Horace Mann was born May 4, 1796 into a rural Massachusetts farming community. His family was relatively poor. During Mann’s youth he had very little access to formal education, some sources claiming he had as little as six weeks of classes per year. However, he was able to make great use of the public library, and a tutor, teaching himself Latin and Greek. At the age of 20 Mann Enrolled in Brown University, which is where he became Mann became interested in politics, education, and social reform. After graduation from Litchfield Law School, Mann practiced law, shortly into his law career, Mann Won a seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, serving from 1827 to 1833, and in the Massachusetts Senate from 1835 to 1837. During
