By Amber Strong Makaiau, Ph.D.
“[Progressive schools demonstrate] tendencies towards greater freedom and an identification of the child’s school life with his environment and outlook; and, even more important, the recognition of the role education must play in a democracy.”
–Preface, Schools of Tomorrow
The quote above is taken from the preface of the book Schools of Tomorrow. Written by John Dewey and his daughter Evelyn Dewey, it was first published in 1915. At its issuance, the book aimed to advocate for a progressive philosophy of education by “show[ing] what actually happens when schools start out to put into practice, each in its own way, some of the theories that have been pointed to as the soundest and best ever since Plato” (Dewey, 2023/1915, preface). The Deweys accomplished this by writing a book that integrated John’s philosophical essays with narratives from Evelyn’s on-site observations at progressive schools across the United States. Ultimately, the book had a profound influence on the growth of the progressive education movement, giving credibility to the small number of already existing progressive schools and inspiring the founding of new schools that emphasized hands-on learning and student-centered approaches over traditional, rote memorization.
For those who were new to progressive education, the publication served as a guidebook of sorts. It translated progressive education philosophy from theory to practice in a variety of geographical and demographic contexts. Upon its completion, Schools of Tomorrow contained:
a celebration of progressive pedagogy, complete with 27 photographs of children at work and play [taken in actual progressive schools across the US.] In these schools, students [were seen] visit[ing] fire stations, post offices, and city halls. They grew their own gardens, cooked, cobbled shoes, and tutored younger students. They staged plays dramatizing historical events. Pretending to be the heroes of the Trojan War, they held battles at recess with wooden swords and barrel-cover shields. [The book showed how] reading, writing, spelling, and calculating would be acquired naturally in conjunction with projects (Gibbon, 2019).
Evelyn Dewey is believed to have conducted the majority of the research with personal visits to all but one school referenced in the book (Staring and Aldridge, 2014). Her descriptive narratives about the schools were then paired with her father’s overall analysis of her field notes and observations. In the final publication, John Dewey’s synthesis of his daughter’s work is integrated throughout the book, plus there are two main summaries of his findings in the book’s preface and final chapter. One more interesting note about Evelyn: it is believed that–based on her research records and the fact that the term first appeared as a description of progressive education in Schools of Tomorrow–she is responsible for coining the phrase “learning by doing” (Staring & Aldridge, 2014, p.21), which is now one of the most common and enduring adages used to describe the progressive education approach.
I became interested in the book while conducting research into Hanahau‘oli School’s founding. Schools of Tomorrow was published just three years before the launch of Hanahau‘oli School in 1918, and as the historical record shows, it served as a blueprint for our now 107 year old progressive school. This is documented in Hanahau‘oli School’s original 1919 brochure which was printed in 1919. After lists detailing the school’s advisory board (p. 2), references (p. 3), and faculty (p. 4), page five of the brochure begins with a brief description of the school’s location and history:
Location and History (p.5)
Hanahau‘oli School is located at the corner of Makiki and Nowehi Streets, two blocks from both the Wilder Avenue and Manoa trolley car lines.
The school was started in September, 1918. It is an outgrowth of a home school, in which the parents wished to inculcate the educational ideas expressed by Mrs. Thorne-Thomsen, in her lectures given in Hawaii in the spring of 1918, also the ideas of John and Evelyn Dewey, in their book “Schools of Tomorrow.” The splendid progress of these children under individual instruction in this home school seemed to warrant a continuance and expansion of the little school.
Next a brief explanation of the school’s grounds, buildings, and equipment (pp. 6-7) is given. This is followed by a summary of the school’s aim and general methods.
Aim and General Methods (pp. 8 - 9)
The aim of the school is best expressed by its name, “Hanahauoli,” which, translated from the Hawaiian, signifies “joyful work.”
Our aim is to give the child opportunities for self-expression and to provide, through the interests and activities of the school, occupations necessary for the development and unfolding, at each stage, of his individual powers and capabilities; to show him how he can exercise these powers, both materially and socially, in the little world he finds about him.
In the daily activities occasions are provided when the children contribute to and share in the community life of the school and adjust themselves as individuals to “serve the interests of the group.”
