﻿rx, d. 2 Cain: History of the Spanish Normal School 145 



pathy of the people. Every schoolmaster who goes out will praise the 

 Jesuits, for which reason many persons, especially their relations, will seek 

 confession and discuss the affairs of the soul with the fathers of the society. 



If the elementary schools are conducted by the third-year pupils of the 

 normal school, an immense good may be done. If possible, the school should 

 be situated in the outskirts of Manila. We should have far more children, 

 and our administration would have an open field. 



Of the influence of the schoolmaster among the children in the provinces, 

 there can be no doubt, since they will be in accord with the teaching of the 

 fathers and the rule of the society. 



Let us suppose that we transfer our school to others. Who will take 

 charge of it? Will they be religious? It is very doubtful. It is feared 

 that, considering the ideas of the century and the tendency which has shown 

 itself in Manila in various movements, instead of being religious men they 

 will be laymen, and laymen trained in Spanish normal schools, who in their 

 ignorance have spoken and still speak to the depreciation of the bishops, the 

 parish priests, and family life. 



Let us suppose that the school falls into the hands of some other religious 

 order. Whoever they may be, I am doubtful if the normal school would be 

 as productive as the government and the country expect. If they belong 

 to the religious orders well known in this country, we have sufficient reason 

 to distrust their ideas. With regard to education and the spread of Spanish, 

 the normal school can show results in support of our arguments. Daily ex- 

 perience suppoi-ts my contention — every day the attitude of the graduates 

 toward religion is evident. 



If the school falls into the hands of the religious men of the orders, we 

 should be sorry for the uesults of their experience, as it is always essential to 

 have a knowledge of the nature and habits of those to be educated, especially 

 in the Philippines. It may be expected that before securing experience they 

 will make such serious mistakes as will bring to ruin the plan of primary 

 instruction in these Islands, which is one of the fairest jewels in the crown 

 of the illustrious and venerable Father Cuevas. Let us look forward to the 

 day when we can turn our attention from our parishes to the welfare of the 

 normal school. 



CONDITIONS CONFRONTING THE GRADUATES 



A contemporary writer gives an admirable summary of the 

 situation, indulging fully in his own opinions : 19 



After three years in the normal school, the prospective teacher comes 

 fresh from his studies to don the toga of the schoolmaster. He goes to a 

 village where he has secured a school. His youth and his inexperience do 

 not augur success. If the parish priest lives in isolation from municipal 

 affairs because of his character, his manner of life, and his belief that his 

 intervention in teaching should be confined to certain definite lines, the poor 

 teacher has recourse only to the petty governor who has no especial qualifica- 

 tions. It will be truly marvelous if he attains his end, introduces order into 

 the school and obtains anything he needs, which is everything. 



In a majority of the villages the people look with absolute indifference 

 on the youth whose age is a slight recommendation, since knowledge and 

 authority in Malay villages are conceded only to maturity. 



19 See No. 27 of the bibliography. 



