Loyola University Chicago Loyola eCommons Master's Theses Theses and Dissertations 1994 A Portrait of William Maclure as Scientist: Advocate of Utilitarianism for American Education Roger Nosal Loyola University Chicago Follow this and additional works at: https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_theses Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Nosal, Roger, "A Portrait of William Maclure as Scientist: Advocate of Utilitarianism for American Education" (1994). Master's Theses. 4075. https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_theses/4075 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Loyola eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of Loyola eCommons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. Copyright © 1994 Roger Nosal LOYOLA UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO A PORTRAIT OF WILLIAM MACLURE AS SCIENTIST: ADVOCATE OF UTILITARIANISM FOR AMERICAN EDUCATION A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND POLICY STUDIES ) BY ROGER NOSAL CHICAGO, ILLINOIS MAY, 1994 Copyright by Roger Nosal, 1994. All rights reserved. ii PREFACE The following discourse is intended as a contribution to the history of ideas as they pertain to the American educational environment. It was born out of my personal and professional interests in science, science education and educational philosophy. William Maclure represents a transitional historical figure whose progressive ideas about education disavowed an entrenched, religiously-influenced, classical curriculum on behalf of a socially enlightened, scientifically-oriented and progressively administered, educational program. Several seemingly divergent facets of Maclure's complex character and unique utilitarian philosophy made simple characterization difficult. l In preparing this manuscript, it became readily apparent that the complexity of the subject lay in his integration of seemingly disparate ideas. As a prime example, William Maclure's participation in the socialistic New Harmony communitarian experiment for the purpose of establishing an educational institution intent on developing individual self­ reliance to promote a democratic federation is perhaps the most glaring illustration of ideas in seemingly diametric opposition. Nevertheless, several common threads unite this and other rather superficial contradictions. The most significant of these, one that lies at the heart of Maclure' s collection of philosophical imperatives, is science. Maclure was a scientist, not by formal profession but by example, and his empirical, scientific perspective inspired his relatively diverse philosophical opinions. As one of his biographers has suggested, We only get insight into Maclure's intense interest in geology when we realize that it is regarded as an aid to a larger interest, which in character, is Ill humanitarian rather than purely scientific, and has for its prime object the amelioration of mankind. I I have drawn the character of Maclure as a collector of all manner of specimen and an accumulator and synthesizer of ideas. He was not an educator, practicing pedagogue nor even an originator of the methods or ideas he preached. He was, however, responsible for introducing Pestalozzian educational methods to and implementing a scientific curriculum within the American educational community, establishing a model vocatio~al training program and philanthropically fostering the practical education in the youthful American democratic republic. For these reasons alone, his perspective is worthy of historical consideration. To avoid unnecessary repetition by regurgitating previously well researched information on Maclur~y Arthur Bestor, John Doskey, William Kipnis, and others, and to move beyond their insights into Maclure's character, I have focussed this monograph of Maclure on his social, scientific and utilitarian perspectives that coalesced into an educational plan for teaching students how to think. The chapters are organized to provide historical and philosophical background, convey the logical evolution of Maclure's social ideology, establish Maclure's scientific reputation and demonstrate the merger of Maclure's scientific perspective with his utilitarian educational philosophy. Chapter I offers an introduction and overview of Maclure's social ideology relative to other enlightened luminaries and philosophers. My purpose in preparing this material was to provide historical background and emphasize Maclure' s views in the general context of early nineteenth century American history. Chapter II explores the development of Maclure' s educational ideology in light of his presumed early academic influences, drawn from his extensive travel experiences and with I Charles Keyes, William Maclure: Father of Modem Geology, Pan-American Geologist 43, no. 2 (September 1925): 93. iv respect to his devotion to Jeffersonian democracy. This chapter is decidedly focussed on the potential social impact education generated in the mind of William Maclure. Furthermore, I reveal how important empiricism and utility were to Maclure' s educational philosophy. Maclure's empirical and utilitarian views conspired to cultivate his scientific perspective as illustrated in Chapter III which establishes Maclure's reputation as a scientist with considerable detail. I chose to confront the science vs religion debate, because it was an important factor in scientific speculation as well as educational reform. By invoking the relevant and provocative discourse between genesis and geology as outlined in Genesis and Geology by Charles Gillispie, I intend to show how the development of science, and in particular geology, tended toward assimilation and eventually accommodation with religious beliefs. Maclure's own agnosticism and aversion to dogmatic indoctrination solidified his relatively empirical scientific perspective and prevented him from cornrniting himself to any theoretical school. Chapter IV unites the social ideology implicit in Maclure's educational philosophy with his scientific perspective, culminating in the establishment of a scientifically-oriented educational plan. Pestalozzian methodology, for which he was the American representative, the science curriculum, of which teaching, research and publication were integrated components and the empirical and manual emphasis on general learning as well as vocational training were part of his comprehensive educational plan. This plan, organized for New Harmony, illustrated the merger of ideas and adherence to the learning process to which he was so devoted. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In addition to entertaining several discussions and offering indispensible advice, Dr. Gerald Gutek provided encouragement and instigated my pursuit of a variety of research ideas from which the focus of this treatise has been constructed. Appreciation for his suggestions and support cannot be overstated. Further assistance and advice was derived from enlightened conversations with Loyola Professors, Walter Krolikowski, S.J., Ph.D., Joan Smith, Ph.D., and Steven Miller, Ph.D. While at New Harmony, Indiana, it was my great fortune to meet Mrs. Rosemary Alsop, Librarian for the Workingmen's Institute, whose mental catalog of primary and secondary sources relevant to William Maclure was seemingly endless and absolutely invaluable. At the Academy of Natural Sciences Library in Philadelphia, Archivist Karen Stevens was able to decipher my requests for information and provide several of Maclure's scientific correspondences. From the Manuscript Department at the American Philosophical Society, Martin Levitt offered several useful suggestions for characterizing William Maclure among American philosophers of the period. Of course, without the aid of Yolande Wersching, Ph.D., Reference Librarian/Bibliographer at Loyola University of Chicago, the ultimate location of many resources would have been difficult or remained undiscovered. Gratitude would not be complete unless it included recognition of the patience, cooperation and understanding of my wife Mary Jo and daughter Caitlin. Vl TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE ...... lll ACKNOWLEDGMENTS vi Chapter I. THE GENERAL CONTEXT OF WILLIAM MACLURE'S IDEAS. 1 II. THE DEVELOPMENT OF WILLIAM MACLURE'S IDEOLOGY . 18 111. WILLIAM MACLURE'S SCIENCE . 44 IV. WILLIAM MACLURE'S CONTRIBUTION TO SCIENCE EDUCATION . ..... 90 V. EPILOGUE 121 Appendix A. MAPS I & II: WILLIAM MACLURE'S EUROPEAN TRAVELS, 1805 - 1825 . 127 B. MAP III: WILLIAM MACLURE'S GEOLOGICAL MAP OF THE UNITED STATES ............... 130 BIBLIOGRAPHY . 131 VITA ........... 138 vu CHAPTER I THE GENERAL CONTEXT OF WILLIAM MACLURE'S IDEAS Occasionally during the course of historical inquiry a figure who defies simple characterization emerges from the miasma of one historical event or period casting shadows over several historical environments. Frequently the figure is identified solely with that historical event regardless of the significance of his or her other contributions. For the complex figure of William Maclure, whose association with Robert Owen and the socialist experiment at New Harmony is augured in the history of communitarian education, historical characterization is incomplete. Although his reputation in history as an advocate and philanthropist on behalf of Johann Pestalozzi's educational methods is well established, William Maclure's