The Lancaster Schools in the United States
Lancaster's approach soon spread to the United States, where it was embraced enthusiastically. The first Lancaster school opened in New York City in 1806, and within a couple of decades, this model had reached as far west as Cincinnati, Louisville, and Detroit. Governors of states like New York and Pennsylvania recommended its widespread adoption.
Lancaster Schools: A Factory-Like System
The Lancaster schools shared a common structure. Encompassing a large room with hundreds of children, these schools employed a single teacher, who functioned as an observer rather than an instructor. The actual teaching was conducted by student leaders, organized in a military hierarchy, which minimized the teacher's role. This model foreshadowed the modern technologicus pedagogus, a precursor to computerized instruction, with strict adherence to predefined instructions and routines.
The Lancaster schools of the early nineteenth century, initially inspired by Hindu educational practices, marked a significant chapter in the history of American schooling. Despite their roots, these schools, while focusing on obedience and rote memorization, were not the primary form of education in America until the twentieth century. American schools were created to maintain a new caste system.
While we all were being told that we must go to school to become educated, we were only being dumbed-down.