II
ROYAL DECREE GRANTING TITLE OF “ROYAL” TO THE COLLEGE OF SANCTO TOMAS
The King. Inasmuch as Fray Sebastián de Valverde, of the Order of Preachers, and procurator-general of the province of Santísimo Rosario of Filipinas, has represented to me, among other matters, that since the establishment of the college of Santo Tomás in the city of Manila, and especially since, at the instance of Felipe IV, a public academy or university was erected in it by his Holiness, Innocent X, in the year one thousand six hundred and forty-five,[5] in behalf of his order, not only has it redeemed its obligation in the public instruction with well-known benefit to those vassals, in which the religious have filled the chairs at the expense of the private property of the above-mentioned college, but also, at the same time, in order to inspire in the minds of its pupils the illumination of the holy doctrine of the angelic doctor St. Thomas, which some factional spirits in that capital, in whom still lives the seed of the suppressed doctrine,[6] are attempting to confuse with useless projects, have endeavored likewise to infuse into their hearts the fidelity, loyalty, and love due my royal person—and one of the most signal and noble proofs that attest this truth is the promptness, with which the present rector, Fray Domingo Collantes, in this last war, in observance of the suggestion of that governor, raised four companies of fifty soldiers apiece among the collegiates and students, on whose clothing and support he spent some thousands of pesos from the beginning of the war until the peace was made, and at the same time placing at the disposition of the same government all the grain of the harvest and the cattle of its estates—and inasmuch as he has petitioned me that, in order that this signal example of the fidelity and generosity with which the above-named college served me and continues to serve me, may be remembered by the inhabitants of those islands, I deign to signify to it my royal pleasure and kindness by admitting it under my sovereign protection and patronage, and by granting to it the title of “very loyal;” therefore, my Council of the Indias having examined the above petition, together with the information given in regard to it by the general accountant’s office, and the explanation of my fiscal, I have resolved in the conference of the tenth of January of this year, to concede, among other things, and as I concede by this my royal decree, the sole name of “royal” to the above-named college of Santo Tomás of the city of Manila, with the distinct condition and declaration, that it shall never have the right of petitioning assistance from my royal treasury. Therefore, by this present, I order and command my governor and captain-general of the above-mentioned islands, the regent and auditors of my royal Audiencia in the islands, and all other ministers, judges, and justices of those provinces, and I request and charge the very reverend bishop of that metropolitan church, the venerable dean and cabildo in vacant see, and all other ecclesiastical prelates and judges to whom this pertains, to observe, fulfil, and execute, and cause to be observed, fulfilled, and executed, exactly and effectively, my herein expressed royal resolution, as and in the manner herein set forth, without violating it, or permitting it to be violated in any way, for thus is my will. Given in El Pardo, March seven, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five.[7]
I the King
By command of the king our sovereign:
Antonio Ventura De Taranco
III
HISTORICAL ACCOUNT
[Below follows an interesting account of the university of Santo Tomás, by the Dominican friar, Evarista Fernandez Arias, from his Discurso leido en la apertura de sus estudios (de la universidad) el dia 2 de Julio de 1885—i.e., “Discourse read at the opening of its studies (of the university) July 2, 1885” (Manila, 1885). Its author was a professor of the university.]
The university of Santo Tomás, of Manila, graced with the titles of royal and pontifical by the Catholic kings and the supreme pontiffs, holds the first place among all the educational institutions of the Philippines on account of its antiquity, its history, and its importance. It was established in 1619, under the name of College of Santo Tomás, having, as its basis, a holy legacy from his Excellency, Fray Miguel de Benavides, of the Order of Preachers, second archbishop of Manila, who is considered as its true founder. By this legacy, the sum of 1,600 pesos was turned over to the fathers of his order, of the province of the Santísimo Rosario, who, accepting it, in accordance with his purposes and intentions, immediately proceeded to carry the plan into effect. Thus, after various contingencies, on the day of the festival of the Assumption of the Virgin, in the year mentioned, after having been authorized by the general government of these islands, and by both the ecclesiastical and the secular chapters, Fray Baltasar Fort, its first rector, proceeded to the inauguration of its studies by giving fellowships to twelve young men belonging to the most distinguished families of Manila. The permission granted by the general government and other authorities of this capital, was formally confirmed by his Catholic Majesty, Felipe IV, in his royal decree of November 29, 1623, in which he said of this institution: “It has afforded and affords great advantages to the young, the preaching of the gospel, and the instruction of the children of the inhabitants.”
