The Lost Tools of Learning - Opera

1 The LosI TooIs oI Learig
10/31/2012 09:09:48 PM hIIp://www.gbI.org/IexI/sayers.hImI

The Lost Tools oj Leurnn
Dorothy Scycrs
ThaI !, whose experiece oI Ieachig is exIremeIy IimiIed, shouId
presume Io discuss educaIio is a maIIer, sureIy, IhaI caIIs Ior o
apoIogy. !I is a kid oI behavior Io which Ihe preseI cIimaIe oI
opiio is whoIIy IavorabIe. 8ishops air Iheir opiios abouI
ecoomics; bioIogisIs, abouI meIaphysics; iorgaic chemisIs, abouI
IheoIogy; Ihe mosI irreIevaI peopIe are appoiIed Io highIy
IechicaI miisIries; ad pIai, bIuI me wriIe Io Ihe papers Io say
IhaI psIei ad Picasso do oI kow how Io draw. Up Io a cerIai
poiI, ad provided Ihe Ihe criIicisms are made wiIh a reasoabIe
modesIy, Ihese acIiviIies are commedabIe. Too much speciaIizaIio
is oI a good Ihig. There is aIso oe exceIIeI reaso why Ihe
veriesI amaIeur may IeeI eIiIIed Io have a opiio abouI
educaIio. or iI we are oI aII proIessioaI Ieachers, we have aII, aI
some Iime or aoIher, bee IaughI. ve iI we IearI oIhig--
perhaps i parIicuIar iI we IearI oIhig--our coIribuIio Io Ihe
discussio may have a poIeIiaI vaIue.
However, iI is i Ihe highesI degree improbabIe IhaI Ihe reIorms !
propose wiII ever be carried iIo eIIecI. NeiIher Ihe pareIs, or Ihe
Iraiig coIIeges, or Ihe examiaIio boards, or Ihe boards oI
goverors, or Ihe miisIries oI educaIio, wouId couIeace Ihem
Ior a momeI. or Ihey amouI Io Ihis: IhaI iI we are Io produce a
socieIy oI educaIed peopIe, IiIIed Io preserve Iheir iIeIIecIuaI
Ireedom amid Ihe compIex pressures oI our moder socieIy, we musI
Iur back Ihe wheeI oI progress some Iour or Iive hudred years, Io
Ihe poiI aI which educaIio bega Io Iose sighI oI iIs Irue ob|ecI,
Iowards Ihe ed oI Ihe MiddIe Ages.
8eIore you dismiss me wiIh Ihe appropriaIe phrase--reacIioary,
romaIic, mediaevaIisI, IaudaIor Iemporis acIi (praiser oI Iimes pasI)
, or whaIever Iag comes IirsI Io had--! wiII ask you Io cosider oe
or Iwo misceIIaeous guesIios IhaI hag abouI aI Ihe back,
perhaps, oI aII our mids, ad occasioaIIy pop ouI Io worry us.
Whe we Ihik abouI Ihe remarkabIy earIy age aI which Ihe youg
me weI up Io uiversiIy i, IeI us say, Tudor Iimes, ad IhereaIIer
ThaI !, whose experiece oI Ieachig is exIremeIy IimiIed, shouId
presume Io discuss educaIio is a maIIer, sureIy, IhaI caIIs Ior o
apoIogy. !I is a kid oI behavior Io which Ihe preseI cIimaIe oI
opiio is whoIIy IavorabIe. 8ishops air Iheir opiios abouI
ecoomics; bioIogisIs, abouI meIaphysics; iorgaic chemisIs, abouI
IheoIogy; Ihe mosI irreIevaI peopIe are appoiIed Io highIy
IechicaI miisIries; ad pIai, bIuI me wriIe Io Ihe papers Io say
IhaI psIei ad Picasso do oI kow how Io draw. Up Io a cerIai
poiI, ad provided Ihe Ihe criIicisms are made wiIh a reasoabIe
modesIy, Ihese acIiviIies are commedabIe. Too much speciaIizaIio
is oI a good Ihig. There is aIso oe exceIIeI reaso why Ihe
veriesI amaIeur may IeeI eIiIIed Io have a opiio abouI
educaIio. or iI we are oI aII proIessioaI Ieachers, we have aII, aI
some Iime or aoIher, bee IaughI. ve iI we IearI oIhig--
perhaps i parIicuIar iI we IearI oIhig--our coIribuIio Io Ihe
discussio may have a poIeIiaI vaIue.
However, iI is i Ihe highesI degree improbabIe IhaI Ihe reIorms !
propose wiII ever be carried iIo eIIecI. NeiIher Ihe pareIs, or Ihe
Iraiig coIIeges, or Ihe examiaIio boards, or Ihe boards oI
goverors, or Ihe miisIries oI educaIio, wouId couIeace Ihem
Ior a momeI. or Ihey amouI Io Ihis: IhaI iI we are Io produce a
socieIy oI educaIed peopIe, IiIIed Io preserve Iheir iIeIIecIuaI
Ireedom amid Ihe compIex pressures oI our moder socieIy, we musI
Iur back Ihe wheeI oI progress some Iour or Iive hudred years, Io
Ihe poiI aI which educaIio bega Io Iose sighI oI iIs Irue ob|ecI,
Iowards Ihe ed oI Ihe MiddIe Ages.
8eIore you dismiss me wiIh Ihe appropriaIe phrase--reacIioary,
romaIic, mediaevaIisI, IaudaIor Iemporis acIi (praiser oI Iimes pasI)
, or whaIever Iag comes IirsI Io had--! wiII ask you Io cosider oe
or Iwo misceIIaeous guesIios IhaI hag abouI aI Ihe back,
perhaps, oI aII our mids, ad occasioaIIy pop ouI Io worry us.
Whe we Ihik abouI Ihe remarkabIy earIy age aI which Ihe youg
me weI up Io uiversiIy i, IeI us say, Tudor Iimes, ad IhereaIIer
were heId IiI Io assume resposibiIiIy Ior Ihe coducI oI Iheir ow
aIIairs, are we aIIogeIher comIorIabIe abouI IhaI arIiIiciaI
proIogaIio oI iIeIIecIuaI chiIdhood ad adoIescece iIo Ihe
years oI physicaI maIuriIy which is so marked i our ow day? To
posIpoe Ihe accepIace oI resposibiIiIy Io a IaIe daIe brigs wiIh iI
a umber oI psychoIogicaI compIicaIios which, whiIe Ihey may
iIeresI Ihe psychiaIrisI, are scarceIy beeIiciaI eiIher Io Ihe
idividuaI or Io socieIy. The sIock argumeI i Iavor oI posIpoig
Ihe schooI-Ieavig age ad proIogig Ihe period oI educaIio
geeraIIy is Ihere Ihere is ow so much more Io Iear Iha Ihere
was i Ihe MiddIe Ages. This is parIIy Irue, buI oI whoIIy. The
moder boy ad girI are cerIaiIy IaughI more sub|ecIs--buI does
IhaI aIways mea IhaI Ihey acIuaIIy kow more?
Has iI ever sIruck you as odd, or uIorIuaIe, IhaI Ioday, whe Ihe
proporIio oI IiIeracy IhroughouI WesIer urope is higher Iha iI
has ever bee, peopIe shouId have become suscepIibIe Io Ihe
iIIuece oI adverIisemeI ad mass propagada Io a exIeI
hiIherIo uheard oI ad uimagied? Do you puI Ihis dow Io Ihe
mere mechaicaI IacI IhaI Ihe press ad Ihe radio ad so o have
made propagada much easier Io disIribuIe over a wide area? Or do
you someIimes have a ueasy suspicio IhaI Ihe producI oI moder
educaIioaI meIhods is Iess good Iha he or she mighI be aI
diseIagIig IacI Irom opiio ad Ihe prove Irom Ihe pIausibIe?
Have you ever, i IisIeig Io a debaIe amog aduII ad presumabIy
resposibIe peopIe, bee IreIIed by Ihe exIraordiary iabiIiIy oI Ihe
average debaIer Io speak Io Ihe guesIio, or Io meeI ad reIuIe Ihe
argumeIs oI speakers o Ihe oIher side? Or have you ever
podered upo Ihe exIremeIy high icidece oI irreIevaI maIIer
which crops up aI commiIIee meeIigs, ad upo Ihe very greaI
rariIy oI persos capabIe oI acIig as chairme oI commiIIees? Ad
whe you Ihik oI Ihis, ad Ihik IhaI mosI oI our pubIic aIIairs are
seIIIed by debaIes ad commiIIees, have you ever IeII a cerIai
sikig oI Ihe hearI?