In giving the children responsibilities in connection with the school furnishings, in making articles for general use a the school, in the care of their pets and gardens, the the cooking and serving of meals, in all co-operative work (the individual arts, games, dramatizations), our purpose is to help the child discover how honest effort and a spirit of co-operation can contribute to happiness.
WE BELIEVE-
“...that education is a process of living, and not a preparation for future living.” – (John Dewey, “My Pedagogic Creed.”)
WE BELIEVE-
“that school life should grow gradually out of the home life; that it should take up and continue the activities with which the child is already familiar in the home.” – (John Dewey, “My Pedagogic Creed.”)
WE BELIEVE-
“that that kind of education which goes no further than to make every pupil like his neighbor as possible would not seem to be best fitted to advance the progress of the race.” – (Colin A. Scott, Ph.D., Head of the Department of Psychology, Boston Normal School, in “Social Education.”)
WE BELIEVE-
“that if children are to be trained socially, they must feel the full effects of social causes,--not merely society at large, but especially those of the embryonic society of child life to which they belong.”-- (Colin A. Scott.)
WE BELIEVE-
“That the best and deepest moral training is precisely that which one gets through having to enter into proper relations with others in unity of work and thought.” – (John Dewey, “My Pedagogic Creed.”)
WE BELIEVE-
“...in the immense gain to the community that will come from individual training of the children and the opportunity for the budding and blossoming and fruiting of that in every child which is different from the endowment of others.” – (George H. Mead, Professor of Philosophy, University of Chicago.”)
As I read through the pages of Schools of Tomorrow and compared it with the original aims and general methods of Hanahau‘oli described above, it became abundantly clear that the progressive philosophy of education articulated in Hanahau‘oli’s 1919 brochure were undeniably shaped by the Deweys’ (1915) scholarship. This included the revolutionary new ideas that Schools of Tomorrow espoused about the links between democracy and education, which are still put into practice at Hanahau‘oli School today.
Schools of Tomorrow
As a lifelong student of progressive education who read John Dewey’s classic Democracy and Education cover-to-cover and referenced the 1916 publication throughout my dissertation, I was surprised to learn (as the summary below attests to) that Democracy and Education was first drafted in the final chapter of Schools of Tomorrow. The online synopsis used to market Schools of Tomorrow today reveals this important fact about its contents:
A classic of World War I-era "experimental" education by the Columbia University Professor and philosopher, written in collaboration with his daughter -hailed at its publication in 1915 as "the most significant and informing study of educational conditions that has appeared in twenty years." The final chapter, "Democracy and Education," presaged Dewey's famous book of that name which appeared the following year. Illustrates (in Dewey's words) "What actually happens when schools start out to put into practice, each in its own way, some of the theories that have been pointed out as the soundest and best since Plato." A classic work in the history of American education (Amazon, 2025).
For fans of Democracy and Education, this final chapter of Schools of Tomorrow is a mind blowing account of what the Deweys learned about the power and potential of a progressive education for teaching and learning in a democracy and it is so clear how the earlier publication influenced Dewey’s now “classic work” in the history of American education.
In the final chapter of Schools of Tomorrow, John and Evelyn provide a recap of the essential features of all the schools that were visited and documented in the book. They write:
…the schools we have been discussing are all working away from a curriculum adapted to a small and specialized class towards one which shall be truly representative of the needs and conditions of a democratic society (p. 288)…While these schools are all alike in that they reflect the spirit in education, they differ greatly in the methods that have been developed to bring about the desired results; their surroundings and the class of pupils dealt with are varied enough to suggest the influence that local conditions must exercise over methods even when the aim is identical (p. 289)...To the educator for whom the problems of democracy are at all real, the vital necessity appears to be that of making the connections between the child and his environment as complete and intelligent as possible, both for the welfare of the child and for the sake of the community (p. 289)...The way this is to be accomplished will, of course, vary according to the conditions of the community and to a certain extent according to the temperament and beliefs of the educator (p.289)...The spread of the realization of this connection between democracy and education is perhaps the most interesting and significant phase of present educational tendencies [observed in the schools we visited] (pp. 304 - 305).
