The town of New Harmony, Indiana, perhaps offers one of the most colorful histories of Utopianism in all of America. Led by Robert Owen, it is here that a group of men and women put into practice several major social concepts that flourished among American visionaries of the nineteenth century through the formation of an unique utopia called New Harmony.
             One such important characteristic of nineteenth century reform was the belief that there should be institutional solutions to the growing social problems and decline of urban society. This idea was practiced by the followers of Owen, people otherwise known as Owenites, who were workers on his colony, New Harmony. Owen argued that the only way that the standard of working could change was in an institution, or utopia, with "co-operative" effort and common ownership. "I am come to this country," Owen announced, "to introduce an entire new state of society, to change it from an ignorant, selfish system to an enlightened social system which shall gradually unite all interests into one, and remove all causes for contests between individuals." Furthermore, he also insisted that common man is not responsible for his acts and can only be saved from ignorance and poverty only by the improvement of his surroundings. Remarkably, Owen's ideals might very well have eliminated much of the difficulties caused by the Industrial Revolution. Owen therefore set out to improve the surroundings of his people, primarily through the education of the society. He supplied equal education to all members, including any boys, girls, or even any adults. Furthermore, he also eliminated the use of conventional education and rather chose practical schooling which aimed to reform social, economic, and political conditions for his community. With this practical schooling came early schooling. It is unbelievable to imagine that it was this very colony of New Harmony which...