INTRODUCTION
Ignatius of Loyola
was a man devoted to the service of God and humanity. He did many things in his
life which were unique in many respects. He made the restoration of piety among
Catholics in his care. He everywhere opened
schools for the education of youth
in piety and letters. He founded at
THE EARLY LIFE OF ST. IGNATIUS OF
LOYOLA
Inigo de Loyola was
born in 1491 in Azpeitia in the Basque province
of Guipuzcoa in northern Spain
THE FOUNDING OF THE SOCIETY OF
JESUS
At the age of 33 he
decided to study for the priesthood. However, he was ignorant of Latin, a
necessary preliminary to university studies in those days. So he started back
to school studying Latin grammar with young boys in a school in Barcelona university of Paris Paris
THE ‘SCHOOL MASTERS OF EUROPE ’
All educational
institutions emerge in one way or another from a long tradition, since
education always entails conveying past experience to succeeding generations,
for the Jesuits this ancestry goes back to St.
Ignatius of Loyola.
Within a century of
the founding of the society in 1540, its members were being hailed as the ‘School
Masters of Europe’. In a widely used book titled ‘doctrines of great
educationists’, Robert R. Rusk selected for treatment 13 people who had been
successful in influencing western educational tradition : Plato, Quintillion,
Eliot, Ignatius, Comenius, Milton, Locke, Rousseau, Pestalozzi, Herbert,
Froebel, Montessori and Dewey. Look at the company in which Ignatius is placed.
DEATH OF ST. IGNATIUS
Ignatius helped
establish Jesuit schools and universities all over Europe
and the world. In the summer of 1556 his health grew worse. On July 31, 1556
Ignatius rendered his soul into the hands of God. Ignatius’ feast day is
celebrated by the universal church on July 31, the day he died.
THE ORDER OF STUDIES
The Jesuits thought
that without proper catholic education the stability of the catholic religion
was not secure. Therefore, they paid particular attention on the rules of their
organization. Loyola included education in its regulations. But this was not
considered adequate. So after Loyola’ death some reforms were introduced, but the
same could not meet all the expectations. So in the fourth part of this
organization. “The order of studies” was included. This order is also known as
‘ratio studiorum’.
THE ‘RATIO STUDIORUM’
The ‘ratio
studiorum’ or ‘plan of studies’ was published after much deliberation and
exchange of experience among the schools of the society in 1586. It was hand
book to assist teachers and administrators in the daily running of the school.
it contained a series of rules or practical directions regarding such matters
as the government of the schools, formation and distribution of teachers, the
curriculum and method of teaching.
THE AIM OF EDUCATION
The main purpose of
catholic education was to propagate the catholic faith. The aim of Jesuit
education was to promote the development of character according to catholic
ideals and to generate a feeling for propagation of catholic religion and to
strengthen it further.
SUBJECTS OF STUDIES AND THEIR
ORGANIZATIONS
In the Jesuit
educational system, primary education was to be imparted at home. The dearth of
teachers was the principal reason for having primary education at home. After
having taught simple reading and writing at home. A child was admitted to a
school for further education. Two types of schools existed in the system of
Jesuit education : one was called ‘Lower college’ and the other was known the
‘upper college’.
The duration of
education at the lower college was of six years. In the first three classes, a
student was required to learn Greek at least for three years. In the fourth
class he was given instruction both in Greek and Latin literature. For this a
student was required to study famous writings of Greek literary men and
historians. The fifth class has studies for two years duration and there was
special provision for the studies of prosody and poetical works.
UPPER COLLEGE
In the upper
college special provision existed for the study of religion and philosophy. The
duration for the study of philosophy was of three years. During these years a
student was to study philosophy, logic, ethics and psychology.
After completion of
the studies of philosophy a student was granted the degree of M.A. For the
study of religion, after obtaining an M.A. degree, a student was required to
teach for five or six years in the lower college. Only then he was allowed to
prosecute his studies further. In the study of religion the course was of four
years. For this study one was required to study Hebrew in addition to Latin and
was required to make a critical study of old books on religion and history of
Christianity. For studying for four years in this manner, a student could carry
on higher research work on some religious topic for obtaining the degree of Doctor
of Divinity (D.D). This was the Jesuit system of higher education.
METHOD OF EDUCATION
In the educational
system in the lower college rote memorization and recapitulation were the
principal methods. Everyday, before starting a new lesson the portion already
taught on the previous day was recapitulated at first. Then whatever was taught
on a particular day was recapitulated before the class was dispersed. In fact,
‘recapitulation’ was regarded as ‘the mother of education’.
For the rote
memorization and ‘recapitulation’, the class was split into two groups. Each
student of a group was given a serial number. A student of a particular serial
number was to recapitulate. If he committed any error, the student of the other
group with the same serial number was required to correct the error. The
students were motivated through rewards and titles.
In the Jesuit
education, special attention was paid to the ability and efficiency of the
teacher. In order to teach in a lower college, it was necessary to study
philosophy in an upper college. Normally instruction was imparted through
lectures. After giving the meaning of the lesson, the teacher would interpret
the same. Then, the views of some other writers were presented before the
students. After this, the teacher used to offer his own criticism. The moral to
be drawn from the lesson was also pointed out at the end.
JESUIT EDUCATION AS EMBODIED IN
PART IV OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE SOCIETY
Ganss (1969)
pointed out the salient features of Jesuit education as embodied in part IV of
the constitution of the society as:
- The end of the society and its studies is to aid their followers to knowledge and love of god and to the salvation of their souls.
- On the part of the students they would strive to attain excellence in mastering their field of study.
- The society hopes by means of education to introduce capable leaders into a social order, in numbers large enough to leaven it effectively for good.
- Formation imparted in Jesuit schools must be both intellectual and moral providing reasoned out basis for moral living.
- Teachers should be personally interested in the intellectual and spiritual progress of the students.
- Jesuit educational institution should transmit the cultural heritage of the past.
- Jesuit schools should adapt their procedures to circumstances of time, places and persons.
CHARACTERISTICS OF JESUIT EDUCATION
Education
intuitions are never static. It innovates and changes in course of time. Under
various influences. Jesuit educational institutions also followed this age old
dictum. Result was the ‘characteristics of Jesuit education’ of 1986 at the 400th
anniversary of ‘ratio studiorum’.
I. Salient features
v Jesuit education insists in the total formation of each individual
within the human society. Jesuit education insists on the individual care and
concern of each person. It emphasizes activity on the part of the students and
encourages life long openness to growth.
v Jesuit education is value based. It encourages a realistic
knowledge, love and acceptance of the self. It provides a realistic knowledge
of the world in which we live.
v Jesuit education is preparation for active life commitment. It is
committed to the service of faith that does justice. It seeks to form man and
woman for others, manifesting a particular concern for the poor.
v Jesuit education pursues excellence in its work of formation. Jesuit
education relies on a spirit administration, the Jesuit community, governing
bodies, parents, former students and benefactors.
v Jesuit education takes place with in a structure that promotes
comity. It is a system of schools with a common visions and goals. It assists
providing the professional training that is needed especially for the teachers.
CONCLUSION
Jesuit system of
education was encouraged in secondary schools and universities. The character
of students and teachers was immensely influenced. Special importance was
attached to social welfare in the Jesuit system of education. Every one was
given equal opportunity in the field of education. Thus Jesuit education was
particularly helpful in promoting social progress.
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