Education in Middle Earth

Great was the Lore of the High Elves and Loremasters in Middle Earth, who had much knowledge of wisdom and of power, amongst other qualities. But what of other races? What level of education and skill development was available to the lesser races of Middle Earth? Did the other races truly reach their potential?

Dwarfs were the masters of craft and mining?

Wood Elves were masterful in archery, singing and secrecy?

Men were skilled in armoury and sword play, but what else?

And Hobbits? Cookery, pipeweed lore, poems, amongst other interests? Was there a school in the Shire for little Hobbits?

[Kitanna]

Before schools existed parents passed their knowledge from parent to child. I imagine hobbits and other races would follow the same sort of pattern. Especially hobbits, they were an agriculturally centered society, why go to school to learn how to farm when a father or uncle can teach you?

[Rumil]

Hi Mansun and Kitanna,

I think you're pretty much right on the hobbits. Most didn't learn to read and write (mentioned in LoTR), the Gaffer worries that Sam being taught by Bilbo might give him 'ideas above his station'. (Which luckily it does ).

I wonder if the wealthier hobbits (eg Merry and Pippin) were taught by personal tutors? But agree that learning could easily be passed down in the family. There are no mentions of schools in Middle Earth that I can think of, perhaps Gondor might be the likeliest place if any existed?

Certainly the Gondorians and Dwarves were quite well educated, I guess anyone involved in trade must have had some of the 3Rs, eg the Lakemen, Sandyman, Saruman's human servants etc. Rohan appears to have more of an oral tradition (also the Beornings?), not to say that this isn't learning of course, but just a different way. No doubt the nobility of Rohan were literate and Grima seems a classic 'scribe'.

[Bêthberry]

Well, The Shire had its own calendar, a not inconsiderable achievement of social development.

It is a pity that the Shire did not have a centre of excellence, e.g. a monastery, where new skills, lore and craft could be learned and taught from generation to generation, until a guild of stewards was formed to protect the values, ethics and development of the centre. Hobbits were not religious though, so a monastery was not really an option. This may have saved many Hobbits from disease, such as obesity, lung cancer and binge drinking, to name but a few health benefits.

Clearly history and geography were popular subjects among the lore of all races in Middle Earth. But what of sport? Surely at least Hobbits could have had a mini Olympic Games?

[Kitanna]

A pie eating contest seems a more likely option than olympic games. Any sort of contest you'd find at a county fair, (cooking, livestock, vegetable contests), all are closer to a hobbit's taste than games of strength and will. They were simple folk and simple contests would have fit them well.

Olympic type games would have been better suited in the world of men. Archery, riding, etc. were already being taught to young men so contests like that make more sense in the world of Big People.

[Andsigil]

Originally Posted by Mansun

It is a pity that the Shire did not have a centre of excellence, e.g. a monastery, where new skills, lore and craft could be learned and taught from generation to generation, until a guild of stewards was formed to protect the values, ethics and development of the centre. Hobbits were not religious though, so a monastery was not really an option. This may have saved many Hobbits from disease, such as obesity, lung cancer and binge drinking, to name but a few health benefits.

I could imagine some kind of schooling taking place at the Mathom House.