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HISTORY
OF
EDUCATION
BY
LEVI SEELEY, PH. D.
PROFESSOR OF PEDAGOGY IN THE NEW JERSEY
STATE NORMAL SCHOOL
_REVISED EDITION_
NEW YORK : CINCINNATI : CHICAGO
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
COPYRIGHT, 1899, 1904, BY
LEVI SEELEY.
Entered at Stationers' Hall.
HIST. OF EDUCATION
PREFACE
The importance of a knowledge of the history of education was never so
fully recognized as at the present time. Normal schools and teachers'
colleges give this subject a prominent place in their professional
courses, superintendents require candidates for certificates to pass
examination in it, and familiarity with it is an essential part of the
equipment of every well-informed teacher. The history of education
portrays the theories and methods of the past, warns of error and
indicates established truth, shows difficulties surmounted, and
encourages the teacher of to-day by examples of heroism and consecration
on the part of educators whose labors for their fellow-men we discuss.
To the teacher this study is a constant help in the schoolroom, the
trials of which are met with the added strength and inspiration from
contact with great teachers of the past.
No text-book can be said to contain the last word upon any subject.
Least of all can such a claim be made for a history of education, which
aims to trace the intellectual development of the human race and to
indicate the means and processes of that evolution. Any individuals or
factors materially contributing thereto deserve a place in educational
history. As to which of these factors is the most important, that is a
question of choice, upon which, doubtless, many will differ with the
author. Some educators, whose claims to consideration are unquestioned,
have been reluctantly omitted on account of the limitations of this
work.
On the other hand, many teachers lack time for exhaustive study of such
a subject. This book is designed to furnish all the material that can be
reasonably demanded for any state, county, or city teacher's
certificate. It also provides sufficient subject-matter for classes in
normal schools and colleges and for reading circles. The material
offered can be mastered in a half-year's class work, but, by using the
references, a full year can be well employed. For those who desire to
make a more extended study of particular topics, the author gives such
authorities as years of careful research have shown to be most valuable.
Every investigator knows the labor involved in finding suitable
material. To spare the reader something of that labor, the literature is
given at the beginning of each chapter. By following the collateral
readings thus suggested, this book will be found suitable for the most
advanced classes.
The plan of references embraces three features: (1) literature at the
beginning of each chapter; (2) foot references to special citations; and
(3) a general bibliography in the Appendix. In the first two, titles are
sometimes abbreviated because of their frequent repetition. In case of
doubt the reader should refer to the general bibliography, in which all
the authorities cited are arranged alphabetically, with full titles.
To get the greatest value from this study, classes should be required to
keep a notebook which should follow some uniform plan. I suggest the
following as such outline: (1) historical and geographical; (2) home
life; (3) physical, religious, and aesthetic education; (4) elementary
and higher education; (5) summary of lessons taught; (6) educators:
(_a_) life, (_b_) writings, (_c_) pedagogical teachings. Of course each
teacher will modify this outline to suit his own ideals. Such notebook
will be found to be of value not only in review, but also in fixing the
subject-matter in the mind of the student.
It is generally conceded that the plan of an historical work should be
based upon the evolution of civilization. In common with other recent
writers on educational history, the author accepts the general plan of
Karl Schmidt in his "Geschichte der Paedagogik," the most comprehensive
work on this subject that has yet appeared. But the specific plan, which
involves the most important and vital characteristics of this book, is
the author's own. The details of this specific plan embrace a study of
the _history_ and _environment_, of the _internal_, _social_, _political_,
and _religious_ conditions of the people, without which there can
be no accurate conception of their education.
Our civilization had its inception in that of ancient Egypt, and thence
its logical development must be traced. If desirable the teacher can
omit the chapters on China, India, Persia, and Israel. It will be found,
however, that the lessons taught by these countries, though negative in
character, are intensely interesting to students, and most instructive
and impressive. These countries are also admirably illustrative of the
plan employed in the book, and thereby prepare the way for later work.
That plan is more fully set forth in the Introduction, a careful study
of which is recommended to both teacher and student.
The author wishes to acknowledge his appreciation of the valuable
assistance in the preparation of this volume rendered by Dr. Elias F.