The chronicles of those times show that the number of young men, mostly children of Spaniards, who attended the schools of the Dominican fathers was not small; but the difficulty of not being able to receive academic degrees was an obstacle to the progress of the studies. For this reason, Pope Paul V was asked to authorize the order to confer the customary degrees upon the pupils of this college. This permission was granted for ten years, upon the expiration of which time, it was necessary to again apply to the Roman pontiff, then Urban VIII, for the extension of the concession for a similar term of years. This uncertain condition of affairs was not, as is evident, most conducive to progress in these studies, for which reason Felipe IV, desiring to regulate this concession consistently and permanently, requested, through his ambassador, an apostolic brief from the supreme pontiff, Innocent X, in 1645, which should confer upon the college of Santo Tomás (the title) and honors of a university, with all the privileges of those of the same class in the Peninsula, authorizing it to confer academic degrees in the schools of theology and philosophy. Afterwards, in 1734, this concession was extended by Clement XII,[8] also on the petition of the king of Spain, to the schools of canonical and civil law, and to others that might in time be established.
The year following the erection of this university by Innocent X and Felipe IV, its first rector and chancellor, Fray Martin Real de la Cruz, who so distinguished himself in the conversion of the Cagayanes, framed the laws, which continued in force until 1785. The greater part of these were similar to the laws of the university of Mexico, to which his Catholic Majesty desired to conform them, as appears from his letter written on December 20, 1644, to his ambassador at Rome.
In the beginning the only courses were dogmatic and moral theology, philosophy, and the humanities; Latin and Spanish grammar, rhetoric, and poetry were included in the humanities, and the study of all the branches comprised in the works of Santo Tomás de Aquino formed a part of the courses in theology and philosophy.[9] This was the custom in most of the universities existing at that time, a custom that responded perfectly to the necessities of that century, and more particularly to the special requirements of this country at that period. In the first stage of their civilization, education in the Philippines was based exclusively on religion; and the local necessities and the aspirations of the first Spaniards, echoing faithfully the sentiments expressed many times concerning this subject by the Catholic monarchs, demanded a literary center where the bishops and missionaries might find a solution for the many and varied doubts which arose in the exercise of their ministry; where the governors-general might receive ideas of profound and consistent methods of government for the direction of the towns and for their relations with neighboring nations, and where the alcaldes and encomenderos might learn the lessons of Christian charity and justice, which they not infrequently failed to observe. In what a satisfactory manner the university of Santo Tomás fulfilled this duty is shown by the illustrious names of Fathers Berart, Marron, Santa Cruz, Pardo, Sanchez, and the celebrated Father Paz, and many others whom it would take too long to mention, whose brilliant and wise writings contain discussions of all kinds regarding the practical life of these people. It is also shown by the royal decree of 1862, in which his Catholic Majesty, admitting this institution under his protection, says that degrees in theology and letters are given with all strictness and display to qualified persons in those islands, this being of notable utility in that it furnishes subjects capable of filling the offices of curates and prebendaries.
