Compared to other leaders of his day, the education of George Washington was limited. Unlike his two older half-brothers, he did not go away to England for his education.

George Washington learned no other languages and never attended college. He was only about 16 when his education ended.

Who taught Washington? Where did he go to school? This is not known for certain. The only tangible evidence we have of the education of George Washington is his school papers. It is through these papers that we can determine he received a useful education that helped him later on.

Washington was quoted as describing his education as “defective.” Even though the education of George Washington continued to be developed, he remained embarrassed that his formal education ended early.

Some of his favorite methods of learning included books, studying the people he respected, and learning from others. In addition, he learned from his own experiences.

Here is what we can learn from the education of George Washington just by reviewing his school papers:

1. His first school papers were dated 1741. If he was born in 1732, he was about 8 or 9 and could effectively read, write, and do math.

2. One of Washington’s papers was a survey of his half-brother’s turnip field. He obviously learned surveying in school. How would this skill help him later in life?

3. Another one of Washington’s papers demonstrates that he studied geography, had the ability to calculate interests in money transactions, and could copy many of Virginia’s legal forms.

4. Washington may not have received his education in England, but he was certainly taught something about manners and decorum. He copied 110 rules that people should observe for good manners and behavior.

These rules were called the “Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation.” These rules obviously helped him communicate well with people and leaders around him.

Although it’s true that the education of George Washington was truncated by a couple of years, he still received a very solid education. He learned the skills he needed to be a leader for this nation.