Mortifications (bursaries and endowments) for education in Aberdeen 1593-1660 and their implementation in the seventeenth century
The educational ideals of late sixteenth and early seventeenth century Scotland were informed both by an appreciation of the needs of the godly commonwealth and by familiarity with pedagogical developments on the continent of Europe. The achievement of these ideals was hampered by the exacerbation of inherent problems in the funding of Scottish education by the effects of the Reformation of 1560, necessitating additional endowment by private individuals. In this context, the foundation of Marischal College in 1593, partly because of its flaws, offered a focus for and a stimulus to civic piety in the burgh of Aberdeen. The motivations of those who made mortifications (benefactions in perpetual trust) to the College and to the grammar school of Aberdeen, and the forms their benefactions took, were conditioned not only by experience of educational practices abroad, but also by the complex religious and social sanctions operating in a reformed society. The implementation of these benefactions was affected by the political, religious and economic crises engulfing seventeenth century Scotland, but not to the extent that the goals of benefactors were abandoned. While what was achieved fell short of the ideal, the
Vance, Shona
Educational ideals; Funding; Scottish; Scotland
Mortifications (bursaries and endowments) for education in Aberdeen 1593-1660 and their implementation in the seventeenth century. The educational ideals of late sixteenth and early seventeenth century Scotland were informed both by an appreciation of the needs of the godly commonwealth and by familiarity with pedagogical developments on the continent of Europe. The achievement of these ideals was hampered by the exacerbation of inherent problems in the funding of Scottish education by the effects of the Reformation of 1560, necessitating additional endowment by private individuals. In this context, the foundation of Marischal College in 1593, partly because of its flaws, offered a focus for and a stimulus to civic piety in the burgh of Aberdeen. The motivations of those who made mortifications (benefactions in perpetual trust) to the College and to the grammar school of Aberdeen, and the forms their benefactions took, were conditioned not only by experience of educational practices abroad, but also by the complex religious and social sanctions operating in a reformed society. The implementation of these benefactions was affected by the political, religious and economic crises engulfing seventeenth century Scotland, but not to the extent that the goals of benefactors were abandoned. While what was achieved fell short of the ideal, the
endowment education aberdeen implementation educational_ideal late sixteenth early scotland inform appreciation need godly commonwealth familiarity pedagogical development continent europe achievement ideal hamper inherent problem fund scottish education effect reformation necessitate additional endowment private_individual context foundation college partly flaw offer focus stimulus civic piety burgh aberdeen motivation make benefaction perpetual trust college grammar_school aberdeen forms benefaction take condition experience educational_practice abroad also complex religious social sanction operate reform society implementation benefaction affect political_religious economic_crisis scotland extent goal benefactor abandon achieve fell short ideal