BROTHERS OF THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS, commonly called Christian Brothers. This is a society of men belonging to the Roman Catholic Church who devote themselves exclusively to the education of youth. The Society was founded in 1680 by Jean Baptiste de la Salle, canon of the metro politan church of Rheims, who in the year 1900, was canonized by Pope Leo XIII.
The Society spread rapidly in France, partly because the Brothers made French the language of the schools instead of Latin, and partly be cause they did away with the individual system of teaching by grouping the pupils together into distinct classes. They abandoned the lecturing style in all their instructions for the Socratic method, introduced object-lessons and added museums to the equipment of the school.
These bold innovations in education met with popular favor and official recognition, and did more than anything else to bring about a general system of primary instruction in France.
In consequence of these reforms in the tradi tional methods of teaching, the Christian Brothers have come to be considered the founders of primary education in Europe. In due time, the Society spread to Italy, Belgium, Germany, Austria, England and Ireland; and also to Canada, the United States, South Amer ica, India and South Africa.
The general methods of teaching followed by the Brothers are explained in the
The Christian Brothers established a college for the training of teachers in 1684, which was the first of its kind in Europe. They opened Sunday schools in 1699, also the first of their kind, in which secular as well as religious in struction was given in the afternoon. They have novitiates in every "province" of the So ciety for the religious formation, and scholas ticates for the pedagogical training of their members. They direct schools of all grades from the primary to the college; they have agricultural and technical schools as well as normal colleges, orphanages and "protectories." In the United States, they have colleges and other institutions taught by 1,021 Brothers and attended by over 29,900 pupils. Altogether, the Society has more than 1,600 schools, with 15,500 Brothers and 350,000 pupils.
The Society was suppressed in 1792 at the beginning of the French Revolution, was re stored in 1803 by order of Napoleon I, and incorporated with the University of France in 1808. It was again officially suppressed in France in 1904 during the war against religious congregations waged by Premier Combes, but continued to live and flourish in other countries.
The Christian Brothers wear a distinctive re ligious habit and take the three vows of re ligion. As they do not take "orders," they are free to devote themselves entirely to the work of education.