Ratio atque Institutio Studiorum Societatis Iesu

The Official Plan for Jesuit Education

[ 1 ] Universa studiorum nostrorum ratio, ante quatuordecim annos fieri atque institui coepta, nunc tandem absoluta ac plane constituta, ad provincias mittitur. Etsi enim propter magnam utilitatem, quae studiis nostris allatura videbatur, eam multo ante perfici atque in mores induci R. P. N. Generalis optaverat, id tamen hucusque commode fieri minime potuit. Decuit enim in re satis ardua multisque difficultatibus implicata, nihil plane definiri, priusquam provinciarum difficultates ac postulata diligenter examinarentur, ut omnibus, quantum fieri posset, satisfieret; et ut opus, quod ab omnibus deinceps in usum adhiberi debebat, aequioribus omnium animis reciperetur.

[ 1 ] Our comprehensive educational plan, first officially undertaken fourteen years ago, is now being sent to the provinces in finished and final form at last. The plan's apparent usefulness for our studies was so great that Our Reverend Father General had hoped that it would be completed and implemented much sooner, but this simply could not happen in the right way until now. For in a project so difficult and involved in so many troublesome issues, it seemed right not to set down anything definitive before the provinces' difficulties and formal requests were carefully reviewed, so that the result might satisfy all parties as far as possible, and so that they might all receive in a greater spirit of equanimity the document that they would all have to put into practice from then on.

[ 2 ] Quare quidquid initio a sex deputatis patribus de omni studiorum nostrorum ratione magno labore atque industria disputatum atque constitutum fuerat, eo consilio ad provincias missum fuit, ut doctores nostri et harum rerum periti cuncta diligenter et exacte perpenderent; ut si quid in hac ratione minus commodum observarent, vel quod institui commodius posset, animadverterent; quid denique de tota hac ratione sentirent, adhibitis rationum momentis, exponerent. Quod cum omnes fere provinciae strenue atque viriliter praestitissent, omnia, quae ab iis observata vel proposita fuerant, Romae iterum a praecipuis Romani Collegii doctoribus, et a tribus deputatis patribus, qui in hunc finem Romae substiterant, sedulo recognita, R. P. N. Generalis cum patribus assistentibus accurate perpendit, rationemque hoc modo accomodatam iterum in universam Societatem mitti curavit, et ut ab omnibus exacte servaretur, praecepit.

[ 2 ] It was for this reason that the provinces were sent whatever the six appointed fathers had initially debated and worked out with a great deal of energetic effort about the whole shape of our program of studies. The intention was that our academic personnel and those experienced in these matters might consider everything attentively and in detail, so that if they noticed anything not quite suitable in this plan, or something that might be structured more suitably, they might point it out, and so that they might finally express what they thought about this plan as a whole, citing the main reasons for their positions. When practically all of the provinces had vigorously and energetically performed this task, everything that they had observed or proposed was subjected to a painstaking review at Rome by the leading academics of the Roman College and by three appointed fathers who had stayed at Rome for this purpose. Our Reverend Father General, with his father-assistants, carefully examined it, and once it had been suitably modified in this way, he had the plan sent back again to the whole Society, instructing everyone to follow it in detail.

[ 3 ] Monuit tamen provinciales omnes, ut quoniam novae institutiones ab experimento solidiorem firmitatem accipiunt, in suis quique provinciis, quid quotidianus docendi usus ostenderet, adnotarent, et Romam postea mitterent, ut extrema tandem operi manus admoveretur, et studiorum nostrorum ratio, post tantam, tanque diuturnam discussionem, certa aliqua firmitate stabiliretur.

[ 3 ] But he pointed out to all the provincials that, since new policies and procedures gain strength from actual use, they should note in their own provinces what the day-to-day practice of teaching revealed; then they should send their observations to Rome, so that the finishing touches might at last be put on the work, and our program of studies rather firmly established after such a thorough and such an extended discussion.

