Lawrence A. Cremin facts for kids

Lawrence Arthur Cremin (born October 31, 1925 – died September 4, 1990) was an important American historian. He spent his life studying the history of education in the United States. He also worked as a leader in educational organizations.

Lawrence Cremin's Life and Education

Lawrence Cremin grew up in New York. He went to Townsend Harris High School in Queens. After high school, he studied at the City College of New York. There, he earned his first two college degrees.

He then went to Columbia University. In 1949, he earned his Ph.D. from Columbia. A Ph.D. is the highest degree you can get from a university.

Teaching Career and Family

After finishing his studies, Cremin started teaching. He taught at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. This college is famous for training teachers.

He married Charlotte Raup. Her parents were also professors at Columbia University. Her father, Robert Bruce Raup, was an educational psychologist. Her mother, Clara Eliot, was an economist.

Leading Educational Institutions

In 1961, Cremin became a special professor at Columbia. He was named the Frederick A. P. Barnard Professor of Education. He also joined Columbia's history department.

From 1965 to 1974, he led an important institute at Teachers College. This institute focused on the philosophy and politics of education.

Then, from 1974 to 1984, he became the president of Teachers College. He was the seventh president in the college's history. After his time as president, he went back to teaching and doing research.

In 1985, he took on another big role. He became the president of the Spencer Foundation. This organization in Chicago supports research about education. He kept his teaching roles at Columbia while leading the foundation.

How Cremin Changed Education History

Lawrence Cremin changed how people studied the history of education. Before him, many historians focused only on schools. They looked at what happened inside classrooms.

Cremin believed that education happens everywhere. He looked at other places and groups that teach children. This included families, churches, and communities. He showed that education is a much wider topic.

He also connected the study of education to other parts of history. He compared education in different countries. This helped people understand how education fits into society.

Cremin was recognized for his important work. He became a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He also joined the American Philosophical Society.

Lawrence Cremin's Famous Books and Awards

Lawrence Cremin wrote many important books. These books helped people understand the history of education better.

The Transformation of the School

In 1961, he published a book called The Transformation of the School: Progressivism in American Education, 1876–1957. This book looked at how education changed in America. It talked about a movement called "Progressivism."

This book won the 1962 Bancroft Prize. This is a very important award for books about American History.

American Education: The National Experience

He also wrote a series of books called American Education. In 1980, he published American Education: The National Experience, 1783-1876.

For this book, he won the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for History. The Pulitzer Prize is one of the most famous awards for writing in America.

Later Works

In 1990, Cremin published another book. It was called Popular Education and Its Discontents. Sadly, he passed away from a heart attack that same year.

Cremin's View on American Education

During the 1960s, there were many strong debates about education history. Some historians said that American education had failed. They felt it did not do enough to promote democracy and equality.

Lawrence Cremin usually stayed out of these arguments. However, in 1977, he shared his own thoughts. He believed that American education had done a lot of good.

He agreed that educational places, like all human groups, sometimes made mistakes. But he argued that overall, the American education system helped people. He felt it helped advance freedom and fairness for many.

He believed that the goals of American education were good. He also thought that its performance over the past two centuries helped free up people's talents and potential. He felt it did this better than in many other times and places.