Figure 1.--.

Major changes in education began to occur in the 13th century. Schools for young children opperated in Germany during the 13th century, even in the smallest towns. The town schools were called Bürgerschulen in contrast to Klosterschulen (maintained by the church). There were a series of well-documented disputes between church and town authorities (“school wars”) over the right to control education. Some of them went as far as the Imperial court. The senior clergy (who were almost always of noble birth) were none too keen to see the rise of an educated merchant class. As things turned out they were probably right to be worried. [Carter] They were secular schools not operated by the Church and not involved in training novitiates. There were important differences between the teaching in the religious schools and the secular town schools. In the 13th Century the secular schools were beginning to provide an education for the children (boys mainly) of the patrician and senior merchant families at a time when the use of commercial documents and the promulgation of laws and decrees by the town authorities increasingly required an ability to read in the vernacular. Thus, the teaching of the skill of reading in the vernacular (German) was more important for day-to-day life than the teaching of Latin. [Carter] In the Church schools Latin was central. The Bürgerschulen were often located in what ever spsce might be available. There were few actual purpose-built schools. Classes might be held in cellar-like rooms. The pupils sat on chairs or benches. The teacher sat in a higher position to overlook his pupils. The schools were maintained and ordered by the Counts (Fürsten) of the various German states or if the towns had their own rights (freie Reichsstädte) by the town authorities. The teachers were not well educated, but they could write and calculate to some degree. They were poor and the parents had to pay fees, in the early days by bringing food, but as the Medieval economy progressed monetary payments became more common. Many of the teachers had other employments, often associated with the Church, such as playing the church organ. In later times there was a sign placed to attract children from far away. Pupils ranged from the very young up to about 15 years old. They wrote on wax-coated wooden slates with wooden, metallic, or bone pens. As the Middle Ages progressed, chalk was used with slate boards (schieffer). Teachers had a stick showing their status. It was also used to beat children when they misbehaved or did poorly at writing, singing, or other assignments. Latin was an important part of the curriculum. Learning to read meant learning Latin as that was the language of scholarship. (It also mean that scholars all Europe had a common language.) Pupils had to memorize prayers, songs and parts of the Bible, as well as learn reading, writting, and calculating. [Reinhard: I don't understand this sentence: The ecclestical schools had given the common teaching to the Universites.] Although these were secular schools, religion played an important element in Medieval education. The boys learned Latin and singing and they had to sing at Mass as well as on funerals. Apart from schools at Abbeys (Klosterschulen) there were in Germany some secular schools for girls in the 13th century. [Reinhard: Does this mean that there were separate schools for girls rather than young children being taught together.] These Medieval schools only existed in the towns, There were no schools in rural areas for children in the 13th century. [Muller] It should be noted that, at this time, reading and writing were seen as separate skills, unlike today. Reading was an intellectual skill whereas writing was a manual task that could be left to scribes. An educated merchant might be able to read German but would not necessarily see the need to be able to write it. He employed people to do that and he could dictate his letters to them. Being “literate” meant being able to read Latin. Being able to read the vernacular did not count--at least in the eyes of the clergy which still dominated intellectual life. [Carter]

Major Changes

Major changes in education began to occur in the 13th century. Schools for young children opperated in Germany during the 13th century, even in the smallest towns. The town schools were called Bürgerschulen in contrast to Klosterschulen (maintained by the church).

School Wars

There were a series of well-documented disputes between church and town authorities (“school wars”) over the right to control education. Some of them went as far as the Imperial court. The senior clergy (who were almost always of noble birth) were none too keen to see the rise of an educated merchant class. As things turned out they were probably right to be worried. [Carter]

Klosterschulen

The Klosterschulen played a major role througout the Medieval era in education. The „Klosterschulen“ emphasizing reading, writing, (catholic) religion, Latin and Greek and Hebrewian language, singing and music, elementary mathematics, not much natural science (or the wrong one, postulated by popes). Pupils from high society and youngsters even from the lower levels with very good intellectual abilities (prepared to become priests), the latter ones financially supported. Only in the 13th century did the role of the Klosterschulen decline with the growth of the cities and the increasingly importantb Klosterschulen.