The eighteenth century arrived, and, with the coming of the Bourbon dynasty to the Spanish throne, new germs of civilization took root throughout the monarchy, and were felt as far as these remote shores. Then the faculty of jurisprudence and canonical law was established (the establishment of which the Dominican corporation had endeavored to secure years before), because with the increase of the native and mestizo population, and with the consolidation upon a religious basis of the social life of these peoples, there was not a sufficient number of lawyers for the administration of justice. Lawyers did not come from the Peninsula, and for that reason, if not for other better and more noble reasons, it was necessary to seek them within the bounds of the islands. Hence, faculties of jurisprudence and canonical law were established, with courses in Roman law and institutes and the sacred canons. The pupils could hope for the degree of licentiate in jurisprudence and canonical law after a four years’ course in these studies, and four other years called pasantía years, which were taken in connection with the law course, and were years of practice in the office of some lawyer. During these so-called pasantía years, the pupils were required to defend a proposition every week and sum up the opposing arguments, and were permitted to act as substitutes during the absence of any of the professors of the faculty.
The course of institutes and canonical law was the only course in law given in most of the universities of that period, the professors being charged with making the applications necessary to the Spanish laws and those of the Indias, explaining the points in which they differed from the Roman and canonical laws.
The instruction continued thus during the greater part of the eighteenth century, the university conferring degrees in theology, philosophy, and canonical and Roman law. The courses in moral theology and the humanities were pursued without the formalities of enrolment and without a fixed number of terms, until toward the end of that century. With the increase of the commerce and the intercourse of these islands with Europe, and under the influence of the government of Carlos III, it was decided in the university assembly of 1785, to extend the faculty of theology by the establishment of chairs in literature and sacred writings, and that of law by two additional chairs of canonical and Roman law. It was also decided to create the faculty of medicine, together with a chair of mathematics, applied to commerce and navigation in conformity with the necessities of the times. Father Amador, professor of canonical law, having been appointed to form the new laws, in accordance with the resolution of the assembly, concluded them during the same year, 1785. These laws, after being approved by the superior government of these islands, are now in force except in the points modified by subsequent laws. These laws provided that all professorships, with the exception of those belonging to the private patronage of the Order of St. Dominic, should be conferred by competitive examinations. It also prescribed rules for the conferring of academic degrees by the faculties of theology, canons, law, philosophy, and the new one of medicine, it being provided that, in order to secure the degree of bachelor of theology, canons, civil law, and medicine, it was necessary to have passed in four courses, and for philosophy in three, and that, after having obtained the title of bachelor, it was necessary to exercise the pasantía for four years in the schools of theology and law, and for three years in the other schools. Rules werealso provided for the courses, the enrolments, and the examination fees. These laws were taken to a great extent from those in force in the universities of Salamanca, Mexico, and Lima.
About that time the king of Spain confirmed the privilege of exemption from tribute for all those who had received the degree of bachelor, and also for the pupils of the university, in consideration of “the utility and necessity for this branch of the state to encourage these studies, without which no community can flourish; for, if it should be ordered, contrary to the practice observed up to the present time, that the tribute be paid, the schools would be deserted, to the general injury of these islands.”
Because of the indolence of the times and the lack of pupils, it became necessary to abolish the school of medicine and the class of mathematics and drawing, which were afterwards incorporated by the consulado, and the superior studies continued during the first part of the present century as they existed at the beginning of the eighteenth century. It was not until the year 1836, on the petition of the corporation of St. Dominic, that the chair of Spanish law was created, increasing the faculty of laws.
By a royal order of 1837, continuing the progressive course initiated in the instruction at the university, a commission, presided over by the director of the university, was appointed for the purpose of studying the method of extending the instruction, and making a report upon the manner of filling the chairs which should be created, at the same time preparing a plan of studies, conforming as far as possible with that in force in the Peninsula. The report of this commission was awaiting the decision of the court of appeals when a new royal order of April 2, 1842, provided for the appointment of a new commission, also presided over by the director of the university, and consisting of one associate justice of the royal court of appeals, a prebendary of the cathedral chapter, a member of the municipal council, and one of the economic association, for the purpose of preparing a new plan of studies in harmony with the necessities of the times. The new commission, having worked with great activity, presented its completed report, submitting a plan of laws for this university which included the college of San José, notwithstanding the opposition of its rector, who, as prebendary, formed part of the commission. According to this plan of studies, instruction in theology, philosophy, and jurisprudence was improved, chairs of medicine, pharmacy, and chemistry were created, and that of physics was extended. Upon the submission of this plan of studies to the supreme government of his Majesty, it was provided by another royal order of April 2, 1846, that funds be secured for the establishment of said change in the university, without injuring the interests of anybody, but respecting those existing in so far as possible.
