He was born in
Hartford, Connecticut on January 24, 1811 and attended
Wilbraham & Monson Academy. He graduated from
Yale University in 1830 and was admitted to the Connecticut
bar in 1835. In 1837–1839, he was a member of the
Connecticut House of Representatives, effecting in 1838 the passage of a bill, drafted and introduced by himself, which provided for "the better supervision of the common schools", and established a board of "commissioners of common schools" in the state. He was the secretary of the board from 1838 until its abolition in 1842, and during this time worked indefatigably to reorganize and reform the common school system of the state, thus earning a national reputation as an educational reformer. In 1843, he was appointed by the governor of
Rhode Island agent to examine the public schools of the state, and recommended improvements; and his work resulted in the reorganization of the school system two years later. From 1845 to 1849, he was the first commissioner of public schools in the state, and his administration was marked by a decided step in educational progress. In 1845, Barnard established the first "Rhode Island Teachers Institute" at
Smithville Seminary. Returning to Connecticut, from 1851 to 1855, he was "superintendent of common schools", and principal of the
Connecticut State Normal School at
New Britain, Connecticut. In 1852, Barnard was offered the newly created position of
President of the University of Michigan, but he declined. From 1859 to 1860, he was chancellor of the
University of Wisconsin–Madison and agent of the board of regents of the normal school fund; in 1866 he was president of
St. John's College in
Annapolis, Maryland; and from 1867 to 1870 he was the first
United States Commissioner of Education, and in this position he laid the foundation for the subsequent work of the
Bureau of Education. He was awarded
American Library Association Honorary Membership in 1893. ==
American Journal of Education==