Have you ever IoIIowed a discussio i Ihe ewspapers or eIsewhere
ad oIiced how IregueIIy wriIers IaiI Io deIie Ihe Ierms Ihey use?
Or how oIIe, iI oe ma does deIie his Ierms, aoIher wiII assume
i his repIy IhaI he was usig Ihe Ierms i preciseIy Ihe opposiIe
sese Io IhaI i which he has aIready deIied Ihem? Have you ever
bee IaiIIy IroubIed by Ihe amouI oI sIipshod syIax goig abouI?
Ad, iI so, are you IroubIed because iI is ieIegaI or because iI may
Iead Io dagerous misudersIadig?
Do you ever Iid IhaI youg peopIe, whe Ihey have IeII schooI, oI
oIy IorgeI mosI oI whaI Ihey have IearI (IhaI is oIy Io be
expecIed), buI IorgeI aIso, or beIray IhaI Ihey have ever reaIIy
kow, how Io IackIe a ew sub|ecI Ior IhemseIves? Are you oIIe
boIhered by comig across grow-up me ad wome who seem
uabIe Io disIiguish beIwee a book IhaI is soud, schoIarIy, ad
properIy documeIed, ad oe IhaI is, Io ay Iraied eye, very
cospicuousIy oe oI Ihese Ihigs? Or who caoI hadIe a Iibrary
caIaIogue? Or who, whe Iaced wiIh a book oI reIerece, beIray a
curious iabiIiIy Io exIracI Irom iI Ihe passages reIevaI Io Ihe
parIicuIar guesIio which iIeresIs Ihem?
Do you oIIe come across peopIe Ior whom, aII Iheir Iives, a "sub|ecI"
remais a "sub|ecI," divided by waIerIighI buIkheads Irom aII oIher
"sub|ecIs," so IhaI Ihey experiece very greaI diIIicuIIy i makig a
immediaIe meIaI coecIio beIwee IeI us say, aIgebra ad
deIecIive IicIio, sewage disposaI ad Ihe price oI saImo--or, more
geeraIIy, beIwee such spheres oI kowIedge as phiIosophy ad
ecoomics, or chemisIry ad arI?
Are you occasioaIIy perIurbed by Ihe Ihigs wriIIe by aduII me
ad wome Ior aduII me ad wome Io read? We Iid a weII-
kow bioIogisI wriIig i a weekIy paper Io Ihe eIIecI IhaI: "!I is a
argumeI agaisI Ihe exisIece oI a CreaIor" (! Ihik he puI iI more
sIrogIy; buI sice ! have, mosI uIorIuaIeIy, misIaid Ihe reIerece,
! wiII puI his cIaim aI iIs IowesI)--"a argumeI agaisI Ihe exisIece
oI a CreaIor IhaI Ihe same kid oI variaIios which are produced by
aIuraI seIecIio ca be produced aI wiII by sIock breeders." Oe
mighI IeeI IempIed Io say IhaI iI is raIher a argumeI Ior Ihe
exisIece oI a CreaIor. AcIuaIIy, oI course, iI is eiIher; aII iI proves is
IhaI Ihe same maIeriaI causes (recombiaIio oI Ihe chromosomes,
by crossbreedig, ad so IorIh) are suIIicieI Io accouI Ior aII
observed variaIios--|usI as Ihe various combiaIios oI Ihe same
doze Ioes are maIeriaIIy suIIicieI Io accouI Ior 8eeIhove's
MooIighI SoaIa ad Ihe oise Ihe caI makes by waIkig o Ihe
keys. 8uI Ihe caI's perIormace eiIher proves or disproves Ihe
exisIece oI 8eeIhove; ad aII IhaI is proved by Ihe bioIogisI's
argumeI is IhaI he was uabIe Io disIiguish beIwee a maIeriaI
ad a IiaI cause.
Here is a seIece Irom o Iess academic a source Iha a IroI- page
arIicIe i Ihe Times LiIerary SuppIemeI: "The rechma, AIIred
pias, poiIed ouI IhaI cerIai species (e.g., aIs ad wasps) ca
oIy Iace Ihe horrors oI IiIe ad deaIh i associaIio." ! do oI kow
whaI Ihe rechma acIuaIIy did say; whaI Ihe gIishma says he
said is paIeIIy meaigIess. We caoI kow wheIher IiIe hoIds
ay horror Ior Ihe aI, or i whaI sese Ihe isoIaIed wasp which
you kiII upo Ihe widow-pae ca be said Io "Iace" or oI Io "Iace"
Ihe horrors oI deaIh. The sub|ecI oI Ihe arIicIe is mass behavior i
ma; ad Ihe huma moIives have bee uobIrusiveIy IrasIerred
Irom Ihe mai proposiIio Io Ihe supporIig isIace. Thus Ihe
argumeI, i eIIecI, assumes whaI iI seI ouI Io prove--a IacI which
wouId become immediaIeIy appareI iI iI were preseIed i a
IormaI syIIogism. This is oIy a smaII ad haphazard exampIe oI a
vice which pervades whoIe books--parIicuIarIy books wriIIe by me
oI sciece o meIaphysicaI sub|ecIs.
AoIher guoIaIio Irom Ihe same issue oI Ihe TLS comes i IiIIigIy
here Io wid up Ihis radom coIIecIio oI disguieIig IhoughIs--Ihis
Iime Irom a review oI Sir Richard LivigsIoe's "Some Tasks Ior
ducaIio": "More Iha oce Ihe reader is remided oI Ihe vaIue oI
a iIesive sIudy oI aI IeasI oe sub|ecI, so as Io Iear TIhe
S The LosI TooIs oI Learig
meaig oI kowIedge' ad whaI precisio ad persisIece is
eeded Io aIIai iI. YeI Ihere is eIsewhere IuII recogiIio oI Ihe
disIressig IacI IhaI a ma may be masIer i oe IieId ad show o
beIIer |udgemeI Iha his eighbor aywhere eIse; he remembers
whaI he has IearI, buI IorgeIs aIIogeIher how he Ieared iI."
! wouId draw your aIIeIio parIicuIarIy Io IhaI IasI seIece,
which oIIers a expIaaIio oI whaI Ihe wriIer righIIy caIIs Ihe
"disIressig IacI" IhaI Ihe iIeIIecIuaI skiIIs besIowed upo us by our
educaIio are oI readiIy IrasIerabIe Io sub|ecIs oIher Iha Ihose
i which we acguired Ihem: "he remembers whaI he has IearI, buI
IorgeIs aIIogeIher how he Ieared iI."
!s oI Ihe greaI deIecI oI our educaIio Ioday--a deIecI IraceabIe
Ihrough aII Ihe disguieIig sympIoms oI IroubIe IhaI ! have
meIioed--IhaI aIIhough we oIIe succeed i Ieachig our pupiIs
"sub|ecIs," we IaiI IameIabIy o Ihe whoIe i Ieachig Ihem how Io
Ihik: Ihey Iear everyIhig, excepI Ihe arI oI Iearig. !I is as
Ihough we had IaughI a chiId, mechaicaIIy ad by ruIe oI Ihumb,
Io pIay "The Harmoious 8IacksmiIh" upo Ihe piao, buI had ever
IaughI him Ihe scaIe or how Io read music; so IhaI, havig
memorized "The Harmoious 8IacksmiIh," he sIiII had oI Ihe
IaiIesI oIio how Io proceed Irom IhaI Io IackIe "The LasI Rose oI
Summer." Why do ! say, "as Ihough"? ! cerIai oI Ihe arIs ad
craIIs, we someIimes do preciseIy Ihis--reguirig a chiId Io "express
himseII" i paiI beIore we Ieach him how Io hadIe Ihe coIors ad
Ihe brush. There is a schooI oI IhoughI which beIieves Ihis Io be Ihe
righI way Io seI abouI Ihe |ob. 8uI observe: iI is oI Ihe way i which
a Iraied craIIsma wiII go abouI Io Ieach himseII a ew medium.
