The dualisms between theory and practice, individual and society, intellectual and manual, as identified by John Dewey in the 19th century, find their direct correspondence in the writings of a contemporary Christian writer of his era, Ellen G. White, whose publications and life work led to the development of what is now one of the single largest Protestant private education systems in the world. This paper provides an outline of these three historical dualities, identifies the shared insights of Ellen White and John Dewey relating to these dualities within their historical context, and delineates the implications for current practice.