Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-25


country-the old Spanish families. which
formerly would not permit their sons TO
enter into business. but limited their ca
reers to the church. the army, the learned
professions and agriculture. But public
sentiment in Chile has been changing. AZ
In all the other Latin countries. and the
Cniversidad Catolica has been compelied
to introduce departments OF civil enSi-
neering. chemistry. mining, electricity
and other modern practical branches
The same irresistible tendency has had
its influence upon other institutions for
higher education In Central and south
America, notwith "A ndinG the struggle Of
the conservative element against demo
cratic innovations. Until the liberal par
ties obtained control in all of the coun-
tries IL was customary to make great
deal more OF university education than OF
the common schools, and in some OF the
countries there were no educational OPP
portunities for the working classes. The
sons OF the aristocracy were prepared
very carefully in the classics, In litera-
ture and philosophy by tutors at their
homes in secondary schools conducted by
the several religious orders. and We're CIV
en- a thorough professional education in
the universities. Indeed. there was a
higher average of culture among the
wealthy element in Central and South
America than In North America.
knowledge of Languages Requisite.
Even today the accomplishments OF a
gentleman in all of the South American
countries include familiarity with the
ancient and modern languages. which is
very rare among the corresponding class
in the United States. Nearly everybody
speaks French as well as Spanish, the
native tongue, and a knowledge of Latin
and Greek is considered necessary. In
nearly all Of the republics south Of the
Rio Grande the liberal party has made
primary education compulsory. and so far
as financial resources have permitted
free public schools have been established
in every village. The introduction of sec
ular schools has compelled the priests to
enlarge their courses of instruction In
parochal schools and provide more COM
petent teachers than formerly.
I believe that Colombia is the only
country in which the educational system
is still under the direction of the church.
and for many years II was seculaIfzed
and controlled by minister OF public in
struction. There was university at
Bogota with faculties of letters, philos-
ophy, jurisprudence. medicine. theology
and mathmatics. but most of them are
now theoretical rather than actual. The
finances of the government have been so
badly disturbed that instruction OF all
grades has been suspended pretty gener-
ally throughout the entire country. AT
last accounts the faculties of medicine.
natural science and engineering were re-
The University of Venezuela at Caracas
formerly was an institution of some note.
and when Guzman Blanco was dictator
he made a great deal of II. but his sue
cessors in the executive chair have not
had so high a respect for learning. and
the institution has languished. At one
time there was a faculty of fifty profess
sors. and more than seven hundred stu
dents. but during the reign of Castro no
catalogue was published, and We have no
recent information.
Struggle for Control.
In Ecuador there has been long strug-
gle between the church and the liberal
party for the control of education, and
although the latter has succeeded In di-
vorcing the church and the state, has ex-
PEELED all the monks and mugs, closed tire
converts and monasteries. established
the civil rights Of marriage and assumed
control over the primary and secondary
schools the university at Quito is, be-
lieve, still under the jurisdiction of tho
archbishop. At last accounts there was
q faculty Of thirty-two professors and
PIC st idents at Quito. the larger number
being in the faculties of law and medi-
cine but public sentiment has compelled
the introduction Of modern ideas and
methods and within the last few years
several new courses Of instruction N the
applied sciences, agriculture, engineering.
etc. have been introduced. There are
several very learned men connected with
the University of Quito, but they are
mostly Europeans.
All of the Central American countries
have institutions which they call univer-
sites. except Costa RIGA, where there is
an excellent college and normal SCHOOL,
In Guatemala are several professional
schools Of law. medicine. engineering.
fine arts and several normal schools, and
they have been very well kept up. In Mica
ragua are 'nominally two universities. but
they are not always in session. In Sal
yador there is university with law,
medical engineering and natural science
schools with altogether about 200 stu
dents. In Honduras Is university with
faculties In medicine. law and political
science and engineering.> with sixty two
students according to the latest reports.
In each Of the Central American univer-
sites are men of learning and high liter
airy attainments. great deal OF aften-
ton Is given to political science and ora
tory, which perhaps might better be de-
voted to more practical branches.
All who have come in contact with the
professional men of Central America and
other Latin-American states will testify
to their culture.
Many Distinguished Graduates.
The University of Havana has had
high reputation and has graduated many
distinguished patriots and scholars 1t
ranks second in age, i believe. to the
University of San Marcos in Peru, having
been founded by the Dominican fathers
in 1878. Since the republic in 1902. how
ever, all of the monks and priests have
been separated from the institution, and
its faculty Is now composed almost eX-
clusively of advanced thinkers, includ-
ing several radical socialists.
Mr. Packard's enthusiasm over the ad-
vancement in modern methods of educa-
ton cannot be safely applied to present
conditions at the University Of Havana,
i,-xtJ 1r <.tosy fnn fQS
indeed, has leaped all bounds in its pursuit
of political ideals.