[ 4 ] Cum vero provinciales, qui ad quintam generalem congregationem venerunt, ex suis provinciis, quae ex quotidiano usu minus commode accidere animadversa fuerant, attulissent, ac plerique omnes maiorem in hac ratione brevitatem praeter caetera desiderarent, magno sane labore factum est, ut tota ratio iterum diligenter examinaretur, et perpensis rationum momentis, quae a provinciis afferebantur, quid tandem firmiter constituendum esset, diiudicaretur, et omnia, quoad fieri potuit, ad breviorem commodioremque methodum redigerentur. Quod ita praestitum est, ut sperari merito possit, postremum hunc laborem ab omnibus comprobatum iri.

[ 4 ] But when the provincials who came to the Fifth General Congregation had reported from their own provinces what day-to-day experience had shown to be not so suitable, and since almost all of them desired, among other things, that the plan should be shorter, a careful re-examination of the entire document was undertaken, with no small effort to be sure. After a deliberation on the most important issues raised by the provinces, there emerged a judgment about what was going to have to constitute the plan's final content, and, as far as possible, everything was reduced to a more concise and serviceable method. This revision has been accomplished in such a way that there is good reason to expect that this last effort is going to win everyone's approval.

[ 5 ] Quare haec studiorum ratio, quae nunc mittitur, omnibus aliis, quae ante hac experimenti causa missae fuerant, posthabitis, servari in posterum ab omnibus nostris debebit; in eoque sedula doctorum nostrorum opera collocanda erit, ut, quae postrema hac ratione praescripta sunt, facile suaviterque executioni mandentur. Quod ita futurum esse mihi facile persuadeo, si omnes intelligant, rem hanc R. P. Nostro maxime cordi esse.

[ 5 ] For this reason, the educational plan now being sent supersedes all the others sent earlier for experimental use, and all Jesuits will be obliged to observe this version for the coming years. Our academic personnel should energetically devote their efforts to making sure that what is prescribed by this last plan is put into effect in a smooth and trouble-free manner. I am quite ready to believe that this will happen if everyone realizes that Our Reverend Father has a special personal interest in this project.

[ 6 ] Superioribus vero, quibus praecipue hoc onus incumbit, graviter sane atque efficaciter R. P. N. Generalis commendat, ut quanta maxima possunt animi contentione enitantur, ut res haec, tantopere in nostris Constitutionibus commendata, et quae nostris auditoribus uberes fructus allatura creditur, ab omnibus alacriter et exacte servetur.

[ 6 ] And turning to the superiors on whom the chief burden of this work falls, Our Reverend Father General advises them with the utmost seriousness to strive with greatest possible personal involvement to get everyone to enthusiastically and faithfully follow this undertaking that is so strongly called for by our Constitutions and expected to produce such abundant results for our students.

Datum Romae 8 ianuarii 1599.
Mandato R. P. N. Generalis
Jacobus Dominicus secretarius

Issued at Rome, January 8, 1599
On the order of Our Reverend Father General
Giacomo Domenichi, Secretary

[ H1 ] REGULAE PRAEPOSITI PROVINCIALIS

[ H1 ] RULES FOR THE PROVINCIAL

[ 7 ] Finis studiorum Societatis - 1. Cum ex primariis Societatis nostrae ministeriis unum sit, omnes disciplinas instituto nostro congruentes ita proximis tradere, ut inde ad Conditoris ac Redemptoris nostri cognitionem atque amorem excitentur, omni studio curandum sibi putet praepositus provincialis, ut tam multiplici scholarum nostrarum labori fructus, quem gratia nostrae vocationis exigit, abunde respondeat.

[ 7 ] The final goal of the Society's studies - 1. Since one of the leading ministries of our Society is teaching our neighbors all the disciplines in keeping with our Institute in such a way that they are thereby aroused to a knowledge and love of our Maker and Redeemer, the Provincial should consider himself obliged to do his utmost to ensure that our diverse and complex educational labor meets with the abundant results that the grace of our calling demands of us.

