The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898; Volume 46, 1721-1739 / Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century

by Unknown

REGULATIONS FOR THE MUNICIPAL GIRLS’ SCHOOL PROPOSED BY THE EXALTED AYUNTAMIENTO OF MANILA

CHAPTER I

Object and character of the municipal school[43]

1. The object of this school in charge of the sisters of charity is to give the girls of this capital the inestimable benefit of a fine education and the elementary instruction, with all the solidity and amplitude advisable.

2. In their education is included the theoretical and practical teaching of Christian religion and ethics, which our own self respect, and our respect due to our fellows impose on us.

3. Therefore, so far as possible, the scholars shall hear mass and recite the rosary daily. They shall be obliged to confess and receive communion as soon as their age permits it, monthly, or at least every two months. They shall celebrate the act of communion on the day, and at the hour and place which shall be designated by the directress, after conferring with the superior. The feast of the Immaculate Conception and that of the Presentation of the most holy Virgin shall be celebrated in the school with all possible solemnity.

4. Instruction shall embrace two kinds of subjects: the first the necessary, to which all the girls must attend in their respective classes; the others optional, to which they shall apply themselves according to the wishes of their parents.

5. The [required] subjects are: Christian doctrine, politeness, reading, writing, Castilian grammar, arithmetic, the decimal metric system, and the needle-work suitable for their sex, such as sewing, darning, and cutting. On the other hand, the optional subjects are: geography; general history; special history of España; elements of natural history; embroidery in white, with silks, corded silk, beads, and gold, and other like needle-work.

6. To these subjects can be added any other subjects which experience shall advise in the future, and which is not outside the sphere of elementary knowledge.

CHAPTER II

Pupils of the municipal school

7. All the children who so solicit, within the number permitted by the size of the building, and according to the order of their presentation, whenever their moral condition does not make them unworthy the company and intercourse of those who are well brought up, shall be admitted without distinction, from the age of five years.

8. Permission to admit girls shall be in charge of a member of the exalted ayuntamiento, who, after having informed the corporation thereof, shall send for that purpose to the directress of the school a signed paper, in which will be noted the name and personal qualifications of the girl.

9. Teaching will be free for all pupils in all necessary and optional subjects named in these regulations, without prejudice of which, in case of enlarging the scope of teaching to other optional subjects, which occasion expense, the quota which must be paid by the girls who receive lessons in the said subjects shall be assigned.

10. The directress of the school, conferring with the superior and commission of supervision, created by article 26, is authorized to dismiss any girl who deserves it, informing the member of the ayuntamiento who is charged with the admission. Cases for expulsion shall consist of: a contagious disease, special laziness, and lack of application, stubbornness, and serious lack of respect toward the teachers, bad deportment, and morals harmful to the other scholars.

11. In case of a contagious disease, a medical examination at the wish and expense of the parents shall precede the resolution to dismiss the girl. For the cause of lack of application or stubbornness, the scholar who incurs these faults shall not be dismissed except after the attempt by reasonable means to correct her, and warnings, once, twice, and thrice, to the parents of the party interested. But when the deportment and irregular morals of any pupil concern the innocence of the other girls, she shall be dismissed without delay, with the advisable reservation. Nevertheless, both in such case and in the preceding, all due consideration shall be observed toward the girl and her parents.

12. Girls who, without any legitimate cause approved by the directress of the school, shall be absent from class thirty consecutive or interspersed times, in the same year, shall not receive a reward in their examinations. Sickness, necessary absence from this capital, and the bad weather which makes the streets impassable shall be a sufficient excuse.

13. For the admission of boarders and half-boarders, the resolutions drawn up in special regulations shall be observed. Until such regulations are published the directress of the school may admit half-boarders exactly in the manner in which pupils are received, namely, as arranged by articles 7 and 8 of this same chapter.

CHAPTER III

Classes and studies

14. Teaching in all the necessary subjects embraced in the municipal school is divided into three classes: lowest, intermediate, and upper.

15. In the lowest class shall be taught Christian doctrine and the beginnings of reading and sewing.

16. In the intermediate class shall be taught Christian doctrine, principles of sacred history, and the general history of España, reading, writing, principles of Castilian grammar, with practice in orthography, principles of arithmetic, and of the decimal metric system, overcasting, drawing threads, backstitching, gathering, and plaiting, darning, and sample work.

17. The upper class shall be taught writing, Castilian grammar, orthography, arithmetic, history of España, the decimal metric system, plaiting, making button-holes, crocheting, and cutting.

CHAPTER IV

Distribution of time for classes and studies

18. All classes shall begin in the morning at eight o’clock, and in the afternoon at two, and shall close at eleven in the morning and at five in the afternoon.

19. Girls of the lowest class shall employ the first hour of the morning in sewing, the second in praying and Christian doctrine, the third in reading; and the same in the afternoon.

20. Children of the intermediate and upper class shall employ the first hour of the morning in writing; the second, in praying, reading, Christian doctrine, and arithmetic; the third, in needle-work. In the afternoon of Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, the first hour shall be employed in grammar, general history, special history of España, and exercises in orthography; the second, in reciting the most holy rosary, and in hearing the explanation of Christian doctrine and sacred history; the third, in needle-work. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, in the morning, the same as on Mondays, etc.; but in the afternoon of Tuesdays and Saturdays, the first hour, in lessons in politeness, orthography, and the decimal metric system; the second, in reciting the holy rosary, and in hearing on Tuesdays the explanation of natural history, and on Saturdays that of the holy gospel; the third in needle-work.

CHAPTER V

Holidays and vacations

21. There shall be a holiday for all the classes on the afternoon of Thursdays in that week that shall have no feast day; and in the morning and afternoon, the feast day in commemoration of the deceased faithful, the saints’ days, or anniversary of the birthdays of our sovereigns (whom may God preserve), and the feast of St. Vincent of Paul.

22. There shall be thirty days of general vacation after the examinations which shall take place at the end of May, but the last fortnight shall have only holidays in the afternoon.

CHAPTER VI

Rewards and punishments

23. There shall be a private examination in the classes at the end of each month, and some reward shall be given.

24. At the end of the course, after the public examinations, the solemn distribution of prizes shall take place. These prizes shall consist of silver, and gilded medals, and of rewards of merit and religious subjects, and other like objects.

25. The punishments which shall be imposed on the pupils shall consist of detention and remaining on the knees for a moderate time, loss of place of honor in the class, occupation of a seat separated from the other girls, and tagged with a card declaring the fault.

CHAPTER VII

Supervision and oversight

26. A commission composed of three women appointed by his Excellency, the superior civil governor, on recommendation of the ayuntamiento, one of whom shall be relieved annually, shall be created for the supervision of the school. The functions of this commission shall be those only of supervision and oversight. In consequence of that they must inform the superior authority of any fault which is noted with the fitting remarks for its correction.

Approved by his Excellency, the superior civil governor, Manila, February 15, 1864.