The Great Beast on Education

Aleister Crowley actually had quite a bit to say about the education of young children, and it's pretty inspiring.  Here are some of my favorite quotes:

"Nothing is taught except how to think for oneself."

"Every child should be presented with all possible problems and allowed to register its own reactions; it should be made to face all contingencies in turn until it overcomes each successfully."

"Its mind must not be influenced, but only offered all kinds of nourishment.  Its innate qualities will enable it to select the food proper to its nature."

"Respect its individuality!  Submit all life for its inspection, without comment."

"From infancy children should face facts, unadulterated by explanations."

"Let them think and act for themselves; let their innate integrity initiate itself!"

"Make them explore all life's mysteries, overcome all its dangers."

"Let children educate themselves to be themselves.  Those who train them to standards cripple and deform them.  Alien ideals impose parasitic perversions."

"Standards of education, ideals of Right-and-Wrong, conventions, creeds, codes, stagnate Mankind.  Encourage original individuals."

And a poem:

Every child is absolute.

Dare not bias it or bind!

Give the seed fair play to shoot!

At maturity its mind

Shall perfect its proper fruit,

Self-determined, self-designed!

Durst thou twist that tenderness

To thy whims or theories?

Who adjured thee to assess 

Marvels hidden from thine eyes?

Meddler, muddler!  Is thy guess

Guaranteed most wondrous wise?

Let it meet and measure things,

Match itself against them, span

Safely the abyss-Earth sings:

"If you know and will, you can!"