Jean-Baptiste of the Room

Saint Jean-Baptiste of the Room (Rheims, April 30th 1651 - Manor of Saint-Yon, suburbs of Rouen, April 7th 1719) was a Professor French and an innovator in the field of the pedagogy, which devoted its life to educate the poor children.

Biography

Born in a noble family lawyers, elder of eleven children (3 girls and 8 boys), he is the son of Louis of the Room and Nicole de Moët de Brouillet. His/her father intends it for a legal career, but Jean feels the religious vocation. Tonsure at 11 years, it is intended for the priesthood. Formed with the Sorbonne and the seminar, whose spirituality marks it deeply, it becomes as of the January 7th 1667 Chanoine with Rheims, studies the Théologie with Paris starting from 1670 and is ordered priest the April 9th 1678. Lastly, in 1680, it is received doctor in Théologie.

In his birthplace, one entrusts to him the foundation of parochial schools for poor children. As of 1679, it founds for the poor a free school and in 1681 it places at his place certain poor teachers. In 1683 it cancels its canonicat and founds the May 25th 1684 the Congrégation of the Frères of the Christian Schools. Thereafter, it opens vocational schools, schools of Sunday, houses of education for the young people who trail in the streets. The church is opposed to the creation of the brothers Christian Schools but Saint Jean Baptist of the room insists and goes until the end of its project.

He realizes whereas what the children miss more they are Masters of value. He thus recruits young Masters to which he proposes a form of life devoted to God who would leave them their laic character however. With their intention, it writes a kind of rule in this spirit. Thus the core of the future Institut of the Brothers of the Christian Schools is formed, dedicated with the instruction and the education of the children of popular environments. For at the same time spiritual and teaching training of the brothers, it creates in 1692 with Vaugirard the first noviciate and in 1698 completes to develop the rules of the Congregation.

In 1685, it founds with Rheims a seminar which constitutes a true teacher training school teachers, innovation who does not have an equivalent then, apart from the formation assured with their monks by the Jésuite S for teaching the easier mediums. In 1688, it opens the first schools in Paris where it comes to settle.

In 1694, it is elected higher new congregation and equips it with a more elaborate rule. It continues its teaching and spiritual work, in particular writing a whole of works for the Masters.

Called with Rouen in 1705 by Mgr Colbert, Archbishop of this city, it opened a boarding school with Saint-Yon and made there come, in 1714, the noviciate of Paris.

Towards the end of its life, it dislocates its functions. He dies in the head office which he fixed at Rouen. After its death, its institute will continue to develop quickly in France and in the whole world, being used readily as reference to the teaching congregations.

Two innovations: the lesson is not given individually but in a class and one learns how to read in French and not in Latin. These innovations upset pedagogy in France.

It was buried in Saint-Sever. In 1734 its body was brought back to Saint-Yon in the vault of his boarding school, then in 1835 in that of the Teacher training school of Rouen. The town of Rouen raised a statue to him, works of Falguière, on June 2nd 1875.

Its lawsuit of Béatification began in 1835 and, on May 8th 1840, it was declared Vénérable. He was proclaimed happy the February 19th 1888 and was canonized the May 24th 1900 by Leon XIII. Its festival is fixed at the April 7th. In 1937 its relics were transferred to Rome. The May 15th 1950, the pope Pie XII made of him the owner of the teachers. Mgr Langénieux made build in Rheims, as of 1898, the church placed under its name.

One often confuses his order with a distinct order and homonym founded by Edmond Ignace Rice.

Teaching principal innovations

It founded the " Schools normales" , that it called " seminars for the Masters of the campagne" , to ensure the first and fundamental need for the school: moral and cultural preparation of the teachers.
It founded the first religious congregation men, the Brothers of the Christian Schools, made exclusively laymen, dedicated to the " schools chrétiennes"
It made triumph the simultaneous method by level in primary school education. Previously the Master dealt with the pupil in an individual way.
It gave the priority to the training of the reading of the native tongue on the Latin language, contrary to the traditional use of its time.
It wanted the exemption from payment in primary school education in the schools which it had founded, preceding the governments more progressists.
It organized, before very other, the schools of the evening and Sunday for the young workers.

Source

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