He, havig Ieared by experiece Ihe besI way Io ecoomize Iabor
ad Iake Ihe Ihig by Ihe righI ed, wiII sIarI oII by doodIig abouI
o a odd piece oI maIeriaI, i order Io "give himseII Ihe IeeI oI Ihe
IooI."
LeI us ow Iook aI Ihe mediaevaI scheme oI educaIio--Ihe syIIabus
oI Ihe SchooIs. !I does oI maIIer, Ior Ihe momeI, wheIher iI was
devised Ior smaII chiIdre or Ior oIder sIudeIs, or how Iog peopIe
were supposed Io Iake over iI. WhaI maIIers is Ihe IighI iI Ihrows
upo whaI Ihe me oI Ihe MiddIe Ages supposed Io be Ihe ob|ecI ad
Ihe righI order oI Ihe educaIive process.
The syIIabus was divided iIo Iwo parIs: Ihe Trivium ad
uadrivium. The secod parI--Ihe uadrivium--cosisIed oI
"sub|ecIs," ad eed oI Ior Ihe momeI cocer us. The iIeresIig
Ihig Ior us is Ihe composiIio oI Ihe Trivium, which preceded Ihe
uadrivium ad was Ihe preIimiary discipIie Ior iI. !I cosisIed oI
Ihree parIs: Crammar, DiaIecIic, ad RheIoric, i IhaI order.
Now Ihe IirsI Ihig we oIice is IhaI Iwo aI ay raIe oI Ihese
"sub|ecIs" are oI whaI we shouId caII "sub|ecIs" aI aII: Ihey are oIy
meIhods oI deaIig wiIh sub|ecIs. Crammar, ideed, is a "sub|ecI" i
Ihe sese IhaI iI does mea deIiiIeIy Iearig a Iaguage--aI IhaI
period iI meaI Iearig LaIi. 8uI Iaguage iIseII is simpIy Ihe
medium i which IhoughI is expressed. The whoIe oI Ihe Trivium
was, i IacI, iIeded Io Ieach Ihe pupiI Ihe proper use oI Ihe IooIs oI
Iearig, beIore he bega Io appIy Ihem Io "sub|ecIs" aI aII. irsI, he
Ieared a Iaguage; oI |usI how Io order a meaI i a Ioreig
Iaguage, buI Ihe sIrucIure oI a Iaguage, ad hece oI Iaguage
iIseII--whaI iI was, how iI was puI IogeIher, ad how iI worked.
SecodIy, he Ieared how Io use Iaguage; how Io deIie his Ierms
ad make accuraIe sIaIemeIs; how Io cosIrucI a argumeI ad
how Io deIecI IaIIacies i argumeI. DiaIecIic, IhaI is Io say,
embraced Logic ad DispuIaIio. ThirdIy, he Ieared Io express
himseII i Iaguage-- how Io say whaI he had Io say eIegaIIy ad
persuasiveIy.
AI Ihe ed oI his course, he was reguired Io compose a Ihesis upo
some Iheme seI by his masIers or chose by himseII, ad aIIerwards
Io deIed his Ihesis agaisI Ihe criIicism oI Ihe IacuIIy. 8y Ihis Iime,
he wouId have Ieared--or woe beIide him-- oI mereIy Io wriIe a
essay o paper, buI Io speak audibIy ad iIeIIigibIy Irom a
pIaIIorm, ad Io use his wiIs guickIy whe heckIed. There wouId
aIso be guesIios, cogeI ad shrewd, Irom Ihose who had aIready
ru Ihe gauIIeI oI debaIe.
!I is, oI course, guiIe Irue IhaI biIs ad pieces oI Ihe mediaevaI
IradiIio sIiII Iiger, or have bee revived, i Ihe ordiary schooI
syIIabus oI Ioday. Some kowIedge oI grammar is sIiII reguired
whe Iearig a Ioreig Iaguage--perhaps ! shouId say, "is agai
reguired," Ior durig my ow IiIeIime, we passed Ihrough a phase
whe Ihe Ieachig oI decIesios ad co|ugaIios was cosidered
raIher reprehesibIe, ad iI was cosidered beIIer Io pick Ihese
Ihigs up as we weI aIog. SchooI debaIig socieIies IIourish; essays
are wriIIe; Ihe ecessiIy Ior "seII- expressio" is sIressed, ad
perhaps eve over-sIressed. 8uI Ihese acIiviIies are cuIIivaIed more
or Iess i deIachmeI, as beIogig Io Ihe speciaI sub|ecIs i which
Ihey are pigeo-hoIed raIher Iha as Iormig oe cohereI scheme
oI meIaI Iraiig Io which aII "sub|ecIs"sIad i a subordiaIe
reIaIio. "Crammar" beIogs especiaIIy Io Ihe "sub|ecI" oI Ioreig
Iaguages, ad essay-wriIig Io Ihe "sub|ecI" caIIed "gIish"; whiIe
DiaIecIic has become aImosI eIireIy divorced Irom Ihe resI oI Ihe
curricuIum, ad is IregueIIy pracIiced usysIemaIicaIIy ad ouI oI
schooI hours as a separaIe exercise, oIy very IooseIy reIaIed Io Ihe
mai busiess oI Iearig. Take by ad Iarge, Ihe greaI diIIerece
oI emphasis beIwee Ihe Iwo cocepIios hoIds good: moder
educaIio coceIraIes o "Ieachig sub|ecIs," Ieavig Ihe meIhod
oI Ihikig, arguig, ad expressig oe's cocIusios Io be picked
up by Ihe schoIar as he goes aIog' mediaevaI educaIio
coceIraIed o IirsI Iorgig ad Iearig Io hadIe Ihe IooIs oI
Iearig, usig whaIever sub|ecI came hady as a piece oI maIeriaI
o which Io doodIe uIiI Ihe use oI Ihe IooI became secod aIure.
"Sub|ecIs" oI some kid Ihere musI be, oI course. Oe caoI Iear
Ihe Iheory oI grammar wiIhouI Iearig a acIuaI Iaguage, or
Iear Io argue ad oraIe wiIhouI speakig abouI someIhig i
parIicuIar. The debaIig sub|ecIs oI Ihe MiddIe Ages were draw
IargeIy Irom IheoIogy, or Irom Ihe eIhics ad hisIory oI aIiguiIy.
OIIe, ideed, Ihey became sIereoIyped, especiaIIy Iowards Ihe ed
oI Ihe period, ad Ihe Iar-IeIched ad wire-draw absurdiIies oI
SchoIasIic argumeI IreIIed MiIIo ad provide Iood Ior merrimeI
eve Io Ihis day. WheIher Ihey were i IhemseIves ay more
hackeyed ad IriviaI Ihe Ihe usuaI sub|ecIs seI owadays Ior
"essay wriIig" ! shouId oI Iike Io say: we may ourseIves grow a
IiIIIe weary oI "A Day i My HoIidays" ad aII Ihe resI oI iI. 8uI mosI
oI Ihe merrimeI is mispIaced, because Ihe aim ad ob|ecI oI Ihe
debaIig Ihesis has by ow bee IosI sighI oI.
A gIib speaker i Ihe 8rais TrusI oce eIerIaied his audiece
(ad reduced Ihe IaIe CharIes WiIIiams Io heIpIess rageb by
asserIig IhaI i Ihe MiddIe Ages iI was a maIIer oI IaiIh Io kow
how may archageIs couId dace o Ihe poiI oI a eedIe. ! eed
oI say, ! hope, IhaI iI ever was a "maIIer oI IaiIh"; iI was simpIy a
debaIig exercise, whose seI sub|ecI was Ihe aIure oI ageIic
subsIace: were ageIs maIeriaI, ad iI so, did Ihey occupy space?
The aswer usuaIIy ad|udged correcI is, ! beIieve, IhaI ageIs are
pure iIeIIigeces; oI maIeriaI, buI IimiIed, so IhaI Ihey may have
IocaIio i space buI oI exIesio. A aaIogy mighI be draw
Irom huma IhoughI, which is simiIarIy o-maIeriaI ad simiIarIy
IimiIed. Thus, iI your IhoughI is coceIraIed upo oe Ihig--say,
Ihe poiI oI a eedIe--iI is IocaIed Ihere i Ihe sese IhaI iI is oI
eIsewhere; buI aIIhough iI is "Ihere," iI occupies o space Ihere, ad
Ihere is oIhig Io preveI a iIiiIe umber oI diIIereI peopIe's
IhoughIs beig coceIraIed upo Ihe same eedIe-poiI aI Ihe
same Iime. The proper sub|ecI oI Ihe argumeI is Ihus see Io be Ihe
disIicIio beIwee IocaIio ad exIesio i space; Ihe maIIer o
which Ihe argumeI is exercised happes Io be Ihe aIure oI ageIs
(aIIhough, as we have see, iI mighI eguaIIy weII have bee
someIhig eIse; Ihe pracIicaI Iesso Io be draw Irom Ihe argumeI
is oI Io use words Iike "Ihere" i a Ioose ad uscieIiIic way,
wiIhouI speciIyig wheIher you mea "IocaIed Ihere" or "occupyig
space Ihere."
