In Moravia in 1592, Comenius, one of the greatest educational theorists to date, was brought into life. From his father he received ordinary elementary and grammar school education. While attending school the incompetence of his teachers drove him to become a school reformer. Still today, 300 years later, we find his teachings to be the origins of contemporary or recent trends of thought. Comenius's theories can be seen today through the relatively young philosophy of progressivism. Through Comenius's views on the nature and character of society, the nature of the individual, and the nature of knowledge, one can see how his views on education may have influenced the development of progressivism.
             One view that must be looked upon is the nature and character of society. Comenius believed that human society is an educative society: though this idea is not explicitly stated until the nineteenth century. In other words society teaches all things to all men and from all view points as well as the fundamental union between the educational ideal and the ideal of international organization. This then proceeds into the nature of the individual.
             The nature of the individual should also be considered when looking into Comenius's philosophy. Comenius believed in three main issues that cannot be separated. These three aspects consist of Erudition, virtue or seemly morals, and religion or piety. In other words, we comprehend the knowledge of all things, arts, and tongue; under virtue, not only external decorum, but the whole disposition of our internal and external movements; while by religion we understand that inner veneration by which the mind of man attaches to the supreme Godhead (Reisner 24). Comenius states that, "In these three things is situated the whole excellence of man, for they alone are the foundation of the present and the future" (Reisner, 24). All other things (beauty, riches, strength, long life) o...