Nota Bene ("Take Note")
A Chreia on Leisure
by Eric VanDerhoof
“The medieval maxim of non multa, sed multum (not many but much) should be reconsidered for modern application to our schools.” -- Dr. Christopher Perrin, The Life of Leisure
Dr. Perrin is a noted speaker and writer in the classical Christian education (cCe) movement. He has served as a school headmaster, established a publication company to develop cCe curricula, written extensively about the methods and benefits of cCe, and served as a consultant for numerous schools, educators and parents to aid them in their understanding and implementation of cCe. His assertion serves as a reminder that it is possible to become better educated through a more in-depth study of fewer subjects rather than a brief exposure to multiple disciplines.
Dr. Perrin offers this insight as a remedy to his concern about the neglect of rest, or leisure, which is demonstrated by those engaged in education, especially cCe leaders and educators. Through an examination of the historical meaning and understanding of leisure, Dr. Perrin explains that the modern word “school” is derived from the Greek word for leisure (schole). He goes on to argue that schools should be a place of “reflection, conversation, celebration and feasting.” Dr. Perrin also illustrates this practice from God’s work of Creation and His relationship with the nation of Israel. He concludes that when a student gains mastery over a subject, he gains confidence to master other subjects.
If Dr. Perrin’s dictum is not employed, a school would offer many different subjects for students to study and be characterized by student’s learning bits and pieces of information about many subjects. Students would be busy learning information for tests with hopes of getting a good grade in order to pass to the next class of study. Their lives would be hectic with activity to gain multiple experiences. It is like two apprentices who desire to master a trade. One works under a master craftsman to receive instruction and practices over and over again until the skill becomes second nature. The other apprentice spends his time visiting the various shops and craftsmen in the village to learn what they are doing. When it comes time to hire a craftsman, a reasonable person would choose the one who has demonstrated mastery of the craft.
C.S. Lewis was this sort of man. As an adolescent, he spent three years studying just two subjects – Latin and Greek. Through his study of these languages he also studied history, literature, philosophy, poetry, grammar. And he learned dialectic, because his teacher argued with him about everything.
The German philosopher, Josef Pieper, commented on this topic in his book entitled Leisure, the Basis of Culture. In an effort to help the reader recover the long-lost meaning of the word leisure he writes that engaging in the reflection of truth and virtue is the “highest fulfillment of what it means to be human” and thus of profound importance. Therefore, in order to be properly educated as human beings students must have opportunity to study in-depth, reflect upon what they have learned, and practice the tools of learning.
“Take Note” that a classical Christian education at Midland Christian School seeks to educate students by giving them the opportunity to master the tools of learning as they study and contemplate the great ideas of the world.
