﻿126 The Philippine Journal of Science 1914 



Spanish Government for the cause of public education in the 

 Philippines. 



THE ROYAL DECREES OF 1863 



The royal decrees, promulgated by Queen Isabela II on 

 December 20, 1863, were the foundation of the system of state 

 education in the Philippines. 8 A resume of those decrees which 

 relate to the Spanish Normal School for men teachers is given 

 in this chapter, as they form the basic legislation upon which 

 the school rested, and throw light upon its subsequent history. 



In the opening article we read: 



A normal school for primary teachers is to be established in the city of 

 Manila, in charge of and under the direction of the fathers of the Society 

 of Jesus. The normal school is to serve as a seminary for religious, 

 obedient, and trained teachers for the management of schools of primary 

 instruction for the natives throughout the whole Archipelago. 



GENERAL PLAN OF ORGANIZATION OF THE NORMAL SCHOOL 



The decrees provided for a director, at least four teachers, 

 such brother coadjutors as might be necessary, one porter, 

 and indispensable subordinates. 



The director was to be the official superior, and was to exercise 

 authority over all the teachers, employees, and students of the 

 school. He was to plan the education and direct the training 

 of students, to preside at all literary ceremonies, to visit the 

 rooms, to preserve discipline, to correct any infringement of 

 rules, and, when necessary, to expel pupils. 



Of the four or more teachers, one was to be spiritual adviser, 

 teacher of sacred history, morals, and religion, and was to 

 preside at all religious ceremonies. Another was to be prefect 

 of manners, to accompany students in their walks, and to attend 

 to the general ceremonies incident to the interior life of the 

 institution. The remaining teachers were to handle the other 

 subjects of the curriculum. 



MEANS OF SUPPORT 



The royal decrees provided that the normal school should 

 be supported out of the central treasury of ways and means, 

 but as the latter was subsequently suppressed the normal school 

 was thereafter supported by a charge upon the local funds/ 



s See No. 14 in the bibliography. 



' For an estimate of the amount of money necessary for the support of 

 the normal school, see page 150. For an account of the final withdrawal 

 of Government support, see page 166. 



