The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-15
EDUCATION in PORTO RICO.
THE SMALL NUMBER or CHILDREN
WHo GO 70 SCHOOL.

bonelrs Plans for the Future.
SAN JUAN. Porto Rico. Dec. 3l.-More tina
three-fourths OF the children between the age
off and - years oil this little island at presou
do not attend school. These figures. whlcl
have been submitted to United States Com
missioner OF Education W. 7. Harris. Mt Wash
ington. d.. c.. are based upon the latest return
in the possession OF the Secretary OF the In
terror, DR.. Salvador Carbonell of the Ursula
Cabinet. and plainly show the need for an earl!
aud complete reconstruction ofthe Spanish ed
ucational system. Secretary Carbonell esti
mates the total number of children between
and 8. native Porto Rican and negroes. at 1876,
0a5. OF these only 1888 attend either public
or private institutions. while tho remainder
a7.757. stay at home or play In the streets
These figures show still further that only
1854 OF the o0.33o little girls and 1904 OF tn.
65. 1886 boys. the future citizens Of this new
possession. are now studyiue reading. writing
arithmetic. grammar and geography.
instruction for these pupils in the $40 public
schools, corresponding to the grammar grades
in the United States. cost the various cities
towns and villages 1881 $40, Porto Rican
money. for the past twelve months. The two
districts Of the island, north and south. also In
clude forty-one private schools. In explana-
ton OF these figures DR.. Carbonell says:
Under Spanish rule the Government dis
couraged the instruction OF the young. for the
officials found that they could rule much easier
by keeping the people in ignorance. The
people themselves are not to blame for their
condition. Our Captain Generals. nearly with
out exception. opposed any improvements in
| the school system"
Except in MayagueZ. q city Of 10000 popula-
tion on the west coast. and a fe1 smaller towns.
not a public school building can be found on the
island. Under the Spanish system the city.
town or village rents q house for the classroom
and gives the remaining rooms to the teacher
for a home. Besides FREQ rent the teachers re-
ceive. according to the primary or higher
grade from 25 to 100 silver pesos NATIVE dollars)
| a month. Most instructors have from forty to
sixty pupils. In the elementary schools the
little boys and girls. white and negro. are all
together. but when they grow older the boys
and girls have separate schools, with men and
women teachers respectively. Except Sunday.
school sessions are held every day in the week.
from 8 to IL in the morning and from ! to 4 or
5 in the afternoon. Vacations heretofore were
given to the children on all the church and ma
tional holidays. with an annual summer recess
from July Is to Aug. l. For studies the pupils
are instructed In reading. writing. arithmetic.
grammar. history and geography. Religion Is
now omitted as a regular study. Since the
Americans have taken possession OF the island
government the schools have been continued
practically as under Spanish rule. except. how
ever. in a few villages where the authorities
have neglected to pay the teachers salaries.
The bad Porto Rican boys. like those in the
United States. and sometimes even the inno-
cent ones. are often punished severely by the
native schoolmasters. In a San Juan public
school one day recently THE Sun correspond
ent found q little G-year-old negro lad kneel-
ing on the hard floor. evidently for u punish
ment.
rs the little fellow praying" inquired the
newspaper man. naturally interested.
No. he is a bad boy" explained the teacher.
And what did he do ?"
He draws pictures"
In support OF this statement the teacher told
the little criminal to exhibit his handiwork.
He quickly went to his seat. and. returning
with a frightened face. held up a roughly
sketchod picture Of an American flag. His idea
evidently came from the School flag. which had
been presented by Lafayette Post. 14O. G. A. R..
and which then stood in front OF the room.
And when the correspondent requested the
picture to take HON for a souvenir. the patri-
otto little boy seemed fully repaid for his tire
some hour on the floor. For other punish
ments the same teacher exhibited a cane and
a buckled strap. In still another school dis
trict the boys. without exception. told an in
tS,S s'eN 'hN INV N'tN tOt
started to punish them they could escape the
cane-whip by the payment of one or two cop
per cents.
Spanish text books furnish sorne interesting
to the children of Porto Rico. In
The Elementary Geography OF the Island Of
Porto Rico published in 1896 by "Boletin
Mercantil" of San Juan. the authors. Don Man.
uel Quintana and Corton. divide geography
into three parts. astronomical political and
1T - a.
to ask a question concerning the subject under
discussion and then to give the answer. Thus.
under the subject Porto Rico." the authors
discuss the Porto Rican. and say:
O. WHAT'S his character? A.-Frank and ex-
pansive.
Q.-And his customsP Alike those of mid
die Spain.
OF the several invasions Of the island by the
French. Hollandersa and English. the geography
makes the following pointed remarks:
Q.-How many times has the island been in
vaded? Amino times, owing to the covet-
eousness Of tho foreigners. but others Just as
great by their brave defence repealed them.
ON what years? A.-The island was in
vaded by the French in 1888. by the English in
1895. the Dutchmen In 1925. the Engli' h in
1873. 1702. 1703. 1743 and 1897 and in 1924
by Mr.. Porter. Commodore OF the United
States.
Secretary Carbonell. WHO is at the head OF the
school system in the insular Cabinet. favors the
immediate introduction OF American methods
in the schools. His progressive ideas. Incl
~dentally. led to his Imprisonment in MORO
Castle in 1887 by order Of the Spanish Captain
General then in command. At that time the
Secretary, as a member Of the Liberal party
in MavagucZ. publicly protested against the
homo Government prosecuting his comrades.
who were denounced as traitors and Anarchists.
and to whom the use Of the postal service had
been refused. For his widely published letter
he was confined four months in prison. and
narrowly escaped the execution OF "A death SELL
tence. or the school system plans for the fu-
ture, however. DIR. Carbonell says:
My idea is to model the schools as nearly as
possible after the schools In the United States.
At first ! should like to introduce the American
kindergarten in each city. town and village in
order to teach tho little children the English
For this work alone / need 100
young women teachers from ths United States.
At least seventeen more teachers could be used
In the higher grade English schools. Further
more. ! should like TO introduce in our schools