Evening star., 1933-09-10
IXI.-
washington frepareS OeaSOn Its OchOClS

part . mere translation from the
Greek" It "reigned without q rival
till the Reformation" and more than
1000 manuscript copies Of 1t still are
In existence.
In the sixth century a transition
from secular to ecclesiastical control
occurred. and the important schools
Of the ensuing era were church schools.
BY the seventh century, says Willis
Mason West. "the majority Of the cul-
tivated and refined men and women in
walls" and each monastery and con-
vent was an educational center The
monks taught gladly all. that they
themselves knew to any youth of the
countryside who would come to their
instruction, SO fitting many a poor
peasant boy to become powerful
churchman, the master of lords and
kings"
A great stimulating force was the
interest of Charlemagne in learning.
DR.. Webster tells how he made seri-
GUS effort to revive classical culture
in the West from the low state into
which 1t had fallen during the period
OF the invasions. We still possess a
number Of laws issued by this Frankish
King for the promotion of education.
He founded schools in the monasteries
and cathedrals, where not only the
clergy but also the commop people
might receive some training. He formed
his whole court into q palace school.
In which learned men from Italy.
Spain. and England gave instruction
to his own children and those of his
mobiles. The King himself often studied
with them. under the direction Of his
good friend. Acuin, an Englishman and
the foremost scholar in Western Europe.
He had the manuscripts Of Latin au-
thors collected and copied, 50 that the
knowledge preserved in books should
not be forgotten"
Alfred Friend Of Culture.
Another eminent friend Of culture
was Alfred the Great. He "labored
with especial diligence to revive edu-
cation among the English folk. His
court at Winchester became q literary
center where learned men wrote and
taught. The King himself mastered
Latin, in order that he might trans
late Latin books into the English
tongue. So great were Alfreds serv-
ices in this direction that he has been
called the father of English prose-"
When schools on the Continent de-
clined, learning in sIreland, fortunately,
continued to prosper. st. Patrick founded
a celebrated school at Armagh, ST. Enda
one in Aran, ST Finnian one at
Clonard and St Kieran one at Clon-
macnoise, while St COLUMBIA established
whole group Of educational houses
Alcuin. who aided Charlemagne, was a
student at Clonmacnoise.
H. G. Wells gives the credit for the
preservation of cultural values to re-
lgion. The Catholic Church." he says,
provided what the Roman republic
had lacked. a system of popular teach
ing, number of universities and
methods Of intellectual inter-communi-
caticn. BY this achievement it opened
the way to the new possibilities of hui
man government that now become ap-
parent. possibilities that are still
being apprehended and worked out in
the world in which We are living"
There also were few guild schools
during the early Middle Ages, but their
significance was largely local.
Tide Turns in Twelfth Century.
The inevitable turn in the tide came
in the twelfth century. There was "a
renewal Of interest and a revival of
learning" Robert S. Raft writes in his
Life in the Medieval University" The
impulse thus given 10 study resulted in
an increase in the numbers of students
and students were naturally attracted
to schools where masters and teachers
possessed, or had left behind them,
great names. At Bologna there was a
great teacher of the civil law in the
first quarter Of the twelfth century.
To Bologna, therefore. there flocked
students of law. though not of law
alone. In the schools Of Paris there
We're great masters of philosophy and
theology to whom students crowded
from all parts Of Europe Many of the
foreign students at Paris were English
men, and when. at the time of Becket's
quarrel with Henry II, the disputes be-
tween the sovereigns of England and
France led to the recall OF English
students from the domain of their Kings
enemy, there grew up at oxford a great
school or studium, which acquired some
thing OF the fame Of Paris and Bologna.
A struggle between the clerks who
studied at oxford and the people of the
town broke cut at the time of Johns
defiance of the Papacy. when the King
outlawed the clergy Of England, and
this struggle led to the rise of a school
at Cambridge"
Dr.. Webster notes how easily a uni
versity might grow up about the person.
ality OF some eminent teacher. He cites
the case OF Abelard in illustration. THE
eldest son Of noble family in Brittany.
he would naturally have entered upon
a military career. but he chose instead
the life of scholar and the contests of
debate. He came to Paris and attended
the lectures given by a master of the
Cathedral School of Notre Dame. Abe
lard himself soon set up as a lecturer.
Few teachers ever have attracted so
large and so devoted following. His
lecture room under the shadow of the
great cathedral was filled with crowd
OF youths and men drawn from all
countries. The fame of Abelard led to
an increase Of masters and students at
Paris and so paved the way for the
establishment Of the university there"
which in turn furnished the model for
learned institutions in Scotland, Den
mark. Sweden and Germany.
BY the middle of the thirteenth CEN
tury there were no less than IA uni
versity centers in Europe. The list
includes: Cambridge. Paris, Oxford
Cordcva, Bologna, Valencia, Arezzo,