﻿ix, d, 2 Cain: History of the Spanish Normal School 165 



them will withdraw from the occupation of teaching to seek more gain in 

 other employments or business which call for much less work and subjection. 



The undersigned in the name of the corporation which he represents asks, 

 moreover, that if he inspires the Commission with sufficient confidence in his 

 corporation it will vouchsafe to leave it entire liberty in the election 

 of the teaching staff, texts, and methods of teaching, and above all in the 

 teaching and practice of the Catholic religion in the same way as this 

 liberty is understood and practiced in the Catholic colleges of the United 

 States. 



Finally, as it is of the utmost importance to the teaching institutions 

 represented by me to know as soon as possible and with all possible cer- 

 tainty for future guidance and determination what is to be the future lot 

 of this normal school, I ask the Commission to have the kindness to manifest 

 to me, with loyalty and frankness, its feeling and wishes regarding the 

 above-mentioned points and any other which may at the time affect the 

 well-being and prosperity of this establishment. 



THE CREATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION 



The Commission did not grant the foregoing petition. On 

 January 21, 1901, the Philippine Commission enacted the law 

 creating the Department of Public Instruction. This Act placed 

 all public schools under the immediate charge of the Director 

 of Education. Some of the duties assigned this official were 

 the general supervision of the entire Bureau, the fixing of a 

 curriculum for all public schools, the prescribing of the attain- 

 ments necessary for teachers, the appointment of teachers, and 

 the fixing of a definite salary for each. The Act further provides 

 that no teacher or other person shall teach or criticize the 

 doctrine of any church, religious sect, or denomination, or shall 

 attempt to influence the pupils for or against any church or 

 religious sect in any public school. 30 



In contemplation of the foregoing Act, the reasons for declining 

 the petition of Father Torra are obvious. While his request 

 was in perfect accord with the practices of the Spanish Govern- 

 ment, an institution endowed by the Government and managed 

 wholly as a private enterprise, without any direction or super- 

 vision by the Government, is very unusual under the American 

 flag. 



A REQUEST FOR AUTHORITY TO CONTINUE THE NORMAL SCHOOL 



On March 18, 1901, Father Torra wrote Brig. Gen. George 

 W. Davis, provost-marshal of Manila, as follows : 



I have the honor to inform you that the school called the Superior Normal 

 School for Schoolmasters is about to be incorporated by law, but in the 

 meanwhile, according to the president of the Philippine Commission, it 



30 Act 74 of the Philippine Commission. 