There are so many remarkable and forward thinking ideas contained in the quotes above, including the ideas that effective teaching is context-sensitive, place-based, culturally responsive, and connected to the local community. However, it is most striking to me at this moment that the Deweys had achieved clear and evidence-based documentation that a progressive philosophy of education built on the democratic purpose of schooling could be successfully translated from theory to practice.
From the very beginning of the movement, the progressive philosophy of education was grounded in the essential interconnectedness between democracy and schooling. This is clear in the work of Colonel Francis Wayland Parker (1837 - 1902), who John Dewey called “the father of progressive education.” A colleague of Dewey’s at the University of Chicago, Parker advocated for a more democratic, experiential learning environment that prepares students to be active and engaged citizens in a democratic society.
Colonel Parker was a Civil War veteran and bold educator for his time. He...championed the developmental needs of children and the professional standards of teachers in a democratic society…Parker believed educators should organize schools to meet the needs of society by engaging students along paths of inquiry, generated in part by their own interests and curiosities (The Francis W. Parker School, Chicago).
This involved moving away from rote memorization and authoritarian teaching methods towards collaborative learning, student-centered instruction, and real-world application of knowledge.
Parker’s experiences in the Civil War–more specifically, the realization that a more inclusive and human-centered education system focusing on critical thinking, dialogue, collaboration, compromise, creative solutions, empathy, understanding of different perspectives, and freedom and justice for all–were essential in shaping his new progressive philosophy of education.
A man of his times, Parker was influenced by both creative and destructive forces. He embodied the transcendentalists' romance with the beauty of organic development and the grandeur that connects all living things, and he knew only too well the violent horrors of being a soldier in the Civil War. Colonel Parker was armed with the passionate belief that “...the day would come when the teacher will lead society and mould opinion…” In this way, he forged the innocence of youth and the idealism of freedom with a battlefield of pragmatism that drove him with a single, dedicated focus to create humane and excellent schools led by knowledgeable, empathetic and inspirational teachers. Parker said himself: “Fighting for four years in the Civil War, as best I could, for the preservation of the democratic ideal, a teacher of little children for nearly forty years, I believe four things: as I believe in God–that democracy is the one hope for the world; that democracy without efficient common (public) schools is impossible; that every school in the land should be made a home and a haven for children; fourth, that when the ideal of the public school is realized, the blood shed by the blessed martyrs for freedom will not have been shed in vain” (Frank, 2001, pp. a-c).
John Dewey learned much from his academic relationship with Parker, but I think seeing all of the progressive schools in action–moving an idea into reality–solidified Dewey’s deep understanding of the essential role schools could play in both maintaining and perpetuating life in a democratic society.
Dewey writes about this in the final chapter of Schools of Tomorrow, a now prescient insight for the current moment:
The conventional type of education which trains children to docility and obedience, to the careful performance of imposed tasks because they are imposed, regardless of where they lead is suited to an autocratic society. These are the traits needed in a state where there is one head to plan and care for the lives and institutions of the people. But in a democracy they interfere with the successful conduct of society and government. Our famous brief definition of a democracy, as ‘government of the people, for the people and by the people,’ gives perhaps the best clew to what is involved in a democratic society. Responsibility for the conduct of society and government rests on every member of society. Therefore, every one must receive a training that will enable him to meet this responsibility, giving him just ideas of the condition and needs of the people collectively, and developing those qualities which will insure his doing a fair share of the work of government. If we train our children to take orders, to do things simply because they are told to, and fail to give them confidence to act and think for themselves, we are putting an almost insurmountable obstacle in the way of overcoming the present defects of our system and of establishing the truth of democratic ideals. Our State is founded on freedom, but when we train the State of tomorrow, we allow it just as little freedom as possible. Children in school must be allowed freedom so that they will know what its use means when they become the controlling body, and they must be allowed to develop active qualities of initiative, independence, and resourcefulness, before the abuses and failures of democracy will disappear (pp. 303-304).
After reading this, it should be unsurprising that John Dewey framed Democracy and Education (1916) as THE philosophy of education for schooling in the USA. After all, the United States was founded on democratic ideals rooted in the belief of popular sovereignty, where government exists to serve the people, and the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution ground these ideals, emphasizing equality, individual rights, and the power of the people through representation.
