Lancasterian Society
A Lancasterian Society was organized in the United States in the early 1800s to support the Monitorial System of education developed by Joseph Lancaster (1778-1838), supported in England by the Royal Lancasterian Society. For details on this method, see The Lancasterian Monitorial System of Education. However, Lancasterian schools encountered opposition and a decline in support after Lancaster's death. Its opponents charged that it failed to indoctrinate children in their parents' religions, that it encouraged discontent among the working class, and that more advanced students could not instruct as well as the growing number of persons seeking teaching jobs. Despite this opposition and the dissolution of the main Lancasterian societies, schools using the method persist to this day in many parts of the world and continue to turn out better educated citizens than most publicly funded schools are able to do.
On August 24, 2001, the Lancasterian Society was resurrected in Texas. See its Articles of Incorporation. During the months and years ahead it will seek to build support for the Lancasterian system, adapt it to modern situations, and found and operate a network of Lancasterian schools wherever local support for them can be sustained.
For more information about how you can help, email jon.roland@constitution.org, call 512/299-5001 in the United States, or write to us at 2900 W Anderson Ln, C-200-322, Austin, Texas 78757.