HISTORICAL VIEWS OF CHILDREN

INTRODUCTION

In the last unit, you learnt about the nature of children and their needs. In this unit, you will learn about the status of children at various places and periods in history. That is, you will learn the general ways children were treated before modern civilisation. This will help you to compare how children were seen in the past with the present views about children.

OBJECTIVES

After studying this unit carefully, you should be able to:

• explain how children were treated in parts of Europe before the 17th century 
• identify two factors that led to the change of attitude towards children as from the 17th century. 

 Status of Children in History

Ancient Greek and Roman Period

There was a period in the history of the Ancient World popularly referred to as the period or era of Greek and Roman Civilization. This period which lasted from about 600 BC to about 400 A.D is regarded by historian as a period of enlightenment particularly as regards learning, art and culture. The education of children particularly those from the upper social class was highly appreciated. Despite this great awareness on almost everything during this period, the status of children in the society was not good enough (Vesta et al 1995). Even great thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle who were the first to recognise the needs for the early education of children could not do much to protect children from the evil practices of their time.

In almost all communities in Western Europe during this period, the killing of children for various reasons was very common. For example, children who were found to be unhealthy were either killed or left in the cold, open spaces or forest. The Greeks were particularly noted for not allowing sick or weak children who could not become good soldier to live. The same story is true about baby girls. Baby girls were not considered good for wars hence there was no need for them to live. The only condition that made them allow baby girls to live was for the purpose of child bearing in future. Even then, most Greek and Roman families allowed only one daughter while others were regarded as unwanted and were therefore not allowed to live (Breiner, 1990).

Those children who were lucky to be allowed to live were treated badly. Severe punishments were meted out to them and they were sexually exploited. Children were bought and sold for various purposes such as for domestic work and services in brothel where they were sexually exploited by adults. In some other instances, children were killed and burned in the foundations of public buildings or burned in mass graves as sacrifices to the gods (Vaster et al 1995) People at this time did not see anything wrong or bad in their cruelty to children. As we mentioned earlier on, great thinkers like Plato and Aristotle even defended such practices, which we in modern societies regard as evil.

Therefore, we can see that children in the ancient world were not adequately protected and catered for. Although, they were recognised as necessary in every society at least for the continuity of life, yet the attitude of the adult to children was bad. However, as we shall see in the next sections, things started to improve as far as attitudes to children generally were concerned during the next periods of Europe history.

The Medieval and Renaissance Period

In the last section, you learnt that the ancient people during the era of Greek and Roman civilisation did not have much concern for the well being of children. Children were not accorded much respect and dignity as human beings. As we discussed, towards the end of Greek and Roman era, things started to change, the status of children started to improve and the various forms of cruelty to them were gradually reduced.


This change in the attitude towards children during the middle ages (Medieval period) as the period between 400 AD and 1300 AD is called, could be attributed to two factors. These are the spread of Christianity and the attempt by the church to promote the new image of children. The church apart from preaching against the killing of children also helped parents of the unwanted children like the girls, the twins and the weak or sick ones. This they did by taking such children away to mission houses where they were looked after. Although the church could not provide good education during this period, yet they were able to teach reading and writing to children. The church tried during the period to change people's attitudes towards children. However, the church could not completely stop all forms of negative attitude towards children.


Therefore, children in most parts of Europe during the Middle Ages were still not treated as a class of human beings requiring special attention. They were generally considered to be small adults' once they passed the infancy stage. Thus at about the age of seven years, children were mixed with adult in the classroom. They worked and played with mature adults. In other words, there were no separate classes for children of different ages as we now have in the school system. In the same way, there was no separate place or type of work and play for children. Children who were regarded as immature adults' were made to participate in all adult activities at work, play and even religious festivals. There was no special consideration for the implications of such activities on the health and the general growth and development of the child.

You will be surprised to learn also that children during this period had no special dresses. In other words, there was nothing like children's wear as we have in modem societies. Children were made to wear adult dresses meant for men and women of various status. So, if a child was from the lower class, he or she would wear the same clothes like adult from the lower class. It was the same thing for children from the middle or upper social classes.

From this brief account on the status of children during the Middle Ages, we could simply say that child hood, as we now know it did not exist. In other words, children were just regarded as small adults who did not deserve any special treatment or consideration in any form.

The Renaissance Period (1300AD to/600AD) witnessed an improved concern for the welfare of children. In some places such as Florence in Italy, Charitable institution known as 'fondling homes' were set up to take care of children (Vaster 1995) the children admitted into such homes included the sick, lost and unwanted children such as girls and twins. Such homes were financed mainly through donations from wealthy individuals or groups. Do we say this is the beginning of modem day motherless babies' homes or childcare centres? These fondling homes later spread to other part of Western Europe. The springing up of such homes in different places could therefore be regarded as the sign of new attitude towards the care and protection of children during this period. Most of the changes in the attitude toward the care and protection of children during this period had been attributed to the effort of some philosophers and religious people. In the next section of this unit, we shall discuss the period of reformation, which actually brought about the modern ideas and attitude towards children.

The Reformation Period

The 17th century marked the beginning of the great and lasting changes in the attitude towards children generally in Western Europe. The activities of clergymen and some humanitarians, which we shall discuss later, encouraged the separation of children from adults. They also ensured that certain privileges and right were accorded the child. As time went on, the activities of the clergymen and humanitarians greatly changed the attitudes and orientation of not only parents but also the general public towards children generally. The reformation period saw the emergence of new Christian Protestant denominations. The Puritans led by John Calvin were very prominent because of their belief and attitude toward child rearing. They, for instance, believed that all children have the natural capacity to learn early and that parents have the great responsibility to give them the proper training. As noted by Vasta, et al. (1995), the Puritans were the first to write manuals to assist parents in the proper upbringing of their children. Their approach to the training of the child was more child friendly than those of other sects or the medieval period. For example, they believed that children should be helped and encouraged to become self reliant, independent individuals with self-control. According to them, proper guidance would prevent children from mis-behaving and would thus eliminate the need for severe forms of punishment for children (Vasta, et al 1995). The puritan's emphasis was on the proper education of children. Their insistence on guidance rather than severe punishment of child made them the first to write books that were particularly meant for children.

This in fact could be regarded as the beginning of modern ideas of making learning relatively more interesting and easy for children. In the next unit, we shall be learning about some individuals and groups that contributed to the development of early childhood education in various ways.