The Catholic World, Vol. 06, October, 1867 to March, 1868.Various
Religion
The Catholic World, Vol. 06, October, 1867 to March, 1868.
Various
Catholic Church -- Periodicals
The monastic system, more or less defined, was introduced into
Gaul long before the advent of St. Maurus, and the education, not
only of monks, was attended to with care, but of the laity also.
From the earliest times we find traces of the exterior schools
attached to the monasteries for the training of children not
intended for a clerical life. The rules of Saints Pachominus and
Basil, then generally followed, were careful to provide that
children should be taught to read and write, and instructed in
psalmody and such portions of the Holy Scriptures as were suited
to their comprehension. They were to live in the monastery and be
allowed to sit at table with the monks, who were strictly
cautioned not to do or say anything that could disedify their
young minds. With a tenderness truly paternal, the young scholars
were allowed a separate part of the building for themselves, and
plenty of time for amusement.
{49}
On the subject of punishment, we recommend the following advice
of St. Basil to modern teachers, believing that juvenile human
nature is much the same now as it was sixteen or seventeen
centuries ago. "Let every fault have its own remedy," says this
experienced teacher, "so that, while the offence is punished, the
soul may be exercised to conquer its passions. For example: Has a
child been angry with his companion? Oblige him to beg pardon of
the other and to do him some humble service; for it is by
accustoming him to humility that you will eradicate anger, which
is always the offspring of pride. Has he eaten out of meals? Let
him remain fasting for a good part of the day. Has he eaten to
excess and in an unbecoming manner? At the hour of repast, let
him, without eating himself, watch others taking their food in a
modest manner, and so he will be learning how to behave at the
same time that he is being punished by his abstinence. And if he
has offended by idle words, by rudeness, or by telling lies, let
him be corrected by diet and silence."
The early Gallican bishops showed as great a desire to encourage
learning among their clergy as did those of Spain, and were never
tired of enforcing the necessity of the attentive study of the
Scriptures and the cultivation of letters, even in religious
houses occupied by women. The result of this zealous spirit is to
be found in the establishment of the schools of Tours and Lyons,
Grinni and Vienne, the abbey of Marmontier and the more famous
one of Lerins, which produced thousands of missionaries, and such
scholars as Apollinaris of Lyons, Maumertius, the author of
_The Nature of the Soul_, and the poets, Saints Prosper and
Avitus. The "Academy of Toulouse," of disputatious memory, is
claimed to have had a very ancient origin, but was probably not
in existence until the sixth century.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account