In 2010, before I even knew the name Dorothy Sayers, a chance encounter challenged me to consider homeschooling my children through classical education. It felt like a daunting proposition. My background was far from classically educated, and I certainly wasn’t a trained teacher. Despite these perceived shortcomings, this person encouraged me to co-found a Classical Conversations® community. The idea was to learn alongside my children, exploring this intriguing classical method together.
Joining a community was a valuable first step, yet I craved deeper understanding. I sought guidance from contemporary leaders in classical education, and that’s when the names Dorothy Sayers and Leigh Bortins surfaced. At the time, neither name resonated with me. I had no prior knowledge of these women or their contributions. However, that was about to change significantly.
Following insightful advice, I delved into Sayers’s renowned essay, “The Lost Tools Of Learning.” Initially, much of it was perplexing. I probably grasped a mere fraction of its meaning. But persistence, the cornerstone of learning itself, led me to revisit it. Gradually, comprehension dawned, and it was transformative.
I realized I was beginning to build a solid foundation.
Dorothy Sayers: A Champion of Classical Education
Dorothy Sayers (1893–1957) remains a powerful voice in education through her insightful writings. As one of the first women to graduate from Oxford University, her intellectual prowess extended across genres. She authored sixteen novels, ten plays, six translations, and twenty-four non-fiction works.1 Lindsey Scholl, “The Remarkable Dorothy L. Sayers,” C.S. Lewis Institute, June 7, 2018, https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/resources/the-remarkable-dorothy-l-sayers/. She is best known for her engaging mystery novels featuring the memorable detective, Lord Peter Wimsey.2 Ann Kennedy Smith, “Dorothy L. Sayers’s Graduation Day,” Cambridge Ladies’ Dining Society 1890–1914, October 17, 2020, https://akennedysmith.substack.com/.
Sayers dedicated her life to the power of words. Beyond her fiction, she worked as a copywriter, wrote poetry, and championed women’s rights.3 “About Dorothy L Sayers,” Dorothy L Sayers Society, accessed June 6, 2022, https://www.sayers.org.uk/biography. A devout Christian, she passionately conveyed her faith, even amidst controversy surrounding her modern English Bible translations. Notably, she also shared a close friendship with C.S. Lewis, another literary giant.4 David Downing and Crystal Downing, “C.S. Lewis and Dorothy L. Sayers: A Feisty Friendship,” Wade Center, May 10, 2019, YouTube video, 57:03, https://youtu.be/ZHu3h7xN4DI.
Furthermore, Dorothy Sayers emerged as a pivotal figure in the modern resurgence of classical education.
Authority and Insight: Why Sayers’ Critique Still Resonates
One might question Dorothy Sayers’ authority to critique modern education and propose alternatives. What were her credentials in this field? In the opening of her “Lost Tools of Learning” speech, delivered to Oxford University faculty and students in 1947, Sayers preemptively addresses this: “That I, whose experience of teaching is extremely limited, and whose life of recent years has been almost wholly out of touch with educational circles, should presume to discuss education is a matter, surely, that calls for no apology.”5 Dorothy Sayers, “The Lost Tools of Learning” (London, 1948: E.T. Heron; Project Gutenberg Canada, 2008), p. 2, https://classicalconversationsbooks.com/products/the-lost-tools-of-learning-pdf
This statement might initially seem perplexing. Is she suggesting she needs no justification for discussing education despite her limited teaching background?
Indeed, that is precisely her point.
She elaborates, “There is also one excellent reason why the veriest amateur may feel entitled to have an opinion about education. For if we are not all professional teachers, we have all, at some time or other, been taught. Even if we learnt nothing — perhaps in particular if we learnt nothing — our contribution to the discussion may have a potential value.”6 Sayers, “Lost Tools,” 2.
Her reasoning becomes clear: everyone has experienced education in some form. This shared experience, Sayers argues, provides a valid basis for understanding and discussing education, regardless of professional teaching experience.
Read: “Are You Qualified to Homeschool Your Child?”
The Crisis in Modern Education: “Lost Tools” in a World of “Words, Words, Words”
Before delving into her proposals, Sayers anticipates the potential impact of her speech, stating, “This prospect need arouse neither hope nor alarm. It is in the highest degree improbable that the reforms I propose will ever be carried into effect.”7 Sayers, 3.
This declaration grabs attention. She has a critical perspective on education, yet she anticipates little systemic change. Why? Speaking to a post-World War II audience, she articulated her concern:
Dorothy Sayers Quote
*For we let our young men and women go out unarmed**, in a day when armour was never so necessary. By teaching them all to read, we have left them at the mercy of the printed word. By the invention of the film and the radio, we have made certain that no aversion to reading shall secure them from the incessant battery of words, words, words.*
They do not know what the words mean; they do not know how to ward them off or blunt their edge or fling them back; they are a prey to words in their emotions instead of being the masters of them in their intellects.