In fulfilment of this decree, on the twenty-sixth of the following August, this superior government appointed another commission, to which was communicated a royal order of April 15, 1847, which appointed, as a member of the same, the rector and chancellor of the university; and another royal order of July 12, of the same year, which directed said commission not to include in the budget of studies “the property of the college of Santo Tomás, as it is the exclusive property of the Dominican fathers.”[10]
Unfortunately this commission was dissolved just before the completion of its work, on account of the absence of some members in the Peninsula, there remaining only one (in addition to the rector of the university), who later resigned his membership in the commission, under date of October 28, 1848. But by a royal order of April 19, 1849, the action of this superior government in not accepting said resignation was approved, and in the place of the absent members, Señor Montes de Oca was appointed and instructions given that another competent person should associate with them, in order that the work of university reform might continue. But as the commission did not hasten the matter with the speed desired by the government of his Majesty, another royal order was issued, under date of October 19, 1852, urging the commission to conclude the plan, and budget of studies, in accordance with the wishes and the interest of his Majesty for the welfare and prosperity of this colony. However, the difficulty of reconciling very great extremes, such as the preservation, in a new plan of studies, of everything already in existence that should be in harmony with the studies of the universities of Spain, the formation of a budget without injuring the interests of anyone, and a thousand other necessary considerations, placed under the charge of the commission by more than one royal decree, were more than sufficient causes to prevent the board from finishing its laborious contract and including its complicated work in the brief period desired. Hence, it was not until February 16, 1856, that its work was done, and the long-desired plan of studies concluded. This plan was at once sent to the superior government of these islands, in order that it might finally be forwarded when it should be deemed convenient. The papers were still in the hands of the secretary of the government in March, 1859, when a fire occurred in the town of San Miguel, where said secretary resided at the time, and unfortunately the papers, in the compilation of which so much valuable labor had been expended, were burned. So unfortunate an occurrence must naturally have delayed this matter, although by chance there was in the possession of the rector of the university a copy of all these works and the previous writings of the board which were used in the compilation of the desired plan. The rector of the university was requested by the government of these islands to furnish all the previous writings in his possession on the works and plan of studies which had been destroyed while in the possession of the secretary, and which should serve as a basis for the new papers treating of the same subject.
But before sending the report to his Majesty, for his final approval, the superior government received some copies of the plan of studies newly established in the universities of the Peninsula, together with a royal order directing that it be adapted in so far as possible to the plan for these islands which was to be presented for the approbation of his Majesty. This circumstance led to the suspension of the proceedings instituted, and obliged this superior government to appoint another commission, or, rather, to complete the old one, which had already become disintegrated by the absence of some of its members, to revise the work and the plan of studies formerly proposed, and to harmonize it, if possible, with the plan of studies, a copy of which was sent to the members of the board for the purpose indicated.
Thus, on April 5, 1861, General Lemery appointed the lacking members of said commission, in which figured, as in the former commissions, the director and chancellor of this university. The commission concluded its work on February 20, 1862. The plan of studies prepared by this last commission was presented on the same day to the superior government of the islands and was finally transmitted with a favorable report to the government of his Majesty without the sovereign approval for its establishment having as yet been given.
