Absolutism and the Eighteenth-Century Origins of Compulsory Schooling in Prussia and Austria

Abstract

concern with curriculum, would be interested in learning more about the actual content of the Highlander lessons. Despite these weaknesses, the book is enjoyable to read and is a major contribution to our understanding and appreciation of what a character in the film Northern Lights calls our "rebel roots." Indeed, Highlander provides a fascinating example of how individual educators can play a significant role in the cause of freedom and social justice. If, as Myles Horton declared, "Highlander is an idea" (p. 173) more than it is a place, it is an idea that deserves our continued attention: how education can best serve to promote fundamental social, economic, and political change that leads to a more democratic and humane society. STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK KENNETH TEITELBAUM AT BlNGHAMTON James Van Horn Melton. Absolutism and the Eighteenth-Century Ori gins of Compulsory Schooling in Prussia and Austria. New York: