A New Discovery of the Old Art of Teaching School, Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Of the Founding of a Grammar Schoole.
THe moſt of the Grammar Schools which I have yet taken notice of in England, are of two ſorts; The firſt I may call mixt Schooles, where a ſtructure is made, and an allowance given of ten, twenty, or thirty pounds per annum, onelyonly to one man to teach children freely, that inhabit within the precincts of one Pariſh, or of three or four neighbouring Hamlets, adjoyning. And ſuch Schooles as theſe very ſeldom or never improve Scholars further, then to teach them to read and write, and learne ſome little (they know not what it meaneth) in the common Grammar; partly becauſe the Maſter is overburdened with too many petty Scholars, and partly becauſe many parents will not ſpare their children to learne, if they can but finde them any employment about their domeſtick or rureall affairs, whereby they may ſave a penny. In ſome places more populous, an allowance is made to a Maſter of about twenpounds per annum to attend Grammarians onelyonly, and ten pounds to an Uſher, whoſe work it is to teach the Petties: in ſuch Schooles as theſe, I have knowne ſome boyes more pregnant witted then the reſt, to have proved very good Grammarians, and to have profited ſo in the Latine and Greek Tongues, as to come to good maturity in Univerſity ſtudies, by a Tutors guidance. But the Maſters of ſuch Schooles for the moſt part, either weaken their bodies by exceſſive toyle, and ſo ſhorten their dayes; or as (ſoon as they can fit themſelves for a more eaſie profeſſion, or obtain a more profitable place) after a few years quit their Schoole, and leave their Scholars to anothers charge, that either hath his method to ſeek, or elſe traines them up in another, quite different from that which they had been uſed to. And thus thorow the change of Maſters the Scholars are either diſperſed, or hindered from going on with that alacrity and profit, which otherwiſe they might.
The ſecond ſort of Schooles are thoſe which are purely Grammatical, being eſpecially converſant in teaching the Art of Grammar. Now ſome of theſe have yearely ſalaries for a Maſter and one Uſher, where the Maſter is employed in perfecting thoſe Scholars, which the Uſher hath already grounded. And many of theſe Schooles, (eſpecially if they be ſituate in places where accommodation is to be had for Tabling) do happily train up many Scholars, which about ſixteen or ſeventeen years of age, are fit to beſent to the Univerſity. But in regard there is no preferment attending theſe Schooles, the moſt pregnant witted children are commonly taken thence, after they are well grounded, and diſpoſed on to other places, where they may gain it. So that of all others our collegiate Schooles or thoſe that come neareſt them, have the greateſt advantage of making moſt Scholars. For theſe having commonly large revenues belonging to them, do not onelyonly provide ſufficiently for a Maſter and one Uſher at leſt, but alſo for a certaine number of Scholars, which being for the moſt part of the choyceſt wits, pickt out of other Schooles, and ſuch as depend upon hopes of advancement, do induſtriouſly beſtirre themſelves to attain what learning they can, and ſubmit themſelves orderly to ſuch Diſcipline as is there exerciſed. But foraſmuch as theſe greater Schooles rather intend the forwarding of ſuch children as are already grounded, then buſie themſelves about meere Rudiments; it ca…ſeth many parents to diſperſe their little ones abroad to Tabling-Schooles, where (for the moſt part) there is but one man to teach a few promiſcuouſly hand-over-head, without any ſetled Method, and theſe changing and removing ever and anon, as cauſe is offered, do ſeldome attain any ſtable proficiencie in Grammar-learning. Yet in ſome of theſe, where an able Schoole-Maſter is well ſeated, and provided with all fitting accommodations, ſo as to entertain many Gentlemens ſonnes of good quality, and an able Uſher to aſſiſt him in Teaching. I have obſerved children to make double profiting, in reſpect of other Schooles, becauſe they have the advantage to ſpend much of that time at their bookes, which others triſle away, in running up and down about home; not to ſay, that the conſtant eye of the Maſter is an eſpeciall means to regulate them in point of behaviour.
Now comparing all the Schooles which we have in England, with ſome that I read of in other countries, (that I may ſpeak freely, and without offence to any man, ſubmitting my ſelf herein alſo to the judgement of thoſe of my Profeſſion) I do not know one that is ſo compleated, as (perhaps) many might eaſily be, with all neceſſary accommodations, and advantages to improve children to what they are capable of, in their playing years, and wherein we evidently ſee, how many places of education beyond the Seas, do quite outſtrip us.
