The Institution of Free Education: Origins and Impact
Birth of the Revolutionary ILE
After the six-year period (1868-1874) of the Restoration, Cánovas, chairman of the Conservative party, appointed the Marquis de Orovio as Minister of Education. Orovio’s policy restricted the freedoms of teachers, promoting a more conservative approach to education. Some teachers rejected this policy, initiating a conflict with the ministry. This became known as the first university question, occurring six years after the revolution.
In 1874, Orovio’s term ended, and he returned to the Ministry of Development, marking a new era. In 1875, a royal decree was promulgated, based on three principles:
- Only Catholic religious doctrine was to be taught.
- Order and discipline in teaching were to be established, favoring a conservative education.
- The figure of the king and the constitutional monarchy were not to be harmed.
Some teachers, including Giner de los Ríos, refused to accept these provisions and were consequently removed from their teaching positions and banished. Giner went to Cadiz, where he developed his project to create a free university modeled after other European institutions. Upon returning from exile in August 1975, he joined Salmerón, Moret, Azcárate, González de Linares, and others. The Institution of Free Education (ILE) opened its doors in Madrid on October 26, 1876.
Background: Pestalozzi’s Influence in Spain
The introduction of Pestalozzi’s methods into Spain was accidental. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Spanish army employed Swiss mercenaries. Among them was Voitel, a disciple of Pestalozzi, who organized a school in Tarragona in 1803. The Spanish government, after reviewing Voitel’s methods, founded a Pestalozzian school in Madrid in 1806, entrusting it to Colonel Amorós. Dodely also organized a Pestalozzian school in Santander in 1805 for teacher training.
The crisis caused by the Revolutionary War in 1808 led to the closure of these three schools (Tarragona, Santander, and Madrid). Later, Pestalozzian methods found a new admirer in Pablo Montesinos, who returned from exile in 1833. In 1836, Montesinos held a position in the General Administration of Public Instruction.
Froebel, Krause, and the ILE
In 1839, Montesinos founded and directed the Central Normal School. The teachers of the ILE acquired Krausist methods through the German educator Froebel. Krause introduced Froebel to the work of Comenius. Reading Comenius prompted Froebel to become more interested in the education of young children and the organization of kindergartens. ILE teachers were familiar with the works of this Krause enthusiast.
Thus, the Spanish educational movement of the late 19th century can be traced back:
- To Rousseau (through Pestalozzi).
- To Comenius (through Krause and Froebel).
The ILE aimed to break with conservative methods where the teacher held all the authority and the student did not participate. Other organizations, less prepared for renewal after the 1868 revolution, included the Ateneo and the Societies of Friends of the Country. These groups, along with the efforts of Giner de los Ríos and his colleagues, strived to transform 19th-century Spanish society into a liberal one.