EDUCATION AND THE ARTS
“Found schools and you will do away with revolutions,” was the favourite
expression of President Sarmiento. It was during this administration that
education received its greatest impetus. Sarmiento, who has been called
the “school-teacher president,” inaugurated a most liberal policy towards
popular education. He was deeply interested in this problem, had made
a study of the educational systems in the United States and caused the
establishment of very many schools and public libraries. The provincial
and municipal authorities of the republic were everywhere encouraged and
urged to establish an efficient system of public instruction, and his
efforts produced beneficial results. The later administrations, however,
have been absorbed in other lines, and many of the progressive ideas of
Sarmiento were allowed to pass into “innocuous desuetude.” There have
been occasional spurts of energy, but these have been far too spasmodic.
The subject of education arouses less interest than it should with the
people in general. This lack of public interest is perhaps accountable
in a great measure for the indifference of the provincial and national
administrations. Here is a criticism of Mr. Akers, the historian, of
the educational system in Argentina. “A smattering of many subjects is
taught, a sound knowledge of any one is the exception. It is not that
the pupils are deficient in intelligence, but rather that teachers are
lacking in experience and ability. Nor can any other result be expected
under existing circumstances. The payment of officials is inadequate,
and frequently salaries are months in arrears, while lack of discipline
in primary, secondary and higher education is conspicuous. Provisions
for the orderly exercise of authority in colleges and schools are also
most defective.” This criticism was written in 1903, but it is applicable
to-day, except that the payment of the teachers is somewhat higher and a
little more regular. The teaching profession is still greatly underpaid,
as the money is turned into other channels which are more purely
political. It is simply another example of that utilitarian policy of
looking only to the present and letting the future generations take care
of themselves.
Public instruction in Argentina is divided into three classes—primary,
secondary and higher education. Primary education is compulsory by
law, though seldom enforced, and is given free to all children in the
republic between the ages of six and fourteen. Education in the capital
and territories is under the control of the Federal Government, and
there are in all five thousand, two hundred and fifty public schools for
primary instruction maintained by it. Each of the provinces maintains
large numbers of these schools for elementary instruction also, and in
addition each city contains a number of private schools to which people
of means send their children rather than to the public institutions. All
of the schools having the support of the Federal Government are under
the supervision of the National Council of Education, which is housed in
a beautiful building in the city of Buenos Aires. Secondary education
is not compulsory, but it is practically free, as only a very small fee
is charged for registration. There are sixteen lyceums and thirty-five
normal schools which come under this class, and they are located in all
the larger cities of the nation. The national universities of Buenos
Aires and Cordoba are both noted institutions, and these, together with
the provincial universities at La Plata, Santa Fé and Paraná, provide the
higher education. In addition to this the various provincial governments
send a number of students abroad each year to complete their studies at
the noted universities of Europe and North America. At the present time
there are about thirty of these students at the various universities and
colleges of the United States, and others are pursuing their studies in
England, France, Germany and Italy.
[Illustration: A SECONDARY SCHOOL]
Many technical schools are also maintained by the national government.
Among these one of the most practical is the Industrial School of the
capital. This institution has elaborate workshops which are well equipped
with machinery and appliances, in which the trades and crafts are
taught. The National Conservatory of Music, the School for Drawing, the
School of Art, and the School of Commerce, in which instruction is given
accountants and translators, are situated in Buenos Aires, and there are
commercial schools in Cordoba and Bahia Blanca. There is an agricultural
school in Santa Catalina, province of Buenos Aires, and agricultural
experiment stations have been established at Tucuman, Bella Vista, San
Juan and Tenna.
Argentina is, at the present time, spending a great deal of money for
education. In the city of Buenos Aires there are sixty-seven buildings
devoted to educational purposes. Many of these are very attractive
structures and the total cost has run up into the millions of pesos.
The general plan of education is being modelled very much after that
of the United States. System and practice, however, are often two
different things, and so it oftentimes happens in Argentina. In actual
practice there is often a misconception of what real education means.
Superficiality is too often a characteristic of the education offered.
There are many finely educated persons in the country, but not many
of them teachers. The positions are too often the reward of politics,
although there are many very efficient women who are teaching. Graduation
is easy for the scholar with a pull, for the students will bring in
recommendations at graduation time in order to be sure of passing,
especially if they have not been very diligent. A glitter is too often
allowed to take the place of real scholarliness and learning. This
superficiality is too often allowed to pass muster where solidarity
should be demanded.
The University of Buenos Aires is one of the great educational
institutions of the New World. It is not quite so old as the one in
Cordoba, which was founded in 1613, but it has a much larger attendance
of students, probably because of its location in the capital. The
buildings are scattered over the city in different sections, as the
various departments have been added from time to time. A few of the
oldest buildings are very venerable looking indeed, and are among the
oldest structures in the city. It is planned to rebuild much of the
University in the suburban sections in the near future, so that more
space can be utilized in quadrangle and park. Almost five thousand
students receive instruction in the various departments, of which the
largest number, about one-half of the whole, are matriculated in the
College of Medicine, which is a large and well-equipped institution.