And therefore from what I have heretofore read in Mr. M…leaſters Poſitions concerning the training up of children, in ch. 40. (which he writ when he had been twenty years Schoole-maſter at Merchant Tailors Schoole, which was erected 1561. being afterwards head Maſter of Pauls, in 1600.) and what I have been informed touching Mr. Farnabies improvement of a private Grammar Schoole in Gold-Smiths Alley, now called New ſtreet, alſo Jew…n Street; and what I my ſelf have experienced for about fourteen years together, both in that place, and in Lothbury Garden, I am induced to think, that it is a matter very feaſeable to raiſe many of our Grammar-Schooles to a far higher pitch of learning, then is ordinarily yet attained to in England. For whereas in moſt of our Grammar-Schooles (as I have noted) there is but one, two, or three Uſhers beſides a Maſter, imployed in teaching the Latine and Greek Tongues, and ſome ſmattering of the Hebrew, together in one room, to ſix or ſeven Forms of Scholars, who by reaſon of the noiſe of one another, (not to mention the clamour of children) and the multiplicity of their Work, with ſeveral boyes in each Form, do both over-tire themſelves, and many times leave things to the halves; I conceive a courſe may be taken (eſpecially) in Cities, and Townes of greater concourſe, to teach a great multitude of Scholars (as Corderius profeſſeth to have taught 500. and I have been informed, that in ſome places beyond Seas, 2500. are taught in one Schoole) without any noiſe, in a pleaſing & profiting manner, & in their playing years; not onelyonly the Engliſh, Latine, and Greek Tongues, (together with the Duties of Piety, and civil behaviour) but alſo the Eaſterne, and other needful forreign Languaguages, beſides fair writing, Arithmetick, Muſick, and other Preparatory Arts and Sciences, which are moſt obvious to the Senſes; and whereof their younger yeares are very capable; that thereby they may be throughly fitted for ingenuous Trades, or to proſecute higher ſtudies in the Univerſities, and ſo be able (when they come to mans eſtate) to undertake the due management of private or publick Affaires, either at home, or in other countries.
He that ſhall but conſider the low ebbo that learning was brought to (by reaſon of the Daniſh barbariſme) in England, in King Alfred's dayes, who could not finde a Maſter in all his dominions, to teach him the Latine Tongue, (which he began to learn at thirty ſix years of age, having begun to read Engliſh at twelve, which his elder brethren, becauſe leſs ſtudious, could not attain to) and the paucity of them that underſtood Greek, not much above threeſcore yeares agoe, when a Scholar yet living of thirteen years old from the Schoole, was owned as a better Grecian, then moſt of the Fellowes of the Colledge to which he went; he that, I ſay, ſhall conſider the former rareneſs of the Latine and Greek Tongues in England, and now ſee how common they are (eſpecially ſince Queen Elizabeths dayes, in whoſe time, more Schooles were built, then there were before in all her Realm) and withall, take notice what an excellent improvement that noble-ſpirited Mr. Busbie hath of late made at Weſtminſter Schoole, where the Eaſterne Languages are now become familiar to the higheſt ſort of Scholars, will undoubtedly think (as I do) that our children may be brought on to far more knowledge of Language and things, then hitherto they have been, and that alſo in a more eaſie manner.
And foraſmuch as I obſerve it as a great Act of Gods mercy towards his Church, that, in this jangling age of ours, wherein too many decry learning, he hath raiſed up the Spirit of ſome, that know better what it is, to endeavour heartily to advance it, I ſhall here addreſſe my words to ſuch whoſoever they are, but more eſpecially to the Honourable and Reverend Truſtees for the maintenance of Students. And as before I have hinted ſomewhat touching the erecting of Petty-Schooles (whereof there is great need, eſpecially) in London; ſo I will here preſume (and I hope it will prove no offence) to publiſh what I have often ſeriouſly thought, and ſometimes ſpoken with ſome mens approbation, touching the moſt convenient founding of a Grammar-Schoole; that if it ſhall pleaſe God to ſtirre up any mans ſpirit to perform ſo pious a Work, he may do it, to the beſt advantage for the improvement of Piety and learning. For when I ſee in many places of this land, what vaſt ſummes have been expended (even of late) in erecting ſtately houſes, and fencing large parcels of ground for Orchards and Gardens, and the like; and how deſtitute for the moſt part they ſtand, and remain without inhabitants; I am too too apt to think, that thoſe perſons which have undergone ſo great a charge, to ſo little purpoſe, would willingly have disburſed as much money upon a publick good, did they but rightly know how to do it; ſince thereby their name and memory will be more preſerved; eſpecially, if they have no children or poſterity of their own to provide for.
