What Was A Bill For The More General Diffusion Of Education?

In 1779, Thomas Jefferson, a Founding Father and later President of the United States, saw a need for a new educational system in Virginia. Jefferson saw education as a necessary component to the young United States and believed that a change from the then-present system needed to happen. To do this, he created “A Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge” and presented it to the Virginia Assembly on June 18th, 1779. Jefferson’s bill advanced learning and republican ideals by creating free schools for all youth which gave people the education necessary to be self-governed. Although, the ability to self-govern and the promotion of a strong state government were both feared at that time, which are why the Bill failed to advance the …show more content…
He proposed the creation of free elementary schools to teach general reading, writing, and arithmetic skills to students, oftentimes beginning around seven years of age and lasting for three years. The idea was for children to attend these schools daily and be taught by a professional, who was selected by the Aldermen, with the hopes of giving all children an education so they could self-govern and become self-disciplined. Previously, there was little-to-no organization among the schools as a variety of types were seen in each state, but Jefferson worked to see unity among the education people received. To do this, he proposed breaking up the counties of Virginia into hundreds and “all the children within each hundred may daily attend the school to be established therein” (“A Bill for the the More General Diffusion of Knowledge”). This factor of his Bill would force all children to attend school daily, not formerly seen in America, resulting in oneness of the school …show more content…
Jefferson expanded the idea of voting by creating Aldermen. Aldermen were to “be chosen annually, by the electors qualified to vote” and were “three of the most honest and able men” of each county (“A Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge”). Their job was to act as the voice of the people in their county and vote on decisions, specifically those involving public education. They voted on the location of the schools, who furthered their education at grammar schools and later at The College of William and Mary, and who acted as the overseer of the school. This idea has continued to be seen in the present day as Aldermen are still an important part of the voting process in cities and have continued to act as the voices of the citizens in their