On Lorenzo Manché’s 100th death anniversary, Louis Borg Manché and Edwin Borg Manché conclude a three-part series on the life and achievements of the ophthalmologist, educator and philanthropist. 

This is the final article in a three-part series. Read part one and part two.

Role of Maltese in education

During the 19th century there was conside­rable public debate in Malta on the issue of the role that the Maltese language should play in education. Having a keen interest in education, Lorenzo Manché provided significant input to two major public reviews. The first was to Royal Commissioner Sir Patrick Joseph Keenan, who was sent to Malta in 1878 to investigate reforms to the educational system of the island, and the second, two decades later, to the Select Committee of the Council of Government set up in 1897 to look into the organisation of the Department of Education.

To help him in compiling his report, Keenan invited views on the systems deployed at the primary schools, the lyceum and the university. Manché submitted his suggestions on ways of improving both the primary schools as well as the university with special reference to the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery.

Regarding primary schools, Manché, being a member of the Società per la Cultura della Lingua Maltese, firmly believed in the critical importance of giving a thorough instruction of the Maltese language in early education, particularly for people in the lower socio-economic group of the population. This, he said, would enable children to read and write Maltese as they were often compelled to leave school at an early age to earn some income for their family. Maltese was the only language they understood and the only one they used in their daily intercourse with others.

As a staunch supporter of his native language, Manché also understood the importance of cultivating it for the whole population. He valued the insight that John Forbes provided in the introduction to his book on Gaelic grammar, published in 1848, quoted in his submission to Keenan: “When the language of a country is discouraged or imperfectly cultivated, the consequence is that the people entertain narrow and erroneous views of knowledge, are in general contracted in their minds and superstitious in their imaginations.”

As for the university, he pointed out the defects in the then existing system and put forward views on the improvements required to raise the study of medicine to the same level as that in the several universities in England to enable the local medical degree to be recognised by the British Medical Council.

Manché was among those who submitted their views to the Select Committee of the Council of Government set up in 1897 to inquire into and report on the organisation of the Education Department. Considering the proposals that Judge Debono made a year later and the eventual recommendations of the committee, Manché’s persuasive views appear to have carried considerable weight.

Around 1905, the Pro Infantia Association was established with the objective of educating and spreading practical hygienic measures to reduce the high infant death rate, estimated to be about 50 per cent at the turn of the century. The committee found in Manché a source of great support in its endeavours.

In 1907, the committee published a booklet written by Manché and translated by Advocate E.L. Vella, entitled It-trobbija tat-tfal jeu Tuissijiet għall ommijiet. As part of the Pro Infantia educational campaign, Manché also gave several talks in many towns and villages on Sunday mornings.

International Eucharistic Congress

Eminently religious and full of the spirit of Christian charity, Manché was appointed to the executive committee organising the 24th International Eucharistic Congress held in Malta in April 1913.

As one of its most zealous members, he was assigned various duties, including collaborating with Mgr Achille Ferris and Dr Augustus Bartolo to prepare and produce the Vademecum as well as the medals for the congress. In recognition of his services to the organisation of the congress, the gold cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice was conferred upon him by Pope Pius X.

Right until the evening before his death, Manché was still engaged in selling the remaining medals and books of the congress to raise the balance of funds required for the placing of a suitable memorial tablet in commemoration of the congress at St John’s Co-Cathedral. The tablet was eventually installed after his death. He also erected, at his own expense, a marble plaque at the Upper Barrakka Gardens, commemorating the blessing of the harbour by Cardinal Ferrata during the congress.

Manché was the very soul of the movement for the erection of the Christ the King monument outside Valletta

Manché was the very soul of the movement for the erection of the Christ the King monument outside Valletta to commemorate the congress. On January 17, 1916, Archbishop Mauro Caruana delegated him, together with Lorenzo Falzon,  to collect the money for the cost of the monument. He was determined to make the dream of the monument come true.

For 18 months he corresponded with the sculptor of the monument, Antonio Sciortino, who was in Rome at the time, to persuade him to carry out the work. At the same time, he had to persuade the organising committee to accept his model and the cost of the materials for the monument. Sciortino accepted the commission and donated his masterpiece to the nation, declining any fees for his work.

Manché had to overcome great difficulties in bringing over to Malta both the monument and the stonemasons (scalpellini) to carry out the work on the granite pedestal. This was during World War I and the scalpellini insisted that the crossing from Sicily to Malta would be too dangerous. However, Manché assured them that the ferry was making regular crossings bet­ween Syracuse and Malta, carrying even women and children.

The monument was inaugurated on December 30, 1917.

Sette Giugno riots

Manché took an active part at the National Assembly convened by Sir Filippo Sceberras in 1919 aimed at obtaining responsible government for Malta. There he represented the Società Economica Agraria and the Unione Cattolica San Giuseppe for which he served as treasurer for many years until his death. The National Assembly’s first meeting was held on February 25.

While the second meeting was taking place on June 7 at the premises of La Giovine Malta, in Valletta, a protest in nearby streets escalated into riots. The uprising against the British presence in Malta was triggered by the unsatisfactory economic conditions and political life for the locals. During this initial uprising, three men were killed and 50 injured as British soldiers fired at the rioting crowd. Another protester was stabbed during more unrest the following day and died a few days later. This event, referred to as Sette Giugno, is commemorated every year in Malta as a national public holiday.

Manché was one of the witnesses who gave evidence before the commission appointed to inquire into the riots. When the commission’s report was published, he disagreed with its conclusions. In a letter to the editor of The Malta Herald of October 30, 1919, he criticised the commission’s report for not accurately representing the facts that occurred on June 7 in Strada Forni. He also wrote that the commission failed to draw all their conclusions in its report in accordance with all the evidence given before it under oath.

Manché pointed out that about 20 people, including a British soldier, who were on the spot, denied under oath that any shots had been fired at the soldiers from the street or windows in that part of Strada Forni. This meant that the soldiers did not fire back in self-defence. He contended that the commission should have taken all the evidence seriously instead of trying to exonerate the military personnel involved.

The Malta Society of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce

Manché’s other interests led to him becoming involved in the running of the Malta Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce. In 1896 he was elected president. That year,  the society, which was founded in 1852, was officially recognised by the government. Governor Sir Lyon Fremantle accepted to be its patron while Count Gerald Strickland, then chief secretary to the government, became the society’s honorary president. This gave a new lease of life to the society for the benefit of local craftsmanship.

The society made steady progress during Manché’s presidency. In fact, its membership increased fourfold, from about 60 to over 250 members.

His legacy

Manché died at his residence in Valletta on February 16, 1921. The Daily Malta Chronicle paid tribute to him on the day of his death, referring to him as “a skilful surgeon and an eminently religious man, kind-hearted and generous, endowed with a charming and winning personality, courteous and obliging and a gentleman in the truest and highest sense of the word”.

Manché’s enormous contribution to the eradication of trachoma and the prevention of blindness in these islands characterises his most important legacy. While it took another two decades for trachoma to be completely wiped out in Malta, without his efforts it would undoubtedly have taken much longer.

During his life, he developed and applied his God-given talents to help his fellow citizens, especially those less fortunate than him. Ingrained with a deep-seated sense of public spirit and the common good, he selflessly and generously donated his time to treat the poor and illiterate afflicted with a horrible disease and educate the public in personal hygiene.

On issues of national importance, Manché left his mark as a thought leader of his time. He persuasively expressed views in the public arena, enlightening and influencing the discussion on the burning issues of education and migration.

His legacy is clearly significant enough to rightly earn him his country’s recognition, admiration and grateful appreciation.