Rebecca Lynch - Lettering

The 5 words that I chose are things that I pass by everyday but never really pay too much attention to. I live in a house right behind Norman Hall and every day I walk in the building through the same entrance. On the wall outside, carved into the stone, is a fairly long list of names surrounded by stone embellishments and a bench. I think this side of Norman is rarely noticed by anyone; I have never seen anyone on that bench in my 3 years at UF. When I decided to think about 5 words I see around me, I immediately thought of this list.

1. Quintilian – He was a Roman writer who had great influence in education. He defined his own educational processed and argued for educational changes that are still relevant in today’s schools.

2. Da Feltre – He was an Italian teacher and humanitarian. He placed a strong emphasis on the need for physical education to be included with academics. He also included field trips!

3. Herbart- Herbart founded pedagogy as an academic discipline. The educational beliefs he held still bring about discussion with teachers today in relation to literature and critical thinking.

4.Froebel – Laid the foundation for modern education. He was the first to develop the concept of kindergarten.

5. Horace Mann – Mann was an American education reformist. He addressed problems with the public school system and brought them to light in the public eye.

I assumed that this list of names on the side of Norman would be a list of people who made lasting contributions to the education field. Even though these names are somewhat overlooked, I like knowing why they are there. I like the idea that in some small way we are paying tribute to the educators who came before us.