This lack of approval of the superior government did not prevent the consideration of the means of immediately carrying into effect the change in the studies, and soon afterwards, in 1865, secondary instruction was adopted with the degree of bachelor of arts, commercial expert, and surveyor, and chemical and industrial expert, as in the universities of the Peninsula. The classes were opened the following year, in accordance with a provisional program taken from that of Cuba. In 1867, this program was given the supreme approval. Secondary instruction having been happily inaugurated, the approval of the plan of superior instruction, submitted by the university to the government of his Majesty, was being awaited, when a decree arrived from the regent of the kingdom, Don Francisco Serrano, countersigned by the colonial minister, Señor Moret,[11] which secularized the official studies, and, suppressing the existing colleges and the universities of Santo Tomás, converted them into the Philippine Institute and the university of the Philippines respectively, thus ignoring all the elements which they had accumulated in their teaching during three centuries of existence, and turning over the literary future of the people to the hazardous plan, inspired, notwithstanding the loyal patriotism of the minister, by a doctrine diametrically opposed to that which had served as a solid basis for welfare and progress. The corporations of Manila, the bishops, and the clergy, with a majority of the householders, protested against a measure which, although it fulfilled the hopes of the university in regard to new chairs and schools, deprived them of any value by separating them completely from the religious basis. These protests were heard by the governor of these islands, Señor Izquierdo, who provisionally resolved that the decree be not executed in regard to the secularization, but that it be carried out with regard to the new schools. This resolution was fully approved by the government of the Peninsula. Thus, in 1871, the schools of medicine and pharmacy were established, and the other schools were extended. By a resolution of General Moriones, the governor of these islands, which was confirmed by his Catholic Majesty, it was decided to appoint a director of the college of San José, which was granted in perpetuity to the rector of the university, and of an administrator, on the recommendation of the said director, for the management of revenues.[12]
In 1876, the study of the profession of notary was inaugurated, and two professors were appointed to teach these subjects. Finally, in 1879 and 1880, the auxiliary courses of medicine and pharmacy, midwives, assistant surgeons, and practitioners in pharmacy were created. From this date, the university of Manila has had a complete course of superior and secondary instruction, better than some universities of the Peninsula.[13]
This is the brief history of the first and most important educational institution of these islands,[14] in which it may be seen that, without the violence of certain schools, with the moderation and firmness demanded by reforms in the branch of public instruction, this university combining perfectly scientific interests with religion and patriotic interests, has been able to rise to the height required by the circumstances of the period, and has fulfilled the aspirations of all true lovers of Christian and Spanish civilization.
[1] See also San Antonio’s sketch, VOL. XXVIII, pp. 136–139. [↑]
[2] Signatura: a tribunal of the Roman court, composed of several prelates, in which various matters of grace and justice are determined. See Novísimo Diccionario. [↑]
[3] Hernaez (Colección de bulas, pp. 471, 472) prints a bull by Clement XII, dated September 2, 1734, granting authority for the teaching of both canon and civil law to the university established in the college of Santo Tomás of the Order of St. Dominic at Manila, in which portions of Innocent’s bull are inserted. This bull (translated by Rev. T. C. Middleton, O.S.A.) is as follows: “Clement XII Pope. In future remembrance of the affair. Long ago at the instance of Philip IV, of renowned memory, and during his life Catholic King of the Spains, letters in the form of a brief, of the following tenor, were issued by our predecessor, Innocent X, Pope, of happy memory, to wit: [Here follow the portions of Innocent’s bull which are quoted, and Clement continues:]
“Since moreover, as has been represented to us lately on the part of our very dear son in Christ, Philip, also Catholic King of the same Spains, in the academy or university of general study of the said college, two new chairs have been erected, one indeed of the canons, to be held by a religious of the said order, the other, however, of the institutes of civil and canon law, to be held by a doctor in both laws, the afore named King Philip desires very earnestly that the letters above inserted be extended by us ... to the two chairs just erected as said....
