A Brief Overview of Education During Danish Period 1672-1878

Edu 505- Fall 2013

L. Larsen

St. Thomas: Settled 1672. 28 sq. miles

St. John: Settled 1718. 20 sq. miles

St. Croix: Bought 1733 from France.84 sq. miles.

The Danish West Indies In 1660, when Denmark became an

absolute Monarchy, the King became the head or the Danish Lutheran State Church.

The year 1731 is a milestone in black education in the Danish West Indies. That year Christian VI became King of Denmark. Both he and Queen Sofie Magdalene were Pietist and were deeply religious.

Consequently. Christian VI was the last word in determining official religious policy in Denmark

For the occasion of me coronation n 1731. Count Zinzendorf, who was related to the Danish Queen came to Copenhagen where he met Anton, a slave from St. Thomas

Anton told Zinzendorf about the Blacks who lived in slavery in St. Thomas without any knowledge of the Gospel, and as a result, Zinzendorf became very interested in the lives of the slaves. Zinzendorf subsequently approached the Danish King, asked for, and obtained permission to send out missionaries to St. Thomas provided that they only converted heathens” and did not intrude on other denominations, obeyed the laws, and supported themselves.

Moravian Mission to the Danish West Indies

The West India and Guinea Company which held the charter from the Danish King to ad- minister the island, including a trade monopoly, was first opposed to it, but the Royal family supported Zinzendorf

This marks the first step in the direction of education of slaves. The Moravian Brethren did not intend to baptize anybody. unless they understood the meaning of the Gospel Moravians, like the Pietists, considered it necessary to be able to read the Gospel to understand it personally.

Moravian Mission to the Danish West Indies

Lived in Moravia (Today Czech Republic) Became Christianized around 863 AD. Persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church Became refugees to the Saxony estate of

Count Zinzendorf in 1722— a Lutheran Humble Christians who believe that the

Gospel should be spread to the heathens.

Moravian Teaching and Philosophy

Not only should the mind be developed but above all the will, disciplined to virtue.

The fundamental branches of learning; especially mathematics, should be restored to their former and rightful place in the curriculum.

The basic elements of Latin should not be learned through rules, but rather through practice and enjoyable play.

Schools should be centers of doing, not talking because God wanted people to be doers.

They should proselytize only among the non christians

On December 13. 1732. the first two Moravian Brethren, Leonard Dober and David Nitchmann. landed in St. Thomas. This marked the beginning of a Christian Mission and the education of thousands of Negro slaves in the Danish West Indies, and later of slaves elsewhere in the West Indies. The idea of preaching the Gospel to the slaves was considered absurd and dangerous by most of the planters, but others trusted the Brethren, helped them to get established and allowed them to have their meetings on their plantations, even though some laws prohibited gatherings of slaves.

Planting Sugar Cane in the West Indies

In 1739 the Moravian Brethren began to give instruction in the Creole language. The first Brethren did not understand the Creole language, but they spoke a German dialect similar to Dutch. little by little they learned Creole. When Count Zinzendorf left St. Thomas in 1739 after a visit, he delivered a speech in Creole to the slaves. The text of this speech is the first known document in Creole from St. Thomas.

Goals for the advancement of education in the Danish West Indies

Christianization of slaves. Improvement of the moral character and

religious life of the inhabitants. The building of law-abiding citizens. To provide students with a basic

education that would equip them for adult roles in society.

Harvesting the Sugar Crop

June 11, 1734: 14 new members arrived. Dober returned to New Hernnhut. 1735: 6 Brethren, 11 sisters 2 stayed on St. Thomas. The others went to

St. Croix Death toll was high. By December 1, only

one missionary remained on St. Croix Building schools and mission continued on

St. Thomas By 1736 of the 39 that came only 19

remained. Missionaries went back to St. Croix in 1740

Problems Encountered by Moravian Mission

Climate Yellow Fever Hostility of the white establishment

Called the mission work a “harmful doctrine” speculating that the Moravians work among the slaves will incite them to “revolt” and “murder” the planters.

