The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-03-24
Continued from page IL
Catholic Education in Chile

NdluUlL( AUu(olEUu liz NuIkC
and is, the Church party" and there
fore in fairness great deal is due to
the Church, through its individual adj
herents, for Chile's unusual political
record.
But to return to the educational
side 1t has been shown how the early
days of learning in Chile had been
fostered and developed. The public
primary and secondary schools, UNI
fortunately, have not had a growth
equally consistent with that of higher
learning. Laws creating these were
passed, of course; but the usual OBJ
stacles existing in every newly-devel-
oping and sparsely-settled country
lack Of teachers, lack of proper trans
portatiOn and communication facilities
all helped to initiate against q
progress i'll the rural districts proper
tionately equivalent to that enjoyed by
the cities and centers of population.
We do not have to search far for an
analogy, for it may be found in our
own State Of Maryland, as witnessed
by authoritative reports which have
been published.
Private Initiative Played Strong
Part.
To fill the gap thus existing in Chile
aye, and supplying the need even be-
| fore political Chile came into being
private initiative came to the rescue.
| The many schools and institutions
maintained by the various religious
orders have always played leading
part. 1t is not to detract in any way
| from the excellent private institutions
now maintained by foreigners-par-
| ticularly the German schools in the
| South-that this is said; but it is
merely to give honor to whom honor is
| due.
Long before the German schools, Or
any Of the other non Catholic schools,
were established, the Catholic religious
orders were doing all within their power
and means to disseminate education.
Most of the non-Catholic schools of to-
day are very good; there is no denying
that nor any wish to deny it. But, as
a rule, when anyone in the United
States hears of private education in
Chile or in any other South American
country, one hears chiefly of the Prot
estant missionary schools. Those are
advertised here-the Catholic orders
do not advertise their work, at least
not in the same way. The cause is
obvious. The Protestant missionary
| (the ones whose words or writings we
know are generally American) is
naturally interested primarily in his
own undertaking; and, besides, by his
training and professional viewpoint is
perhaps not as sympathetic towards
the educational efforts of his religious
rivals as he might be. And further
more, he, as rule, knows very little
of the inner working and doings of
the Catholic Church. The weak points
Of her children are emphasized and
often, alas, created out of whole cloth
The good deeds are usually entirely
ignored. The foreign non-Catholic
missionary generally has not the &C.
cess that a Catholic would have; and
if he has it, he rarely exercises it
properly or fairly. All this, lament
able as it is, is but natural. The fact
remains that the Catholic orders in
Chile have borne and are bearing to-
day the lions share in private educa
ton. And the many parochal schools
must not be forgotten.
Some Statistics.
Some statistics, now old but unfor.
tunately the only ones available at
this time, place the number of public
lprimary schools Government schools)
in Chile at 1861, and the average at.
tendance at 10S,5S2. Private primary
schools total SOC, with an attendance
of 29,6S4; and private secondary
schools (the number of these is not
given) have a total of 11,1S4 pupils
All these figures today must be con
siderably increased. But taken on this
ratio, it may be noticed that private
instruction in Chile equals nearly one
half Of that supplied by the Govern
ment. Grant the non-Catholic schools
their share of the credit; but grant
credit also to the Catholic schools
which are bearing by far the greater
proportion of the burden, and which
were in the field very long time be
| fOrn anu nthQpc
The chief bright ray of Catholic edu
cation-and it is a bright ray, indeed
lis the Catholic University of San
tiago Without in any way wishing to
detract from the value of the State
University (of which most if not al
were graduates) the Catholics of Chile
!: felt that there was room for an institu
ton independent of Government sup
|, port, and in 1888 the present univer
sity was founded.
Remarkable Growth.
It's growth has been rer, arkable
] Beginning with 70 students in 1889, i
ow-1913-numbers 74S.) In these
few years it has been able to cnstruc
! and occupy splendid new group o
, buildings, situated on the Alameda
Il or4 ~