<P> Related reforms attempted to develop similar classical results by concentrating on "why", and "which" questions neglected by classical education . Abstract, introspective answers to these questions can theoretically compress large numbers of facts into relatively few principles . This path was taken by some Transcendentalist educators, such as Amos Bronson Alcott . In the early modern age, Victorian schools were reformed to teach commercially useful topics, such as modern languages and mathematics, rather than classical subjects, such as Latin and Greek . </P> <P> Many reformers focused on reforming society by reforming education on more scientific, humanistic, pragmatic or democratic principles . John Dewey and Anton Makarenko are prominent examples of such reformers . Some reformers incorporated several motivations, e.g. Maria Montessori, who both "educated for peace" (a social goal), and to "meet the needs of the child" (A humanistic goal). In historic Prussia, an important motivation for the invention of Kindergarten was to foster national unity by teaching a national language while children were young enough that learning a language was easy . </P> <P> Reform has taken many forms and directions . Throughout history and the present day, the meaning and methods of education have changed through debates over what content or experiences result in an educated individual or an educated society . Changes may be implemented by individual educators and / or by broad - based school organization and / or by curriculum changes with performance evaluations . </P> <P> Plato believed that children would never learn unless they wanted to learn . In The Republic, he said, "...compulsory learning never sticks in the mind ." An educational debate in the time of the Roman Empire arose after Christianity had achieved broad acceptance . The question concerned the educational value of pre-Christian classical thought: "Given that the body of knowledge of the pre-Christian Romans was heathen in origin, was it safe to teach it to Christian children?" </P>

What were the two major goals for instituting public education in america