Vergil has borrowed from Theocritus or Hesiod. After Homer has been attempted the way lies open to the other Homeric poets and to the Dramatists. He next discusses the use and importance of the historical writers, and the different Latin texts, and then says: The course of study which I have thus far sketched out will prove an admirable preparation for that further branch of scholarship which constitutes Rhetoric, including the thorough examination of the great monuments of eloquence, and skill in the oratorical art itself. The first work to claim our attention in this subject is the Rhetoric of Cicero, in which we find all the points of Oratory concisely but comprehensively set forth. The other rhetorical writings of Cicero will follow, and the principles therein laid down must be examined in the light of his own speeches. Indeed the student of eloquence must have his Cicero constantly in his hand; the simplicity, the lofty moral standard, the practical temper of his writings render them a peculiarly nobletraining for a public speaker. Nor should the admirable Quintilian be neglected in this same connection. It will be desirable also to include the elements of Logic in our course of studies, and with that the Ethics of Aristotle, and the Dialogues of Plato; for these are necessary aids to the proper understanding of Cicero. The Ciceronian Dialogue, in form and in matter, seems often to be modelled directly upon Plato. None of his works however are so attractive to myself personally as the De Officiis and the Tusculans. The former reviews all the main duties of life; the latter exhibits a wealth of knowledge most valuable - both as to material and expression to every modern writer. I would add that some knowledge of the principles of Roman Law will be helpful to the full understanding of Latin authors. A master who should carry his scholars through the curriculum which I have now laid down may have confidence that he has given them a training which will enable them, not only to carry forward their own reading without assistance, but also to act efficiently as teachers in their turn. . . . At Verona. xv Kal. Mar. мCCCCLVIIII. 136. The Collège de Guyenne (Digest by W. H. Woodward, of Vinet's Disciplina et ratio docendi (c. 1570). In Studies in Education during the Age of the Renaissance, chap. VIII. Cambridge, 1906) In 1534 the governing corporation of the city of Bordeaux, in southwestern France, decided to reorganize the boys' school there along the new humanistic lines. Under a series of able principals the school was raised to first rank. The school was reorganized as a reformed grammar school of ten classes, with a two-year course in the Faculty of Arts in the university there added. The greatest period of prosperity of the school was during the principalship of Élie Vinet (1556–70), and he has left us a descriptive outline of its course of instruction, disciplina et ratio docendi, as he knew it. It represents the flowering period of the French Renaissance, and is comparable to the school plan of Sturm (R. 137), Melancthon (R. 161), or of Eton (R. 144) at the same period. By classes the organization was as follows: Tenth, or Lowest Class. Entered at six or seven. Boys known as "Alphabetarii" or "Abecedarii." Textbooks: the Alphabetum; the Pater Noster, the Seven Penitential Psalms, and the Ave Maria; and the Libellus Puerulorum. Tests for promotion: ability to read the above, to decline and to conjugate, and to write legibly. Ninth Class. This was the largest in the school, indicating that many boys learned the above privately and entered the school at seven or eight. Textbooks: Reading and writing in both French and Latin, for both fluency and speed. Latin accidence of both noun and verb. The disticha de moribus of Cato, with French parallel translation; and Cordier's Exempla partium orationis, a small handbook of grammar. Eighth Class. Age eight or nine. Textbooks: Selection of Cicero's Letters, selected scenes from Seventh Class. Age nine or ten. Textbooks: Selections from Letters of Cicero continued; the Latin Much emphasis on style and composition. French the language Sixth Class. Age ten or eleven. Cicero's Letters the standard prose text. Much memorization for form, and much explanation of construction. Fifth Class. Age eleven or twelve. Cicero's Letters still the standard prose text, with emphasis as above. Also one play of Terence, and one book of the Epistola of Ovid. Rules of prosody now learned. Fourth Class. Age twelve or thirteen. Pupils now study for first time an oration of Cicero, and study with it a manual of rhetoric, such as the De Copia of Erasmus. Chief poetical work read in this class the Tristia of Ovid. Much grammatical questioning; frequent exercises in composition; dictation of simple materials for writing Latin verse. Greek begun in this class. Grammar begun. Third Class. Age thirteen or fourteen. The Epistolæ Familiares or Ad Atticum of Cicero, and one other