But to return to the contrivance of a Schoole, which is to be in many things (as I have mentioned) above the ordinary way of Schooling, yet gradually diſtant from, and ſubordinate to Univerſity Colledges, which would thence alſo take a further riſe towards perfection in all kinds of Study and Action, For the better grounded a Scholar is in the principles of uſeful matters, when he comes to the Univerſity, the greater progreſs he will make there in their ſuperſtructures, which require more ſearch and meditation; ſo that at laſt he will be able to diſcover many particulars, which have not yet been found out by others, who (perhaps) have not gone ſo rationally to work, as he may do, having obtained the whole Encyclopoedia of learning, to help him in all ſorts of Books.
Such a Schoole then as may be fit for the education of all ſorts of children (for we have ſeen the very pooreſt to have come to dignities of preferment by being learned) ſhould be ſituated in a City or Town of great concourſe and trading, whoſe inhabitants are generally addicted, and ſufficiently accommodated to entertain Tablers, and are unanimouſly well-affected towards Piety, Learning, and Vertue. The place ſhould be healthfully and pleaſantly ſeated in a plentifull country, where the wayes on all ſides are moſt commonly faire, and convenient paſsage to be had from remoter parts, both by land and by water.
The Schoole-houſe ſhould be a large and ſtately building, placed by it ſelfe about the middle of the outſide of a Town, as near as may be to the Church, and not far from the fields, where it may ſtand in a good aire, and be free from all annoyances. It ſhould have a large piece of ground adjoyning to it, which ſhould be divided into a paved Court to go round about the Schoole, a faire Orchard and Garden, with Walks and Arbors, and a ſpacious green cloſe for Scholars recreations; and to ſhelter the Scholars againſt rainy weather, and that they may not injure the Schoole in times of play, it were good if ſome part of the Court were ſheded, or cloyſtered over.
This Schoole-houſe ſhould be built three ſtories high, whereof the middlemoſt, for more freedome of the aire, ſhould be the higheſt above-head, and ſo ſpacious, that it may contain (at leaſt) 500. Scholars together, without thronging one another. It ſhould be ſo contrived with folding doors made betwixt every Form, as that upon occaſion it may be all laid open into one roome, or parted into ſix, for more privacie of hearing every Form without noyſe, or hinderance one of another. There ſhould be ſeats made in the Schoole, with Deskes before them, whereon every Scholar may write, and lay his book, and theſe ſhould be ſo placed, that a good ſpace may be left in the middle of the Schoole, ſo as ſix men a breaſt may walk up and down from Form to Form. The Uſhers Pues ſhould be ſet at the head ends of every Form, ſo as they may beſt ſee and hear every particular boy. And the Maſters Chaire ſhould be ſo raiſed at the upper end of the Schoole, as that he may be able to have every Scholar in his eye, and to be heard of all, when he hath occaſion to give any common charge, or inſtruction. There may be ſhelves made round about the Schoole, and boxes for every Scholar to put his books in, and pins whereon they may hang their hats, that they be not trodden (as is uſual) under feet. Likewiſe every Form ſhould have a Repoſitory near unto it, wherein to lay ſuch Subſidiary books as are moſt proper for its uſe. The loweſt ſtory may be divided into ſeveral rooms, proportioned according to the uſes for which they are intended, whereof one ſhould be for a writing-Schoole, another for ſuch Languages as are to be taught at ſpare houres; and a third as a Petty-Schoole for ſuch children as cannot read Engliſh perfectly, and are intended for the Grammar-Schoole. A fourth room may be reſerved for laying in wood and coales, aud the reſt made uſe on for Uſhers or Scholars to lodge in, or the like occaſion, as the Maſter ſhall think beſt to diſpoſe of them to the furtherance of his Schoole. In the uppermoſt ſtory, there ſhould be a faire pleaſant Gallery wherein to hang Maps, and ſet Globes, and to lay up ſuch rarities as can be gotten in preſſes, or drawers, that the Scholrs may know them. There ſhould likewiſe be a place provided for a School-Library, and the reſt may be made uſe of as Lodging roomes, for Uſhers and Scholars. But the whole Fabrick ſhould be ſo contrived, that there may be ſufficient lights and chimneys to every Form and roome. As for an houſe of Office, it ſhould be made a good diſtance: from the Schoole, in ſome corner of the cloſe, where it may be moſt out of ſight, and leaſt offenſive.