Carr of the New Jersey Normal School, and Professor W. J. Morrison of
the Brooklyn Training School for Teachers.
LEVI SEELEY.
REVISED EDITION
I have taken advantage of the necessary reprinting of the book to make
certain changes and additions, and to correct a few errors which were
found to exist. An attempt has been made to note the recent changes that
have taken place, especially in the French and English school systems.
L. S.
SECOND REVISION
The continued and hearty reception which teachers are giving this book
has led me to desire to make still further improvements in it.
Accordingly, I have added brief sketches of the Sophists, Plutarch,
Marcus Aurelius, Rollin, and Jacotot. The space available is all too
limited to warrant such treatment as the subjects deserve. All that can
be expected is that the reader may become interested and seek further
information from special sources. An appendix is added in which the
National Educational Association, the National Bureau of Education, the
Quincy Movement, the Herbartian Movement, Child Study, Parents'
Meetings, Manual Training, and Material Improvements in Schools are each
given a brief consideration.
L. S.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I PAGE
INTRODUCTION 15
1. Purpose of the history of education. 2. Plan of study. 3.
The study of great educators. 4. Modern systems of education.
5. General outline.
CHAPTER II
CHINA 20
1. Geography and history. 2. The home. 3. The elementary
school. 4. Higher education. 5. Degrees. 6. Examinations.
7. Criticism of Chinese education. 8. Confucius.
CHAPTER III
INDIA 29
1. Geography and history. 2. The caste system. 3. The home.
4. The elementary school. 5. Higher education. 6. Criticism of
Hindu education. 7. Buddha.
CHAPTER IV
PERSIA 36
1. Geography and history. 2. The home. 3. The State education.
4. Criticism of Persian education. 5. Zoroaster.
CHAPTER V
THE JEWS 40
1. Geography and history. 2. The home. 3. The Jewish school.
4. Esteem for the teachers. 5. The Schools of the Rabbis. 6. Criticism
of Jewish education. 7. The Talmud.
CHAPTER VI
EGYPT 46
1. Geography and history. 2. The caste system. 3. The home.
4. Education. 5. Criticism of Egyptian education. 6. General
summary of oriental education.
CHAPTER VII
GREECE 53
1. Geography and history. 2. Manners and customs. 3. The
Olympian games.
CHAPTER VIII
ATHENS 56
1. Historical. 2. The difference in spirit between Athens and
Sparta. 3. The home. 4. Education. 5. The Sophists. 6. Criticism
of Athenian education.
CHAPTER IX
ATHENIAN EDUCATORS 61
1. Socrates,--life, method, death. 2. Plato,--life, his "Republic,"
scheme and aim of education. 3. Aristotle,--life, pedagogy,
estimate of him.
CHAPTER X
SPARTA 68
1. Historical. 2. The home. 3. Education. 4. Criticism of
Spartan education. 5. Lycurgus. 6. Pythagoras.
CHAPTER XI
ROME 74
1. The Age of Augustus. 2. Geography and history. 3. The
home. 4. Education,--elementary, secondary, higher. 5. Criticism
of Roman education.
CHAPTER XII
ROMAN EDUCATORS 81
1. Cicero,--life, philosophy, pedagogy. 2. Seneca,--the teacher
of Nero, great orator, writer, etc., pedagogical writings. 3.
Quintilian,--his school, his "Institutes of Oratory," pedagogical
principles. 4. Plutarch and Marcus Aurelius.
CHAPTER XIII
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION--INTRODUCTION 89
1. General view. 2. New principles introduced by Christianity.
3. Importance of the individual. 4. Obstacles which the early
Christians had to meet. 5. Slow growth of Christian education.
CHAPTER XIV
THE GREAT TEACHER 96
1. Life and character. 2. Impression which Christ made. 3. His
work as a teacher. 4. An example of pedagogical practice.
CHAPTER XV
GENERAL VIEW OF THE FIRST PERIOD OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION 101
1. The period covered. 2. The connection of the Church with
education. 3. The monasteries. 4. Influence of the crusades.
