--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In vain are Schools, Academies, and…" description: "\"In vain are Schools, Academies, and Universities instituted, if loose Principles and licentious habits are impressed upon Children in their earliest ye..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ea/john-adams-529_academy_in-vain-are-schools-academies-and-univer_2171978.jpg" --- # In vain are Schools, Academies, and Universities… ![“In vain are Schools, Academies, and Universities instituted, if loose Principles and licentious habits are impressed upon Children in their earliest years . . . . The Vices and Examples of the Parents cannot be concealed from the Children. How is it possible that Children can have any just Sense…” quote by John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ea/john-adams-529_academy_in-vain-are-schools-academies-and-univer_2171978.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ea/john-adams-529_academy_in-vain-are-schools-academies-and-univer_2171978.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ea/john-adams-529_academy_in-vain-are-schools-academies-and-univer_2171978.jpg) > “In vain are Schools, Academies, and Universities instituted, if loose Principles and licentious habits are impressed upon Children in their earliest years . . . . The Vices and Examples of the Parents cannot be concealed from the Children. How is it possible that Children can have any just Sense of the sacred Obligations of Morality or Religion if, from their earliest Infancy, they learn their Mothers live in habitual Infidelity to their fathers, and their fathers in as constant Infidelity to their Mothers.” [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early moral education is undermined when parents model unethical behavior, leading children to lack true moral sense. **In simple terms:** Children learn morality from parents; bad examples corrupt them. Key Takeaway Model integrity for future generations. Themes education morality family influence child development Mood concerned reflective Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - parenting - school curricula - community programs Key Concepts ethical modeling socialization cultural transmission Questions to Reflect On - How can schools counteract poor home influences? - What role does personal reflection play in moral growth? A Different Perspective Children may still develop personal ethics despite negative models. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Academy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/academy/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Concealed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concealed/) [Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constant/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Habitual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habitual/) [Habitual Infidelity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habitual-infidelity-4655497/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Impressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impressed/) [Infancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infancy/) [Infidelity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infidelity/) [Infidelity Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infidelity-fathers-4655498/) [Infidelity Mothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infidelity-mothers-4655499/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Morality Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality-religion-1172485/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/) [Obligations Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligations-morality-1994100/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Sacred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [The study and practice of law ... does not dissolve the obligations of morality or of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-study-and-practice-of-law-does-not-dissolve-the-obligations-of/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [The Bill of Rights should contain the general principles of natural and civil liberty. It should be to a community what the eternal laws…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-bill-of-rights-should-contain-the-general-principles-of-natural/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Human passions unbridled by morality and religion...would break the stronges cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/human-passions-unbridled-by-morality-and-religion-would-break-the/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Ethics may be defined as the obligations of morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lajos-kossuth/ethics-may-be-defined-as-the-obligations-of-morality/) [Lajos Kossuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lajos-kossuth/) > [We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge or gallantry would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/we-have-no-government-armed-with-power-capable-of-contending-with/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [The greatest tragedy in mankind's entire history may be the hijacking of morality by religion. However valuable-even necessary-that may have been in enforcing good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/the-greatest-tragedy-in-mankind-s-entire-history-may-be-the-hijacking/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [“Whether we know it or not, each of us lives a life governed by an internalized code of conduct. Some call it morality. Others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whether-we-know-it-or-not-each-of-us-lives-a-life-governed-by-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Progressives should recognize common morality with religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/progressives-should-recognize-common-morality-with-religion/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Some people talk of morality, and some of religion, but give me a little snug property.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/some-people-talk-of-morality-and-some-of-religion-but-give-me-a/) [Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/) > [Everywhere the tendency has been to separate religion from morality, to set them in opposition even. But a religion without morality is a superstition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hopkins/everywhere-the-tendency-has-been-to-separate-religion-from-morality/) [Mark Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hopkins/) > [Religion without morality is a superstition and a curse, and morality without religion is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hopkins/religion-without-morality-is-a-superstition-and-a-curse-and-morality/) [Mark Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hopkins/) > [“(Patrick) Henry rightly understood that the moral condition of the American people was a direct product of their religious faith, and that politics and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/patrick-henry-rightly-understood-that-the-moral-condition-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Everybody has got their own definition of Morality and Religion. We all have modified it as per our convenience. Little alcohol is fine, sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honeya/everybody-has-got-their-own-definition-of-morality-and-religion-we/) [Honeya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honeya/) > [Morality and religion are but words to him who fishes in gutters for the means of sustaining life, and crouches behind barrels in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-greeley/morality-and-religion-are-but-words-to-him-who-fishes-in-gutters-for/) [Horace Greeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-greeley/) > [Morality