Bürgerschulen

They were secular schools not operated by the Church and not involved in training novitiates. There were important differences between the teaching in the religious schools and the secular town schools. In the 13th Century the secular schools were beginning to provide an education for the children (boys mainly) of the patrician and senior merchant families at a time when the use of commercial documents and the promulgation of laws and decrees by the town authorities increasingly required an ability to read in the vernacular. Thus, the teaching of the skill of reading in the vernacular (German) was more important for day-to-day life than the teaching of Latin. [Carter] In the Church schools Latin was central. The Bürgerschulen were often located in what ever spsce might be available. There were few actual purpose-built schools. Classes might be held in cellar-like rooms. The pupils sat on chairs or benches. The teacher sat in a higher position to overlook his pupils. The schools were maintained and ordered by the Counts (Fürsten) of the various German states or if the towns had their own rights (freie Reichsstädte) by the town authorities. The teachers were not well educated, but they could write and calculate to some degree. They were poor and the parents had to pay fees, in the early days by bringing food, but as the Medieval economy progressed monetary payments became more common. Many of the teachers had other employments, often associated with the Church, such as playing the church organ. In later times there was a sign placed to attract children from far away. Pupils ranged from the very young up to about 15 years old. They wrote on wax-coated wooden slates with wooden, metallic, or bone pens. As the Middle Ages progressed, chalk was used with slate boards (schieffer). Teachers had a stick showing their status. It was also used to beat children when they misbehaved or did poorly at writing, singing, or other assignments. Latin was an important part of the curriculum. Learning to read meant learning Latin as that was the language of scholarship. (It also mean that scholars all Europe had a common language.) Pupils had to memorize prayers, songs and parts of the Bible, as well as learn reading, writting, and calculating. [Reinhard: I don't understand this sentence: The ecclestical schools had given the common teaching to the Universites.] Although these were secular schools, religion played an important element in Medieval education. The boys learned Latin and singing and they had to sing at Mass as well as on funerals.

Universities

Some Bürgerschule even developed into univesities. A German reader writes, "In greater towns there was also some organized education, by the com-munity and/or privately, for middle class children, citizens of the imperial cities or commercial towns, and craftsmen. An example: Last week I was in Vienna, Austria. At a building near the famous, old Stephansdom, the centre of the city, there was a mark about a „Bürgerschule“ (school of children of citizens); in the travelling guide it reads like the following: „Churhaus, hier stand die schon 1237 urkundlich erwähnte Bürgerschule zu St. Stephan, die älteste und bis zur Gründung der Universität (1365) die bedeutendste Lehranstalt Wiens“ (Churhaus, this is the site of the already 1237 – twelve hundred and thirty seven ! - documented Bürgerschule zu St. Stephan, the oldest and till the foundation of the university (in 1365) most important primary/secondary school of Vienna). Probably, this school was for boys.

Girls

Apart from schools at Abbeys (Klosterschulen) there were in Germany some secular schools for girls in the 13th century. [Reinhard: Does this mean that there were separate schools for girls rather than young children being taught together.]

Rural Areas

These Medieval schools only existed in the towns, There were no schools in rural areas for children in the 13th century. [Muller]

Reading and Writing

It should be noted that, at this time, reading and writing were seen as separate skills, unlike today. Reading was an intellectual skill whereas writing was a manual task that could be left to scribes. An educated merchant might be able to read German but would not necessarily see the need to be able to write it. He employed people to do that and he could dictate his letters to them. Being “literate” meant being able to read Latin. Being able to read the vernacular did not count--at least in the eyes of the clergy which still dominated intellectual life. [Carter]

Sources

Anonamous. Schule anno 1250.

Carter, Geoffrey. E-mail message, November 1, 2003.

Muller, Reingard. E-mail message, September 5, 2003.