SCHOOLS IN MISSION TERRITORIES
The school problem assumed greater importance in the modern period of missions, though not to the extent it deserved.
Papal bulls containing the numerous privileges of the Spanish and Portuguese Patronage contain not a single word about schools, which, however, were opened in many villages of America and the Philippines almost out of necessity, solely for the teaching of Christian doctrine. The teaching of letters and sciences was reserved to a few colleges and seminaries. This narrow mentality did not prevent the Jesuits from opening, in the reductions of Paraguay, some schools of arts and crafts.
In territories outside Spanish and Portuguese sovereignty the situation was no different, although the manifold instructions given by Propaganda to apostolic vicars had always insisted on the necessity of erecting in every parish, and especially in the more important villages, a school for teaching the truths of the faith, grammar, and the liberal arts. The Ordinaries, however, were too preoccupied with the formation of indigenous clergy and concerned themselves with education only insofar as it could serve as preparation for the seminary. Moreover, the fear of being innovators in relation to the majority of missionaries, the deficiency of personnel—especially teachers—and the scarcity of financial means did not allow even the most willing to give greater development to the schools. It may therefore be concluded that until the beginning of the 19th century the organization of primary instruction, more or less widespread, with the complement of secondary and higher education, played a very minor role in the missions.
With the missionary revival in the last century the school problem began to assume importance, and numerous schools were opened everywhere through the efforts of older institutes and especially of the new ones, both male and female, established for this purpose. Today the schools in the missions present great variety due to the many factors influencing their organization. In countries where a precise school system has been established by the government, as, for example, in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and a few others, Catholic schools must follow its norms; in other regions the conditions of the environment, the needs, and the character of the peoples advise missionaries to give the schools that direction deemed most suitable for the purpose.
There are numerous difficulties and obstacles impeding greater development of schools in the missions. The lack of adequate means often places such schools at a disadvantage compared to government and Protestant schools. Furthermore, the recruitment of qualified personnel, despite the assistance of institutes, brothers, and sisters, is insufficient to meet the many requests coming from mission territories.
According to statistical data published by the Catholic Missions (Rome 1950, pp. 484-91), at the end of 1949 the school organization in territories dependent on the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide was as follows:
| Elementary | | Middle | | Higher | | Professional | | Normal |
|------------|-|--------|-|--------|-|--------------|-|--------|
| 2,021 | | 162,529| | 180 | | 35,509 | | 47 |
| 27,727 | | 1,904,351| | 1,927 | | 230,641 | | 216 |
| 7,665 | | 764,876| | 1,157 | | 199,811 | | 607 |
| 4,186 | | 381,600| | 609 | | 80,658 | | 308 |
| 41,632 | | 3,216,720| | 3,881 | | 547,594 | | 1,178 |
| 12,447 | | 60 | | 1,919 | | 550 |
| 1,904,351 | | 216 | | 30,415 | | 417 |
| 764,876 | | 607 | | 202,315| | 187 |
| 381,600 | | 308 | | 38,412 | | 76 |
| 3,216,720 | | 1,178 | | 283,589| | 740 |
The ecclesiastical regime of schools in the missions presents some notable peculiarities. Their aim is not merely to educate the children of Christian families but to contribute, directly and indirectly, to the conversion of the unfaithful, accepting also young pagans and following precise instructions in the matter. Since the aim of Catholic education is thus intertwined with the very aim of the apostolate, canon 296 § 1 grants Ordinaries of mission territories full authority over the direction of schools, save for the exemption privileges granted to certain missionary institutes.