68 A MEDIAEVAL CITY

A more elementary and less well organised educa-
tion was given by the parish priests and the chantry
priests, from whom the children of the city generally,
boys and girls, received at least oral instruction.

Girls usually received a practical upbringing at
home. The only schools for girls were those attached
to women's monasteries, oŁ which there was St.
Clement's Nunnery alone in York.

Educational welfare work, as distinct from
direct and organised class-teaching, was carried on
by the friars, the religious men who lived under a
rule but who went out to work in the world, instead
of spending their lives in seclusion as the monks did.
The Dominican and Franciscan Friars played an
important part in education by teaching, especially
at the Universities. Education was also a foremost
interest of the Augustinians, who supported a college
at Oxford.

Books, which had all to be written by hand, were
scarce. The copying of manuscripts, which was
done mostly in the monasteries, was laborious work.
Instruction was given as a rule orally, but also by
means of pictorial art and drama. The stained-
glass windows were more than ornamental additions
to the church building : they were part of the means
of instruction. Mediaeval drama had originated in
the Church's effort to make events described in the
gospel more real through their representation
dramatically.

;The teaching of manual skill and craftsmanship
was entirely the work of the masters of the crafts
under the general supervision of the guilds." The
work of the age was made beautiful, and being
handwork each piece of work gained the interest of
individuality. The details of architectural ornament,
in consequence, show wonderful diversity of form.