His father (Heinrich Basedau) has been described as "severe almost to brutality", and his mother, Anna Maria Leonhard, as suffering from "melancholy almost to madness", which made his childhood a less than happy one.

His employer recognized Johann's extraordinary intellectual gifts and sent him back home to his parents with a letter which persuaded them to allow their son to be schooled at the Johanneum in Hamburg.

He was forbidden to give further instruction, but did not lose his salary; and, towards the end of 1767, he abandoned theology to devote himself with the same ardour to education, of which he conceived the project of a general reform in Germany.

The Elementarwerk contained a complete system of primary education, intended to develop the intelligence of the pupils and to bring them, so far as possible, into contact with realities, not with mere words; it was the first picture textbook for children to be published since the "Orbis Pictus" of Comenius in 1664.

Rich and poor were to be educated together, the curriculum was practically-based and conducted in German (rather than Latin or Greek), handicrafts were taught, there was an emphasis on games and physical exercise, and school uniform was made simple and more comfortable.

[8] Although the school was open for only a relatively short time until 1793, its reforming influence proved to be considerable and inspired the founding of many similar institutions in Germany and abroad.

[9] Basedow, unfortunately, was not disposed by nature or habit to succeed in an employment which required the greatest regularity, patience and attention; his temper was intractable, and his management of the Philanthropinum was one long quarrel with his colleagues.