[28] The important circular of the superior civil government of August 30, 1867 (concerning school attendance), treats of the manner of exercise of the supervision of the schools by the parish priests and provincial chiefs. Various other acts of legislation refer to the same matter. (Grifol y Aliaga, p. 118, note 1.) [↑]
[29] The first two books mentioned are: the Catecismo de la doctrina cristiana, by Gaspar Astete, which has passed through many Spanish editions; and the Catéchisme historique, by Claude Fleury, which has passed through many different editions in many languages. José Francisco de Iturzaeta has published several works on educational subjects. [↑]
[30] James A. LeRoy (Philippine Life, p. 203) says of the textbooks used in the Philippines: “After 1863, and up to the American conquest, the catechism remained the chief feature of daily work in the primary schools, often relegating all else to an insignificant place—much depending upon the preparation, at best a scanty one, of the teacher. A badly printed little 150 page textbook, prescribed by the government for the schools, was reader, writer, speller, arithmetic, geography, history of Spain and the world (Spain overshadowing), Spanish grammar (quite commonly not taught, because the teacher knew little or nothing of it), and handbook of religious and moral precepts (many pages). This book, moreover, shows how pitifully inadequate was the Filipino child’s schooling at the very best; for often not even this textbook was employed, perhaps because the teacher was not prepared to use it.” [↑]
[31] The Philippine school report for 1892, entitled “Report of the children’s schools for both sexes, at present in these islands, classified in accordance with the orders of his Excellency, the governor-general, in his decree of July 29, 1892,” gives the following data. The schools are classified by grades, i.e., into schools of entrada, ascenso, and finishing schools of the second and first rank; and the order in charge of each village or province is also given. We condense from this report (a manuscript belonging to Rev. T. C. Middleton, O.S.A.), the number of schools in the various provinces, and the order or orders in charge of the same.
| Augustinians | |
| Province | No. ofSchools |
| Abra, | 28 |
| Antique, | 57 |
| Bontoc, | 8 |
| Ilocos Norte, | 30 |
| Lepanto, | 20 |
| Quiangan, | 2 |
| Tiagan, | 9 |
| Union, | 35 |
| Augustiniansand Franciscans | |
| Bulacan, | 68 |
| Augustiniansand seculars | |
| Cebú, | 120 |
| Capiz, | 65 |
| Ilocos Sur, | 61 |
| Iloilo, | 95 |
| Pampanga, | 54 |
| Augustinians,Franciscans, and seculars | |
| Batangas, | 46 |
| Nueva Ecija, | 49 |
| Augustiniansand Dominicans | |
| Tarlac, | 34 |
| Augustiniansand all other orders | |
| Manila, | 84 |
| Franciscans | |
| Albay, | 88 |
| Burias, | 4 |
| Camarines Norte, | 20 |
| Camarines Sur, | 68 |
| Isla del Corregidor, | 3 |
| Infanta, | 4 |
| Franciscans andDominicans | |
| Bataan, | 36 |
| Nueva Vizcaya, | 16 |
| Franciscans andRecollects | |
| Misamis, | 74 |
| Leite, | 89 |
| Principe, | 5 |
| Samar, | 76 |
| Surigao, | 59 |
| Tayabas, | 45 |
| Recollects | |
| Bohol, | 94 |
| Cavite, | 50 |
| Cottabato, | 6 |
| Calamianes, | 10 |
| Isla de Negros, occidental, | 56 |
| Isla de Negros, oriental, | 34 |
| Isabela de Basilan (?) | 2 |
| Masbate and Ticao, | 23 |
| Mindoro, | 44 |
| Paragua, | 6 |
| Romblon, | 33 |
| Zambales, | 48 |
| Recollects andCapuchins | |
| Carolinas, orientales, | 4 |
| Carolinas, occidentales, | 3 |
| Recollects andDominicans | |
| Morong, | 30 |
| Recollects andseculars | |
| Zamboanga, | 15 |
| Dominicans | |
| Cagayan, | 39 |
| Islas Batanes, | 14 |
| Isabela de Luzón, | 33 |
| Laguna, | 56 |
| Pangasinan, | 62 |
| Jesuits | |
| Davao, | 11 |
| Dapitan, | 12 |
| Capuchins | |
| Marianas, | 4 |
[32] LeRoy, ut supra, pp. 203–204, says: “The advance in primary instruction from 1863 to 1896 was altogether notable, though the figures revealing it are largely superficial, after all, in their significance. The number of school buildings increased in the villages from seven hundred to twenty-one hundred, but the number of pupils did not reach two hundred thousand, in all probability, as against one hundred and thirty-five thousand in 1866.” [↑]
[33] Notwithstanding this admirable prescription, Tomás G. del Rosario, writing in Census of Philippines, iii, p. 595, says concerning the sanitary qualities of the Philippine schools: “The necessary sanitation was not observed in the schools, either to preserve the health of the children or for personal cleanliness, an important purpose of every educational system. Many of the schools were in the filthiest condition. They had no water-closets nor play-grounds, and no instruction was given in physical culture or in social matters.” [↑]
[34] According to article 25 of the penal code in force in these islands, corporal punishments, in addition to that of death, are perpetual chains, perpetual imprisonment, perpetual exile, perpetual banishment, temporal chains, temporal exile, temporal banishment, imprisonment at hard labor, lesser imprisonment, confinement, absolute perpetual and temporal disqualification, and absolute and special perpetual and temporal disqualification for any public charge, right of active or passive suffrage, profession, or trade. (Grifol y Aliaga, p. 123, note 2.) [↑]
[35] The provisions (Grifol y Aliaga, p. 123, note 3) in force in regard to the salaries of teachers and assistants is that of the superior decree of July 29, 1892, which prescribes the following monthly salaries: