Report of the Committee of Fifteen

The report emphasizes the importance of incorporating moral education into the school curriculum arguing that character development should be as important as intellectual development. It criticizes the existing educational system for focusing too narrowly on academic subjects and neglecting the moral and ethical aspects of education. The committee proposed a more holistic approach to education one that integrates moral instruction with academic subjects like history literature and the sciences thereby fostering well-rounded individuals. Additionally the Report of the Committee of Fifteen discusses the challenges facing American education including issues of inequality the need for better teacher training and the necessity of creating an environment in which all students—regardless of their background—could thrive. The report became influential in the progressive education movement helping to shape debates about the role of schools in society and the broader goals of education in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It reflects the era’s concerns about moral decay and the desire to cultivate virtuous citizens capable of contributing to the greater good of the nation.