Scor i pIeIy has bee poured ouI upo Ihe mediaevaI passio Ior
hair-spIiIIig; buI whe we Iook aI Ihe shameIess abuse made, i
priI ad o Ihe pIaIIorm, oI coIroversiaI expressios wiIh shiIIig
ad ambiguous cooIaIios, we may IeeI iI i our hearIs Io wish
IhaI every reader ad hearer had bee so deIesiveIy armored by
his educaIio as Io be abIe Io cry: "DisIiguo."
or we IeI our youg me ad wome go ouI uarmed, i a day
whe armor was ever so ecessary. 8y Ieachig Ihem aII Io read,
we have IeII Ihem aI Ihe mercy oI Ihe priIed word. 8y Ihe iveIio
oI Ihe IiIm ad Ihe radio, we have made cerIai IhaI o aversio Io
readig shaII secure Ihem Irom Ihe icessaI baIIery oI words,
words, words. They do oI kow whaI Ihe words mea; Ihey do oI
kow how Io ward Ihem oII or bIuI Iheir edge or IIig Ihem back;
Ihey are a prey Io words i Iheir emoIios isIead oI beig Ihe
masIers oI Ihem i Iheir iIeIIecIs. We who were scadaIized i 1940
whe me were seI Io IighI armored Iaks wiIh riIIes, are oI
scadaIized whe youg me ad wome are seI iIo Ihe worId Io
IighI massed propagada wiIh a smaIIerig oI "sub|ecIs"; ad whe
whoIe cIasses ad whoIe aIios become hypoIized by Ihe arIs oI
Ihe speII bider, we have Ihe impudece Io be asIoished. We doIe
ouI Iip-service Io Ihe imporIace oI educaIio--Iip- service ad, |usI
occasioaIIy, a IiIIIe graI oI moey; we posIpoe Ihe schooI-Ieavig
age, ad pIa Io buiId bigger ad beIIer schooIs; Ihe Ieachers sIave
coscieIiousIy i ad ouI oI schooI hours; ad yeI, as ! beIieve, aII
Ihis devoIed eIIorI is IargeIy IrusIraIed, because we have IosI Ihe
IooIs oI Iearig, ad i Iheir absece ca oIy make a boIched ad
piecemeaI |ob oI iI.
WhaI, Ihe, are we Io do? We caoI go back Io Ihe MiddIe Ages.
ThaI is a cry Io which we have become accusIomed. We caoI go
back--or ca we? DisIiguo. ! shouId Iike every Ierm i IhaI
proposiIio deIied. Does "go back" mea a reIrogressio i Iime, or
Ihe revisio oI a error? The IirsI is cIearIy impossibIe per se; Ihe
secod is a Ihig which wise me do every day. "CaoI"-- does Ihis
mea IhaI our behavior is deIermied irreversibIy, or mereIy IhaI
such a acIio wouId be very diIIicuII i view oI Ihe opposiIio iI
wouId provoke? ObviousIy Ihe IweIieIh ceIury is oI ad caoI
be Ihe IourIeeIh; buI iI "Ihe MiddIe Ages" is, i Ihis coIexI, simpIy a
picIuresgue phrase deoIig a parIicuIar educaIioaI Iheory, Ihere
seems Io be o a priori reaso why we shouId oI "go back" Io iI--
wiIh modiIicaIios--as we have aIready "goe back" wiIh
modiIicaIios, Io, IeI us say, Ihe idea oI pIayig Shakespeare's pIays
as he wroIe Ihem, ad oI i Ihe "moderized" versios oI Cibber
ad Carrick, which oce seemed Io be Ihe IaIesI Ihig i IheaIricaI
progress.
LeI us amuse ourseIves by imagiig IhaI such progressive
reIrogressio is possibIe. LeI us make a cIea sweep oI aII
educaIioaI auIhoriIies, ad Iurish ourseIves wiIh a ice IiIIIe
schooI oI boys ad girIs whom we may experimeIaIIy eguip Ior Ihe
iIeIIecIuaI coIIicI aIog Iies chose by ourseIves. We wiII edow
Ihem wiIh excepIioaIIy dociIe pareIs; we wiII sIaII our schooI wiIh
Ieachers who are IhemseIves perIecIIy IamiIiar wiIh Ihe aims ad
meIhods oI Ihe Trivium; we wiII have our buiIdig ad sIaII Iarge
eough Io aIIow our cIasses Io be smaII eough Ior adeguaIe
hadIig; ad we wiII posIuIaIe a 8oard oI xamiers wiIIig ad
guaIiIied Io IesI Ihe producIs we Iur ouI. Thus prepared, we wiII
aIIempI Io skeIch ouI a syIIabus--a moder Trivium "wiIh
modiIicaIios" ad we wiII see where we geI Io.
8uI IirsI: whaI age shaII Ihe chiIdre be? WeII, iI oe is Io educaIe
Ihem o oveI Iies, iI wiII be beIIer IhaI Ihey shouId have oIhig
Io uIear; besides, oe caoI begi a good Ihig Ioo earIy, ad Ihe
Trivium is by iIs aIure oI Iearig, buI a preparaIio Ior Iearig.
We wiII, IhereIore, "caIch 'em youg," reguirig oI our pupiIs oIy
IhaI Ihey shaII be abIe Io read, wriIe, ad cipher.
My views abouI chiId psychoIogy are, ! admiI, eiIher orIhodox or
eIighIeed. Lookig back upo myseII (sice ! am Ihe chiId ! kow
besI ad Ihe oIy chiId ! ca preIed Io kow Irom iside) !
recogize Ihree sIaIes oI deveIopmeI. These, i a rough-ad- ready
Iashio, ! wiII caII Ihe PoII-ParroI, Ihe PerI, ad Ihe PoeIic--Ihe IaIIer
coicidig, approximaIeIy, wiIh Ihe oseI oI puberIy. The PoII-ParroI
sIage is Ihe oe i which Iearig by hearI is easy ad, o Ihe whoIe,
pIeasurabIe; whereas reasoig is diIIicuII ad, o Ihe whoIe, IiIIIe
reIished. AI Ihis age, oe readiIy memorizes Ihe shapes ad
appearaces oI Ihigs; oe Iikes Io reciIe Ihe umber-pIaIes oI cars;
oe re|oices i Ihe chaIig oI rhymes ad Ihe rumbIe ad Ihuder
oI uiIeIIigibIe poIysyIIabIes; oe e|oys Ihe mere accumuIaIio oI
Ihigs. The PerI age, which IoIIows upo Ihis (ad, aIuraIIy,
overIaps iI Io some exIeI), is characIerized by coIradicIig,
aswerig back, Iikig Io "caIch peopIe ouI" (especiaIIy oe's eIders);
ad by Ihe propoudig oI coudrums. !Is uisace-vaIue is
exIremeIy high. !I usuaIIy seIs i abouI Ihe ourIh orm. The PoeIic
age is popuIarIy kow as Ihe "diIIicuII" age. !I is seII-ceIered; iI
years Io express iIseII; iI raIher speciaIizes i beig misudersIood;
iI is resIIess ad Iries Io achieve idepedece; ad, wiIh good Iuck
ad good guidace, iI shouId show Ihe begiigs oI creaIiveess; a
reachig ouI Iowards a syIhesis oI whaI iI aIready kows, ad a
deIiberaIe eageress Io kow ad do some oe Ihig i preIerece
Io aII oIhers. Now iI seems Io me IhaI Ihe IayouI oI Ihe Trivium
adapIs iIseII wiIh a siguIar appropriaIeess Io Ihese Ihree ages:
Crammar Io Ihe PoII-ParroI, DiaIecIic Io Ihe PerI, ad RheIoric Io Ihe
PoeIic age.