Growth of the Mission During the first fifty years (1732-1782)

of Moravian work on the islands, 8,833 adult negroes and 2,974 children were baptized by the Moravian missionaries

By 1832, when the Church in the three islands celebrated its one hundredth anniversary, the membership stood at just over 10,000 souls

Seven congregations by 1832

Success of the Moravian Missions The secret of the success of the

Moravian work in the Danish West Indies, as elsewhere, lay not only in the zeal, devotion, and self-sacrifice of the missionaries but also in their organization and method of work

Education for Slaves Moravians believed in baptizing only

those “...who understood the meaning of the Gospel and who could read passages and therefore better remember the Gospel

Schools were established in all Brethren’s settlements among the “heathens”…

For the use by the schools, spelling books and a catechism or summary of Christian doctrine were printed in Creole

Hauling Sugar on Centerline Road

Compulsory Education

1739:Compulsory education for Denmark.

December 21, 1787: Ordinance for public schools for all slaves and Free Colored in the Danish West Indies

September 20, 1788: Compulsory education for all white children in the Danish West Indies. Although schools for whites had already been started.

First School Ordinance First attempt at public education for all blacks—

slaved and free. The aim was to provide a basic public education that

would make it possible for the children to develop and achieve greater perfection in any knowledge they might acquire

Four Free Blacks who were well-behaved and capable to be school managers must be church clerks and funeral managers should be paid by the Church

By 1789, based on the Ordinance, there were three public schools on St. Croix and one on St. Thomas. These schools were called Danish Schools, Lutheran Schools or Government Schools.

Expectations for Schoolmaster in DWI Explained the curriculum, teacher-pupil relationships, and

punishment for public schools in the Danish West Indies. Creole was to be the language of instruction. The schoolmaster should teach some of the children singing so

that they could help him at the church services. No child belonging to the mission congregation or who was

expected to become a member of the congregation should be refused admission.

Paying pupils from other congregation might be admitted. Each child of free parents should pay a certain monthly fee. Slave parents with means could volunteer to pay for their

children. Instruction was to be given every morning and afternoon. Once a year an examination would be held to evaluate the

progress of the pupils

1839 Ordinance on the Country School System

Issued June 4 1839 after work of Governor General Emancipation talks, freedom for English slaves. Eight schools in St. Croix Five in St. Thomas Four in St. John The capital costs of which would be met from the

colonial treasury, where they were not met gifts and voluntary contributions

Crown waived his right to head tax in the islands and this was donated to help finance the new system of education.

1839 Ordinance on the Country School System

Moravian Brethrens were to “administer the teaching”:

“because of the Moravian Brethren’s irreproachable conduct, the simplicity of their teaching the Gospel, and the way they take care of their congregation I believe we cannot find anybody more qualified for the instruction of the unfree children”. (von Scholten)

1839 Ordinance on the Country School System

Eight schools built on St. Croix in La Grande Princesse, Diamond, Two Williams, Mount Victory, Peter’s Rest, King’s Hill, Green Cay, and La Vallee.

Schools on St. Thomas and St. John were delayed and were built later.

Children under nine attended school every day except Saturday from nine to twelve, while those nine to twelve years old attended every Saturday from nine to twelve.

The language of instruction was English Religious instruction was based on an

interdenominational catechism and the Bible.

1839 Ordinance on the Country School System

All children six to thirteen must attend one of the country schools weekly from eight to twelve for those up to ten and on Saturdays for those from ten to thirteen.

Parents and planters are responsible for school attendance and parents should end their children to school clean and decent.

The only reason for absence would be illness. Parents would be fined eight cents a day for all absent children.

Planters would be fined the equivalent of 4-8 Rdl a day for delaying information for children on his estate.

Sugar Mills Powered By Wind and Steam

1839 Ordinance on the Country School System

Planters who caused children to be absent will for the first offense pay 4-8 rxdl. which doubled every time the incident occurred.

The Moravian school director was to guide the teachers regarding methods of teaching and to hold regular meetings with them.

Instruction was to consist of catechism, singing of hymns, reading and arithmetic. Writing and sewing reserved for those who were willing to pay for it.

Summary Slave economies populated by white

planters and African slaves. Slaves endured harsh treatment at the

hands of the whites. Danish West Indian slaves were unique

in that they were exposed to education. No other slave population in the

Caribbean had this privilege. In fact, it was illegal for slaves to learn

to read and write.

Next Portion of presentation will cover 1878-Present

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