Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-29
PORTO RICAN SCHOOLS
The Gradual Adoption of American Eluca-
tional Methods
Recent Examinations for Teachers'
Certificates and the Salts
factory Results.

AnseIm r. Brown Of Los Angeles. Cal.
who has been serving as English super
visor in schools at Ponce. Porto Ric@ has
just returned from that island and is in
this city for a few days. The following
account of the teachers eXamiua ms
which he gave a Star reporter today will
be Of great interest to people interested in
educa tionaI work:
Everything in eGuCa tional work in Porto
Rico must be done in conformity with the
regulations of the school laws, said Mr..
Brown These laws have been printed in
both English and in Spanish. The need of
them is readily understood by all American
teachers, but they are a puzzle t the
Porto Ricaus. It is proving an education
in itself for the Porto Rican teachers and
The people generally down there to learn
the details of the public school system of
the nItet States, and especially the order
y and systematic methods of conducting
examinations and issuing certificat to
successful candidates. Teachers exa~.ina-
lions were held last July, and again in Sep
TENDER Notices We're fully given in the
spanish papers, and particulars were clear
ly stated to the manner in which they
would be conducted
The Teachers Examinations
"AH the examinations were in writing
from questions furnished by the insuar
board Of education, and were held under
the supervision of the English supervisors,
of which there are thirty-seven-One for
each district The examinations in all the
districts were held on the same day and
the papers were promptly returned to the
board Of education at San Juan, to be
marked by the committee appointed for
that purpose
These proceedings simple as they are
to the great army of teachers in the states.
were very strange to Porto Rican teachers
who wanted to get certificates under the
nj pdU N
der to receive appointments and draw pay
from the military government. Many
teachers presented their old credentials
and laid much stress upon the long time
they had been engaged in teaching, while,
IN fact, some of them utterly lacked quail
ncationS TO teach. Others who came TO
the examinations wanted to take the pa
pers home and fill out the answers there.
They were greatly surprised that these
privileges could not be granted. Others
wanted to take the examinations at some
other date than the time fixed. After the
examinations were over candidates con-
unued TO apply, and felt that they were
unfairly treated because they could not be
examined at later dates. 1t was a good
deal Tor them TO learn that the school laws
would be strictly concerned 10, and that
there could be no teachers examinations
IN the government schools except at the
dates fixed upon and duly advertised.
Many Candidates.
about $50 teachers, or candidates in all
the districts took the examinations in July
And here there was much for them TO
learn, for they had never had written ex-
aminau0ns before. The fairness and i'm
partially OF the proceedings. leaving no
chance Tor fayOritism, the writing in ink,
the answers TO the questions, showing in
this way how much or little they knew
upon the subject, awakened them to the
7dct that q teachers certificate in the gov
eminent schools. when obtained, would be
worth something.
Very few Of the candidates received GER
tl1CdteS- but they received credits for what
they earned each subject and cards
showing these credits We're sent to them.
The examinations tended 10 rouse the
teachers from Indifference, idleness and
qualify themselves for examinations to
come.
\ Teachers Qualifications
THE papers We're not easy. though by no
means unreasonable. To secure a princi-
pals certificate the applicant was obliged
To pass an examination in Spanish, in
English. arithmetic in Spanish arithmetic
in English. geography and history of the
United States, in Spanish or English, and
Spanish examination in school methods.
For a title a graded school teacher
successful examination was necessary in
Spanish and English. but the applicant was
at liberty TO use Spanish or English in
filling out the papers in arithmetic, geogra-
ply and United States history The rural
school teachers We're not required to pass
an examination in English-Spanish was
only necessary in order to obtain certii-
Gates.
Good Pay an Incentive.
The money question is a great incentive
to the native teachers They must hold
certificates from the insuIar board of edu-
cation in order to secure positions and
draw their salary from the military gov
eminent or, We will soon say, from the
civil government They nn0w too well, and
often by bitter experience, how slow their
pay comes. if at all, from the old system
Of education under the Spanish regime
While there IS at present a scarcity of ma
tive teachers who hold these certificates
there are on the other hand a great num-
Der Of well-educated young people in Porto
RICO who are working hard to secure them
and SO get good positions. The salaries
vary from $40 per month gold for princi-
pals 10 so per month gold for rural
teachers.
An american Free school.
elm Ponce there is an American free
school partly supported by the military
government and partly from private enter
prise by the citizens OF the city.
1t has about so pupils and is doing ex-
C-laul work. being "a thorou@h-gcng school
according To American ideas. This school
VS. S-aEftd soon after the Americans took
Possession of the island and is wholly free
from The old customs and usaEes Of the
Spanish schools. which customs still con-
Iiuue i'm VOgEe-the schools being modified
only as the teachers and the people want
10 adopt American methods The phrase
T-sllttrN government carries the idea of
compulsory measures. but there Is nothing
q this kind in the educational work in
Porto Rico The municipal councils are at
IeTfec- liberty 10 have such schools as
they wish our public school system is
there % proffer its help in education, and
only asks the cooperation Of The munich
pal council in conforming 20 the school
laws If they are ready 10 do this we'll
ard good. if not, they wait a little but
soon see the need Of taking hold ana Co
ing their part in order 10 secure the gov
eminent appropriations.
Municipal Co-Operation.
''For example, the government arpropr'a-
ton for Ponce. aside from aid TO the
American free school. provides for a rrin-
opal and five teachers for a girls graded
school. for a principal and i've teachers
for q boys graded school; for a prilCipaI
and three teachers for a era led school at
the Playa. the port Of Ponce. Ii also pro-
Nide- tor twenty-five rural tea "hers in the
district Of Ponce This means tina. the
government will, under certain conditions
pay the salaries of these teachers furnish