The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-08-16
THE MODERN" SCHOOL OF
A SPANISH ANARCHIST.

Last Sundays issue of the Pio-
neer Press contained an article on
a recent translation of "The
Origin and Ideals Of the Modern
School" a book written by Fran
cisco Ferrer, who, our readers
will remember, was put to death
in 1909 by the Spanish authori-
ties on account Of his connection
with the Barcelona riots of that
year. The modern school" re-
ferred to, is, of course, the school
established by Ferrer, whom writ
ers like Archer, who was COM
missioned by McClure's Magazine
to get the facts Of the case, glori-
fed as a martyr of progress. !"
Nor is the writer of the article in
the Pioneer Press entirely free
from the faint of Archerism. He,
too, would proclaim Ferrer mar
tyr. "The Spanish educator and
alleged anarchist whose judicial
murder in 1909 excited such pro-
test throughout the civilized
world" is the way he character
ICES Ferrer. Those who are IA
miliar with the facts of the case,
as they have been presented by
impartial writer's, know that Fer
rer was criminal conspirator
and anarchist who had fair trial
and whose condemnation was war
ranted by the evidence brought
against him.
In order to show how modern
and progressive this Spanish
educator" was, the writer in the
Pioneer Press cites a few passages
from the translation, which are
supposed to give the keynote Of
Ferrer's educational program.
There is nothing strikingly new
or modern in it. The central idea
is co-education. "The most i'm
portant point in our progress Of
rational education" says Ferrer,
in view of the intellectual condi-
Ltion Of the country, and the fea-
ture which was most likely to
shock current prejudices and
habits, was the co-education of
boys and girls. There
must be co-education Of different
social classes as well as Of the two
sexes, - and he adds: "Educa-
ton is not worthy Of the name,
unless it be stripped Of all dog
matism, and unless it leaves to the
child the direction of his powers.
1t is very difficult to follow the
line of reasoning which led the
writer in the Pioneer Press to the
following conclusion: tThat
teaching like this could have
aroused the enmity Of the politi-
clans and the churchmen to a
point that would not be satisfied
with anything short of the teach
er's life is bitter comment on
Spanish civilization today" 1t
was not to be expected that the
writer would resist the tempta-
ton to take a gratuitous fling at
the "churchmen," whom he
would hold responsible for Fer
rer's execution.
But what, in the name of com
mon sense, had Ferrer's teaching
in regard to co-education to do
with his condemnation and death?
Nothing at all, save indirectly and
in so far as co-eduation was made
use of as a clock to enable him to
propagate his anarchistic doc
trines. 1t was merely pretext
for inoculating the mind Of youth
with ideas subversive Of the prin-
ciples of good citizenship. Nor is
there any reason why Ferrer's CO.
educational program should
strike the American reader as
an indictment Of the other schools
in SPAIN" when the intelligent
" American reader" knows that
co-education is falling into disfa-
vor In his own country. As note
worthy instance Of this-only one
of many, however may cite
the action of the trustees Of the
Horace Mann School Of Teachers,
of Columbia University, who re-
Gently decided to abandon CO.
education after years of expert
ment, during which they investi-
gated the question from every
point of view. The evils Of CO.
education are patent to all who
are not blinded by an idolatrous
worship of the public school sys-
tenn. The Spanish authorities
were well aware Of the fact that
Ferrer's co-educational scheme
was but means to an end-the
corruption Of the minds and
hearts of the youth of Spain.
As matter of fact, the excerpts
from Ferrer's book which appear
ed in the Pioneer Press give no
idea of the real nature of the
schools which he founded. Among
a certain class of people, Ferrer is
Iropardod Yoornlv az school