The primary sense of ‘education’ is to 'draw out or unfold the powers of the mind’.
– Century Dictionary
I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of Constitutional power.
– Thomas Jefferson
I consider knowledge to be the soul of a republic, and as the weak and wicked are generally in alliance, as much care should be taken to diminish the number of the former as of the latter. Education is the way to do this, and nothing should be left undone to afford all ranks of people that means of obtaining a proper degree of it at a cheap and easy rate.
– John Jay
The principal capacity of a free government is to be derived from the sound morals and intelligence of the people; and the more extensive the means of education, the more confidently may we rely on the preservation of our public liberties.
– James Monroe
Laws for the liberal education of the youth, especially of the lower class of the people, are so extremely wise and useful that to a humane and generous mind, no expense for this purpose would be thought extravagant.
– John Adams
A primary object should be the education of our youth in the science of government. In a republic, what species of knowledge can be equally important? And what duty more pressing... than ... communicating it to those who are to be the future guardians of the liberties of the country?
– George Washinton
Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.
– Thomas Jefferson
Und ist es nicht schließlich eine höchste heilige, religiöse Verpflichtung, das Göttlich-Geistige, das ja in jedem Menschen, der geboren wird, neu erscheint und sich offenbart, in der Erziehung zu pflegen?
– Rudolf Steiner