One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.

George Herbert (1593–1633), the Welsh-born English poet and Anglican priest, is best known for his devotional verse and for the aphoristic prose collection later published as *Jacula Prudentum* (“Outlandish Proverbs”). The saying “One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters” is generally attributed to Herbert in that proverb tradition, reflecting early modern English assumptions about the household as a primary site of moral and religious formation. In Herbert’s world, formal schooling existed, but the father’s role as governor of the family—responsible for discipline, example, and spiritual guidance—was widely emphasized in sermons and conduct literature. The proverb distills that cultural priority into a memorable comparison.

The proverb asserts that a father’s influence outweighs even extensive formal instruction: lived example, daily authority, and intimate responsibility shape character more powerfully than many external teachers can. It elevates parental formation over institutional education, implying that moral habits and values are learned most effectively through close, sustained relationships rather than through abstract lessons. The line can also be read as a warning: if a father neglects his duties, no amount of schooling can fully compensate. In modern terms, it highlights the formative power of home environment and mentorship—suggesting that education is not merely the transfer of knowledge but the cultivation of virtues through embodied guidance.