Joseph Smith's formal education?

"we were deprived of the bennifit of an education suffice it to say I was mearly instructid in reading and writing and the ground rules of Arithmatic which constuted my whole literary acquirements." ---JS journal 1832

JS journal1832 (full quote)

"I was born in the town of Charon [Sharon] in the State of vermont North America on the twenty third day of December AD 1805 of goodly Parents who spared no pains to instructing me in the christian religion at the age of about ten years my Father Joseph Smith Siegnior moved to Palmyra Ontario County in the State of New York and being in indigent circumstances were obliged to labour hard for the support of a large Family having nine chilldren and as it required the exertions of all that were able to render any assistance for the support of the Family therefore we were deprived of the bennifit of an education suffice it to say I was mearly instructid in reading and writing and the ground rules of Arithmatic which constuted my whole literary acquirements."

and from his wife emma..........

"Joseph Smith could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter, let alone dictate a book like the Book of Mormon. And, though I was an active participant in the scenes that transpired, and was present during the translation of the plates, and had cognizance of things as they transpired, it is marvelous to me, 'a marvel and a wonder,' as much so as to anyone else." - JS III, "Last Testimony of Sister Emma," Saints' Herald 26 (October 1, 1879): 289–90; and Joseph Smith III, "Last Testimony of Sister Emma," Saints' Advocate 2 (October 1879): 50–52.

I have not found a source that indicated "third grade" - I think it is an approximation... but I suggest emailing rrsokopf...as I'm pretty sure this is his and he generally has sources for claims.... http://www.mormonvoice.com/index.php/the-early-his...

his mother was literate and well-spoken in her records, as was JS. the "third-grade" thing likely IMHO refers to formal education....but obviously he continued to expand his knowledge as he progressed thru life and reading. ....his spelling however, stinks.

I don't know that we can correctly answer your question because we simply don't have a way to compare education in New York between 1810 and 1820 with what we know about education today. The best that we can say is that according to his history, he had three years of formal education, or in other words, that he went to school for three school years, as such existed in his time period. He had much more educational training within the walls of his own home. The family read the bible together and people would discuss current affairs around the table at night before going to bed. From all indications, he was intelligent and well educated, or rather, a learned person for his day, most of it being obtained outside of formal schooling.

After reading a book containing the personal writings of Joseph Smith, it is clear that his personal writing style left much to be desired. The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants do not compare with his own letters and journal notes. In other words, they did not come out of his own contrivance, but rather from inspired thoughts and revealed messages.

He had what was equivalent to a third grade formal education. This was actually high considering the fact that he was from a farmers family and most farm kids didn't have high educations. This is on LDS.org, mormon.org and wikipedia.

@bree-tha seriously learn more about the religion because i can tell from that short statement that you know nothing about. We actually believe that you take your intelligence with you into the after life. Also if you have read the Bible our religion is actually very similar and we are told to ask questions. We are taught to not just accept things, but to question and study it out in our minds. We believe that God helps those who help themselves and so you have to work for everything. Sorry if you have been misinformed, but try learning before shoving around lies :D

Joseph Smith did have limited formal education and that's often heralded as 'proof' that he could not have written the BOM. However most people do not know that Joseph's father, Joseph Smith, Sr., was a school teacher during the off season. Joseph's brother, Hyrum, worked as a school teacher during the off season also. One of his sisters may have also been a teacher at some point in her life. This wasn't a family of illiterates. Education was important to the Smith family, and although Joseph may have only had limited formal education in a typical classroom, his parents undoubtedly schooled him at home. Also Joseph was going to high school when he was 20 years old in Harmony PA with the Stowell children.

Joseph was able to read and ponder scriptures. His parents were literate. He had access to books and newspapers. He even held a position as "exhorter" at a local church. Joseph's mother wrote that they did not neglect the education of their children.

In the early 1800s few children were able to have a full education. Most children in rural America worked on farms and often had much of their education done at home. As Joseph Smith Sr. was an actual school teacher at various times in his life, he would be quite capable of teaching general education to his children, including Joseph. Joseph's mother, Lucy Smith, would undoubtedly help as well. Even Abraham Lincoln had a very limited formal education, and Benjamin Franklin had only one year of formal education.

Even today many people home-school their children. Would anyone say that these home-schooled children are uneducated? It's true that they do not have a formal education but for the most part, home-schooled children have similar, and in some cases superior, education than traditionally-schooled children.

(from http://www.mormonthink.com/josephweb.htm )

Peace.

It is not a cult and anyone stupid enough to believe this knows nothing about Mormonism, nor do they know the meaning of the word "cult." I am mormon, and I don't have to read about the temples, I've actually BEEN there, which is more than you can say. And if you have actually been through one and you're still convinced it's a cult, then you're a bitter, biased ex-Mormon.

Smith's father and one brother were sometimes school teachers. His brother was on a school board of directors. His mother was literate and wrote a book. Smith grew up surrounded by books and showed every sign of being quite a bible scholar at a young age.

School wasn't as organized and mandatory in the 1810s as now. Abraham Lincoln was also unschooled - formally.

Smith certainly had a vastly superior education to the men he claimed wrote the Book of Mormon. They were born in the wilds of pre Colombian America where there is almost no known writing. Joseph Smith would have been considered a scholar compared to any Indians that lived 2,000 years ago. Yet we don't question that the ancient Indians wrote the original Book of Mormon on gold plates, but we totally reject the idea that a 19th century man couldn't have done the same thing.

Many masterpieces have been written by people without formal education who grew up surrounded by literacy. None have been written by people who grew up and lived their whole lives in illiterate societies that had no writing and no examples to follow, nothing to build on.

He had the education equivalent of a third grader. He could not write and had trouble identifying things. When the Book of Mormon was translated, he had someone write for him!

With as little education as he had, it's quite amazing as to the brilliance of his spiritual education and how much he knew and was able to accomplish!! Started a church, built cities, led the strongest religious movement of the 1800's. Pretty amazing, even for those who wouldn't consider him a prophet as I would.

What formal education did Jesus have? I think the bigger question is how reliable is what John Smith taught? Does it align perfectly with the bible? Impossible. No man could ever be perfect in their teaching. If it starts with man it will have errors. The bigger the writing the more it will have.

Why does it matter if Joseph Smith had any education at all?

He was a fraud and created one of the most false religions known to mankind.

The Book of Mormon was copied and recorded out of a hat.

Look for the answers on the internet and study on your own. The quote, "The glory of God is intelligence." -- this goes against everything the LDS church believes as they do not want their members to study and find answers on their own. You will study yourself out of the church.

JS had very little education and was highly skilled in the ways of magic and seeking gold.

Joseph had little formal education, just like everyone else in early 19th century rural New York. However he was obviously well-read and had a terrific imagination, according to his mother.

That's all you need to write a book of fiction. Well, that and a magical stone that talks to you out of your hat.