“Accordingly as requested, by the said authority, in virtue of these presents, the form and arrangement of the same letters inserted above being maintained however in the others, we extend ... the letters or indult above inserted to the above-named two new chairs also, until in the said city of Manila another university be erected. Given at Rome, at St. Mary Major’s under the seal of the Fisherman, September 2, 1734, the fifth year of our pontificate.” A note by Hernaez reads as follows:
“Pope Clement XII conceded authority to grant academical degrees in the college of the Society of Jesus in Manila, December 6, 1735, as is mentioned by Father Murillo [Velarde] in his Cursus juris canonici (Madrid, 1763), book v, título v, no. 62.” [↑]
[4] The position of these two Latin clauses (Proverbs, xvii, 6) is reversed in the Vulgate edition. The translation, according to the Douay version, is: “Children’s children are the crown of old men: and the glory of the children are their fathers.” [↑]
[5] See VOL. XXXV, pp. 203–208. [↑]
[6] Perhaps a reference to the Jesuits, who were expelled in 1768. [↑]
[7] See also the following documents regarding the college and university of Santo Tomás: Foundation of the college, April 28, 1611, VOL. XVII, pp. 155–171; Royal permission, November 27, 1623, VOL. XX, pp. 260, 261; and University of Santo Tomás (royal letters in regard to its elevation into a university), November 9, 1639, VOL. XXIX, pp. 175–177. [↑]
[8] See this brief, ante, pp. 146–147, note 73. [↑]
[9] Bowring ([Visit to the Philippines], p. 194) says of the condition of Santo Tomás: “In the university of St. Thomas there are about a thousand students. The professorships are of theology, the canon and civil law, metaphysics and grammar; but no attention is given to the natural sciences, to the modern languages, nor have any of the educational reforms which have penetrated most of the colleges of Europe and America found their way to the Philippines.” [↑]
[10] Of the college of Santo Tomás, the report of the Dominican friars in 1883 to the colonial exposition of Amsterdam says: “The building occupied by the university of Santo Tomás has contained since 1611 the college of the same name, which is under the direction of the Dominican friars, who gratuitously educate therein from 30 to 40 youths, the children of poor families, generally providing all the expenses for their career, and preparing them so that in the future they can fill an unembarrassed and suitable place in society. Many of these youths have become distinguished in scientific circles, and for their honesty in the legal profession, while others have been honored with the miter of a bishop, and have occupied venerable positions in ecclesiastical chapters. The youths educated in this college were not only Spaniards, but included also natives and mestizos, some of whom entered as servants, which was an honor solicited by many; and on some occasions four large dormitories of this college have been completely filled. There was a period when some entered and paid a moderate amount, according to the archives in the college, but this period was a very short one, because the documents on file in the archives show that at the beginning and at the middle of the seventeenth century, and during a greater part of the eighteenth century, no free pupils were admitted, and the few who were admitted paid a moderate tuition fee in proportion to the means of the family. In the beginning the only branches of secondary instruction taught in the college were the so-called philological or grammatical studies, and after proficiency therein any of the careers established in the university was followed.” See Census of Philippines, iii, pp. 596, 597. [↑]
[11] Of the Moret decree, Tomás G. del Rosario, writing on education in the Philippines, in Census of Philippines, iii, p. 637, says: “This decree, countersigned by the eminent colonial minister, Don Segismundo Moret, introducing modern advances in Philippine legislation, secularizing instruction and giving it all kinds of guarantees and liberties, this long-awaited provision, caused a great outburst of enthusiasm throughout the archipelago, as it signified the manumission of the popular conscience from a slavery bound with the chains of fanaticism and inimical irreconcilability. In many provinces and in the city of Manila, this never-to-be-forgotten resolution of the Spanish government was received with signs of evident joy. Later, under various pretexts, all those who had expressed joy were cruelly persecuted, and put in jail, or deported as insurgents, masons, filibusters, etc., these measures extending even to those who were merely suspected. This is the history of all theocratic or despotic governments. It is true that some residents and parents of families protested against this provision, together with the corporations, the bishops, and the clergy, but these residents and fathers of families did so either through fear or because they were debtors to or members of the families of the friars. Some did so