“Only through education can equality of opportunity be anything more than a phrase.”

— John Dewey, "The Need of an Industrial Education in an Industrial Democracy," Manual Training and Vocational Education 17 (1916)

About John Dewey

1859 – 1952

American philosopher and educational reformer.

“Art is not the possession of the few who are recognized writers, painters, musicians; it is the authentic expression of any and all individuality.”

“Cease conceiving of education as mere preparation for later life, and make it the full meaning of the present life.”

“Democracy has to be born anew every generation, and education is its midwife.”

“The wisest man may be wiser to-day than he was yesterday, and to-morrow than he is to-day.”

“Give thyself time to learn something new and good, and cease to be whirled around.”

“It is the mark of an educated man to look for precision in each class of things.”

“For the things we have to learn before we can do, we learn by doing.”

“The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think.”

“It was subtle of God to learn Greek when he wished to become an author—and not to learn it better.”