[ H27 ] REGULAE PROFESSORIS HUMANITATIS

[ H27 ] RULES FOR THE PROFESSOR OF HUMANITIES

[ 395 ] Gradus - 1. Gradus huius scholae est, postquam ex grammaticis excesserint, praeparare veluti solum eloquentiae; quod tripliciter accidit: cognitione linguae, aliqua eruditione, et brevi informatione praeceptorum ad rhetoricam spectantium. Ad cognitionem linguae, quae in proprietate maxime et copia consistit, in quotidianis praelectionibus explicetur; ex oratoribus unus Cicero iis fere libris, qui philosophiam de moribus continent; ex historicis Caesar, Salustius, Livius, Curtius, et si qui sunt similes; ex poetis praecipue Virgilius, exceptis Eclogis et quarto Aeneidos; praeterea odae Horatii selectae, item elegiae, epigrammata et alia poemata illustrium poetarum antiquorum, modo sint ab omni obscaenitate expurgati. Eruditio modice usurpetur, ut ingenium excitet interdum ac recreet, non ut linguae observationem impediat. Praeceptorum rhetoricae brevis summa ex Cypriano, secundo scilicet semestri, tradetur; quo tempore, omissa philosophia Ciceronis, faciliores aliquae eiusdem orationes, ut pro lege Manilia, pro Archia, pro Marcello, ceteraeque ad Caesarem habitae sumi poterunt. Graecae linguae pars illa pertinet ad hanc scholam, quae syntaxis proprie dicitur. Curandum praeterea, ut mediocriter scriptores intelligant et scribere aliquid graece norint.

[ 395 ] Grade - 1. The grade of this class consists in the preparing of the ground, as it were, for eloquence, after the students have passed beyond the stage of grammatical study. This preparation happens in a three-fold way: by an understanding of the language, by some scholarly learning, and by getting a summary notion of the rules pertaining to rhetoric. For the knowledge of the language, which consists especially in propriety and abundance of expression, the daily lessons should be devoted to teaching Cicero alone of the orators, usually through those books that contain his moral philosophy; Caesar, Sallust, Livy, Curtius, from the historians, and any others like these; from the poets, especially Vergil, setting aside the Eclogues and the fourth book of the Aeneid; in addition, select odes of Horace, and likewise, elegies, epigrams, and other poems of famous ancient poets, providing that they have been expurgated of everything indecent and offensive. Scholarly learning should be employed moderately, so that now and then it stimulates the mental powers and refreshes them without impeding the learning of the language. The brief summary overview of the rules of rhetoric from Cyprian will be given in the second semester, of course. At that time, Cicero's philosophy being set aside, some of the easier speeches, like the Pro Lege Manilia, Pro Archia, Pro Marcello, and the others delivered to Caesar can be taken. The part of the Greek language that is properly called syntax pertains to this class. In addition, care should be taken that the students attain a passable understanding of the writers and an ability to write something in Greek.

