In 1906, classes were offered for kindergarten through third grade with 64 Maryville students attending. By the next fall, a fourth grade class was added with all classes housed in downtown Maryville. College students at that time were required to enroll in three terms of practice teaching under supervision. In the fall of 1910 classes moved into the southeast corner of the new Administration Building. That same year, a new system for practice teaching was instituted. Each student, instead of being required to do one hour a day of teaching over three terms, was required to be in charge of a room in the training school for one-quarter of a day for one term and half-day for two terms. Throughout the early years, the lab school expanded to fifth and sixth grades and then to junior high courses. In 1923, high school classes were offered, according to Mattie Dykes' Behind the Birches,"in order to provide practice teaching under supervision for students majoring in subject matter fields with the expectation of teaching those subjects in secondary schools. "

Today, the basic philosophy of Horace Mann remains as it did back in 1906. "The training of teachers, while providing on exemplary child-center integrated curriculum, continues to be our primary function," stated Dr. Rebecca Belcher, Director of Horace Mann. Horace Mann Liboratory School, housed in Brown Hall, continues to offer classes for kindergarten through sixth grade. In addition, early childhood classes for children age 3 through pre-kindergarten are held in the Early Childhood Center on the lower level. Northwest Missouri State University education majors continue to observe master teachers in these classrooms and teach the elementary students as well. However, the period that education students are in Horace Mann has changed somewhat over the years. The old philosophy was to train for six to eight weeks and then have them go out and student teach. Now, the students are given more practical experience during their entire college career. As the Horace Mann Director, Dr. Belcher must balance the needs of the University students with the needs of the elementary students."My goal", said Dr. Belcher, "is a quality education for the elementary children and college students. With 20 to 25 students per classroom and numerous university students in attendance everyday, Horace Mann is a busy, exciting school. The University students get an opportunity to observe the teaching profession from the moment they walk onto campus and to decide early in their University career if this is the profession for them. The elementary students receives personalized instruction that they would not be able to get in a typical school setting. I think Northwest does the best job in the state of preparing students, both University and elementary." stated Dr. Belcher