Page:History of the German people at the close of the Middle Ages vol1.djvu/93

EDUCATION AND THE OLDER HUMANISTS 81 already existing elementary national schools, new schools of a higher grade were not built or old ones improved. The ultimate control of the town schools was usually in the hands of the municipal authorities ; but these institutions were also closely connected with the Church, not only because most of the masters belonged to the clerical profession, but because the supervision was either practically left to the clergy or formally made over to them. School rates as well as poor rates were then un- known. Even those schools which were under the jurisdiction of the magistrates were kept up by the fees received and by frequent new legacies ; for the educa- tion of the young was counted also among those works of mercy to which money might liberally be given in obedience to the Church doctrine of ' good works.' Libraries were also founded in this same spirit. Thus, for example, the master-joiner Mathias Holthof in the year 1485 left his house and garden to a community of Brothers, who were to ' use the profit thence de- rived for the purchase of good Christian books, which should tend to the salvation of the readers,' and these readers were to pray for the ' poor soul of the founder.' In 1477 a tinker at Frankfort-on-the- Main left the then considerable sum of thirty-five gold guldens to the library of the Carmelite convent there, in order that ' books for the honour of God and His blessed Mother, and for the use of the common people, might more easily be procured.' Another citizen of Frankfort in 1484 paid for the foundation of the town library. In 14G0 the Eathsfrau Cathe- VOL. I. G