Democracy and Education
About democracy and education, Dewey (1980) is now famous for stating: “democracy has to be born anew every generation, and education is its midwife” (p. 139). That is, the continuation and evolution of democratic governance in the USA is not guaranteed. Instead, it is an ongoing human project that relies on education for the purpose of sustaining and improving upon it. He explains, “democracy is more than a form of government; it is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience” (p. 87) and that:
[a] society which makes provisions for participation in its good of all its members on equal terms and which secures flexible readjustment of its institutions through interaction of the different forms of associated life is in so far democratic. Such a society must have a type of education which gives individuals a personal interest in social relationships and control, and the habits of mind which secure social changes without inducing disorder (Dewey, 1916, p. 99).
Further articulated throughout the pages of Democracy and Education (1916), Dewey underscores the idea that a democratic society (one in which everyone has an equal opportunity to participate and thrive) must have “standards and methods of education” (p.81) that teach, embody, and enact participation, representation, fairness, rule of law, and equality for all.
In a later publication, The Public and Its Problems (1927), Dewey expanded on this lifelong thesis that was born out of the research conducted to complete Schools of Tomorrow. He writes, “the lasting, extensive, and serious consequences of associated activity [is] bring[ing] into existence a public” (p. 67). He asserted that in a democracy the "public" (all citizens) must be intertwined with a "commons” (resources managed collectively); the commons representing a space for collective action and self-governance and the public being the foundation of democratic participation and decision-making. Dewey spent a lifetime, along with other progressive educators exploring how education and schools (more concretely) could be critical sites for experiencing and reflecting (Dewey, 1938) on the challenges and benefits of life in the public commons, and for engaging citizens in learning how to positively shape the future of their shared democracy.
Relevance to Progressive Education Today
Over time, leaders in the progressive education movement have carried on this legacy; the belief that education plays a critical role in perpetuating democratic values, knowledge, practices and dispositions. This is seen in the current mission of the Progressive Education Network (2025), which brings together progressive educators across the country for the purpose of: Harnessing the dynamic power of progressive practice for the next generation of students, schools, and democracy. It also continues to remain at the heart of Hanahau‘oli School’s progressive education philosophy and pedagogy.
For example, thoughtful school structures, traditions, and daily routines are used to create collaborative civic spaces at Hanahau‘oli where children and adults have the opportunity to experience what active participation in a diverse democracy feels like. Colonel Francis Wayland Parker said, “a school should be a model home, a complete community, an embryonic democracy” (The Francis W. Parker School, Chicago) and at Hanahau‘oli there are a number of school structures, traditions, and daily routines that translate this idea into practice. They include courtesy squad car helpers, Monday through Thursday morning student-led flag, student-led Friday assemblies, daily morning meetings and closing circles, K/1 and 4/5 reading buddies, shaking hands with the Head of School at the end of each day, sixth grade/junior kindergarten buddies, team teaching, multi-age classrooms, multi-age recess, and dynamic multi-age mealtimes facilitated by students. In each of these structures, traditions, and daily routines, everyone is learning how democratic communities thrive when individuals learn how to think for themselves and collaborate with others.
Hanahau‘oli School’s eight-year spiraling and integrated curriculum likewise teaches democracy. For example, at the beginning of each year, classroom teachers help students in all classes from junior kindergarten through sixth grade work together to develop “classroom agreements.” The agreements are generated and refined using democratic processes tailored to meet the developmental needs of each age group. The students then create a charter of their agreements and post it on the classroom walls. These agreements become the basis of how the children and adults live, work, and play together for the remainder of the school year. For an example of the classroom agreements generated by kindergarten and first graders click this link.
Another illustration of the school’s emphasis on teaching democracy is found in the school’s thematic units of study. For example, this year, the fourth and fifth grade students engaged in three thematic units centered around learning more about life in a democratic society: Critical Thinking in a Democracy, Power and Freedom, and Changemakers. The overarching questions framing all three units are: How do I use my voice to make an impact? Is critical thinking the key to democracy? The following learning outcomes are used to guide each unit of study:
Critical Thinking in a Democracy
Begin to examine the effectiveness of a representative democracy.
Analyze what makes an election free and fair.
Educate others on the importance of being an informed and active citizen.
Examine decisions and their impact on the community.
Power and Freedom:
Define and competently use race relations terminology.