Many departments are included in the institution, however, which do not
strictly come within the designation of a medical institution proper, and
that accounts for the numerical enrolment. The next largest department is
that known as the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences. A recent addition
to this ancient university is the National Agronomic and Veterinary
Institute, which is devoted to developing what are, and perhaps always
will be, the greatest sources of the national wealth of Argentina. The
courses of study of the University are very complete, and contain what
is best in Argentine education. It is by far the best and most thorough
educational institution in the republic.
It is not to be expected that one would find in Argentina a very great
number of writers. The greatest incentive to a writer, as well as to a
publisher, is that a book will be read by many people. In the republics
of Spanish America, with education only imperfectly spread among the
masses, the number of readers has been necessarily small. Another
obstacle to the development of literary activity has been in the frequent
wars and revolutions which have kept most of those nations in a state
of political turmoil. Furthermore the comparative isolation of those
republics prevented a coöperation among them even though there was a
sameness of language. Therefore the editions were necessarily small, and
the remuneration consequently inadequate to encourage a literary career.
In the face of these disabilities it is to the credit of Spanish-American
writers that their activities have been so considerable.
Politics and journalism have always been intimately connected in
Argentina, for the editorial has oftentimes been of greater interest than
the news columns. Many of her writers have been intimately associated
with this form of activity. Avellaneda, Pellegrini, and Bartolomé Mitre,
all of whom occupied the presidential chair, first made their mark in
the journalistic field. The last named wrote an able work on the history
of the emancipation of South America and a biography of the Argentine
patriot, San Martin. Vicente Fidel Lopez, another historical writer, gave
to the world a “History of the Argentine Republic,” which has taken its
place among standard historical works.
Poetry and the drama have always been favourite forms of writing among
Spanish writers. Perhaps no language can boast of so many dramas as the
Castilian. Argentina has nourished a number of these, among whom might be
named Tomas Gutierrez, Rosa Guerra and Juana Manso de Noronha, the latter
writing a drama called “The Revolution of May,” which is very popular in
that country. There are few Spanish writers who do not at some time stray
into poetic writing to which that tongue is so well adapted. Although
none of the poets have secured a world-wide hearing, some very sweet
poems have been penned by Echeverria, Lafinur and Figueroa. In fiction
translations of French writers have generally been demanded. Only one
novel by an Argentine writer has received a favourable hearing in Europe,
and that was “Amalia,” by José Marmol. It is an historical novel treating
of the dictatorship of Rosas, and has been very highly commented upon by
competent critics. It probably gives the best picture of the stirring
events of that interesting period in the history of Argentina. In more
recent years, since the population has increased, and better political
conditions prevail, and the reading public has been so greatly augmented,
writers in all fields, including philosophy and political economy have
become more numerous, and the next decade will probably be marked by
much greater literary activity.
The press is well represented in Argentina, for there is scarcely a town
of any size that does not support a newspaper. They are well patronized
too, and the towns take a pride in their publications. The press of
Buenos Aires is one of the most polyglot in the world. There are in that
city almost five hundred different publications, of which four hundred
and twelve are printed in the Spanish language, twenty-two in Italian,
eight in French, eight in English, eight in German and one in Arabic.
Then the Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Roman and Dutch tongues each have
at least one representative. There are sixty-six dailies, sixty-four
monthlies and almost two hundred weeklies.
_La Prensa_, which means The Press, is a newspaper of which any country
or city might be proud. Although not a government organ, for it remains
independent, this newspaper undoubtedly exerts the widest influence of
any newspaper in Argentina, and perhaps in South America. It is most
frequently quoted by the people and its statements are taken as facts.
It has a circulation of over one hundred thousand. In appearance it is a
large metropolitan sheet seldom containing less than sixteen or twenty
pages. Its news columns are well written and newsy, and its editorials
are weighty and well-digested. _La Prensa_ publishes more foreign news
than any newspaper in the world. This is its claim—certainly more than
any daily in the United States. There are seldom less than two pages of
foreign cablegrams from all parts of the world, principally Europe, of
course. The establishment of this newspaper is on the Avenida de Mayo,
in an imposing building which cost three million dollars and is one of
the finest newspaper homes in the world. Here will be found not only a
complete and modern newspaper plant, but a number of unique features for
the good of the public and the glory of the city. At its own expense
a free consulting room is provided where an able physician, aided by
several assistants, administer to the sick without charge; there is a
law office where, during certain hours, indigent persons can secure
free legal advice; a large, well-stocked library is open to all without
payment; there is a large hall for public meetings and where fine
musical entertainments, as well as private operas, are sometimes given
for the force. Another unique feature is a suite of finely furnished
apartments where distinguished foreigners are gratuitously entertained.