for fear of being discovered, but most of them to carry out ambitions; no one made a protest with sincerity and in good faith. Everything was hypocrisy, as is the case, and must be the case, among all nations oppressed by absolutism.” R. L. Packard’s article, “Education in Cuba, Porto Rico, and the Philippines” included in the Report of the Commissioner of Education 1897–98, i, pp. 909–983, gives (pp. 976, 977), the plan of studies of the Moret decree of November 6, which is as follows: Spanish and Latin grammar; elements of rhetoric and poetry; elements of physical geography; elements of descriptive geography in general and the Philippines in particular; universal history—history of Spain and the Philippine Islands; arithmetic and algebra; geometry and plane trigonometry; elements of physics and chemistry and of natural history; psychology, logic, and moral philosophy; general outline of anatomy, physiology, and hygiene. The studies for the industrial profession included: mercantile arithmetic; bookkeeping and accounts; political economy and mercantile and industrial legislation; geography and commercial statistics; French, English, Tagálog, and Visayan; surveying; spherical trigonometry; cosmography, pilotage, and maneuvers; theoretical and applied mechanics; physics and chemistry applied to the arts; topographical drawing and hydrography; lineal and ornamental drawing—landscape, figures, and painting. The university of Santo Tomás, which changed its title to that of the university of the Philippines by this decree was organized as to its faculties of law and medicine, and the latter contained the following studies: descriptive and general anatomy, two courses; exercises in osteology and dissection, two courses; physiology, one course; public and private hygiene, one course; general pathology, with clinics and pathological anatomy, one course; therapeutics, materia medica, and writing prescriptions, one course; surgical pathology, with operations, bandaging, etc., one course; medical pathology, one course; obstetrics and special pathology of women and children, with clinics, one course; medical and surgical clinics, two courses; legal and toxicological medicine, one course. The pharmaceutical course was also reorganized by this decree. The same minister had proposed October 2, 1870, “that instruction should be given at the university of Madrid in Tagálog and other studies which would give information about the Philippines and the English and Dutch East India possessions and their methods of government, especially for the benefit of those who intended to enter the colonial service.” December 5, 1870, in an exposition of the history, conditions, and needs of public instruction in the Philippines, he recites the early activity of the Augustinians, Dominicans, and Jesuits, in education. He points out that by the process of absorption by the religious orders, education became concentrated in their hands, and while they had done much good in early times, their narrowness and conservatism rendered secularization of instruction necessary. [↑]
[12] October 29, 1875, a royal order was issued regulating the courses in the university, and prescribing courses of study. Packard, ut supra, p. 977. [↑]
[13] Of the studies of secondary instruction given in Santo Tomás, San Juan de Letran, and San José, as well as the private schools, the Census of Philippines, iii, pp. 601, 602, says: “They had the defects inherent in the plan of instruction which the friars developed in the Philippines. It suited their plans that scientific and literary knowledge should not become general nor be very extensive, for which reason they took but little interest in the study of those subjects or in the quality of the instruction. Their educational establishments were places of luxury for the children of wealthy and well-to-do families, rather than establishments in which to perfect and develop the minds of Filipino youth. It is true that they were careful to give them a religious education, tending to make them respect the omnipotent power of the monastic corporations, at least three certificates being required every year, proving that the pupil had gone to confession, in order to permit him to stand the examination at the end of the term.” [↑]
[14] See the courses of study for the schools of jurisprudence, theology, and canons, medicine, pharmacy, and the notarial profession, in accordance with the royal decree of October 29, 1875, and the studies given in the school for practitioners in medicine and practitioners in pharmacy, approved by the general government of the Philippines on March 4, and December 29, 1879, and afterward confirmed by the supreme government, in Census of Philippines, iii, pp. 627–629. A course was also given under the same authority for midwives. According to a Dominican report submitted at the Exposition of Madrid, in 1887, the university of Santo Tomás conferred degrees upon 957 bachelors, 132 licentiates, and 97 doctors in philosophy, theology, canonical law, and civil law from 1645 to 