September 20, 2006
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How to Teach by Bronson Alcott
Bronson Alcott’s Maxims on Education
GENERAL MAXIMS: By which to regulate the instructor’s practice in instruction1. To teach, with a sense of accountableness to the profession2. To teach, with reference to eternity3. To teach, as an agent of the Great Instructor4. To teach, depending on the Divine Blessings for success5. To teach, as the former of Character, and the promoter of the collective happiness of Man.These are the first five of 58 maxims that were found in Bronson Alcott’s Journals. I bought a calligraphied copy on my visit to the Orchard House and it is hanging on my wall. From time to time I will post groups of five for your perusal. While I differ with Mr. Alcott’s transcendentalism, veganism, and other things, I am sure, there is so much to be gleaned from these maxims.
That reminds me about a book: Fruitlands, Louisa May Alcott Made Perfect by Gloria Whelan. This book was a howler! It is a fictionalized account of the Alcott’s experiment with transcendentalism and a vegan lifestyle. What is so funny in the book is Louisa’s two diaries: One for public consumption which parrots the thoughts she is supposed to have. The other, private diary reveals her true thoughts. Whether she meant to or not, Whelan exposes the fallacies of the philosophy behind the utopian experiment. If I were the mother of a nine year old girl, I would read this book together, or together separately, and discuss it. There are many things to ponder.
Comments (5)
Thanks for posting this. And I look forward to the others when you post them.
I agree that I also differ with Mr. Alcott’s frame of references, but there are elements of truth in what he says.
Can you post a picture sometime of that calligraphied copy? I’d love to see it!
I too will look forward to additional maxims. It is interesting to see how what he says fits in to our frame of reference even though we know his was much different.
Okay….Carol. I broke down and signed up on Xanga.
When we made a trip back to New England last year, I could have kicked myself as we drove from Quincy to Providence to realize I had failed to even consider visiting anything in Concord…including the Bronson house. Very interesting about Louisa’s two diaries.
Ahem, Danny? As in *my brother*?? Puh-lease take notice that *some* *people* can get over Xanga revulsion and make a comment. Did you catch that last comment, brother? *cough* *cough* *cough*. We need a little more male presence here.
Can you do it? You don’t even need a picture. In fact, please, puh-lease don’t sign up if you use that opera picture that scares little children. Blank is good. Blank is very good.
I love opera pictures…even scary ones, if it will enable us to see this brother of whom I have heared so much over many years…
Did I say I have a daughter interested in opera?…: )