A Letter of Sir Thomas More to His Children's Tutor

Today (well, when I started this post it was 'today,' now it is 'yesterday') is the Feast Day for Sir Thomas More in the Roman Catholic church. More was a man of high integrity. In 1518 he wrote this letter and I had printed it up a while back to post on my fridge. Because of the day and because it was time to clean off the fridge, I decided to post it. It impresses me for several reasons.

Firstly, it shows that Sir Thomas More had his daughters educated in a time when girls were not. More saw to it that all of his children and his wife were educated in his home 'Academy.' His wisdom and honor go up in my estimation because of this. :-)

Secondly, he doesn't say that virtue comes *through* learning, but must be *joined* to it. This is very Charlotte Mason (and not very Classical). He rightly points out that learning not joined with virtue is "nothing else than splendid and notorious infamy."

Also, according to some other reading I did, More, like Charlotte Mason, and unlike the Latin-centered curriculum proponents, believed in a wide and varied curriculum for his 'Academy.'

He was devoted to his children. In a separate letter to his daughter, he wrote, "I assure you that rather than allow my children to grow up ignorant and idle I would sacrifice all and bid farewell to business in order to attend them..."

Seven Reasons Why a Charlotte Mason Education is Superior to Classical

1. Her views on the child’s mind -- actually on the whole child 
2. Her views on the sacredness of personality
3. Her views on authority and habits
4. Her views on curriculum 
5. Her views on reason and logic, and the will 
6. Her views on the motives for learning 
7. Her views on the role of the teacher

Catching My Breath

Well, it's been a busy time since I posted last. Two of those weeks were spent in France and England with my eldest. It was glorious. We went to Lyons (well, actually an hour outside of) and Paris, Oxford and London. We were obsessed with going to the Globe (as we were when we lived there). We saw All's Well that Ends Well twice and Hamlet once. Just fabulous! We always get the cheapest tickets - the Groundlings - because it only costs 5 pounds (that's about $8.50 for the highest quality theater a person can get anywhere on the...well...globe!) That means you have to stand the whole time (except for the 15 minute intermission), but you also get to lean against the stage and you begin to feel a part of the story. It's not the only way to experience Shakespeare, but it's the best. :-)

A couple of pictures from France. We ate here one day - Le Relais Hotel - they served us the best Mousse de Foie Gras I've ever had:

I had to take a picture of the public toilet. Isn't it nice that they provide those places for you to set your feet on as you squat over this hole?

At least it's clean.

Kiernan was embarrassed that I took pictures.

But I just couldn't use this restroom. I just. couldn't. And that's how we discovered the lovely hotel restaurant.

We stayed at a lovely organic farm B&B in a small town near Lyons. To have had such fabulous food in a small, quiet town (which is where the above two places are) is amazing to me. We just don't have that sort of thing in the States.

Also during this time there was the ending/finishing up of many activities for the year and all of the requisite closing ceremonies --

piano recital:

soccer:

This wasn't an actual tournament game (I haven't gotten those pics yet) -- it's just a regular game.

KCC:

CC, judging for two speech and debate tournaments, flying down to Dallas and the two day drive back with my daughter from UD, spending a too-short time for his 80th birthday with one of the best men who has ever lived (my dad :-),

and celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus.

I've also got to plan for going to NC to this next week with my eldest. Bryna will be in Shakespeare Camp I at Cincy Shakes next week (thanks for doing all of the driving for that, Jillian!) which means we unfortunately will miss her performance at the end of the week. Jared will be in Camp II the following week and I'm glad to say we won't be missing that. We go out of town the following week as well for...a long time.

Hopefully we will have internet and down time while away so I can read and write because I am eager to get back to that. It helps me to really think through things when I determine to also write about it. I'm wishing now I had a Kindle so that my luggage isn't so heavy with the books I want to bring with me!

Well, I'm rambling.

I really want to talk about classical education and Charlotte Mason. So I'm going to go work on those posts now.

Is it really Spring?

I realized yesterday that I have been so busy that I missed seeing the crocuses and that the daffodils were already blooming! I was surprised when my son said he was waiting for me to get him seeds and plants and such for his garden. What? Already?

My husband was not well a couple of weeks ago so I made about 10 quarts of beef bone broth for him. He is doing much better. My husband is rarely sick, but this laid him flat.

I'm trying to crawl out from under my to-do list and re-join the blogging world. I have a post on education that I'm working on. 

For the last 18 years, from February to August, I have traditionally been obsessed with planning the next school year, and this year has been no different. This year was a great year. I returned to some of my roots, my daughter added her passion and love of literature and languages to teaching the youngest two, we all grew in discipline and better habits, and I'm pleased with what I am seeing.

One of the goals that I determined while sitting at the kitchen table with my computer and books though was spending more time outside. I determined that while missing the blooming of spring flowers. :-) Not a great start! 

To My Nephew and his Bride-to-Be

A thought that I've been meditating on since our weekend in Kentucky

With us everything should be secondary compared to our concern with children, and their upbringing in the instruction and teaching of the Lord.

                                ~St. John Chrysostom

Apparently it's only fun if you get hurt at least little bit

Ok, I'm sitting here sick as a dog. Kiernan and Bryna are both extremely sick too. But I cracked a little smile when I heard Walt and Jared sharing sledding stories. Sledding on this ice has been great fun for Jared.

Then I heard Jared say, "It's only fun if you get a bruise out of it."

If you say so. :-)