Examen de primeras letras y labores de la niñas que concurren á la escuela pública de la ciudad de Pamplona que está á cargo de las Madres Beatas Dominicas de Santa Catalina; se celebrarán los dias 18 y 19 de Junio actual

Pamplona: (Paulino?) Longas, 1821

[8] p. | 4to | [A]^4 | 208 x 155 mm

The earliest published examination notice we’ve found for girls enrolled at the Pamplona public school managed by the Madres Beatas Dominicas de Santa Catalina. At least according to Spain’s 1825 Plan y reglamento de escueles de primeras letras, in addition to basic catechism, reading, and writing, these girls would have been taught “the appropriate work of their sex: to know how to make socks, to cut and sew commonly used clothing, embroidery and lace making, and other skills typically taught to girls” (Berrio). This curriculum does conform to the subjects enumerated in the present notice: catechism, reading, writing, sewing, darning, needle point, embroidery, and political catechism. ¶ The notice lists dozens of individual girls under these eight subjects, which perhaps correspond roughly to age and progression through school. The largest number of students, for example, faces the basic catechism exam. The two final subjects listed, embroidery and political catechism, presumably more difficult, have the fewest number of students. In all cases, the girls would have been quite young, finished with their schooling perhaps by the age of 10 or 12. ¶ A rare piece of documentary evidence for girls’ primary education during Spain’s Liberal Triennium. We trace a single copy only (Biblioteca de Navarra, Pamplona).

CONDITION: Modern blue hand-marbled wrappers. ¶ The Navarra catalog record notes 15 pages, though this appears to be a mistake, as the digitized copy matches ours. Moreover, the final page is blank, plus an 1831 edition at the University of Navarra is also 8 pages. ¶ A trifle dusty and wrinkled at the edges; small circular sticker affixed to the inside front wrapper, with some adhesive staining visible on the front cover. A nice copy.

REFERENCES: Julio Ruiz Berrio, “Los primeros planes españoles de educacion primaria,” Revista española de pedagogía 24.93 (Jan-Mar 1966), p. 56

Item #211