THE CUBA REVIEW 23 



suffering seriously from a lack of educational facilities, although in the cities and larger 

 towns these had reached a point of much greater effectiveness than was the case during 

 earlier periods. Spanish censuses were taken in 1861 and 1887, and these showed that in 

 the former year of a population of 1,396,530, 268,237, or 19.2 per cent., were able to 

 read; while in 1887 the population had increased to 1,631,687, of whom 452,330, or 27.7 

 per cent., were able to read. The first census taken by the United States Government 

 was in 1899, and this showed a total population of 1,572,797, of whom 567,913, or 36.17 

 per cent., had been able to read. At this time the educational facilities were about the 

 same as at the beginning of the War of Independence in 1895, so that it shows that 

 during the period from 1861 to 1895 the number of persons able to read had nearly 

 doubled. 



As a result also of the census taken by the Government Intervention in 1899, it was 

 ascertained that 87,935 pupils, or between 5 per cent, and 6 per cent, of the total popula- 

 tion, had attended school during the twelve months previous to October 16th of that year. 

 This census also showed that the total population between five and seventeen years of 

 age in Cuba was 552,928, of whom 86,640, or 15.7 per cent., attended school. That the 

 rural districts suffered in comparison with the urban districts is plainly shown by the 

 fact that of the 107,885 children between five and seventeen in the five cities of Matanzas. 

 Cienfuegos, Havana, Puerto Principe and Santiago, 35,628, or 33 per cent., attended 

 school during the period mentioned, while of the 445,043 children between these ages 

 living outside of these five cities but including those dwelling in the larger towns, only 

 51,012, or 11.5 per cent., attended school during this period. The same census showed 

 that the total population over ten years of age was 1,215,810, of whom 43 per cent, 

 was able to read and 57 per cent, illiterate. 



That progress, however, was being made is shown by a comparison between the 

 number of schools in existence in 1883, these being 535 pubhc and 184 private schools, 

 and those on January 1, 1895, at this date there being 904 pubHc schools employing 998 

 teachers, 740 private schools, 70 so-called colleges, 6 Institutes of Secondary Instruction 

 employing 64 teachers, one university with 58 professors, and one school each, classified 

 as professional, art and normal schools, giving employment to 29 teachers. The public 

 schools were maintained at an expense of $768,920, the institutes at $118,735, the 

 university at an expense of $134,350, the professional school at that of $17,800, the 

 art school at $7,050, the normal school at $20,000, and one industrial school at 

 $1,000, all these being state institutions, funds for which were provided by taxation and 

 Government grants. These figures also compare with those corresponding to the twelve- 

 month period preceding October 16, 1899, during which 1,510 schools were in operation 

 throughout the Island, 755 of these being public, 726 private and 29 religious. Their 

 total seating capacity was 114,735 pupils, and, as we have already indicated, 87,935 

 children were reported as having attended school. 



A number of obstacles prevented the proper carrying out of the law, the principal 

 of these being the failure to provide even the funds voted in the various budgets gotten 

 up for this purpose. As a result of this, the number of schools was exceedingly limited, 

 as is shown by the total seating capacity in 1899, as compared with the total number of 

 children of scholastic age. The law required the compulsory attendance of children 

 between nine and thirteen years of age, but it is evident that it could not be enforced 

 due to lack of facilities for receiving them. As concerns superior education, while 

 facilities were provided, the fees were so great that only the children of wealthy parents 

 could take advantage of them. The selection of teachers also was usually decided through 

 personal or political considerations, little attention being given to their special qualifica- 

 tions as teachers. The schools were usually conducted also in the homes of these 

 teachers, and school furniture of the usual type and other school necessities were con- 

 spicuous through their absence. Blacks and whites attended the same school, and only 

 one teacher was allowed each elementary school, regardless of the number of pupils, 

 although occasionally assistants were provided in the elementary schools of the higher 

 grades. The teachers were divided into regular, temporary or substitutes, the last being 



