Beauty, Simplicity, and Tradition

Beauty, Simplicity, and Timelessness are the three core values that drive this program.

We, teachers, lead souls by Beauty, so they desire the Good and True. We become what we behold. If our children must spend hours looking at images or words, we should be certain that those images and words are worth their time. We want them to learn to love the best things and conform their hearts to things worthy of their care.

Simplicity is the antidote for our complicated and overbearing times. When compared to other writing curricula, Scriptorium Writing lessons may appear simple. They are simple, but not easy. Moving through the curriculum should be done by festina lente, that is, by making haste slowly. The Roman legions would exercise marshal drills regularly, practicing small things like marching to orders over and over again. If a stranger appeared on the scene he would see nothing spectacular, just a band of men walking around in a field in lines. However, this simple but regular practice of a wide range of skills, over time, prepared the men for victory in war. Slowly they made haste for preparedness. In the same way, Scriptorium Writing promotes making haste slowly, writing steadily over time, so that the students are prepared for more advanced writing later. One teacher said of Scriptorium Writing, “It is so simple and effective and easy to use in class.”

Timelessness is the stability that prepares children for the world. For about two thousand years, the progymnasmata was the primary rhetorical training tool for youth. Reintroducing it to our schools and homes is not a fad, but a return to our tradition. In this case, I am referring to the tradition of the English language. Tradition is what helps a child know who he is and where he belongs. We pass this tradition to our children by shaping their imaginative landscape with classic fables, fairy tales, and myths; introducing them to friends like Rat and Mole, Anne Shirley, and Ebenezer Scrooge (who is not so bad once you get to know him); and sharpening their wit with words composed by timeless poets and essayists.

Beauty, Simplicity, and Timelessness have been considered in the design, the chosen texts, and the lessons of the Scriptorium Writing program.