Dawn

History

21 December, 23:25

Read this excerpt about the life of Charlemagne. The plan that he adopted for his children's education was, first of all, to have both boys and girls instructed in the liberal arts, to which he also turned his own attention. As soon as they were old enough, in accordance with the custom of the Franks, the boys had to learn horsemanship, and to practice war and hunting, and the girls to familiarize themselves with cloth-making, and to spin thread, that they might not grow lazy through idleness. How was Charlemagne's attitude toward his children's education similar to St. Benedict's attitude toward monks in the Catholic Church? They both believed it was important to stay productive. They both believed that males and females should learn different tasks. They both felt that learning from books was most important. They both felt that everyone should play as well as study.