LeI us begi, Ihe, wiIh Crammar. This, i pracIice, meas Ihe
grammar oI some Iaguage i parIicuIar; ad iI musI be a iIIecIed
Iaguage. The grammaIicaI sIrucIure oI a uiIIecIed Iaguage is
Iar Ioo aaIyIicaI Io be IackIed by ay oe wiIhouI previous pracIice
i DiaIecIic. Moreover, Ihe iIIecIed Iaguages iIerpreI Ihe
uiIIecIed, whereas Ihe uiIIecIed are oI IiIIIe use i iIerpreIig
Ihe iIIecIed. ! wiII say aI oce, guiIe IirmIy, IhaI Ihe besI groudig
Ior educaIio is Ihe LaIi grammar. ! say Ihis, oI because LaIi is
IradiIioaI ad mediaevaI, buI simpIy because eve a rudimeIary
kowIedge oI LaIi cuIs dow Ihe Iabor ad pais oI Iearig aImosI
ay oIher sub|ecI by aI IeasI IiIIy perceI. !I is Ihe key Io Ihe
vocabuIary ad sIrucIure oI aII Ihe TeuIoic Iaguages, as weII as Io
Ihe IechicaI vocabuIary oI aII Ihe scieces ad Io Ihe IiIeraIure oI
Ihe eIire MediIerraea civiIizaIio, IogeIher wiIh aII iIs hisIoricaI
documeIs.
Those whose pedaIic preIerece Ior a Iivig Iaguage persuades
Ihem Io deprive Iheir pupiIs oI aII Ihese advaIages mighI subsIiIuIe
Russia, whose grammar is sIiII more primiIive. Russia is, oI course,
heIpIuI wiIh Ihe oIher SIav diaIecIs. There is someIhig aIso Io be
said Ior CIassicaI Creek. 8uI my ow choice is LaIi. Havig Ihus
pIeased Ihe CIassicisIs amog you, ! wiII proceed Io horriIy Ihem by
addig IhaI ! do oI Ihik iI eiIher wise or ecessary Io cramp Ihe
ordiary pupiI upo Ihe ProcrusIea bed oI Ihe AugusIa Age, wiIh
iIs highIy eIaboraIe ad arIiIiciaI verse Iorms ad oraIory. PosI-
cIassicaI ad mediaevaI LaIi, which was a Iivig Iaguage righI
dow Io Ihe ed oI Ihe Reaissace, is easier ad i some ways
IiveIier; a sIudy oI iI heIps Io dispeI Ihe widespread oIio IhaI
Iearig ad IiIeraIure came Io a IuII sIop whe ChrisI was bor
ad oIy woke up agai aI Ihe DissoIuIio oI Ihe MoasIeries.
LaIi shouId be begu as earIy as possibIe--aI a Iime whe iIIecIed
speech seems o more asIoishig Iha ay oIher pheomeo i
a asIoishig worId; ad whe Ihe chaIig oI "Amo, amas, amaI"
is as riIuaIIy agreeabIe Io Ihe IeeIigs as Ihe chaIig oI "eey,
meey, miey, moe."
Durig Ihis age we musI, oI course, exercise Ihe mid o oIher
Ihigs besides LaIi grammar. ObservaIio ad memory are Ihe
IacuIIies mosI IiveIy aI Ihis period; ad iI we are Io Iear a
coIemporary Ioreig Iaguage we shouId begi ow, beIore Ihe
IaciaI ad meIaI muscIes become rebeIIious Io sIrage iIoaIios.
Spoke rech or Cerma ca be pracIiced aIogside Ihe
grammaIicaI discipIie oI Ihe LaIi.
! gIish, meawhiIe, verse ad prose ca be Ieared by hearI, ad
Ihe pupiI's memory shouId be sIored wiIh sIories oI every kid--
cIassicaI myIh, uropea Ieged, ad so IorIh. ! do oI Ihik IhaI Ihe
cIassicaI sIories ad masIerpieces oI acieI IiIeraIure shouId be
made Ihe viIe bodies o which Io pracIice Ihe Iechigues oI
Crammar--IhaI was a IauII oI mediaevaI educaIio which we eed
oI perpeIuaIe. The sIories ca be e|oyed ad remembered i
gIish, ad reIaIed Io Iheir origi aI a subsegueI sIage. ReciIaIio
aIoud shouId be pracIiced, idividuaIIy or i chorus; Ior we musI oI
IorgeI IhaI we are Iayig Ihe groudwork Ior DispuIaIio ad
RheIoric.
The grammar oI HisIory shouId cosisI, ! Ihik, oI daIes, eveIs,
aecdoIes, ad persoaIiIies. A seI oI daIes Io which oe ca peg aII
IaIer hisIoricaI kowIedge is oI eormous heIp IaIer o i
esIabIishig Ihe perspecIive oI hisIory. !I does oI greaIIy maIIer
which daIes: Ihose oI Ihe Kigs oI gIad wiII do very iceIy,
provided IhaI Ihey are accompaied by picIures oI cosIumes,
archiIecIure, ad oIher everyday Ihigs, so IhaI Ihe mere meIio oI
a daIe caIIs up a very sIrog visuaI preseImeI oI Ihe whoIe period.
Ceography wiII simiIarIy be preseIed i iIs IacIuaI aspecI, wiIh
maps, aIuraI IeaIures, ad visuaI preseImeI oI cusIoms,
cosIumes, IIora, Iaua, ad so o; ad ! beIieve myseII IhaI Ihe
discrediIed ad oId-Iashioed memorizig oI a Iew capiIoI ciIies,
rivers, mouIai rages, eIc., does o harm. SIamp coIIecIig may be
ecouraged.
Sciece, i Ihe PoII-ParroI period, arrages iIseII aIuraIIy ad
easiIy aroud coIIecIios--Ihe ideIiIyig ad amig oI specimes
ad, i geeraI, Ihe kid oI Ihig IhaI used Io be caIIed "aIuraI
phiIosophy." To kow Ihe ame ad properIies oI Ihigs is, aI Ihis
age, a saIisIacIio i iIseII; Io recogize a deviI's coach-horse aI sighI,
ad assure oe's IooIish eIders, IhaI, i spiIe oI iIs appearace, iI
does oI sIig; Io be abIe Io pick ouI Cassiopeia ad Ihe PIeiades, ad
perhaps eve Io kow who Cassiopeia ad Ihe PIeiades were; Io be
aware IhaI a whaIe is oI a Iish, ad a baI oI a bird--aII Ihese
Ihigs give a pIeasaI sesaIio oI superioriIy; whiIe Io kow a rig
sake Irom a adder or a poisoous Irom a edibIe IoadsIooI is a
kid oI kowIedge IhaI aIso has pracIicaI vaIue.
The grammar oI MaIhemaIics begis, oI course, wiIh Ihe
muIIipIicaIio IabIe, which, iI oI IearI ow, wiII ever be IearI
wiIh pIeasure; ad wiIh Ihe recogiIio oI geomeIricaI shapes ad
Ihe groupig oI umbers. These exercises Iead aIuraIIy Io Ihe doig
oI simpIe sums i ariIhmeIic. More compIicaIed maIhemaIicaI
processes may, ad perhaps shouId, be posIpoed, Ior Ihe reasos
which wiII preseIIy appear.
So Iar (excepI, oI course, Ior Ihe LaIi), our curricuIum coIais
oIhig IhaI deparIs very Iar Irom commo pracIice. The diIIerece
wiII be IeII raIher i Ihe aIIiIude oI Ihe Ieachers, who musI Iook
upo aII Ihese acIiviIies Iess as "sub|ecIs" i IhemseIves Iha as a
gaIherig-IogeIher oI maIeriaI Ior use i Ihe exI parI oI Ihe
Trivium. WhaI IhaI maIeriaI is, is oIy oI secodary imporIace; buI
iI is as weII IhaI ayIhig ad everyIhig which ca be useIuIIy
commiIIed Io memory shouId be memorized aI Ihis period, wheIher
iI is immediaIeIy iIeIIigibIe or oI. The moder Iedecy is Io Iry
ad Iorce raIioaI expIaaIios o a chiId's mid aI Ioo earIy a
age. !IeIIigeI guesIios, spoIaeousIy asked, shouId, oI course,
receive a immediaIe ad raIioaI aswer; buI iI is a greaI misIake
Io suppose IhaI a chiId caoI readiIy e|oy ad remember Ihigs
IhaI are beyod his power Io aaIyze--parIicuIarIy iI Ihose Ihigs
have a sIrog imagiaIive appeaI (as, Ior exampIe, "KubIa Kah"),
a aIIracIive |igIe (Iike some oI Ihe memory-rhymes Ior LaIi
geders), or a abudace oI rich, resoudig poIysyIIabIes (Iike Ihe
uicugue vuII).