Analyze how people in power disempower others.
Investigate how trailblazers transform society.
Changemakers:
Explore how an individual’s actions can affect the environment and those around them.
Investigate how nonviolent direct action can affect change.
As I write this in the Spring of 2025, the students are designing and carrying out changemaker projects that will give them experience in making positive changes in our school and within the community at-large. This is the epic culmination of a year of study for this group of students that included participating in a mock election, writing and performing a school play about the history of democracy and its relevance today, engaging in a variety of learning trips that connected them with the inner workings of our democracy in the local community (e.g. visiting the headquarters of local news outlet Civil Beat, the Hawai‘i State Judiciary, and the Hawai‘i State Legislature), asking questions and taking part in discussions with guest speakers, making art about democratic leaders, and participating in literature circles to discuss insights gleaned from literature about enduring questions of how we should all live together. Imagine how transformative it would be if all students had access to a progressive education that provided them with experiences like these, experiences needed for carrying out a fair and just government of the people, for the people, and by the people.
In Sum
In today’s world, educators and policymakers who value democratic forms of governance and life in a democratic society must recognize the critical role of schools in ensuring the future roles, rights, and responsibilities of democratic citizenship. Above all, democracies need citizens who have learned how to take part in a system of government that demands their engagement and accountability. They also need citizens who understand fundamental democratic principles like popular sovereignty, the rule of law, election integrity, government transparency, the need for civic space, inclusive policy making, public resource management, media freedom and resistance to disinformation, separation of power, checks and balances, and the respect for human rights, minority rights, and basic freedoms. This is a sentiment echoed by the Deweys (1915) at the conclusion of Schools of Tomorrow.
Educators must insist upon [these] … educational values, not in their own behalf, but because these represent the more fundamental interests of society, especially of a society organized on a democratic basis (pp. 311-312)...The democracy which proclaims equity of opportunity as its ideal requires an education in which learning and social application, ideas and practice, work and recognition of the meaning of what is done, are united from the beginning for all. Schools such as we have discussed in this book–and they are rapidly coming into being in large numbers all over the country–are showing how the ideal of equal opportunity for all is to be transmuted into reality (p.315 - 316).
For the future of our democracy, it is clear that we urgently need more “schools of tomorrow” today. Let us work together to collectively carry on the legacy of John and Evelyn Dewey and others who came before us, continuing to grow progressive education communities of inquiry that fully understand the role of education in our democracy. May we remain vigilant and dedicated to cultivating informed, empathetic, responsible and engaged citizens who have the experience needed for participating in the most current and pressing demands of democratic life. Our democracy depends on us.
Works Cited:
Dewey, J. & Dewey, E. (2023/1915). Schools of tomorrow. University Press of the Pacific. Honolulu, HI. (Original book published in 1915)
Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and Education. Simon and Schuster. New York, NY.
Frank, D. B. (2001). Parker, F. W. (1894). Talks on pedagogics: An outline of the theory of concentration and other writings (A centennial celebration publication). Francis W. Parker School. Chicago, IL. (Original work published in 1894 by Francis W. Parker).
Gibbon, P. (2019). John Dewey: Portrait of a progressive thinker. Humanities, Vol. 40(2). https://www.neh.gov/article/john-dewey-portrait-progressive-thinker
Staring, J. and Aldridge, J. (December 01, 2014). Out of the shadows: Redeeming the contributions of Evelyn Dewey to education and social justice (1909-1919). Case Studies Journal ISSN (2305-509X), Vol. 3(11). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3392865
History. (2025, April 22). Francis W. Parker School. Retrieved on April 22, 2025, from: https://www.fwparker.org/about/history
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dr. Amber Strong Makaiau is a Specialist at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Director of Curriculum and Research at the Uehiro Academy for Philosophy and Ethics in Education, Director of the Hanahau‘oli School Professional Development Center, and Co-Director of the Progressive Philosophy and Pedagogy MEd Interdisciplinary Education, Curriculum Studies program. A former Hawai‘i State Department of Education high school social studies teacher, her work in education is focused around promoting a more just and equitable democracy for today’s children. Dr. Makaiau lives in Honolulu where she enjoys spending time in the ocean with her husband and two children.
