Education in Cerilia, like most other social institutions, is a personal
relationship between student and teacher. When a child reaches about the
age of seven years, he or she begins a formal education. The sons and
daughters of nobles are sent into the homes of allies, related lords, or
their liege, to become pages. Children of craftsmen become apprentices.
Some children become the acolytes of priests. A very few children who show
talents with the magical arts are sent to become a novice of a wizard.
Arranging to educate a child creates a reciprocal obligation for the parents
of the child towards the teacher. Depending on the existing relationships
between the teacher and the child`s parents, the teacher might strengthen an
alliance, create a new alliance, or occasionally, just recieve a fee. When
a liege sends his offspring into the house of one of his vassals, it is
generally regarded as a such an honor, that the obligation of the vassal is
all the greater.

In the education of a child, the girl or boy learns relevant skills and a
little bit of personal defense. The style of teaching is mostly to learn by
assisting and observing. The teacher generally also directs female members
of her household to instruct the child in the basics of reading, writing,
computation, music, and piety. By simple fact of being around during adult
activities in the castle, temple, market, or labratory, children learn a
great deal. A little additional explanation of why and how things are done
completes the child`s education. The child also takes on some menial tasks
which are supposed to support their education.

By the time the child is about fourteen (give or take a few years depending
on the child), this early education is completed, and the child becomes an
adult. The young adult then pursues a second round of education, this time,
accumulating obligations of his or her own. Under the direction, or
sometimes with the assistance, of parents and her former teacher, the
prospective student undertakes her education. Most often, the kind of
teacher remains the same during both stages of education. During the second
phase of education, the student takes a much more active role in his or her
education. Depending on the specifics of the learning, this phase can be
very academic or very participatory.

When the student completes their course of instrucution, perhaps at age
twenty-one, the student has aquired a considerable obligation. Sometimes
the student remains as part of their teacher`s entourage. Such former
students are a kind of lieutenant. Sometimes students become protectors of
their teachers. Othertimes, they become vassals. When students find
masters other than their former teachers, they remain allies and ambasadors
for them in their new households.

Kenneth Gauck
kgauck@mchsi.com

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