Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Did you know that many of America's Founding Fathers were homeschooled? Today on Home School Heartbeat, HSLDA President Mike Smith highlights significant individuals from homeschooling's successful history.

Mike Smith:


When HSLDA was founded 20 years ago, we faced an educational and political climate that was hostile toward the idea of parents teaching their children at home. In the 18th century, however, the idea of home education was flourishing.


200 years ago, parents taught their children using the Bible as a foundation and the one-on-one tutoring ratio as an advantage. Several of these students became Presidents of the United States.


Homeschooled children also grew up to become delegates to the Constitutional Convention. Benjamin Franklin and 16 of his fellow homeschoolers became the authors of the most significant constitution in the history of the world.


Later generations of homeschoolers grew up to become military greats like General Robert E. Lee, General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, General Douglas McArthur, and General George Patton. Other prominent leaders such as Andrew Carnegie and Booker T. Washington were also taught at home, as was inventor Thomas Edison.


All of these great leaders share a commonality in their method of education and the love of learning that it engendered. That same passion is responsible for the rebirth of the modern homeschool movement. And after two decades of protecting the rights of homeschoolers, HSLDA's 20th anniversary is marked by a cultural climate that is once again recognizing the benefits of home education. And until next time, I'm Mike Smith.