of the schools of lower grade, are practically controlled
by the Roman Catholic Church and priesthood,
but the Sociedad Economica, which was
formed some years ago, had for its main purpose
the advancement of popular education. T he native
Cubans are, as a rule, ambitious for the education
of their children, and the rate of illiteracy is kept up
largely b y the almost total ignorance of the negroes,
who constitute the plantation hands and manual
labourers. There are a few libraries and learned institutions
in the larger cities, and some newspapers
which, under a severe censorship, have done little
credit to the communities in which they appear.
Social and domestic life in the cities, especially in
Havana, has much of the old Castilian stateliness,
and women are generally kept in retirement. Girls
are mostly educated in convents and encouraged to
marry early, and are not given to accomplishments.
When young they are often attractive, with jet
black hair and eyes, but overmuch addicted to cosmetics
and meretricious ornament. The city houses
are mostly Spanish in style, close upon the street,
and built around a patio from which they are entered.
While the Church was supported by the State at
considerable co s t,— perhaps in some measure because
it was so supported,— the more intelligent
Cubans have been given to a cynical free-thinking,
leaving the women to attend mass and indulge in
piety. Among the poorer and more ignorant, there
was much of the devout superstition common to
their class in Roman Catholic lands. The peasant
life is described by some as slovenly and verging