[ 396 ] Divisio temporis - 2. Divisio temporis haec erit: Prima hora matutina memoriter recitetur M. Tullius et ars metrica apud decurione. Scripta a decurionibus accepta praeceptor corrigat, varias interim, de quibus infra regula Quarta, discipulis exercitationes iniungens. Ad extremum publice nonnulli recitent, et decurionum notae a magistro cognoscantur. Secunda hora matutina repetatur postrema breviter praelectio; novaque per semihoram, vel paulo amplius explicetur; mox exigatur, et, si quid supersit temporis, in mutua discipulorum concertatione ponatur. Ultima semihora initio primi semestris historicus et ars metrica alternis diebus; arte vero metrica absoluta, historicus quotidie percurratur; altero deinde semestri Cypriani rhetorica quotidie modo explicetur, modo recolatur, aut disputetur. Prima hora pomeridiana memoriter poeta graecusque auctor recitetur, recognoscente magistro decurionum notas; scriptaque, vel quae mane imperata sunt, vel quae ex domo allatis superfuerint, corrigente. Ad extremum thema dictetur. Sesquihora consequens poetae, tum recolendo tum explicando, et graecae, tum praelectioni tum scriptioni, ex aequo dividatur. Die vacationis prima hora recitetur memoriter, quod proxima vacatione praelectum est; et scriptiones, quae supersunt, de more corrigantur. Secunda hora aliquid epigrammatum aut odarum aut elegiarum, sive aliquid ex libro tertio Cypriani de tropis, de figuris, et praecipue de numero ac pedibus oratoriis, ut iis initio anni assuescant; sive chria aliqua aut progymnasma explicetur recolaturque; sive denique concertetur. Die sabbathi mane prima hora publice recitentur memoriter totius hebdomadae praelectiones; hora secunda recolantur. Ultima semihora aut habeatur ab aliquo discipulorum declamatio vel praelectio, aut ad rhetores audiendos eatur, aut concertetur. A prandio prima semihora reddatur memoriter poeta et catechismus, magistro scripta, si quae per hebdomadam superfuerint, et decurionum notas recognoscente. Sesqui hora consequens poetae recolendo, vel alicui brevi poemati explicando exigendoque, et graecis eodem modo ex aequo dividatur. Ultima semihora in explicatione catechismi, vel pia cohortatione, nisi feria sexta habita sit, ponetur; sin autem, in ea re ferme, in cuius locum tum catechismus successerat.

[ 396 ] Schedule - 2. This will be the schedule: In the first hour in the morning, Marcus Tullius and prosody should be recited from memory to the decurion. The teacher should correct the written work that has been picked up by the decurions, meanwhile giving the students various exercises to do (on this, see the Rule 4 below). At the very end of the hour, several students should recite in front of the class, and the teacher should review the decurions' marks. In the second hour of the morning, the last lesson should be reviewed briefly, and a new one should be taught for half an hour or for a little more. Right away the students should be asked to repeat it, and, if there is any time left, they should compete with each other on it. In the final half-hour, at the beginning of the first semester, a historian and prosody should be taken on alternate days; but when prosody is finished, a historian should be covered every day. Then in the second semester, Cyprian's Rhetoric should be taken every day, sometimes taught, sometimes reviewed, or there should be a disputation. In the first afternoon hour, a poet and a Greek author should be recited from memory, while the teacher checks over the marks of the decurions and corrects the written work, either what was assigned in the morning, or what is left of the homework. At the very end, a theme should be dictated. The following hour and a half should be split equally between a poet, sometimes in review, sometimes in explanatory presentation, and Greek, sometimes a lesson and sometimes a composition. On the break-day, in the first hour, what was taught on the preceding break-day should be recited from memory, and the remaining compositions should be corrected as usual. In the second hour, there should be something from the epigrams or odes or elegies or something from Cyprian's third book on tropes, on figures, and especially on oratorical rhythm and measures, so that they get accustomed to them at the beginning of the year; or some chria or preparatory exercise should be taught and gone over again; or lastly there should be a competition. On Saturday, in the first hour of the morning, the lessons of the entire week should be recited from memory in front of the group, and they should be gone over again in the second hour. In the final half-hour, either a declamation or a lesson should be given by one of the students, or they should go to hear the rhetoricians, or there should be a competition. After the mid-day meal, in the first half-hour, a poet and the catechism-lesson should be given back from memory, while the teacher reviews the marks of the decurions and the written assignments, if there are any left over from the week. The following hour and a half should be split equally in the same manner between reviewing a poet or in the explanation of some short poem and the testing of students on it, and Greek. The last half-hour will be given to catechism-teaching or a devout exhortation, unless this was done Friday. If it was, then the half-hour will usually be given to whatever had been displaced by the catechism-study at that time.