The “Katharinenbuch” contains the regulations for a secondary
school, as it was to be founded in Fribourg at the time of the
Catholic reform on the model of the reformed schools. Peter
Schneuwly (1540-1597) can be considered the author; he himself
probably went to school in Fribourg. From 1557 on, he studied in
Freiburg im Breisgau, where he attained a Magister artium. From
1564 on, he was a member of the clergy of the Collegiate Church of
St. Nicholas in Fribourg, in 1565 he became a canon, and in 1566 a
preacher in the city. At this time, the first preparatory works for
the “Katharinenbuch” took shape. In the years 1577-1597,
Schneuwly was vicar general of the Diocese of Lausanne, from
1578-1587 also provost of St. Nicholas. The “Katharinenbuch”
also constitutes the charter of the “Scholarchenkammer”
(chamber of scholarchs) of the city of Fribourg, in whose
possession it remained until the 19th century. The school reform
sought by Schneuwly never went into effect because in 1580, also on
Schneuwly’s initiative, the Jesuits were called to Fribourg and
were entrusted with secondary education.