5. Of the Teutonic peoples.
CHAPTER XVI
THE FIRST CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS 104
1. The catechumen schools. 2. Chrysostom. 3. Basil the
Great. 4. The catechetical schools. 5. Clement of Alexandria.
6. Origen.
CHAPTER XVII
CONFLICT BETWEEN PAGAN AND CHRISTIAN EDUCATION 111
1. General discussion. 2. Tertullian. 3. Saint Augustine.
4. Augustine's pedagogy.
CHAPTER XVIII
MONASTIC EDUCATION 116
1. Monasteries. 2. The Benedictines. 3. The seven liberal arts.
4. Summary of benefits conferred by the monasteries.
CHAPTER XIX
SCHOLASTICISM 121
1. Its character. 2. Its influence. 3. Summary of its benefits.
CHAPTER XX
CHARLEMAGNE 125
1. History, character, and purpose. 2. Personal education.
3. General educational plans. 4. Summary of Charlemagne's
work.
CHAPTER XXI
ALFRED THE GREAT 130
1. History and character. 2. Educational work.
CHAPTER XXII
FEUDAL EDUCATION 132
1. Character of the knights. 2. Three periods into which their
education was divided. 3. Education of women. 4. Criticism of
feudal education.
CHAPTER XXIII
THE CRUSADES AS AN EDUCATIONAL MOVEMENT 136
1. Causes of the crusades. 2. The most important crusades.
3. Summary of their educational value.
CHAPTER XXIV
THE RISE OF THE UNIVERSITIES 139
1. What led to their establishment. 2. The most important
early universities. 3. Their privileges. 4. Their influence.
CHAPTER XXV
MOHAMMEDAN EDUCATION 143
1. History of Mohammedanism. 2. The five Moslem precepts.
3. Education. 4. What the Mohammedans accomplished for
science. 5. General summary of education during the Middle
Ages.
CHAPTER XXVI
THE RENAISSANCE 148
1. The great revival. 2. Principles proclaimed. 3. The movement
in Italy. 4. In Germany. 5. Summary of the benefits of the
Renaissance to education.
CHAPTER XXVII
HUMANISTIC EDUCATORS 155
1. Revival of the classics their purpose. 2. Dante. 3. Petrarch.
4. Boccaccio. 5. Agricola. 6. Reuchlin. 7. Erasmus. 8. Pedagogy
of Erasmus.
CHAPTER XXVIII
THE REFORMATION AS AN EDUCATIONAL INFLUENCE 164
1. Conditions at the beginning of the sixteenth century. 2. The
invention of printing. 3. The rulers of the leading countries.
4. Intellectual conditions. 5. Luther. 6. Luther's pedagogy.
7. Melanchthon.
CHAPTER XXIX
OTHER PROTESTANT EDUCATORS 174
1. Sturm. 2. The _Gymnasium_ at Strasburg. 3. The celebrated
course of study. 4. Trotzendorf. 5. Neander.
CHAPTER XXX
THE JESUITS AND THEIR EDUCATION 182
1. The order. 2. Loyola. 3. Growth of the society. 4. Jesuit
education. 5. Use of emulation. 6. Estimate of their educational
work. 7. Summary. 8. The Port Royalists.
CHAPTER XXXI
OTHER EDUCATORS OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY 190
1. Roger Ascham. 2. Double translating. 3. Rabelais. 4. First
appearance of realism in instruction. 5. Montaigne. 6. Summary
of progress during the sixteenth century.
CHAPTER XXXII
EDUCATION DURING THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 200
1. Political and historical conditions. 2. The educational situation.
3. Compulsory education. 4. The Innovators.
CHAPTER XXXIII
EDUCATORS OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 205
1. Bacon. 2. The inductive method. 3. Ratke. 4. His pedagogy.
5. Comenius. 6. The "Orbis Pictus." 7. Summary of his
work. 8. Milton. 9. Locke. 10. Fenelon. 11. His pedagogy.
