Robert Owen
~was a social reformer and one of the founders of Socialism and the cooperative movement.
~About Robert Owen
1771-1858
Robert Owen was born in Newtown, (Wales) on May 14, 1771, the sixth of seven children. Robert Owen, was the son of a saddler and who also served as local postmaster; his mother came from one of the prosperous farming families of Newtown. Robert was an intelligent boy who did very well at his local school
Owen's philosophy was based on three intellectual pillars:
~ First, no one was responsible for his will and his own actions, because his whole character is formed independently of himself; people are products of their environment, hence his support for education and labor reform, rendering him a pioneer in human capital investment.
~ Second, all religions are based on the same absurd imagination, that make man a weak.
~ Third, support for the putting-out system instead of the factory system.
Education in Robert Owen’s new society: The New Lanark Institute and Schools
~Robert Owen's educational venture at New Lanark helped to pioneer infant schools and was an early example of what we now recognize as community schooling. Yet educationwas only a single component of a more powerful social gospel which already preached community building on the New Lanark model as a solution to contemporary evils in the wider world.
Infant school
~Robert Owen was cautious about the selection of teachers in the 'new rational infant school', for 'it was in vain to look to any old teachers upon the old system of instruction by books'. He says he had very little belief in books, which is strange given his own passion for reading as a boy. At any rate Robert Owen evidently parted with the old dominie at New Lanark and selected from the villagers 'two persons who had a great love for and unlimited patience with infants.
Robert Owen's instructions to his new infant master and assistant were simple:
They were on no account ever to beat any one of the childrenor to threaten them in any word or action or to use abusiveterms; but were always to speak to them with a pleasantvoice and in a kind manner.
They should tell the infants and children that they must on all occasions do all they could tomake their playfellows happy - and that the older ones, from4 to 6 years of age, should take special care of youngerones, and should assist to teach them to make each otherhappy.
~The children were not to be annoyed with books; but were tobe taught the uses and nature or qualities of the commonthings around them, by familiar conversation when thechildren's curiosity was excited so as to induce them to askquestions respecting them.
~Both Robert Owen and his son were at pains to stress how everything was made relevant for the children, that they should understand what they were learning and why, and that they should enjoy what they were doing. Geography lessons played a prominent part in the education of children at New Lanark, and seem to have been practical as well as relevant.
~ Owens and his son also developed an adult education as well.
Interesting Information: Dancing, music, drill:
~Yet in spite of all this, what most impressed the 20,000 odd visitors who came to gape at New Lanark between 1815 and 1825, was the importance of dancing, music and military exercise in the school curriculum.
~He thinks it effects this by promoting cheerfulness and contentment, and thus diverting attention from things that are vile and degrading'.
Works Cited