Overview
The Humanists' main goal was to bring back the culture and texts of the ancient Greeks and Romans and they saw the opportunity to do so in education. The stressed the education of all children, but the education of all children in the subjects incorporated in Humanism. This way the new generation would know all about and would likely incorporate the ideas of the ancients into society. At the heart of Humanistic studies were the liberal studies. The liberal studies included history, moral philosophy, rhetoric, grammar, logic, poetry, mathematics, astronomy and music. According to one Pietro Paolo Vergerio the liberal studies were the key to true freedom. Because the goal of children who attended schools based in Humanism had become creating a sound mind in a sound body and the development of rhetoric so that they might persuade others to follow in their footsteps, the schools also encouraged a classical physical education. This was to create a sound body. The students would practice the more ancient arts of javelin throwing, archery and of dancing. Furthermore they were often told that activities such as running, wrestling, hunting and swimming helped them to achieve a sound body as well.
The lower classes were not often offered these types of education, but in the eyes of the aristocrats this was ok. They believed that by educating their children they were creating an elite type of ruling class which would be able to lead the lower classes without them having had Humanistic based educations. While most all male children in the aristocracy were taught few females were taught. If in fact there was a female pupil she was not taught everything a boy would have been, but was shown how to ride, dance, sing, plat the lute, appreciate poetry, they were taught history, but were educated no further. Still the female students of the Humanists did do very well for themselves in some cases. They grew to become authors, orators and great debaters.
The Civic Humanism spoken about previously was the foundation for the Humanist schools across Europe. They were not out to produce super scholars, but instead looked to create men who could participate both in intelligent conversation and in the civic life of their state.
The lower classes were not often offered these types of education, but in the eyes of the aristocrats this was ok. They believed that by educating their children they were creating an elite type of ruling class which would be able to lead the lower classes without them having had Humanistic based educations. While most all male children in the aristocracy were taught few females were taught. If in fact there was a female pupil she was not taught everything a boy would have been, but was shown how to ride, dance, sing, plat the lute, appreciate poetry, they were taught history, but were educated no further. Still the female students of the Humanists did do very well for themselves in some cases. They grew to become authors, orators and great debaters.
The Civic Humanism spoken about previously was the foundation for the Humanist schools across Europe. They were not out to produce super scholars, but instead looked to create men who could participate both in intelligent conversation and in the civic life of their state.