The Holy State, Book 2 · Chapter 16
CHAP. 16. The good Schoolmaster.
THere is scarce any profession in the Commonwealth more necessary, which is so slightly performed. The reasons whereof I conceive to be these: first, young scholars make this calling their refuge, yea perchance before they have taken any degree in the University, commence Schoolmasters in the countrey, as if nothing else were required to set up this profession but onelyonly a rod and a ferula. Secondly, others who are able use it onelyonly as a passage to better preferment, to patch the rents in their present fortune, till they can provide a new one, and betake themselves to some more gainfull calling. Thirdly, they are disheartned from doing their best with the miserable reward which in some places they receive, being Masters to the children, and slaves to their parents. Fourthly, being grown rich, they grow negligent, and scorn to touch the school, but by the proxie of an Usher. But see how well our Schoolmaster behaves himself.
His genius inclines him with delight to this profession. Maxime 1Some men had as lieve be schoolboyes as Schoolmasters, to be tyed to the school as Coopers Dictionary, and Scapula's Lexicon are chained to the desk therein; and though great scholars, and skilfull in other arts, are bunglers in this: But God of his goodnesse hath fitted severall men for severall callings, that the necessities of Church, and State, in all conditions may be provided for. So that he who beholds the fabrick thereof may say, God hewed out this stone, and appointed it to lie in this very place, for it would fit none other so well, and here it doth most excellent. And thus God mouldeth some for a Schoolmasters life, undertaking it with desire and delight, and discharging it with dexterity and happy successe.
2He studieth his scholars natures as carefully as they their books; and ranks their dispositions into severall forms. And though it may seem difficult for him in a great school to descend to all particulars, yet experienced Schoolmasters may quickly make a Grammar of boyes natures, and reduce them all (saving some few exceptions) to these generall rules.
1 Those that are ingenious and industrious. The conjunction of two such Planets in a youth presage much good unto him. To such a lad a frown may be a whipping, and a whipping a death; yea where their Master whips them once, shame whips them all the week after. Such natures he useth with all gentlenesse.
2 Those that are ingenious and idle. These think with the hare in the fable, that running with snails (so they count the rest of their school-fellows) they shall come soon enough to the Post, though sleeping a good while before their starting. Oh, a good rod would finely take them napping.
3 Those that are dull and diligent. Wines the stronger they be the more lees they have when they are new. Many boyes are muddy-headed till they be clarified with age, and such afterwards prove the best. Bristoll diamonds are both bright, and squared and pointed by Nature, and yet are soft and worthlesse; whereas orient ones in India are rough and rugged naturally. Hard rugged and dull natures of youth acquit themselves afterwards the jewells of the countrey, and therefore their dulnesse at first is to be born with, if they be diligent. That Schoolmaster deserves to be beaten himself, who beats Nature in a boy for a fault. And I question whether all the whipping in the world can make their parts, which are naturally sluggish, rise one minute before the houre Nature hath appointed.
4 Those that are invincibly dull and negligent also. Correction may reform the latter, not amend the former. All the whetting in the world can never set a rasours edge on that which hath no steel in it. Such boyes he consigneth over to other professions. Shipwrights and boatmakers will choose those crooked pieces of timber, which other carpenters refuse. Those may make excellent merchants and mechanicks which will not serve for Scholars.
He is able, 3diligent, and methodicall in his teaching; not leading them rather in a circle then forwards. He minces his precepts for children to swallow, hanging clogs on the nimblenesse of his own soul, that his Scholars may go along with him.
He is, 4and will be known to be an absolute Monarch in his school. If cockering Mothers proffer him money to purchase their sonnes an exemption from his rod (to live as it were in a peculiar, out of their Masters jurisdiction) with disdain he refuseth it, and scorns the late custome in some places of commuting whipping into money, and ransoming boyes from the rod at a set price. If he hath a stubborn youth, correction-proof, he debaseth not his authority by contesting with him, but fairly if he can puts him away before his obstinacy hath infected others.
He is moderate in inflicting deserv'd correction. 5Many a Shoolmaster better answereth the name of foreign then foreign, rather tearing his scholars flesh with whipping, then giving them good education. No wonder if his scholars hate the Muses, being presented unto them in the shapes of fiends and furies. Junius complains de insolenti *In his life, of his own writing.carnificina of his Schoolmaster, by whom conscindebatur flagris septies aut octies in dies singulos. Yea heare the lamentable verses of poore Tusser in his own life:
From Pauls I went, to Eaton sent,
To learn straightwayes the Latine phrase,
Where fifty three stripes given to me
At once I had.
For fault but small, or none at all,
It came to passe thus beat I was;
See, *Nich. Vdal Schoolmaster of Eaton in the Reigne of King Henry the eight.Vdal, see the mercy of thee
To me poore lad.
Such an Orbilius marres more Scholars then he makes: Their Tyranny hath caused many tongues to stammer, which spake plain by nature, and whose stuttering at first was nothing else but fears quavering on their speech at their Masters presence. And whose mauling them about their heads hath dull'd those who in quicknesse exceeded their Master.
6He makes his school free to him, who sues to him in forma pauperis. And surely Learning is the greatest alms that can be given. But he is a beast, who because the poore Scholar cannot pay him his wages, payes the Scholar in his whipping. Rather are diligent lads to be encouraged with all excitements to Learning. This minds me of what I have heard concerning Mr. Bust, that worthy late Schoolmaster of Eaton, who would never suffer any wandring begging Scholar (such as justly the Statute hath ranked in the forefront of Rogues) to come into his school, but would thrust him out with earnestnesse (however privately charitable unto him) lest his school-boyes should be disheartned from their books, by seeing some Scholars after their studying in the University preferr'd to beggery.
7He spoyls not a good school to make thereof a bad Colledge, therein to teach his Scholars Logick. For besides that Logick may have an action of trespasse against Grammar for encroaching on her liberties, Syllogismes are Solecismes taught in the school, and oftentimes they are forc'd afterwards in the University to unlearn the fumbling skill they had before.
Out of his school he is no whit pedanticall in carriage or discourse;8 contenting himself to be rich in Latine, though he doth not gingle with it in every company wherein he comes.
To conclude, Let this amongst other motives make Schoolmasters carefull in their place, that the eminencies of their Scholars have commended the memories of their Schoolmasters to posterity, who otherwise in obscurity had altogether been forgotten. Who had ever heard of R. *Grant. in vit. Ascham. pag. 629.Bond in Lancashire but for the breeding of learned Ascham his Scholar? or of*…shton in the life of Whitaker, pag. 29 Hartgrave in Brundly school, in the same County, but because he was the first did teach worthy Doctour Whitaker. Nor do I honour the memory of Mulcaster for any thing so much, as for his Scholar, that gulf of learning, Bishop Andrews. This made the Athenians, the day before the great feast of Theseus their founder, to sacrifice a ramme to the memory of *Plutar. in vit. Thes…i.Conidas his Schoolmaster that first instructed him.