Choose the best answer.
This excerpt was written by Horace Mann in 1846.
Education, then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men—the balance—wheel of the social machinery. I do not here mean that it so elevates the moral nature as to make men disdain and abhor the oppression of their fellow men. This idea pertains to another of its attributes. But I mean that it gives each man the independence and the means, by which he can resist the selfishness of other men.
Part B: What laws did Mann encourage legislatures to pass that still influence education today?
There should be a kindergarten and twelve grades.
It is compulsory for children to attend school.
Teachers are required to have a college degree.
Every student should learn to read, write, and perform basic arithmetic.
It is compulsory for children to attend school.
The laws that Horace Mann encouraged legislatures to pass that still influence education today are compulsory education and the establishment of kindergarten and twelve grades.
The correct answer is "It is compulsory for children to attend school."
To arrive at this answer, we need to consider what laws Horace Mann, mentioned in the excerpt, encouraged legislatures to pass that still influence education today. By reading the excerpt, Mann emphasizes the importance of education in equalizing the conditions of men and giving each individual the means to resist the selfishness of others. This implies that Mann believed in the necessity of education for all individuals.
Out of the options provided, the only law that aligns with Mann's beliefs is "It is compulsory for children to attend school." This law would ensure that all children have access to education and that it is a requirement for them to attend school.
The other options, such as "There should be a kindergarten and twelve grades," "Teachers are required to have a college degree," and "Every student should learn to read, write, and perform basic arithmetic" are not directly mentioned or implied in the excerpt as laws that Mann encouraged. Although these factors might be important aspects of education today, they are not specifically addressed in the given excerpt. Therefore, the best answer is "It is compulsory for children to attend school."