The Maſters dwelling-houſe ſhould be high the Schoole, and ſhould contain in it all ſorts of roomes convenient for entertainment and lodging, and neceſſary offices that pertain to a great family. It ſhould have a handſome Court before it, and a large yard behind it, with an Orchard and Garden, and ſome incloſure of paſture ground. And there ſhould be two or three roomes made a little remote from the dwelling houſe, to which Scholars may be removed and kept apart, in caſe they be ſick, and have ſome body there to look to them.
Now that every Scholar may be improved to the utmoſt of what he is capable, the whole Grammar Schoole ſhould be divided into ſix Forms, and thoſe placed orderly in one roome, which (as I have deſcribed) may be ſo divided into ſix, that the noyſe of one form may not at all diſturb or hinder another. There ſhould alſo be ſix able Uſhers, for every particular form one, whoſe work ſhould be to teach the Scholars according to the method appointed by the Maſter, and (that every one may profit in what he learneth) to be ſure to have reſpect to the weakeſt, and afford them the moſt help.
The Maſter ſhould not be tyed (as is ordinary) to a double work, both to teach a main part of the Schoole himſelfe, and to have the inſpection and government over all; but his chief care ſhould be (and it wil be buſineſſe enough for one) to preſcribe Taskes, and to examine the Scholars in every form, how they profit, and to ſee that all exerciſes be duely performed, and good order conſtantly obſerved, and that every Uſher be dexterous and diligent in his charge, and moderate in executing ſuch correction, as is neceſſary at any time to be inflicted for vitious enormities, but ſeldome or never, for errours committed at their Books.
As for the maintenance of ſuch a School, it ſhould be ſo liberal, that both Maſter and Uſhers may think their places to be preferment ſufficient, & not to be enforced to look for further elſewhere, or to direct their ſpare houres ſtudies towards other Callings. It were to be wiſhed therefore, that a conſtant Salary of (at leaſt) 100. l. per annum might be allowed to the Maſter, and 30. l. 40. l. 50. l. 60. 70. l. 80. l. per annum to his ſix Uſhers. The raiſing of which maintenance, (to uſe Mr. Mulcaſters words) as it will require a good minde, and no meane purſe; ſo it needs neither the conference of a countrey, nor yet the Revenue of a Romane Emperour. Beſides, the Maſter for his encouragement, ſhould have liberty to make what benefit he can by tabling in ſtrangers; and every of the abler ſort of inhabitants in the Town, ſhould pay him (at leaſt) 10. s. per quarter, for a ſons teaching, but all the poorer children ſhould be taught gratis, on condition they be ſent conſtantly to the Schoole, and that their Parents do engage they ſhall keep good order, and be cleanly and neat in their apparel; that they may not ſeem to diſgrace their fellowes, or to be diſdained by them for their poverty.
It would withall be a great encouragement to theſe poorer ſort of children to learn, if ſome whom God hath enriched with more then enough, would ſpend the ſupererrogation of their wealth, (as Mr. Mulchaſter terms it) in affording exhibitions of 8. or 10. l. per annum towards keeping them at the Schoole, or ſending them abroad as they are fit, to Trades, or Univerſities. They that go thither, ſhould have larger exhibitions allowed them, upon condition that they employ more time then others in the ſtudy of Tongues, and critical learning; for the promoting whereof I ſhall onelyonly propound Mr. Mulcaster's queſtion in his own words, which are theſe; If there were one Colledge, where nothing ſhould be profeſsed but Languages onelyonly, (as there be ſome people which will proceed no further) to ſerve the Realme abroad, and studies in the Vniverſitie, in that point excellently & abſolutely were it not convenient? nay, were it not most profitable, &c. As for what he writes further, (in Chap. 41. of his Poſitions) touching the diviſion of Colledges by profeſſions and faculties; And Mr. John Drury hath lately publiſhed (in his reformed Schoole) and his Supplement thereto, concerning the bringing together into one Society, ſuch as are able to exerciſe themſelves in any, or all kinde of Studies, that by their mutuall Aſſociation, Communication, and aſſiſtance in reading, meditating, and conferring about profitable matters, they may not onelyonly profit their own abilities, but advance the ſuperſtructures of all learning to that perfection which by ſuch meanes is attainable; I refer the more judicious to their Books, and leave it to the conſideration of thoſe that endevour to promote Schoole-teaching, whether ſuch a Schoole as I have now delineated, would not be of great concernment to the Church and Common-wealth, where-out to pick more able Schoole-maſters, that by degrees have been exerciſed in teaching all ſorts of Scholars, for (at leaſt) ſeven years together, then many men that have ſcarce ſaluted, or are newly come from the Univerſities, can ſuddenly prove to be. For I think it one thing to be a good Schoole-maſter, and another thing to be a good Scholar, though the former cannot well do his duty as he ought, except he be alſo the latter.