without religion is only a kind of dead reckoning - an endeavor to find our place on a cloudy sea by measuring the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/morality-without-religion-is-only-a-kind-of-dead-reckoning-an/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) ## More by John Adams > [Historically, usury was defined as any interest whatever on an unproductive loan.Our whole banking system I have ever abhorred, I continue to abhor, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/historically-usury-was-defined-as-any-interest-whatever-on-an/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [“Daughter! Get you an honest Man for a Husband, and keep him honest. No matter whether he is rich, provided he be independent. Regard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/daughter-get-you-an-honest-man-for-a-husband-and-keep-him-honest-no/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-general-principles-on-which-the-fathers-achieved-independence/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [We may... affirm that the balance of power in a society accompanies the balance of property in land. The only possible way, then, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/we-may-affirm-that-the-balance-of-power-in-a-society-accompanies-the/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [“The longer I live, the more I read, the more patiently I think, and the more anxiously I inquire, the less I seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-longer-i-live-the-more-i-read-the-more-patiently-i-think-and-the/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/but-what-do-we-mean-by-the-american-revolution-do-we-mean-the/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [“Upon common theaters, indeed, the applause of the audience is of more importance to the actors than their own aprobation. But upon the stage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/upon-common-theaters-indeed-the-applause-of-the-audience-is-of-more/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [There are only two creatures of value on the face of the earth: those with the commitment, and those who require the commitment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/there-are-only-two-creatures-of-value-on-the-face-of-the-earth-those/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [ I will insist the Hebrews have \[contributed\] more to civilize men than any other nation. If I was an atheist and believed in blind… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/i-will-insist-the-hebrews-have-contributed-more-to-civilize-men-than/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [“Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity and happiness of the people; and not for the profit, honor, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/government-is-instituted-for-the-common-good-for-the-protection/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Make Things rather than Persons the subjects of conversations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/make-things-rather-than-persons-the-subjects-of-conversations/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [During the whole time I sat with him in Congress, I never heard him utter three sentences together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/during-the-whole-time-i-sat-with-him-in-congress-i-never-heard-him/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not of republicanism and of all free government, but of social felicity under all government and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/religion-and-virtue-are-the-only-foundations-not-of-republicanism-and/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [The universal object and idol of men of letters is reputation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-universal-object-and-idol-of-men-of-letters-is-reputation/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [I consider a decent respect for Christianity among the best recommendations for public service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/i-consider-a-decent-respect-for-christianity-among-the-best/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) [Explore all 495 John Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) ## More Academy quotes > [Professionally speaking, the proudest moment was when I booked the 'Human Stain.' I knew it had Nicole Kidman, Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris and Gary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/professionally-speaking-the-proudest-moment-was-when-i-booked-the/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [Don't be pretentious is my first advice to young writers. This is the big problem - just because you're getting an MFA doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/don-t-be-pretentious-is-my-first-advice-to-young-writers-this-is-the/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [I realized early on that the academy and the literary world alike - and I don't think there really is a distinction between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/i-realized-early-on-that-the-academy-and-the-literary-world-alike-and/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [If all the Atheists & Agnostics left America, they'd lose 93% of The National Academy of Sciences & less than 1% of the prison population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/if-all-the-atheists-agnostics-left-america-they-d-lose-93-of-the/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [“Step Up Academy offers a conducive, encouraging, comfortable environment for children to step up their learning and achieve success. Our students progress within the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerthiga-manokumar/step-up-academy-offers-a-conducive-encouraging-comfortable/) [Kerthiga Manokumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerthiga-manokumar/) > [I remember when I first won the Academy Award and how much I loved it. I just wish there was an award around that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-woodward/i-remember-when-i-first-won-the-academy-award-and-how-much-i-loved-it/) [Joanne Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-woodward/) > [Few years ago, I said something about the Academy being very white male, which is the reality, and I was slashed to pieces by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-delpy/few-years-ago-i-said-something-about-the-academy-being-very-white/) [Julie Delpy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-delpy/) > [I think that no matter whether you're Quentin Tarantino or any other kind of a rebel, or whatever, everyone who makes movies still wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/i-think-that-no-matter-whether-you-re-quentin-tarantino-or-any-other/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [“Fuck Briarcrest Academy, and fuck you all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilsa-madden-mills/fuck-briarcrest-academy-and-fuck-you-all/) [Ilsa Madden-Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilsa-madden-mills/) > [I don't really look forward to movie stardom or doing a $200-million movie or winning an Academy Award.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-taylor/i-don-t-really-look-forward-to-movie-stardom-or-doing-a-200-million/) [Rachael Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-taylor/) > [I am an outsider looking in, absolutely. You're not going to see me at the Academy Awards 'Vanity Fair' party any time soon. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-griffin/i-am-an-outsider-looking-in-absolutely-you-re-not-going-to-see-me-at/) [Kathy Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-griffin/) > [In all our academies we attempt far too much. ... 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