Schmucker Memorial on Colored Children

Ken McGuire

A while ago when looking for Schmucker works I found this little memorial from 1839 to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.  The 2nd great awakening had been going on for a while, and many religious leaders were advocating for civil reform.  Some reforms went nowhere.  But some reform ideas at least would be part of the sparks to the fire of the American Civil War.

And this was a time for educational reform as well.  Schmucher was the person behind reforming the education for Lutheran Pastors at time, and this was when the Sunday-School Movement got going.  This is also the time when Horace Mann was starting his reforms in Massachusetts.

I actually have been sitting on this for a while. It was a quick job to convert into a book, but then I wondered if even I wanted this book.  There is nothing explicitly theological or biblical here.  And it scratches at the scab of Race Relations in this country.  Schmucher was a progressive on this in his day - especially for a boy of Maryland - but I seriously question if his thoughts are helpful for us going forward.

That said, when our school principle was speaking about the history of public and Lutheran schools in the American educational system this last weekend for Lutheran Schools week, I was reminded of how topical this memorial was for its era. 

Truly we are beggars...

SDG

Ken McGuire