This remids me oI Ihe grammar oI TheoIogy. ! shaII add iI Io Ihe
curricuIum, because IheoIogy is Ihe misIress-sciece wiIhouI which
Ihe whoIe educaIioaI sIrucIure wiII ecessariIy Iack iIs IiaI
syIhesis. Those who disagree abouI Ihis wiII remai coIeI Io
Ieave Iheir pupiI's educaIio sIiII IuII oI Ioose eds. This wiII maIIer
raIher Iess Iha iI mighI, sice by Ihe Iime IhaI Ihe IooIs oI Iearig
have bee Iorged Ihe sIudeI wiII be abIe Io IackIe IheoIogy Ior
himseII, ad wiII probabIy isisI upo doig so ad makig sese oI
iI. SIiII, iI is as weII Io have Ihis maIIer aIso hady ad ready Ior Ihe
reaso Io work upo. AI Ihe grammaIicaI age, IhereIore, we shouId
become acguaiIed wiIh Ihe sIory oI Cod ad Ma i ouIIie--i.e.,
Ihe OId ad New IesIameIs preseIed as parIs oI a sigIe arraIive
oI CreaIio, RebeIIio, ad RedempIio--ad aIso wiIh Ihe Creed, Ihe
Lord's Prayer, ad Ihe Te CommadmeIs. AI Ihis earIy sIage, iI
does oI maIIer earIy so much IhaI Ihese Ihigs shouId be IuIIy
udersIood as IhaI Ihey shouId be kow ad remembered.
!I is diIIicuII Io say aI whaI age, preciseIy, we shouId pass Irom Ihe
IirsI Io Ihe secod parI oI Ihe Trivium. CeeraIIy speakig, Ihe
aswer is: so soo as Ihe pupiI shows himseII disposed Io perIess
ad iIermiabIe argumeI. or as, i Ihe IirsI parI, Ihe masIer
IacuIIies are ObservaIio ad Memory, so, i Ihe secod, Ihe masIer
IacuIIy is Ihe Discursive Reaso. ! Ihe IirsI, Ihe exercise Io which
Ihe resI oI Ihe maIeriaI was, as iI were, keyed, was Ihe LaIi
grammar; i Ihe secod, Ihe key- exercise wiII be ormaI Logic. !I is
here IhaI our curricuIum shows iIs IirsI sharp divergece Irom
moder sIadards. The disrepuIe iIo which ormaI Logic has IaIIe
is eIireIy u|usIiIied; ad iIs egIecI is Ihe rooI cause oI earIy aII
Ihose disguieIig sympIoms which we have oIed i Ihe moder
iIeIIecIuaI cosIiIuIio. Logic has bee discrediIed, parIIy because
we have come Io suppose IhaI we are codiIioed aImosI eIireIy by
Ihe iIuiIive ad Ihe ucoscious. There is o Iime Io argue wheIher
Ihis is Irue; ! wiII simpIy observe IhaI Io egIecI Ihe proper Iraiig
oI Ihe reaso is Ihe besI possibIe way Io make iI Irue. AoIher cause
Ior Ihe disIavor iIo which Logic has IaIIe is Ihe beIieI IhaI iI is
eIireIy based upo uiversaI assumpIios IhaI are eiIher
uprovabIe or IauIoIogicaI. This is oI Irue. NoI aII uiversaI
proposiIios are oI Ihis kid. 8uI eve iI Ihey were, iI wouId make o
diIIerece, sice every syIIogism whose ma|or premise is i Ihe Iorm
"AII A is 8" ca be recasI i hypoIheIicaI Iorm. Logic is Ihe arI oI
arguig correcIIy: "!I A, Ihe 8." The meIhod is oI ivaIidaIed by
Ihe hypoIheIicaI aIure oI A. !deed, Ihe pracIicaI uIiIiIy oI ormaI
Logic Ioday Iies oI so much i Ihe esIabIishmeI oI posiIive
cocIusios as i Ihe prompI deIecIio ad exposure oI ivaIid
iIerece.
LeI us ow guickIy review our maIeriaI ad see how iI is Io be
reIaIed Io DiaIecIic. O Ihe Laguage side, we shaII ow have our
vocabuIary ad morphoIogy aI our IigerIips; heceIorward we ca
coceIraIe o syIax ad aaIysis (i.e., Ihe IogicaI cosIrucIio oI
speech) ad Ihe hisIory oI Iaguage (i.e., how we came Io arrage
our speech as we do i order Io covey our IhoughIs).
Our Readig wiII proceed Irom arraIive ad Iyric Io essays,
argumeI ad criIicism, ad Ihe pupiI wiII Iear Io Iry his ow had
aI wriIig Ihis kid oI Ihig. May Iessos--o whaIever sub|ecI--wiII
Iake Ihe Iorm oI debaIes; ad Ihe pIace oI idividuaI or choraI
reciIaIio wiII be Iake by dramaIic perIormaces, wiIh speciaI
aIIeIio Io pIays i which a argumeI is sIaIed i dramaIic Iorm.
MaIhemaIics--aIgebra, geomeIry, ad Ihe more advaced kids oI
ariIhmeIic--wiII ow eIer iIo Ihe syIIabus ad Iake iIs pIace as
whaI iI reaIIy is: oI a separaIe "sub|ecI" buI a sub- deparImeI oI
Logic. !I is eiIher more or Iess Iha Ihe ruIe oI Ihe syIIogism i iIs
parIicuIar appIicaIio Io umber ad measuremeI, ad shouId be
IaughI as such, isIead oI beig, Ior some, a dark mysIery, ad, Ior
oIhers, a speciaI reveIaIio, eiIher iIIumiaIig or iIIumiaIed by
ay oIher parI oI kowIedge.
HisIory, aided by a simpIe sysIem oI eIhics derived Irom Ihe
grammar oI IheoIogy, wiII provide much suiIabIe maIeriaI Ior
discussio: Was Ihe behavior oI Ihis sIaIesma |usIiIied? WhaI was
Ihe eIIecI oI such a eacImeI? WhaI are Ihe argumeIs Ior ad
agaisI Ihis or IhaI Iorm oI govermeI? We shaII Ihus geI a
iIroducIio Io cosIiIuIioaI hisIory--a sub|ecI meaigIess Io Ihe
youg chiId, buI oI absorbig iIeresI Io Ihose who are prepared Io
argue ad debaIe. TheoIogy iIseII wiII Iurish maIeriaI Ior argumeI
abouI coducI ad moraIs; ad shouId have iIs scope exIeded by a
simpIiIied course oI dogmaIic IheoIogy (i.e., Ihe raIioaI sIrucIure oI
ChrisIia IhoughI), cIariIyig Ihe reIaIios beIwee Ihe dogma ad
Ihe eIhics, ad Iedig iIseII Io IhaI appIicaIio oI eIhicaI pricipIes
i parIicuIar isIaces which is properIy caIIed casuisIry.
Ceography ad Ihe Scieces wiII Iikewise provide maIeriaI Ior
DiaIecIic.
8uI above aII, we musI oI egIecI Ihe maIeriaI which is so
abudaI i Ihe pupiIs' ow daiIy IiIe.
There is a deIighIIuI passage i LesIie PauI's "The Livig Hedge"
which IeIIs how a umber oI smaII boys e|oyed IhemseIves Ior days
arguig abouI a exIraordiary shower oI rai which had IaIIe i
Iheir Iow--a shower so IocaIized IhaI iI IeII oe haII oI Ihe mai
sIreeI weI ad Ihe oIher dry. CouId oe, Ihey argued, properIy say
IhaI iI had raied IhaI day o or over Ihe Iow or oIy i Ihe Iow?
