Schools were designed by Horace Mann and Barnard Sears and Harper of the University of Chicago and Thorndyke of Columbia Teachers College and some other men to be instruments of the scientific management of a mass population. Schools are intended to produce through the application of formulae, formulaic human beings whose behavior can be predicted and controlled.

Summary

This quote suggests that schools, as designed by influential educators like Horace Mann, were created with the intention of managing and controlling the behavior of a large population. The architects of the education system aimed to produce formulaic individuals, using standardized techniques, in order to predict and control their actions. This perspective views schools as tools for creating homogeneous, predictable citizens rather than fostering individuality and creativity.

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