Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-22
SCHOOLS IN PORTO RICO
Appeal Made for Second Hand Furniture by
Supervisor Brown.
His Description of the Situation Re.
EardinE Education - Needs
of the People.

Mr.. B. W. Murch, assistant superintend-
ent of the District public schools, today
forwarded to the Commissioners a letter
referred to him from Mr.. Anselm B. Brown,
English supervisor Of schools Ponce Porto
Rico, in which Mr. Brown requests the
donation of any secondhand school fur
niture which may be at the disposal Of the
District public school officials, for use by
the city and district public schools Of
Ponce. Mr.. Brown also requests a copy Of
the latest report Of the District school
board. Mr.. Murch states that there are in
storage here some old-style combination
school desks, of little value to the District,
but which would under the circumstances
be acceptable to the people Of Ponce. 1t
is, therefore, probable that If the Commits
sioners find that such furniture be do
mated by them the desks will be forwarded
Mr.. Browns communication, addressed to
the secretary or president of the board of
education, Washington, D. c., gives a
rather interesting description of the situa-
ton In Porto Rico. He states that, with
the approval of General John A. Eaton,
given just before the latters retirement
from the position of superintendent of pub
lie instruction in Porto Rico, he is solicit
ing good secondhand school furniture for
the public schools in the district of Ponce.
City of Ponce.
five public schools in the city and district
of Ponce, and they are as unlike the
schools in the states you can well i'm
agine. They are held in dwelling houses.
untidy, poorly lighted and ventilated, with
boards small boxes for seats. Although
the stars and stripes have been floating in
Porto Rico for a year, these schools are
still going On mainly in the old Spanish
way, except as to teaching, in which there
is considerable Improvement in the city
schools. Twelve thousand copies of APP
pletons First Reader are in in the
Ponce schools, sold at % centavos do cents)
each. Two poor children have one copy
loaned to them by the bureau of education.
The American system OF education is now
being introduced, and a better state of af-
fairs will commence this fall The money
expended will mainly go to teachers sala-
ries. The municipalities are being urged to
provide better quarters and fit them up.
But all that can be done will be but a trifle
compared to what is needed and that i'm
mediately, in order to give the most meager
comforts to school life
Each school, explains Mr.. Brown,
averages at least sixty pupils. Some schools,
such as they are. number over 100 pupils.
Old school desks, teachers desks book
shelves and any other school furniture in
good condition will be good new for
the schools here. Gen. Eaton assured me
he would secure the United States govern
ment transportation to New York where
tHt ScOuS can DE put on the transport TO
Ponce. / have sent out a number of ap-
peals to school boards, but l have heard
from only one board of education-that of
ST. Louis. which has voted to give $50 old
desks TO the city of Ponce. They are already
knocked down and Grated ready for ship
ment and will be on their way here be-
fore this letter reaches you.
Condition of Affairs.
There is no need" continues Mr.. Brown
of reviewing to you the condition of af-
fairs in Porto Rico or the prevailing ignor-
ance of the native Porto Ricans. Nearly
$4,000 of them are on this small island
about 100 miles long and 40 miles wide
Only Il per cent of them can read and
write. The children are eager to learn, and
are naturally very bright. We need school
desks My appeal is for 1000 old desks
for the city of Ponce and for the district
of Ponce. with its dense population. If /
secure the 1000 desks they will go only
half around and not even that much, in
giving needed accommodations for the
children now in school. A great number
are not in school at all.
IF the board of education of Washington
will make liberal donation of good sec
ond-hand desks to the city or district of
Ponce the gift will help place two or three
schools. l hope, in good condition for sew
eral years to come. The citizens in the
neighborhood of each school will have to
do their part in securing a better building
with large rooms and in making 1t clean
and attractive. Aid will not be given to
schools where no effort is made by the
people to advance education, although |
do not think there will be a case of this
kind in all my field.
Greatest of All BIessings
1.-The masses of the people," explains Mr..
Brown. in concluding, ARE rising a little
out of their wretched poverty, and will do
so more rapidly in the near future Children
are not dying from slow starvation in
Porto Rico, not knowing what is the mat
ter with Them as is often said. 1t is i'm
possible for people to starve to death here
or suffer much from lack of clothing They
Gle from hygienic neglect, from ignorance,
not knowing how to take care Of them
selves. The public school system is to be
the greatest of all blessings that will come
to Porto Rico in it's freedom from Spanish
greed and oppression and in opening the
way for bright outlook"