12. La Salle and the brothers of the Christian schools. 13. Rollin.
14. Summary of the educational progress of the seventeenth century.
CHAPTER XXXIV
FRANCKE AND THE PIETISTS 231
1. Pietism. 2. Francke. 3. The Institutions at Halle. 4. The
training of teachers. 5. _The Real-school._
CHAPTER XXXV
GENERAL VIEW OF THE EIGHTEENTH AND NINETEENTH CENTURIES 237
1. The abolition of slavery. 2. The extension of political rights.
3. Science as an instrument of civilization. 4. Religious freedom.
CHAPTER XXXVI
MODERN EDUCATORS--ROUSSEAU 241
1. Life. 2. Pedagogy. 3. The "Emile."
CHAPTER XXXVII
MODERN EDUCATORS--BASEDOW 250
1. Life. 2. The Philanthropin. 3. Writings. 4. Jacotot.
CHAPTER XXXVIII
MODERN EDUCATORS--PESTALOZZI 257
1. Childhood. 2. Schooling. 3. Life purpose. 4. The Christian
ministry. 5. The law. 6. Farming. 7. Marriage. 8. At
Neuhof. 9. Authorship. 10. At Stanz. 11. At Burgdorf. 12. At
Yverdon. 13. Summary of Pestalozzi's work.
CHAPTER XXXIX
MODERN EDUCATORS--FROEBEL 272
1. Life. 2. As teacher. 3. His first school. 4. The kindergarten.
5. The "Education of Man."
CHAPTER XL
MODERN EDUCATORS--HERBART 278
1. Life. 2. Experience as a tutor. 3. As a university professor.
4. His practice school in the university. 5. Writings. 6. His
pedagogical work. 7. Work of modern Herbartians.
CHAPTER XLI
MODERN EDUCATORS--HORACE MANN 284
1. Life. 2. Work as a statesman. 3. As an educator. 4. His
Seventh Annual Report. 5. Love for the common schools.
CHAPTER XLII
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF GERMANY 289
1. Administration. 2. School attendance. 3. The schools.
4. Support of schools. 5. The teachers.
CHAPTER XLIII
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF FRANCE 296
1. Administration. 2. School attendance. 3. The schools.
4. Support of schools. 5. The teachers.
CHAPTER XLIV
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF ENGLAND 304
1. Administration. 2. School attendance. 3. The schools.
4. Support of schools. 5. The teachers.
CHAPTER XLV
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF THE UNITED STATES 309
1. No national system. 2. State systems--Administration.
3. School attendance. 4. The schools. 5. Support of schools.
6. The teachers.
APPENDIX
RECENT EDUCATIONAL MOVEMENTS 315
1. The National Educational Association. 2. The National Bureau of
Education. 3. The Quincy Movement. 4. The Herbartian Movement.
5. Child Study. 6. Parents' Meetings. 7. Manual and Industrial Training.
8. Material Improvements.
HISTORY OF EDUCATION
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
The history of education begins with the childhood of the race, and
traces its intellectual development step by step to the present time. As
such history is academic in character, and furnishes information
concerning the educational systems, methods, theories, and practices of
the past, it should be placed early in the professional pedagogical
course, to serve as the foundation for an improved educational science
which profits by the experience of mankind. The history of education
presents many of the great problems that have interested thoughtful men,
shows how some of these have been solved, and points the way to the
solution of others. It studies educational systems, selecting the good,
and rejecting the bad, and introducing the student directly to the
pedagogical questions that have influenced the world. For these reasons,
the study of education should begin with its history.
Karl Schmidt says: "The history of the world is the history of the
development of the human soul. The manner of this development is the
same in the race as in the individual; the same law, because the same
divine thought, rules in the individual, in a people, and in humanity.
Humanity has, as the individual, its stages of progress, and it unfolds
itself in them. The individual as a child is not a rational being; he
becomes rational. The child has not yet the mastery over himself, but
his environment is his master; he belongs not to himself, but to his
surroundings. _The oriental peoples are the child of humanity....
