ABSTRACT
Medieval education had maintained a permanent, though highly selective, liaison with classical literature. The educational theory that captured and held their allegiance was fairly dominated by otherworldly perspectives, so when they tapped the classical reservoir they were reminded that some of its water was poison. Without the academic pedigree of a philosopher, John Amos Comenius nevertheless perceived what educational theorists and schoolmasters of the day either never knew or had forgotten: physical reality is as important and dependable a source for knowledge as anything stored in books. Debate about Comenius's influence upon modern education is almost never heard, yet it, one must admit, is hard to measure with precision and report with clarity. Persuasive documentation for a "new epistemology" can hardly be attributed to Comenius, although his influence on schooling, despite its tardiness, turned out to be profound and extensive.
