1. Irrigating Deserts C. S. Lewis on Education

2. Who is C. S. Lewis? Oxford don Oxford don 1898-1963 1898-1963 Author Author Devout Christian Devout Christian Christian apologist Christian apologist Creator of Narnia Creator of Narnia Influential thinker Influential thinker Relevant today Relevant today

3. Oxford Don He was educated He was educated –At home –W. T. Kirkpatrick –University College He was an educator He was an educator –Oxford University –Cambridge University He thought deeply about education He thought deeply about education He wrote about education He wrote about education

4. Albert & Flora Lewis Flora Hamilton Lewis (1862-1908) earned a degree in math and logic from Queen’s College, Belfast Flora Hamilton Lewis (1862-1908) earned a degree in math and logic from Queen’s College, Belfast Albert James Lewis (1863-1929), a Belfast solicitor, was also a Queen’s graduate Albert James Lewis (1863-1929), a Belfast solicitor, was also a Queen’s graduate

5. Wynyard School Sept. 18, 1908 to July 1910 Sept. 18, 1908 to July 1910 “…the putting on of the school clothes was … the assumption of a prison uniform.” “…the putting on of the school clothes was … the assumption of a prison uniform.” James Adams McNeill and the poetry of Matthew Arnold James Adams McNeill and the poetry of Matthew Arnold

6. Malvern College Harry Wakelyn Smith, a master of the Classics Harry Wakelyn Smith, a master of the Classics The “Smugy” of Surprised by Joy The “Smugy” of Surprised by Joy Poetry, i.e. “how it should be savored and mouthed in solitude.” Poetry, i.e. “how it should be savored and mouthed in solitude.”

7. W. T. Kirkpatrick “The Great Knock” “The Great Knock” His Tutor from Sept. 19, 1914 to April 25, 1917 His Tutor from Sept. 19, 1914 to April 25, 1917 Preparation for Oxford University Preparation for Oxford University “If ever a man came near to being a purely logical entity, that man was Kirk.” “If ever a man came near to being a purely logical entity, that man was Kirk.” A man who “thought not about you but about what you said.” A man who “thought not about you but about what you said.”

10. The Richard Selig Story

11. The Liberal Arts Honour Moderations— Greek and Latin texts Honour Moderations— Greek and Latin texts Greats—Philosophy and Ancient History Greats—Philosophy and Ancient History English Language and Literature English Language and Literature

12. How an Oxford curriculum was different One subject One subject Three years Three years Tutorials Tutorials Lectures Lectures Preliminary exams Preliminary exams Final exams Final exams Viva voce Viva voce

13. Reading and Re-reading Books “…and perhaps rereading of an old friend—a Scott with much skipping—is the best of all.” “…and perhaps rereading of an old friend—a Scott with much skipping—is the best of all.” An Experiment in Criticism An Experiment in Criticism “Shut your mouth; open your eyes and ears. Take in what is there and give no thought to what might have been there or what is somewhere else.” “Shut your mouth; open your eyes and ears. Take in what is there and give no thought to what might have been there or what is somewhere else.”

14. The Abolition of Man: “The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts.” “The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts.”

15. 1830 and “De Descriptione Temporum”

16. Chronological Snobbery Definition: “the uncritical acceptance of the intellectual climate common to our own age and the assumption that whatever has gone out of date is on that account discredited” (Surprised by Joy). Definition: “the uncritical acceptance of the intellectual climate common to our own age and the assumption that whatever has gone out of date is on that account discredited” (Surprised by Joy). Was it refuted, or did it merely die away? Was it refuted, or did it merely die away? An offshoot of Darwinism (James Como) and the Industrial Revolution An offshoot of Darwinism (James Como) and the Industrial Revolution Though a biological evolutionist, Lewis did not subscribe to a belief that “later is always better.” Though a biological evolutionist, Lewis did not subscribe to a belief that “later is always better.” Scripture—earlier and better Scripture—earlier and better

17. “Our English Syllabus” “Schoolmasters in our time are fighting hard in defense of education against vocational training; universities, on the other hand, are fighting against education on behalf of learning.” “Schoolmasters in our time are fighting hard in defense of education against vocational training; universities, on the other hand, are fighting against education on behalf of learning.”

18. Important Factors in Lewis’s Thinking Irrigating deserts Irrigating deserts The purpose of education The purpose of education Utility Utility Vocationalism—training, educating, learning Vocationalism—training, educating, learning The Tao The Tao Egalitarianism Egalitarianism Discipline Discipline Head and Heart Head and Heart The Inner Ring The Inner Ring Amateur Philosophers Amateur Philosophers

19. The Curriculum “the great poets, orators, and philosophers.” “the great poets, orators, and philosophers.” Art, history, religion, mathematics, biology, music, astronomy, etc. Art, history, religion, mathematics, biology, music, astronomy, etc. Logic, philosophy, literature, the Classics. Logic, philosophy, literature, the Classics. According to Lewis, the Classics do what good history also does; they prevent the mind from being isolated in its own age. According to Lewis, the Classics do what good history also does; they prevent the mind from being isolated in its own age.

20. Walter Hooper Joel Heck

21. Priscilla Tolkien

22. The End