I might here bewayle the unhappy divertment of Jeſus Colledge in Rotherham, in which Town, one Thomas Scot, alias Rotherham, (a poor boy in Ecclesfield Pariſh) having had his education, and being advanced to the Arch-biſhoprick of York, in the time of Edward the fourth, did out of love to his country and gratitude to the Town, erect a Colledge as a Schoole, for a Provoſt who was to be a Divine, and to preach at Ecclesfield, Laxton, and other places (where the Colledge demeanes lay;) and three Fellowes, whereof one was to teach Grammar, another Muſick, and the third Writing; beſides a number of Scholars; for ſome of whom he alſo provided Fellowſhips in Lincolne Colledge in Oxford. But in the time of Henry the eighth, the Earle of Shrowesbury (who as I have heard, was the firſt Lord that gave his vote for demoliſhing of Abbies) having obtained Roughford Abbey in Nottinghamſhire, (to the Prior whereof the Lordſhip of the Town of Rotherham belonged) took advantage alſo to ſweep away the Revnues of Rotherham Colledge, (which according to a rentall that I have ſeen, amounted to about 2000. l. per annum) and after a while (having engratiated himſelf with ſome Townſmen, and Gentlemen thereabout by erecting a Cock-pit) he removed the Schoole out of the Colledge into a ſorry houſe before the gate, leaving it deſtitute of any allowance, till Mr. Weſt (that writ the Preſidents) in the time of Queen Elizabeth (and when Mr. Snell was School-maſter) obtained a yearely Salary of tenne pounds per annum, which is ſince Paid out of the Exchequer, by the Auditor of accounts. I remember how often, and earneſtly Mr. Francis West, who had been Clerk to his Uncle, would declaime againſt the injury done to that Schoole, which indeed (as he ſaid) ought ſtill to have been kept in the Colledge, and how when I was a Schoole-maſter there, he gave me a Copy of the Foundation, and ſhowed me ſome rentalls of Lands, and told me where many Deeds and Evidences belonging thereunto were then concealed, and other remarkable paſſages, which he was loth to have buried in ſilence.
But I onelyonly mention thus much touching that worthy Foundation, to ſhew how charitably ſome men have been addicted to cheriſh the roots of learning, and how covetouſly others have been bent to deſtroy the whole body of it, even in former ages; And I hope none will be diſcouraged from Pious undertakings, for feare leaſt his benevolences ſhould in theſe, or after times be perverted, when he conſidereth that God looketh upon the ſincerity of his ends, and will accordingly reward him, though what he religiouſly intended, may unhappily be abuſed by others, contrary to his minde.
I ſhall now to end this Chapter, recite ſome remarkable paſsages of Mr. Mulcaſters out of his Poſitions (Ch. 40.) which I leave to the conſideration of others, to think how far they concurre with what I have ſaid, as well concerning the foundation of a Petty, as a Grammar-Schoole.
If any well-diſpoſed wealthy man, for the honour that he beareth to the murthered infants (as all our erections have ſome reſpect that way) would begin ſome building, even for the little yong ones which were no increaſe to Schooles, but an help to the elementary degree, all they would pray for him, and he himſelf ſhould be bound to the memory of the young infants, which put him in remembrance of ſo vertuous an act.
The opportunity of the place, and the commodity of able Trainers, whereof a ſmall time will bring forth a great many, will draw many on, and procure good Exhibitours, to have the thing go forward.
I could wiſh we had fewer Schooles, ſo they were more ſufficient, and that upon conſideration of the moſt convenient ſeats for the Countries, and Shires, there were many put together, to make ſome few good.
The uſe of under-teachers is not, as we now practiſe it in Schooles, where indeed Uſhers be Maſters of themſelves, but to aſſiſt the Maſter in the eaſier points of his charge, which ought to have all under his own teaching, for the chief points, and the ſame under the Uſhers, for the more uſual, and eaſie.