ON THOMAS ARNOLD, THE CELEBRATED HEADMASTER OF RUGBY SCHOOL, AND HIS VIEWS ON THE EDUCATION OF BOYS

Abstract

Thomas Arnold (1795-1842), Mathew Arnold's father, served as headmaster of Rtigby School from 1828 until 1841. During his stiperintendence Rugby attained a widespread reputation as a place of intellectual, moral, and religiotis discipline, where healthy characters were formed, and young men were trained for the duties, struggles, and responsibilities of life. Lytton Strachey in his Eminent Victorians1 writes as follows about Arnold's ideas of education: He was convinced of the necessity for reform. But it was only natural that to one of his temperament and education it should have been the moral rather than the intellectual side of the question which impressed itself upon his mind. Doubtless it was important to teach boys something more than the bleak rigidities of the ancient tongues; but how much more important to instil into them the elements of character and the principles of conduct! His great object, throughout his career at Rugby, was, as he repeatedly said, to "make the school a place of really Christian education." To introduce "a religious principle into education," was his "most earnest wish," he wrote to a friend when he first became headmaster; "but to do this would be to succeed beyond all my hopes; it would be a happiness so great, that, I think, the world would yield me nothing comparable to it." And he was constantly impressing these sentiments upon his pupils. "What I have often said before," he told them, "I repeat now: what we must look for here is, first, religious and moral principle; secondly, gentlemanly conduct; thirdly, intellectual ability."