Loyola and the Educational System of the JesuitsHughes, Thomas
History
Loyola and the Educational System of the Jesuits
Hughes, Thomas
Education -- History; Ignatius, of Loyola, Saint, 1491-1556; Jesuits
But, even with all the advantages accruing from these large contingents
of learned men already formed, the idea of Ignatius, to train young men
within the Order, was more practical for the formation of faculties;
and it carried the general efficiency much further. Powerful and
effective as the most pronounced personalities may be, when each
striking character goes forward into the open field of battle and leads
the way, they are not more powerful than when also qualified to move in
the steady and regular march of the trained forces. Father Montmorency,
referring to the strength which comes of uniformity, sociability, and
harmony, said, _Homo unus, homo nullus_, "A man alone is as good as no
man at all."
Ignatius then, having perpetuity and development in view, and therefore
the steady and trained development of talented and virtuous young
men, would not accept foundations, except on the basis of endowment,
just described. He had not learned in vain the lessons of Barcelona,
Alcalà, Salamanca, and Paris. How wisely he acted is shown by the
troubles, which later legislation reveals, upon this very point of
inadequately endowed colleges. The questions of ill-endowed colleges,
small colleges, too many colleges for the forces of a Province, are
all excellently discussed and settled in the general assembly, which,
in 1565, elected Francis Borgia to succeed Laynez. And "on the same
day," says Sacchini, "the Fathers set the example of observing the
decree which they had just made, with the same degree of severity
with which they had made it; for, the letters of several Bishops and
municipalities being read, in which foundations for five colleges were
offered, they decided that no one of them should be admitted; and,
besides, they gave the new General full authority to dissolve certain
colleges already existing."[41] In a similar vein, this was the theme
of an elegant apology delivered before King Stephen by Father Campano,
Provincial of Poland, who requested the King to desist from urging on
the Society the multiplication of its institutions.[42]
A tuition-fee paid by the scholar to the Professor, or to the
institution, was nowhere contemplated. At Dijon, where Bossuet was
afterwards a pupil, the magistrates when offering a college, in 1603,
desired to supplement an inadequate endowment, by requiring a fee
from the students. In the name of the Order, Father Coton, the King's
confessor, remonstrated; and Henri IV himself wrote to the Parliament
of Bourgogne, desiring another arrangement to be made; which was
accordingly done.[43] The foundation was always to be received as a
gratuitous donation, for which the Order owed permanent gratitude.
In turn, thenceforward, it gave gratuitously, and allowed of no
recompense. "No obligations or conditions are to be admitted that would
impair the integrity of our principle, which is: To give gratuitously,
what we have received gratis."[44]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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