How may drops oI waIer were reguired Io cosIiIuIe rai? Ad so
o. ArgumeI abouI Ihis Ied o Io a hosI oI simiIar probIems abouI
resI ad moIio, sIeep ad wakig, esI ad o esI, ad Ihe
iIiiIesimaI divisio oI Iime. The whoIe passage is a admirabIe
exampIe oI Ihe spoIaeous deveIopmeI oI Ihe raIiociaIive IacuIIy
ad Ihe aIuraI ad proper IhirsI oI Ihe awakeig reaso Ior Ihe
deIiiIio oI Ierms ad exacIess oI sIaIemeI. AII eveIs are Iood
Ior such a appeIiIe.
A umpire's decisio; Ihe degree Io which oe may Irasgress Ihe
spiriI oI a reguIaIio wiIhouI beig Irapped by Ihe IeIIer: o such
guesIios as Ihese, chiIdre are bor casuisIs, ad Iheir aIuraI
propesiIy oIy eeds Io be deveIoped ad Iraied--ad especiaIIy,
broughI iIo a iIeIIigibIe reIaIioship wiIh Ihe eveIs i Ihe
grow-up worId. The ewspapers are IuII oI good maIeriaI Ior such
exercises: IegaI decisios, o Ihe oe had, i cases where Ihe cause
aI issue is oI Ioo absIruse; o Ihe oIher, IaIIacious reasoig ad
muddIeheaded argumeIs, wiIh which Ihe correspodece coIums
oI cerIai papers oe couId ame are abudaIIy sIocked.
Wherever Ihe maIIer Ior DiaIecIic is Ioud, iI is, oI course, highIy
imporIaI IhaI aIIeIio shouId be Iocused upo Ihe beauIy ad
ecoomy oI a Iie demosIraIio or a weII-Iured argumeI, IesI
veeraIio shouId whoIIy die. CriIicism musI oI be mereIy
desIrucIive; Ihough aI Ihe same Iime boIh Ieacher ad pupiIs musI
be ready Io deIecI IaIIacy, sIipshod reasoig, ambiguiIy,
irreIevace, ad redudacy, ad Io pouce upo Ihem Iike raIs.
This is Ihe momeI whe precis-wriIig may be useIuIIy
1S The LosI TooIs oI Learig
uderIake; IogeIher wiIh such exercises as Ihe wriIig oI a essay,
ad Ihe reducIio oI iI, whe wriIIe, by 2S or S0 perceI.
!I wiII, doubIIess, be ob|ecIed IhaI Io ecourage youg persos aI Ihe
PerI age Io browbeaI, correcI, ad argue wiIh Iheir eIders wiII
reder Ihem perIecIIy iIoIerabIe. My aswer is IhaI chiIdre oI
IhaI age are iIoIerabIe ayhow; ad IhaI Iheir aIuraI
argumeIaIiveess may |usI as weII be caaIized Io good purpose as
aIIowed Io ru away iIo Ihe sads. !I may, ideed, be raIher Iess
obIrusive aI home iI iI is discipIied i schooI; ad ayhow, eIders
who have abadoed Ihe whoIesome pricipIe IhaI chiIdre shouId
be see ad oI heard have o oe Io bIame buI IhemseIves.
Oce agai, Ihe coIeIs oI Ihe syIIabus aI Ihis sIage may be
ayIhig you Iike. The "sub|ecIs" suppIy maIeriaI; buI Ihey are aII Io
be regarded as mere grisI Ior Ihe meIaI miII Io work upo. The
pupiIs shouId be ecouraged Io go ad Iorage Ior Iheir ow
iIormaIio, ad so guided Iowards Ihe proper use oI Iibraries ad
books Ior reIerece, ad show how Io IeII which sources are
auIhoriIaIive ad which are oI.
Towards Ihe cIose oI Ihis sIage, Ihe pupiIs wiII probabIy be begiig
Io discover Ior IhemseIves IhaI Iheir kowIedge ad experiece are
isuIIicieI, ad IhaI Iheir Iraied iIeIIigeces eed a greaI deaI
more maIeriaI Io chew upo. The imagiaIio-- usuaIIy dormaI
durig Ihe PerI age--wiII reawake, ad prompI Ihem Io suspecI Ihe
IimiIaIios oI Iogic ad reaso. This meas IhaI Ihey are passig iIo
Ihe PoeIic age ad are ready Io embark o Ihe sIudy oI RheIoric. The
doors oI Ihe sIorehouse oI kowIedge shouId ow be Ihrow ope
Ior Ihem Io browse abouI as Ihey wiII. The Ihigs oce Ieared by
roIe wiII be see i ew coIexIs; Ihe Ihigs oce coIdIy aaIyzed
ca ow be broughI IogeIher Io Iorm a ew syIhesis; here ad
Ihere a sudde isighI wiII brig abouI IhaI mosI exciIig oI aII
discoveries: Ihe reaIizaIio IhaI Iruism is Irue.
!I is diIIicuII Io map ouI ay geeraI syIIabus Ior Ihe sIudy oI
RheIoric: a cerIai Ireedom is demaded. ! IiIeraIure, appreciaIio
shouId be agai aIIowed Io Iake Ihe Iead over desIrucIive criIicism;
ad seII-expressio i wriIig ca go Iorward, wiIh iIs IooIs ow
sharpeed Io cuI cIea ad observe proporIio. Ay chiId who
aIready shows a disposiIio Io speciaIize shouId be give his head:
Ior, whe Ihe use oI Ihe IooIs has bee weII ad IruIy Ieared, iI is
avaiIabIe Ior ay sIudy whaIever. !I wouId be weII, ! Ihik, IhaI each
pupiI shouId Iear Io do oe, or Iwo, sub|ecIs reaIIy weII, whiIe
Iakig a Iew cIasses i subsidiary sub|ecIs so as Io keep his mid
ope Io Ihe iIer-reIaIios oI aII kowIedge. !deed, aI Ihis sIage,
our diIIicuIIy wiII be Io keep "sub|ecIs" aparI; Ior DiaIecIic wiII have
show aII braches oI Iearig Io be iIer-reIaIed, so RheIoric wiII
Ied Io show IhaI aII kowIedge is oe. To show Ihis, ad show why
iI is so, is pre-emieIIy Ihe Iask oI Ihe misIress sciece. 8uI wheIher
IheoIogy is sIudied or oI, we shouId aI IeasI isisI IhaI chiIdre who
seem icIied Io speciaIize o Ihe maIhemaIicaI ad scieIiIic side
shouId be obIiged Io aIIed some Iessos i Ihe humaiIies ad vice
versa. AI Ihis sIage, aIso, Ihe LaIi grammar, havig doe iIs work,
may be dropped Ior Ihose who preIer Io carry o Iheir Iaguage
sIudies o Ihe moder side; whiIe Ihose who are IikeIy ever Io have
ay greaI use or apIiIude Ior maIhemaIics mighI aIso be aIIowed Io
resI, more or Iess, upo Iheir oars. CeeraIIy speakig, whaIsoever is
mere apparaIus may ow be aIIowed Io IaII iIo Ihe backgroud,
whiIe Ihe Iraied mid is graduaIIy prepared Ior speciaIizaIio i
Ihe "sub|ecIs" which, whe Ihe Trivium is compIeIed, iI shouId be
perIecIIy wiII eguipped Io IackIe o iIs ow. The IiaI syIhesis oI
Ihe Trivium--Ihe preseIaIio ad pubIic deIese oI Ihe Ihesis--
shouId be resIored i some Iorm; perhaps as a kid oI "Ieavig
examiaIio" durig Ihe IasI Ierm aI schooI.
The scope oI RheIoric depeds aIso o wheIher Ihe pupiI is Io be
Iured ouI iIo Ihe worId aI Ihe age oI 16 or wheIher he is Io
proceed Io Ihe uiversiIy. Sice, reaIIy, RheIoric shouId be Iake aI
abouI 14, Ihe IirsI caIegory oI pupiI shouId sIudy Crammar Irom
abouI 9 Io 11, ad DiaIecIic Irom 12 Io 14; his IasI Iwo schooI years
wouId Ihe be devoIed Io RheIoric, which, i Ihis case, wouId be oI a
IairIy speciaIized ad vocaIioaI kid, suiIig him Io eIer
immediaIeIy upo some pracIicaI career. A pupiI oI Ihe secod
caIegory wouId Iiish his DiaIecIicaI course i his preparaIory
schooI, ad Iake RheIoric durig his IirsI Iwo years aI his pubIic
schooI. AI 16, he wouId be ready Io sIarI upo Ihose "sub|ecIs" which
are proposed Ior his IaIer sIudy aI Ihe uiversiIy: ad Ihis parI oI his
educaIio wiII correspod Io Ihe mediaevaI uadrivium. WhaI Ihis
amouIs Io is IhaI Ihe ordiary pupiI, whose IormaI educaIio eds
aI 16, wiII Iake Ihe Trivium oIy; whereas schoIars wiII Iake boIh Ihe
Trivium ad Ihe uadrivium.
