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for searching only. CHAPTER XIII
DEFINITIVE FORM ATTAINED UNDER
EDWARD VI
As WE NOW EXAMINE the grammar school curricula for the reign of Edward VI and the latter half of the century, certain changes appear from those in the reign of Henry VIII. These changes also appear in the system of Cox and Cheke, which they adapted from the grammar school for the training of Edward. In view of the desired uniformity for the grammar school, and in view of the central government and church control, this is not a surprising situation.
But since John Sturm published a scheme in 1538 which has much in common with the education of Edward, and since some of our succeeding curricula show some influence from this printed curriculum, it will be well to insert a brief summary of it here. In 1538, Sturm had put his idea of a grammar school into print as De Literarvm Ludis Recte llperiendis Liber. One remembers how from the late 'forties Ascham reverenced Sturm, and so should not be surprised to find some of the latter writer's ideas applied in English grammar schools.
Sturm begins with the thesis that wise and eloquent piety is the end of studies. He makes two large divisions of his school, one of boyhood, puericia, which must be kept under constant supervision, the other of adults, who have more freedom. To the first division he assigns nine years, to the second, five.
So it would come to pass that even if in his seventh year the boy be brought to the masters, yet in his twenty-first he may have proceeded through all the classes.
Some are ready to begin at five, others hardly at seven; so six is a good median age. For boyhood,
Let there be, therefore, nine orders, or curiae, or classes, or even tribes, or whatever you wish to call them, so long as the years are nine. Of these we set apart seven for correct and lucid speech; the remaining two are sufficient for preparing ornament, of which the first precepts are taught in these two classes,
but the exercise and perfection in the upper five years. Sturm had once thought six years sufficient for this. work, but experience has
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