1820. The graduations from 1820 to 1850 were as follows: theology, 457; canons, 325; institute, 748; civil law, 203; philosophy, 2,173. From 1850 to 1870, the graduations were: theology, 822; Roman and canonical law, 1,540; civil law, 658; philosophy, 3,405. The graduations from 1871 to 1886 were as follows: preparatory course in theology and jurisprudence, 745; preparatory course in pharmacy and medicine, 660; dogmatic theology, 406; moral theology, 104; canonical law, 36; jurisprudence, 1,904; pharmacy, 356; medicine, 1,029. The report of 1887 contains the following in regard to the university: “The university of Manila has the titles of royal and pontifical, which reveal its glorious destiny of propagating in this archipelago religion and love for Spain. It is under the most special patronage of the angelical doctor [i.e., St. Thomas Aquinas], presenting in its name of royal and pontifical university of Santo Tomás the ideals which have prompted its foundation and directed its development for a period of almost three centuries. Its organization is simple without being rudimentary. Having for a basis religious education, at the same time that it avoids the danger of professors expounding more or less advanced theories, which in practice sooner or later, are reduced to moral ruins, both public and private, it contains the pupil within the circle of a severe discipline, in which, if some apparently see oppression and a suppression of spirit, this apparent oppression is softened by the paternal affection which the priests in charge of the instruction know how to bestow upon the natives of this archipelago. A constant encouragement to the young, directed by prudent and affectionate discipline; that is the standard observed by the university of Manila as to its pupils.” It was impossible for the friars to extend this purely religious education to university studies, as the persons devoting themselves to such studies were already adult persons. Graduates from the university, although officially recognized by the Spanish government, rarely received official aid. The few Filipinos who were appointed to the notarial and law positions, received such appointment only temporarily. The same is true also regarding physicians. This condition was one factor in the development of the last revolution against Spain. The Dominican report of 1887 also says: “Both secondary and higher instruction cost nothing to the treasury in the Philippines. The colleges of Santo Tomás and of San Juan de Letran are supported from the funds of the corporation to which they belong. The expenses of the university are defrayed with regard to the studies of medicine and pharmacy by the revenues of the college of San José, devoted to that purpose by several royal orders, the balance in the treasury of the college last year [i.e., 1886], after the deduction of all expenses, having been only $173.94. The other expenses of the university are defrayed by the Order of St. Dominic, which has assigned for this purpose, a large personnel serving without charge. Furthermore, the building of the college of Santo Tomás, its library, museum, cabinet, and other equipment, are devoted to educational purposes, with all the personnel and supplies necessary for its preservation and improvement. The only university receipts are those from the payment of matriculations, examination fees, and diplomas. The average receipts, deducting therefrom what corresponds, according to law, to professors, the secretary, etc., amount to $14,000, and the expenditures to $30,000. The latter figure does not include the cost of repairs, the support of the building, cabinet, museum, and library, and other dependencies of Santo Tomás, religions feasts, and other expenses which are not defrayed from the treasury of the university.” See ut supra, pp. 626–635.
See also J. Valinau’s La universidad de Manila, in La politica de España en Filipinas, a periodical published for eight years, under the directorship of José Feced, and the editorship of Pablo Feced and W. E. Retana, for the year 1891, pp. 26–29, 38–41, 50–52, 62–64, 74–76, 88–90, 98–100, 110–112, 122–124, 134–136. On pp. 122, 123, is given the number of professors in the various faculties in 1887, as follows: theology and canons, 8, all religious, except one in charge of the class of Roman law, which is taught by an advocate; jurisprudence, 14 professors, 7 of whom were religious and 7 jurisconsults of Manila; medicine, 15 professors, the 3 in charge of the preparatory course being religious, and the other 12 physicians; pharmacy, 8 professors, 3 (the same as those in the preceding) being religious, and the remainder, pharmacists of Manila; 11 professors in charge of commerce, agriculture, and industry, all religious except one—in all a total of 56 professors, of whom 27 were religious. The library of the university contained about 12,000 volumes, and the physics cabinet about 300 instruments. Valinau, a former student of the university, and in civil life, defends the rule of the friars against detractors. [↑]