The officers of the army and the subordinates of the Govern-
ment, when not occupied with the immediate duties of their
stations, opened free schools in the barracks of the soldiery,
in the offices of customs, and the rooms of the general and
local courts. The house of the National Government^ at
the close of office hours, became an academy. But the sys-
tem of education, as all the other plans of improvement
originating with the Liberals, were suspended during the
disturbances created by the Serviles, and overthrown when-
ever and wherever the latter attained ascendancy. In the
new career now opening before Central America, the subject
of education claims and no doubt will receive the first atten-
tion of the respective States. But nothing beneficial can be
done without a complete abandonment of the old systems of
teaching — old authorities and books, and the substitution of
others adapted to the age, and the state of general knowledge
amongst civilized nations. If creeds and catechisms are still
required, let them be assigned their proper time and place ;
they constitute no part of an education, and are chilling and
oppressing in their influences on the youthful mind. The
sooner this fact is not only understood, but acted upon, in
Central America, the better for its people.
CHAPTER XV.
