Americans became convinced during the 19th century, that comprehensive, free, public education was a necessity. Public education was regarded as the means to strike a balance between liberty and the need to control social change during a time when immigrants in ever -increasing numbers came to this country. Compounding the problems were the changes caused by industrialization. Henry Barnard and Horace Mann led the movement to establish common schools in the early 1800s. They believed that it was in the interest of the state to educate all children at public expense so that the social order would be maintained.