The History of Cuba, vol. 5Johnson, Willis Fletcher
History
The History of Cuba, vol. 5
Johnson, Willis Fletcher
Cuba -- Economic conditions; Cuba -- History
During President Menocal’s administration the resignation of the
Secretary of Public Instruction gave opportunity for the selection and
appointment to that office of Dr. Dominguez Roldan, who has endeavored
to inject new life into the cause and to place this important branch of
the Government once more in a position that will command the respect,
not only of the people of Cuba, but also of the outside world. New
school houses, designed expressly for the purpose, are replacing the old
and inadequate buildings that were formerly rented. The study of
English, that had been discouraged by his predecessor, is being again
revived, and many steps in the cause of learning are being taken whose
wisdom will become evident in the near future.
In 1913, when Mario G. Menocal assumed the direction of the Government
of Cuba, there were but 262 schools in the island, while to-day there
are 1136, showing an increase of 1074; with 335,291 pupils attending. No
fewer than 1746 teachers have been appointed and added to the Department
of Public Instruction in Cuba. In addition to this two night schools
have recently been established, one in Santiago de Cuba and one in
Bayamo. Four kindergartens, or “School Gardens,” as they are now termed,
have recently been established in the Province of Santa Clara.
At the present time, throughout the Republic of Cuba, there is a total
of 5,685 teachers in the primary schools. Among these are included 116
teachers who render special service throughout the different sections of
the country, 19 teachers of night schools, 118 teachers devoted to
school gardens, 40 teachers of cutting and sewing, 26 teachers of
English, 21 of Sloyd, and 4 teachers devoted to instruction in jails. In
1915 a normal school, co-educational, was established in each of five of
the Provinces. Havana has two normal schools, one for boys and the
other for girls.
During the year 1918 a school of Domestic Economy, Arts and Sciences,
known as the “School of the Home,” was established. The object of this
school, as that of similar institutions, is to prepare the future wife
and mother so that she may be able to undertake in an intelligent manner
the direction of the home. Among the subjects taught are accounting,
domestic economy, moral and civic obligations, hygiene, the care of
infants and of the sick, cutting, sewing, dressmaking, basket-making,
and elementary physics and chemistry, which form the base of scientific
cooking. In addition to these, gardening, the care of animals, ordinary
and higher cooking are taught; also washing and ironing, dyeing, the
removing of stains, and the proper method of cleaning and taking care of
shoes. In order to make the school popular and to insure its success, a
society of patriotic and intelligent women has been formed, from which
much practical benefit is expected in the future.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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