!s Ihe Trivium, Ihe, a suIIicieI educaIio Ior IiIe? ProperIy IaughI,
! beIieve IhaI iI shouId be. AI Ihe ed oI Ihe DiaIecIic, Ihe chiIdre
wiII probabIy seem Io be Iar behid Iheir coevaIs broughI up o oId-
Iashioed "moder" meIhods, so Iar as deIaiIed kowIedge oI
speciIic sub|ecIs is cocered. 8uI aIIer Ihe age oI 14 Ihey shouId be
abIe Io overhauI Ihe oIhers had over IisI. !deed, ! am oI aI aII
sure IhaI a pupiI IhoroughIy proIicieI i Ihe Trivium wouId oI be
IiI Io proceed immediaIeIy Io Ihe uiversiIy aI Ihe age oI 16, Ihus
provig himseII Ihe eguaI oI his mediaevaI couIerparI, whose
precociIy asIoished us aI Ihe begiig oI Ihis discussio. This, Io
be sure, wouId make hay oI Ihe gIish pubIic-schooI sysIem, ad
discocerI Ihe uiversiIies very much. !I wouId, Ior exampIe, make
guiIe a diIIereI Ihig oI Ihe OxIord ad Cambridge boaI race.
8uI ! am oI here Io cosider Ihe IeeIigs oI academic bodies: ! am
cocered oIy wiIh Ihe proper Iraiig oI Ihe mid Io ecouIer
ad deaI wiIh Ihe IormidabIe mass oI udigesIed probIems
preseIed Io iI by Ihe moder worId. or Ihe IooIs oI Iearig are Ihe
same, i ay ad every sub|ecI; ad Ihe perso who kows how Io
use Ihem wiII, aI ay age, geI Ihe masIery oI a ew sub|ecI i haII
Ihe Iime ad wiIh a guarIer oI Ihe eIIorI expeded by Ihe perso
who has oI Ihe IooIs aI his commad. To Iear six sub|ecIs wiIhouI
rememberig how Ihey were IearI does oIhig Io ease Ihe
approach Io a seveIh; Io have IearI ad remembered Ihe arI oI
Iearig makes Ihe approach Io every sub|ecI a ope door.
8eIore cocIudig Ihese ecessariIy very skeIchy suggesIios, !
oughI Io say why ! Ihik iI ecessary, i Ihese days, Io go back Io a
discipIie which we had discarded. The IruIh is IhaI Ior Ihe IasI
Ihree hudred years or so we have bee Iivig upo our
educaIioaI capiIaI. The posI-Reaissace worId, bewiIdered ad
exciIed by Ihe proIusio oI ew "sub|ecIs" oIIered Io iI, broke away
Irom Ihe oId discipIie (which had, ideed, become sadIy duII ad
sIereoIyped i iIs pracIicaI appIicaIio) ad imagied IhaI
heceIorward iI couId, as iI were, disporI iIseII happiIy i iIs ew
ad exIeded uadrivium wiIhouI passig Ihrough Ihe Trivium. 8uI
Ihe SchoIasIic IradiIio, Ihough broke ad maimed, sIiII Iigered i
Ihe pubIic schooIs ad uiversiIies: MiIIo, however much he
proIesIed agaisI iI, was Iormed by iI--Ihe debaIe oI Ihe aIIe
AgeIs ad Ihe dispuIaIio oI AbdieI wiIh SaIa have Ihe IooI-marks
oI Ihe SchooIs upo Ihem, ad mighI, icideIaIIy, proIiIabIy Iigure
as seI passages Ior our DiaIecIicaI sIudies. RighI dow Io Ihe
ieIeeIh ceIury, our pubIic aIIairs were mosIIy maaged, ad
our books ad |ouraIs were Ior Ihe mosI parI wriIIe, by peopIe
broughI up i homes, ad Iraied i pIaces, where IhaI IradiIio
was sIiII aIive i Ihe memory ad aImosI i Ihe bIood. ]usI so, may
peopIe Ioday who are aIheisI or agosIic i reIigio, are govered i
Iheir coducI by a code oI ChrisIia eIhics which is so rooIed IhaI iI
ever occurs Io Ihem Io guesIio iI.
8uI oe caoI Iive o capiIaI Iorever. However IirmIy a IradiIio is
rooIed, iI iI is ever waIered, Ihough iI dies hard, yeI i Ihe ed iI
dies. Ad Ioday a greaI umber--perhaps Ihe ma|oriIy--oI Ihe me
ad wome who hadIe our aIIairs, wriIe our books ad our
ewspapers, carry ouI our research, preseI our pIays ad our IiIms,
speak Irom our pIaIIorms ad puIpiIs--yes, ad who educaIe our
youg peopIe--have ever, eve i a Iigerig IradiIioaI memory,
udergoe Ihe SchoIasIic discipIie. Less ad Iess do Ihe chiIdre
who come Io be educaIed brig ay oI IhaI IradiIio wiIh Ihem. We
have IosI Ihe IooIs oI Iearig--Ihe axe ad Ihe wedge, Ihe hammer
ad Ihe saw, Ihe chiseI ad Ihe pIae-- IhaI were so adapIabIe Io aII
Iasks. !sIead oI Ihem, we have mereIy a seI oI compIicaIed |igs, each
oI which wiII do buI oe Iask ad o more, ad i usig which eye
ad had receive o Iraiig, so IhaI o ma ever sees Ihe work as
a whoIe or "Iooks Io Ihe ed oI Ihe work."
WhaI use is iI Io piIe Iask o Iask ad proIog Ihe days oI Iabor, iI aI
Ihe cIose Ihe chieI ob|ecI is IeII uaIIaied? !I is oI Ihe IauII oI Ihe
Ieachers--Ihey work oIy Ioo hard aIready. The combied IoIIy oI a
civiIizaIio IhaI has IorgoIIe iIs ow rooIs is Iorcig Ihem Io shore
up Ihe IoIIerig weighI oI a educaIioaI sIrucIure IhaI is buiII
upo sad. They are doig Ior Iheir pupiIs Ihe work which Ihe
pupiIs IhemseIves oughI Io do. or Ihe soIe Irue ed oI educaIio is
simpIy Ihis: Io Ieach me how Io Iear Ior IhemseIves; ad whaIever
isIrucIio IaiIs Io do Ihis is eIIorI speI i vai.

!I you are iIeresIed i IuIoriaIs i keepig wiIh cIassicaI ChrisIia
educaIio,
pIease see Ihe scodido TuIoriaI Service WebsiIe- hIIp://
www.gbI.org/

PauI M. 8echIeI wriIes IhaI DoroIhy Leigh Sayers (1893-1967) brieIIy
eIered o a Ieachig career aIIer graduaIig Irom OxIord. She
pubIished a Iog ad popuIar series oI deIecIive oveIs, IrasIaIed
Ihe "Divie Comedy," wroIe a series oI radio pIays, ad a deIese oI
ChrisIia beIieI.
Durig WorId War !!, she Iived i OxIord, ad was a member oI Ihe
group IhaI icIuded C.S. Lewis, CharIes WiIIiams, ].R.R. ToIkie, ad
Owe 8arIieId. 8y aIure ad preIerece, she was a schoIar ad a
experI o Ihe MiddIe Ages.
! Ihis essay, Miss Sayers suggesIs IhaI we preseIIy Ieach our
chiIdre everyIhig buI how Io Iear. She proposes IhaI we adopI a
suiIabIy modiIied versio oI Ihe medievaI schoIasIic curricuIum Ior
meIhodoIogicaI reasos.
"The LosI TooIs oI Learig" was IirsI preseIed by Miss Sayers aI
OxIord i 1947.


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1 The LosI TooIs oI Learig

10/31/2012 09:09:48 PM hIIp://www.gbI.org/IexI/sayers.hImI

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