RATIO STUDIORUM. – It is the scholastic and pedagogical code of the Society of Jesus, composed in the 16th century and still partly in force, governing the teaching activity of the Order from its higher faculties of theology and philosophy down to the earliest humanistic classes.
I. ORIGIN AND HISTORY
St. Ignatius initially excluded teaching from the activity of the Order, yet he wished that young candidates should precede their ecclesiastical studies with thorough literary studies of Latin and Greek. This became the rule for the colleges reserved for the students of the Society, and from 1546 (Gandia) and 1548 (Messina) for the colleges open to all in the cities that vied to offer them. To these St. Ignatius wished to give an organization and a prototype. This was realized in the Collegio Romano (1551 for letters, 1553 for philosophy and theology); the organization, after an initial plan of complete structure, of which the Constitutiones collegiorum by the secretary G. A. de Polanco are an indication (Mon. Hist. S. J. Mon. Paedagogica, Madrid 1901), could not be fully realized due to lack of experience, found its guiding principles collected in the 4th part of the Constitutions (first draft 1550, definitive 1555). These principles can be methodologically reduced to the adoption of the Parisian method (division of classes, programs, exercises, guidance by the teacher) and of humanistic ideals according to the demands of the times for literary studies, and of the scholastic method with appropriate updates for ecclesiastical sciences. Pedagogically, it aimed at a harmonious development of intellectual and moral education drawing on the human and spiritual resources of religion; while in the ideal order (projects for a university) theology remained the queen of the sciences as the supreme faculty to which the inferior ones were directed or from which the collateral ones received their norms. Gir. Nadal concerned himself with this at Messina and in various colleges of Europe, Giac. Ledesma at the Collegio Romano, with various projects, and delegates of the generals with particular ordinances in the provinces. After some directives from Borgia (1569), Claudio Acquaviva, by mandate of his electors, prepared from 1581 a plan to organize the studies. Two commissions prepared for 1586 the first Ratio Studiorum in two parts, one on the norms to be followed in theology regarding disputable questions, the second with concrete proposals for the organization and programs of the classes. Sent for examination to the provinces, based on the observations, a second, more extensive Ratio was compiled in 1591, more theoretical and accompanied also by models of lessons for the humanistic schools. This was applied for three years and the results and suggestions requested from experience were sent to Rome. After new examinations, a new, briefer text was prepared in the form of rules; printed in 1599, it was promulgated with the force of law for all the colleges of the Order. It was the result of 50 years of teaching throughout Europe, with the collaboration of the most distinguished men of the Order, such as Bellarmine, Suárez, Azor, Benci, Tursellini, Tucci.
It remained in force until the suppression (1773) with some partial adaptations, suffering the attacks of Enlightenment philosophy and of new scholastic trends in the 18th century. After the restoration of the Order in 1814 and the resumption of teaching activity, the Ratio was modified by the general G. F. Roothaan, who promulgated it in 1832. It was especially valid for ecclesiastical studies, while for literary studies methods and programs imposed by the governments of the various nations had to be adopted, maintaining, as far as possible, the ancient animating principles. Subsequent generals made other modifications, while today a new Ratio is under study based on the papal constitution Deus scientiarum Dominus.
II. COMPOSITION OF THE RATIO
The Ratio of 1599, not being a theoretical treatise, was presented in the form of rules for those who were to be involved in teaching. According to the centralized method of governance, teaching in the individual provinces is subject to the Provincial. His rules concern the overall governance, the formation of professors, the vigilance over doctrine; methods, teaching aids, vacations, etc. In the various colleges, the Rector has responsibility for the schools (Rule of the Rector) and is assisted by a Prefect of Studies (Rule of the Prefect of Studies) for the practical management of the schools. General rules common to all professors of higher faculties, and in particular to professors of Sacred Scripture, Hebrew, scholastic theology, cases of conscience (moral theology), philosophy, moral philosophy, mathematics. The literary studies are under the direction of their own Prefect of Lower Studies with special norms for written examinations and prizes. Professors have common rules, and special rules are then given to professors of rhetoric, humanities, and the three classes of grammar. Rules follow for the janitors, the external students, and for the various academies. For each set of these rules, an initial paragraph establishes their spiritual, pedagogical, and didactic aims, followed by particular prescriptions on programs, methods, etc.III. PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES
Acquaviva did not intend to produce a theoretical work, nor to be an innovator. In fact, the Jesuits had theoretical principles and innovated in the fieldBIBL.:
V. COSTITUZIONI DELLA COMPAGNIA DI GESÙ; MONUMENTA PAEDAGOGICA SOCIETATIS IESU; MONUMENTA HISTORICA SOCIETATIS IESU; RATIO ATQUE INSTITUTIO STUDIORUM SOCIETATIS IESU (ed. critica, Madrid 1892-96, 3 voll.);
Monum. Paedagogica S. J., Madrid 1901; M. Barbera, La R. s. e la IV Parte delle Costituz. della C.d.G., Padova 1942.
Works: A. Schimberg, L'éducation morale dans les Collèges de la C. de J. en France sous l'Ancien Régime, Paris 1913; G. B. Herman, La pédagogie des Jésuites au XVIe siècle, Louvain 1914; E. Bochminkhaus, Geist der Gesellschaft Jesu und ihr Pädagogisches Werk, Feldkirch 1931; A. Farrell, The Jesuit Code of liberal Education, Development and scope of the R. S., Milwaukee 1938; P. de Leturia, De Constitutionibus Collegiorum S. J. J. A. de Polanco ac de earum influxu in Constit. S. J., in Arch. Hist. S. J. 7 (1938), pp. 1-30; id., Come la Compagnia di G. divenne Ordine insegnante, in Gregorianum, 12 (1940), pp. 350-82; J. Schröder, Die Erziehung in den Jesuiteninternaten des 16. Jahrhunderts, Freiburg im Br. 1940; A. Ferrara, Gli studi del latino e la Compagnia di Gesù, in Il 4° centenario della costituzione della C. di Gesù, Milano 1941, pp. 47-63; P. Bailly, Collèges, in Delattre, Les établissements des Jésuites en France, I, Bruges 1949, coll. 1394-1503. Angelo Martini