Educator; born in
Hartford, Conn., Jan. 24, 1811; was graduated at Yale College in 1830; admitted to the bar in 1835, and elected to a seat in the State legislature in 1837.
He was twice re-elected.
In that body he effected a reorganization of the
Connecticut State school system, and was for four years secretary of the board of school commissioners, during which he wrote a number of able reports on the public schools.
His first report (1839) was pronounced by
Chancellor Kent a “bold and startling document, founded on the most painstaking and critical inquiry.”
He edited and published the
Connecticut School journal.
From 1843 to 1849 he had charge of the public schools of
Rhode Island, where he established a model system of popular education.
Dr. Barnard took great interest in the subject of school-house architecture; and from 1850 to 1854 he was State superintendent of public schools of
Connecticut.
In 1855 he began the publication of the
American journal of education.
The same year he became president of the American Association for the Advancement of Education, and was offered the presidency of two State universities.
When the Bureau of Education was established at
Washington, he was appointed the first commissioner (March, 1867). He resigned this office in 1870.
Dr. Barnard wrote much and well on the subject of popular education.
A London review, speaking of his work on
National education in Europe (1854), said: “He has collected and arranged more valuable information and statistics than can be found in any one volume in the
English language.”
Dr. Barnard received the degree of Ll.D. from
Harvard, Yale, and Union colleges.
He died in
Hartford, July 5, 1900.
