Historia de la Educación (Feb 2013)
The treatise «De la manière d’enseigner et d’étudier les Belles-Lettres» by Charles Rollin is a swan’s song of classic studies
Abstract
Charles Rollin (1661-1741), professor and Chancellor of the University of Paris, wrote at the beginning of 18th century «De la manière d’enseigner et d’étudier les Belles-Lettres» a book that was then translated into several languages and reprinted many times. The success of this work was due to the moderate thought and language used in reference to the classical studies program at the School of Arts in Paris. Rollin had a profound educational sense, so he kept up the essential principle of humanistic formation, i.e. to ameliorate intellectual, ethical, and religious dimensions of each student. Furthermore, he introduced some substantial changes in the curriculum, aiming at mitigating its excessively difficult aspects and to give it a practical orientation. In parallel to the prestige of its author, the book was reprinted for near 150 years (excepting the revolutionary period). Nevertheless, at the end of 19th century Rollin, his work, and the model of secondary education supported by him passed into oblivion. The present paper, based on the study of the work, aims to contribute to the knowledge of modern evolution of humanistic studies.
