How to Behave in School, 1595

woodcut of master at table with impossibly tiny students

Be it far from thee to go unto the Schoole with as ill a will as wicked dooers goe unto the Stockes, or to the Gallowes… when thou art at Schoole, bee studious in thy lectures learning, attentive to thy Masters wordes and documents, what soever thy Master shall teach, mark it heedfully, and meditate thereon earnestly untill thou have learned the same perfectlye… Flie all fighting and wrangling with thy fellowes. But be curteous, gentle & lowlie, among all both rich and poore. Make no noyse nor use any meane, whereby thou maiest disturbe thy schoolefellowes: much lesse thy schoolemaster. Be a patterne of good manners, industry, curtesie, and obeying thy Master unto all in the Shoole. So shall thy praise be great, and thy profit greater.

William Fiston, The Schoole of Good Manners

Also: yield not to the temptations of Facebook during thy classes, do not rely overmuch on Wikipedia for thy term paper, and mock not thy Master on social media.

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Anonymous
0 points
11 years ago

Also, "Skippest thou not class on Fridaie, bee the party at thy friend's howse never so temptyng."

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Anonymous
0 points
11 years ago

Such good advice.... especially the "alsos" at the end. You forgot "Mute thy cell phone and place it in the cage on thy teacher's desk upon entering the classroom."