Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Reforming Education Must Be Our Number One Priority

To look at it, it's not a very imposing school building.  It almost looks more like a home or a lodge than an educational institution.  You wouldn't find a computer lab or a playground for the little ones, but Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie School is exactly the type of education that we must try to provide for all of our country's children.  How influential was it?  Here's a sampling of quotes I found:

The Encyclopedia of Chicago defines the Prairie School by saying, "[it] began in Chicago yet rapidly spread across the Midwest. Ultimately its influence was felt around the world—most especially in north-central Europe and Australia. Its origins date from the 1890s."

 Asia-Pacific Journal says, "The influence of Frank Lloyd-Wright's prairie school on Japan cannot be overlooked."

It's worth noting that Japan has one of the highest achieving school systems in the world.   Now, the Prairie School was not inside a school district.  In fact, I've had a hard time finding its location other than that it began in Chicago.  It was a labor of love from one man who had already established himself as one of the most influential architects in the world.  They had no tenure or teacher unions.  In many ways, Frank Lloyd Wright established the country's first charter school.  This influential school should be an inspiration for all people who value education everywhere.