We who were scandalized in 1940 when men were sent to fight armoured tanks with rifles, are not scandalised when young men and women are sent into the world to fight massed propaganda with a smattering of “subjects”; and when whole classes and whole nations become hypnotised by the arts of the spellbinder, we have the impudence to be astonished.
We dole out lip-service to the importance of education — lip-service and, just occasionally, a little grant of money; we postpone the school leaving-age, and plan to build bigger and better schools; the teachers slave conscientiously in and out of school-hours, till responsibility becomes a burden and a nightmare; and yet, as I believe, all this devoted effort is largely frustrated, because we have lost the tools of learning, and in their absence can only make a botched and piecemeal job of it.8 Sayers, 9.
This is a stark and insightful critique. Sayers argues that despite advancements in access to education, a fundamental element is missing: the tools of learning themselves. In a world increasingly saturated with information and persuasive rhetoric, individuals are left vulnerable, unable to critically analyze or effectively respond. Modern education, in her view, has inadvertently disarmed students, leaving them susceptible to manipulation and misinformation.
We have lost the tools of learning.
– Dorothy Sayers
Reclaiming the “Lost Tools”: The Trivium as a Path to True Learning
Sayers, however, offers a hopeful perspective: “What, then, are we to do? We cannot go back to the Middle Ages. That is a cry to which we have become accustomed. We cannot go back — or can we?” She proposes a return to the classical trivium as the means to recover effective education.
The trivium consists of three stages: grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric. These are not simply subjects to be studied, but rather, they are the fundamental tools necessary for learning any subject effectively. Grammar provides the foundational knowledge, dialectic cultivates critical thinking and logical reasoning, and rhetoric equips individuals with the ability to communicate persuasively and articulately.
Sayers emphasizes that the trivium is not an end in itself, but rather, “The trivium is by its nature not learning, but a preparation for learning.”9 Sayers, 10. It provides the essential framework for lifelong learning and intellectual independence.
Leigh Bortins and Classical Conversations: A Modern Revival
Leigh Bortins, a contemporary advocate for classical education and the founder of Classical Conversations, deeply resonated with Sayers’s message. Decades ago, Bortins meticulously studied “The Lost Tools of Learning.” Similar to my own experience, Bortins lacked a classical education background and formal teaching training. As engineers with a young family, homeschooling wasn’t initially part of their plan. Yet, Sayers’s speech ignited a passion in her to revive these “lost tools of learning.”
Inspired by the trivium – grammar, dialectic, rhetoric – Bortins embarked on a journey to create a practical classical education model. This vision led to the creation of Classical Conversations, a program designed to equip families with the resources and community support needed to implement classical education principles. Her dedication and tireless efforts have paved the way for countless families, like mine, to rediscover the enduring value of classical education. Like Sayers’s commitment to her Christian faith, Bortins infused Classical Conversations with a mission to “know God and to make Him known,” reflecting a deeply held Christian worldview within the classical framework.
The classical, Christian education movement is thriving today. We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, benefiting from their vision and labor. I am grateful to be part of this movement, contributing to a solution that empowers students with the timeless tools of learning. Let us continue this journey together, embracing the classical education mantle and equipping our children with the powerful tools of the trivium.
Read: “What Is the Trivium?”
Embracing the Classical Education Mantle: Next Steps
If this exploration of “The Lost Tools of Learning” has resonated with you, I encourage you to read Dorothy Sayers’s complete speech, “The Lost Tools of Learning,” available as a free download and through the Classical Conversations bookstore. For a physical copy, you can find it in the appendix of Classical Christian Education Made Approachable.
Download: “The Lost Tools of Learning”
Written by:
April Foster
Communications Manager
In the Fall of 2010, April and her husband, John, embarked on an adventure of classically educating their two children, Emery and Mayson. With only a handful of Classical Conversations communities in the state, the Fosters and six other families embraced the pioneer spirit and started a CC community in Hammond, Louisiana. The launch was extremely successful. In 2011, April stepped into a leadership role to grow the communities in Southeastern Louisiana. In 2015, she directed Challenge III for her daughter’s class and continued to direct Challenge IV the following year. Six students and their families took the journey of Challenge IV with April. She witnessed a bountiful harvest of fruit as these students pursued truth, goodness, and beauty in this capstone year. Both her children were homeschooled through high school with Classical Conversations. They immediately entered college with full scholarships, graduated with honors, and are gainfully employed. Her daughter, Emery, is the Technical Director at Southeastern Louisiana University and contracts with theaters in New Orleans to design their sets. Her son, Mayson, is a pilot and is currently employed at Louisiana Tech University as a Certified Flight Instructor. April speaks at conferences and events, equipping and encouraging families to homeschool through high school.