oration; the Metamorphoses of Ovid. Much emphasis on rhetoric, syntax, verse composition, and Latin composition in prose and verse. Greek continued. Grammar of Theodore Gaza. Second Class. Age fourteen or fifteen. Cicero's orations, selected; or readings from Vergil, Ovid, or Lucan. Much learning by heart; prose and verse composition; and empha sis on rhetoric. Latin declamation now first undertaken. Greek continued. Grammar and reading. Arithmetic begun. First Class. Age fifteen or sixteen. The art of oratory, from Cicero or Quintilian. Speeches of Cicero, in illustration. History from Livy, Seneca, Justin, Eubropius, and P. Mela. Composition in prose and verse, and declamation. Greek continued. Readings in Demosthenes and Homer. Arithmetic extended to simple proportion, and square and cube Faculté des Arts. First year. Age sixteen or seventeen. The Isagoge of Porphyry. Greek continued. The Mathematicorum Breviarium of Psellus, a dry compendium of arithmetic, music, geometry, and astronomy. Faculté des Arts. Second year. Age seventeen or eighteen. Aristotle's Physica, the De Calo, and other commonly read scientific works. A study of natural philosophy, though based on ancient learning. No observation or independent thought. Greek and mathematics continued, as above, with Proclus de Sphæra added. To the above digest of the curriculum, more minutely detailed by Woodward, he adds: We have interesting light upon general methods of class instruction as pursued in the school. The retention of the mediaval disputation, in the rational form of mutual questioning under the control of the form (class) master, was a safeguard against the prevalent fault of lecturing or dictating to the class which Erasmus so frequently ridiculed as the practice of the unskilled teacher or of the pedant parading his erudition. The construing lesson lasted as a rule for one hour, and was followed by such disputation: the pupils asked questions of each other, propounded difficulties, discussed the matter of the text and the notes given by the master. This exercise occupied half an hour. On Saturdays, in place of a set lesson at midday, disputations were arranged in which form was pitted against form. Six pupils from each brought up as many compositions in prose or in verse which had been worked in advance. These were written out in large text hand, and pinned to a screen or on the wall of the class-room: Below each line of the script was left a clear space for interlinear correction and criticism. Thus the opposers could make careful examination of each exercise, detect errors and propound improvements. This disputation lasts an hour. Although French, as has been shown, was regularly employed for an instrument of Latin construing and composition, it was not allowed to be used in school or play-ground except by the juniors: . . . Elder boys were required to use Latin in addressing little boys, and only when not understood were they to repeat their words in French. The words of the statute of the University of Paris as revised in 1599 show that to the very end of the century the same principle was upheld in the authoritative seat of French learning. The school hours were from 8-10, 12-1, 3-5, with an extra hour twice weekly in the case of pupils reading Greek and mathematics. Sunday was, apart from one exercise for the upper forms, a whole holiday, as were certain Saints' days. On some important vigils, about fifty during the year, a half holiday was allowed. Mass was attended daily by the entire school. The school year began in September, and continued till the beginning of August. 137. Sturm's Course of Study at Strassburg (Reconstructed from Sturm's Plan (1538), his Classical Letters (1565), and the Examinations (1578) In 1537 Johann Sturm (1507-89) was placed at the head of the municipal Latin school, founded some years earlier by the city of Strassburg. The school had not been successful, and Sturm was given a free hand. He reorganized the school as a humanistic Latin school, omitting, however, the sports and contests of the Italian Court Schools and the English Grammar Schools; divided it into ten classes, with a teacher in charge of each; and soon made it the most famous Latin school of its day in Europe. For forty-five years he directed this school, which he called a Gymnasium. The following was the course of study: 1. Tenth Class Entered at the age of 7. learned, especially names of common objects, as much like Roman children did as possible. Much reading of simple Latin and memorizing of words and phrases. Inflection of all nouns and verbs. 3. Eighth Class-Age 9 to 10. Special care that the boys do not forget what has been learned Thorough grounding in each of the eight parts of speech. 4. Seventh Class-Age 10 to II. Rules of Latin syntax, based on Cicero, to be well ground in. German Catechism to be translated into Classical Latin. Read two dialogues in Sturm's printed collection, the second Written exercises in style. |