Elementary instruction of both sexes is compulsory and at the expense of the Government.
The following data are obtained from the Minister of Public Instruction, Licentiate Ricardo Pacheco. In 1896 Costa Rica had 327 primary schools with 21,913 enrolled pupils, or 53 per cent. of all the children of school age, as can be seen in the following table:
This great number shows a marked predisposition of the people in favor of education. It is also a fact that Costa Rica holds the first place of all Latin American nations in regard to public instruction.
The number of school buildings is 215, besides 29 in process of construction and 50 projected. These 215 buildingsare the property of the “Juntas de Educacion.” Besides these, 107 buildings are rented and 6 loaned. There are
Costa Rica has more teachers than soldiers. The number of the former reaches the figure of 784, of whom 337 are men and 447 women, distributed in the following way:
Among the foreign teachers are:
The average monthly salary is 45 pesos.
There are over 250 “Juntas de Educacion” in the different Departments, Cantones and Districts.
The National Government aided them with 95,587.59 pesos, in the following manner:
To aid these Juntas a special school-loan has been made; besides the taxes on slaughtering are turned over to them.
Higher education is given in the Liceo de Costa Rica, with 206 enrolled students, and in the Colegio Superior de Señoritas, with 223 students, both in San José; also in the provincial Institutes of Cartago, Alajuela and Heredia.
There is in addition a school for medicine and pharmacy in San José with seventeen students, and a law-school dependent on the “college of lawyers.”
For other higher studies the Government pays the expenses of ten Costa Ricans in European universities and high schools. Further, the Government of Chile allows six Costa Ricans to study at its expense in the pedagogical Institute of Santiago.
Another very important national institution is the “Instituto fisico-geográfico,” under the direction of the very competent Professor H. Pittier, with three sections; a geographical section for topographical study and a construction of maps, also a meteorological and a botanical section. Their excellent publications have proved the great usefulness of this institution, and it is to be wished that its able and learned director will get adequate aid to carry out his promising studies of the physical features of Costa Rica.
Another useful institution is the “National Museum,” under the intelligent direction of a young Costa Rican scientist. Mr. Anastasio Alfaro. It has an interesting section of archæology and ethnography, and a section of zoology, already rich in cabinets, to which is attached a small zoological garden.
A third useful institution is the “National Library” with 10,242 catalogued books and about 5,000 more ready to be registered and incorporated.
The first steps towards the organization of educational institutions were taken in 1824, under the administration of Don Juan Mora Fernandez. Then public instruction was declared an obligatory duty of the State. The institution, which afterward became the University of Santo Tomas, was founded in 1844, at the instigation of Dr. Castilo. The efforts of Costa Rica to advance education have been great and sustained,and it is to be remarked that those in office have constantly shown laudable interest in the matter. In 1869 the Normal School was opened and a system adopted in harmony with modern standards.
As related to the subject of public education, the following list enumerates the names of the principal daily and weekly papers, periodicals and annual publications:
The principalnewspapersare:
Dailies:
La Gaceta oficial,Diario de Costa Rica,La República,El Heraldo,
El Fígaro,La Prensa libre,El Diarito,El Imparcial,
El Pabellon Liberal,La Union Católica.
Weekly publicationsare:
La Abeja médica,Boletin de las Escuelas Primarias,La Gaceta médica,El Latiguillo,
El Sancho Panzo,El Bocaccio,La Voz del Pueblo.
Annual publicationsare:
Anales del Museo Nacional,Anales del Instituto fisico-geográfico,Anuario estadístico,
Anuario de la Inspeccion general de enseñanza,Memorias de los Ministerios.