The Educational Writings of Richard MulcasterMulcaster, Richard
History
The Educational Writings of Richard Mulcaster
Mulcaster, Richard
Education -- History
It is not enough to say that children are always stirring of their
own accord, and therefore need no special attention in regard to
bodily exercise. If it were not that we make them keep absolutely
still when they are learning in school, and thus restrain their
natural stirring, then we might leave it to their own inclinations
to serve their turn without more ado. But a more than ordinary
stillness requires more than ordinary exercise, and the one must
be regulated as much as the other. And as sitting quiet helps
ill-humours to breed and burden the body, relief must be sought in
exercise under the direction of parents and teachers.
Physical and Mental Training should go together.
The soul and the body, being co-partners in good and ill, in sweet
and sour, in mirth and mourning, and having generally a common
sympathy and mutual feeling, how can they be, or rather why should
they be, severed in education? I assign both the framing of the
mind and the training of the body to one man’s charge. For how can
that man judge well of the soul, whose work has to do with the body
alone? And how shall he perceive what is best for the body, who
having the soul only committed to his care, hands over the body to
some other man’s treatment? Where there is too much distraction and
separation of functions, each specialist tends to make the most
of his own subject, to the sacrifice of others that may be more
important. Wherefore in order to have the care which is due to each
part equally distributed, I would appoint, I say, only one teacher
to deal with both. For I see no great difficulty either in regard
to the necessary knowledge, or to the amount of work. Moreover, as
the disposition of the soul will resemble that of the body, if the
soul be influenced for good, it will affect the body also.
Exercise Specially Necessary for Students.
For though the soul as the fountain of life, and the stimulus
of the body, may and will bear it out for a while, by force of
courage, yet weakness cannot always be dissembled, but will in the
end betray itself, perhaps just when it is the greatest pity. Many
people of high spirit, notable for their learning and skill in the
highest professions, have failed, owing to want of attention to
bodily health, just when their country had most hope of benefiting
by their services. It is needful, therefore, to help the body
by some methodical training, especially for those who use their
brains, such as students, who are apt to consider too little how
they may continue to do that for long which they do well. They
should eat very moderately, and their exercise should also be
moderate, and not vary too much, and their clothing should be
thin, even from the first swaddling, that the flesh may become hard
and firm.
The Best Kinds of Exercise.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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