American Moral & Humane Education Society Sketches

The following page was written in 1880 by George T. Angell, founder of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and outlines his plans to start a new society, one which he refers to here as the “American Moral & Humane Education Society.” This is an important document because it gives a glimpse in to Angell’s thoughts around forming an organization dedicated to Humane Education nine years prior to the foundation of the AHES.

George T. Angell’s writings on forming an “American Moral and Humane Education Society,” which would become known as the American Humane Education Society. Collection of the MSPCA Angell.

The object of such a society, according to Angell’s writings here, would be to “carry gems of moral and humane thought and education in the form of stories, songs, poems, interesting lessons into all the schools of the country, and so far as possible into every family.” The core values that Angell lists here are: “peace, temperance, true heroism, respect for the aged, kindness to all God’s lower creatures, honesty, honour, God, immortality.” He is careful to note that within this organization there will be “nothing permitted which can in any way conflict or interfere with the religious sentiments or beliefs of any sect or denomination.” It is interesting to note that he envisioned this to be a “very small” society.

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