The Historical Child: Paidology; The Science of the ChildChrisman, Oscar
History
The Historical Child: Paidology; The Science of the Child
Chrisman, Oscar
Children; Manners and customs
Learned men from different cities, on this account, who desire to
acquire quickly a renown in discussion, come here in multitudes to
settle their doubts, and then the streams (of their wisdom) spread far
and wide. For this reason some persons usurp the name (of Nâlanda
students) and in going to and fro receive honor in consequence.'"[67]
The Brahmins themselves received the highest education possible. This
consisted in the memorizing of their sacred books and a study of the
philosophy and science of their times. The second and third castes seem
to have been accorded the right to study what the first caste did, yet
the third caste must not have entered much into this but have received a
somewhat meager education. As boys followed the occupation of their
parents, they would receive such elementary instruction as was needed
in the trade or work to be performed. The fourth caste had no need for
learning so they received none except in the duties which a servant was
expected to perform.
In the olden times, when women were well respected and permitted to
appear in public, girls were taught to read and to write and were given
other education. But later they received no education further than the
training for domestic duties. Education was not needed by women, as a
woman must at all times depend upon some man for her knowledge of
things. The dancing girls received some education, as it was considered
that their religious duties would be better performed if they should
receive some intellectual training.
The student was expected to be obedient and respectful to his teacher
and to serve him in every way. The discipline of the school was very
mild. Laurie quotes from Manu: "Good instruction must be given to pupils
without unpleasant sensations, and the teacher who reverences virtue
must use sweet and gentle words. If a scholar is guilty of a fault, his
instructor may punish him with severe words, and threaten that on the
next offence he will give him blows; and, if the fault is committed in
cold weather, the teacher may dowse him with cold water."[68]
"To the Hindus we are indebted for our numerical notation, often wrongly
attributed to the Arabs. During the fifth century after Christ they
invented an algebra superior to that of the Greeks, although they were
probably assisted by the work of the latter. They early learned how to
calculate eclipses and find the location of planets by means of tables.
They seem also to have had some knowledge of medicine. By 300 A. D. they
possessed a treatise on rhetoric, and had worked out a logic two
centuries before the time of Aristotle; while in the science of grammar,
as early as the fourth century B. C., they were so far advanced that the
Western world first learned what philology was when the study of
Sanskrit was opened to Europe a hundred or more years ago."[69]
LITERATURE
1. Allen, David O., India, Ancient and modern.
2. Dubois, Abbé J. A., Hindu manners, customs, and ceremonies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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