Classical antiquity represents the period of youth in the history of the
world.... Christ is the type of perfected manhood._ The history of the
individual reflects and repeats the history of humanity, just as the
history of humanity is a reflection of the history of the Cosmos, and
the history of the Cosmos is an image of the life of God; all history,
be it that of humanity or of the individual, of the starry heavens, or
of the earth, is development of life toward God." "Where there is
development, there is progress. Progress in history is only the more
visible, audible, perceptible embodiment of God in humanity."[1]
In the study of the education of a people it is necessary first to
become acquainted with their social, political, and religious life. To
this end a knowledge of the geography and history of their country is
often essential, because of the influence of climate, occupation, and
environment, in shaping the character of a people. Examples of this
influence are not wanting. The peculiar position of the Persians,
surrounded on all sides by enemies, required a martial education as a
preparation for defensive and offensive measures. Physical education was
dominant among the Spartans, because of serfdom which involved the
absolute control of the many by the few. No less striking are the
effects of physical conditions upon all peoples in stimulating mental
activity and in developing moral life, both of which processes are
essential to true education. The intellectual product of the temperate
zone differs from that of the torrid zone, the product of the country
from that of the large city. For these reasons stress is here laid upon
the geographical and historical conditions of the peoples considered.
For the same purpose we must study the home and the family, the
foundations upon which the educational structure is built. The ancient
Jew looked upon children as the gift of God, thereby teaching the great
lesson of the divine mission of children and of the parents'
responsibility for their welfare. This race has never neglected the home
education, even when it became necessary to establish the school. The
family was the nursery of education, and only when diversified duties
made it no longer possible to train the children properly in the home
was the school established. Even then the purpose of the school was but
to give expression to demands which the home created. The spirit and
purpose of the education of a people can be understood only when the
discipline, the ideals, and the religion of the home are understood.
When we have learned the environment of a people, we are ready to study
their elementary education. This takes us into the schoolroom,
introduces us to the place where the school is held, indicates the
course of study pursued, the discipline, methods of instruction, spirit
and training of the teacher, as well as the results obtained. After this
we are ready to consider the higher education, which completes the
system and measures its efficiency.
Another task demanded of the student is to draw lessons from the
educational systems studied, to note what can be applied to modern
conditions, and to avoid the errors of the past. The product of a
method, as shown in the character of the people pursuing it, is of great
interest in estimating the value of a scheme of education.
Great movements have often been the outcome of the teachings of some
individual who, inspired by a new idea, has consecrated his life to it.
Through such men the world receives new and mighty impulses toward its
enlightenment, civilization takes vast strides in its development, and
man approaches nearer his final emancipation. Confucius, Socrates,
Augustine, Charlemagne, Luther, Bacon, Comenius, Pestalozzi, Froebel,
are names that suggest the uplifting of humanity and the betterment of
the world. The study of the lives of these men, of their victories and
their defeats, cannot fail to be an encouragement and a suggestive
lesson to teachers of all lands and all times. The history of education
must therefore consider the biographies of such men as well as their
theories and their teachings.
Finally, modern systems of education are the outgrowth of the
experiences of the past. They represent the results attained and
indicate present educational conditions. Nothing can better summarize
the total development reached, or better suggest lines of future
progress than a comparative discussion of the leading school systems of
the world. The last chapters of this book, therefore, are devoted to a
study of the school systems of Germany, France, England, and America.
These are typical, each being suggestive of certain phases of education,
while one of them has largely influenced the education of several other
countries. Each furnishes lessons valuable to the student of history.
Although many practices in other countries may not be applicable to our
conditions, the broad-minded, genuine patriot will not refuse to accept
sound principles and good methods from whatever source derived.
It must not be forgotten that there is a vital distinction between
_Education_ and _Schooling_. Education takes into account all those
forces which enter into the civilization and elevation of man, whether
it be the home, the school, the state, the church, the influences of
environment, or all these combined. It is a continuous process which
begins at birth and ceases only at the end of life. By schooling we mean
the educative process which is carried on during a limited period of the
child's life under the guidance of teachers.
The school is a product of civilization. It became necessary because of
the division of labor caused by the multiplication of the interests of
mankind which made it impossible for the home to continue wholly to care
for the training of its children. The history of education must not
merely treat of the development of the school, but it must consider
education in its broader meaning; that is, as a history of civilization.
For this reason some of the great educators of the world who have not
been school teachers, must receive consideration.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] "Geschichte der Paedagogik," Vol. I, pp. 1, 2.