There are private grill rooms for the reporters and other employees,
and the proprietor has a fine office which he does not occupy more than
once in six months. The owner of the _La Prensa_ is a very wealthy man,
but he takes absolutely no part in the conduct of the paper. He engages
an editor-manager, and the entire management and policy of the paper
is turned over to this one man. If this man makes good he retains his
position; if not, he is at once supplanted. In a long period of years
there have been but four editors, which speaks well for the care with
which these men have been chosen. They have all been men of prominence,
and their ability is shown by the high standard of the paper which has
been maintained during all of these years.
After _La Prensa_, _La Nacion_, which was founded in 1870 by the famous
Argentine statesman, Bartolomé Mitre, is second in importance, and has a
large as well as distinguished clientele. It is large and metropolitan
in appearance, and might be called the government organ. The principal
evening paper is _El Diario_. _La Argentina_, _El Pais_, _La Razon_, _El
Tiempo_, _El Pueblo_, _Tribuna_, etc., are the names of some of the other
leading dailies. There are two English daily newspapers, the _Standard_
and the _Buenos Aires Herald_, each of which has a good circulation.
They are both typical English papers in appearance and general style,
although the Herald was founded by an American. The _Review of the River
Plate_ and _The Times of Argentina_ are weekly publications devoted to
shipping and the general financial news and interests of the country.
The former has a well-established reputation as a financial authority in
British commercial circles. _Caras y Caretas_ is a unique illustrated
weekly which has a large circulation and is exceedingly popular. _La
Illustracion Sud-Americana_ is a handsomely illustrated monthly, one of
the best published anywhere. _La Revista de Derecho, Historia y Letras_
is a literary periodical of high character.
The Spanish cavaliers left Europe just prior to the Renaissance, when
the dark ages were nearing their end. Europe was then striving with the
life which was soon to burst forth. The wealth of knowledge and art,
which had heretofore been confined within the dark and forbidding walls
of monasteries and convents, was about to be given forth to the world
to which it belonged. St. Peter’s was then in the hands of architects
full of new ideas, the great cathedral of Seville was nearing completion
and work was in progress on many of the other famous cathedrals of
that continent. This genius for building crossed the seas with the new
colonists, and they soon turned their attention to the upbuilding of
great temples dedicated to the Almighty. It was an age of wonderful
activities in art and architecture, and the New World profited by it. It
was not long until hammer, chisel and trowel were busy in all the new
settlements, and their accomplishments now gladden the eye of the people
of this age. The oldest Spanish cathedral in the Americas is probably
at Santo Domingo, as that was first settled. It was here that the body
of Columbus rested for a time. Cortez marked his subjugation of Mexico
by the inauguration of great public works on which the newly-enslaved
inhabitants of the country were employed, as did Pizarro in Peru. The
great cathedral of the City of Mexico, the most stupendous of the New
World, was begun in 1573, on the site of the ancient altar of sacrifice
of the Aztecs. This is said to be outranked by only three cathedrals in
the world, St. Peter’s, St. Paul’s of London, and that of Seville. The
cathedral of Lima, Peru, is the earliest and largest in South America,
and was founded on the same day as the city itself, by Pizarro. The
corner-stone of this magnificent structure was laid on the 16th day of
January, 1535, and the bones of the founder now rest beneath its roof and
are shown to the curious visitor.
[Illustration: THE COLUMBUS THEATRE, BUENOS AIRES]
There are some old churches in Argentina which one will find in Cordoba
and other old towns. The cathedral, however, is more modern, as it was
not begun until comparatively recent times, although erected on the site
of a chapel that was founded in 1580. Were it not for the dome surmounted
by a cross its appearance would not necessarily suggest a religious
edifice. The twelve massive Corinthian columns suggest the Church of the
Madeleine in Paris. It shows a tendency to depart from the old models
and adopt newer schemes of embellishment, just as has been the tendency
in North America. Its façade, however, is imposing on the Plaza de Mayo,
around which centre the commercial and political activities of this great
city. It is perhaps emblematical of the new forces which are at work
in Latin-America. The interior of this cathedral is commodious and will
accommodate several thousand people. The Church of San Francisco is a
fine example of church architecture, and has just been almost wholly
remodelled. San Domingo is an historic old church, in the tower of which
a number of cannon balls are imbedded, which were fired into the city by
the British fleet.
The principle of subsidy to art still retains its vitality in South
America. In Argentina there are several municipal theatres, or opera
houses, and the finest of which is the Teatro Colon, or Columbus Theatre,
of Buenos Aires. This handsome structure was erected by the municipality
at a cost of two million dollars. It is three stories high. The first
story represents the Ionic, the second the Corinthian and the third the
Doric style of architecture. It is of recent construction and will seat
nearly four thousand persons. The very best artists of the world are
brought here, as the annual allotment from the municipal budget enables
the management to do what the box receipts alone would not warrant,
because of the long voyage necessary to bring these high-salaried artists
to Buenos Aires.