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What the Education of George Washington Tells Us

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Written by Kayley Kenzie

Monday, 17 March 2008

The education of George Washington was rather limited compared to others in his day. After all, his two older half-brothers went away to England for their education; he did not.

by KayleyKenzie

The education of George Washington was rather limited compared to others in his day. After all, his two older half-brothers went away to England for their education; he did not.

George Washington learned no other languages and never attended college. He was only about 16 when his education ended.

Who taught Washington? Where did he go to school? This is not known for certain. The only tangible evidence we have of the education of George Washington is his school papers. It is through these papers that we can determine he received a useful education that helped him later on.

But according to Washington himself, his education was "defective." Although the education of George Washington was something that was continued throughout his entire life, he was still self-conscious of his formal schooling ending when he was still in his early teens.

His favorite learning methods included studying the people he most respected, learning from others, and reading books. He also took the time to learn from his own experiences.

Here is what we can learn from the education of George Washington just by reviewing his school papers:

1. Washington's first school papers bear the date 1741. Since he was born sometime around 1732, he could effectively read, write, and do arithmetic at about age eight or nine.

2. Another one of Washington's papers was actually a survey of his half-brother's turnip field. Obviously, he learned surveying while he was in school. How would this ability aid him later in life?

3. Another one of Washington's papers demonstrates that he studied geography, had the ability to calculate interests in money transactions, and could copy many of Virginia's legal forms.

4. Even though Washington didn't go to England for schooling, he spent time learning manners. In one of his papers, he copied 110 rules people should follow for good behavior and good manners.

These rules were called the "Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation." These rules obviously helped him communicate well with people and leaders around him.

Even though the education of George Washington was cut by a couple of years, it is obvious that he received a good education. What he learned helped him become a leader for this nation.

About the Author:

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