argued that education was essential for the prosperity and survival of the new natio
Thomas Jefferson was the first American leader to suggest creating a system of free schoo
for all persons that would be publicly supported through taxe
In 1779 he proposed an education pla
that would have supported free schooling for all children in the state of Virginia for three year
The best students from this group would continue in school at pubic expense through adolescenc
The most advanced of these students would go on to publicly funded college
Jefferson's proposal was never performed and his idea of selecting the bes
and brightest students for special advantage failed to gain widespread support.
However,Jfferson's plans for universal educatio
and for publicly funded schools formed the basis of education systems developed in the 19th century
