The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1899-08-19
Schools for Our Islands.

| The IndeDendent of last week con
tanned an article on IAN Educationa
Policy for Our New Possessions" 10y
the United States commissioner of edu
cation, Professor w. T, Harris. Profes
sor Harris is an eminent metaphysician
but he is no less eminent as q practica
| educator. He does not waste his ener
gies in the advocacy of pedagogic fan
cies, and never has done So In this in
stance he lays down broad propositions
| but keeps we'll within the lines of prac
teal possibility.
"Other nations" he SAYS, "notably
Germany, Austria, Russia, and France
will teach their colonists to be indus.
! trious and to adopt civilized habits in
the matter of food, clothing, and shell.
ter. Great Britain will go further and
establish universities in India and even
in Africa SO rs to permit exceptional in.
| dividuals to reach great careers, but the
United States will put before the whole
people the opportunity of schooling. II
will give whole nations an apprentice.
ship in an industrial civilization"
These few words outline the new era
and epitomize the new obligation
brought by events upon the United
States. How infinitely grander the
Harris conception of expansion than
the policy of fencing i'll our home area
with a Chinese WALL
Commissioner Harris brands as ab.
surd the suppositiOn that, if our gov.
eminent. by the people and for the
people, comes to have under its pro.
lection people who are not equal to the
task of self-gOvernment it will be nee.
essary for us to tyrannize over them
and enrich ourselves on their substance
while neglecting their best interests
Instead Of Sinking the great duty OF
the period he says: 1--WE must accept
the charge of as many of these colonies
as come to our hand" 1t is refreshing
to hear the foremost educator Of the
cOuntry-for snch is the rank of Viii.
liam 7. Harris-discard vague general.
tiles about the Declaration Of indie.
pendence and calmly apply common
sense to the colonial situation.
AS far as there are common schools
now in our colonies they should be
maintained and gradually improved
The introduction of English should be
So gradual as to occasion the least ma.
tive hostility to the public school sys.
TEN. The expense of the schools
| should be met, Commissioner Harris
appropriations from the national treas.
ury. Public lands in the islands will be
available in few years and perhaps in
few months for the extension to the
islands Of the school law system which
now prevails in every state and terri
tory of the Union. 1t is not necessary
! to pay the teachers or build the school.
| houses at the expense of the revenues
of the general government. The school
policy which the founders of this re.
| public established for the first territory
would fit the conditions in all the new.
| ly acquired islands. The great prob.
lem, in it's fundamental feature, is not
new. 1t is only necessary to follow the
path blazed out in tho wilderness Of
the NOrthw est late in the last century
while profitinY by the subsequent ex.
| perience.
In applying common sense ideas OF
an educational policy to our new pos.
sessions Professor Harris incidentally
touches on their government. II take
it for granted" he observes. that the
government will leave the management
of the islands for several months, OF
even years, in the hands of military
commanders, who will govern through
provost marshals assigned to districts
these being instructed to take all prop.
er steps to interest substantial citizens
citizens possessing educated intelli-
gence or successful IN the management
Of property-to come forward and as.
sist in restoring order and in re-estab-
fishing schools and business in the
proper channels"
| This is the kind of "forelgn yoke
| which is the logic Of Mr.. Bryan's gun
powder policy in the Philippines" The
| soldier is the forerunner of the school
| teacher and the great mission of educa-
ton in all our new possessions is to ele
vate the whole people. 1t is arrant non
sense to talk of self government before
there is the slightest basis for popular
intelligence. What would be the con-
dition of this continent to-day if the
early English settlers had contided the
care of North American institutions to
the ''self-government" of the North
American natives?