Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1899-12-19
SCHOOLS OF PORTO RICO.
UHdsr AmsrieAa system Thsy Are Pro-
crossing woadsrfuIiy.

Uadst Amsrieaa system Thsy Are Pro-
crossing woadsrfuIiy.
San Juan. Dec. Is. Since the Amsr
ican occupation great strides have been
made in the public school system Of
Porto Rico A board Of education was
organized consisting Of i've members,
three Porto RicAus and two Americans
Each municipality in the island now has
~ American teacher. about Is being
employed There are some 900 Spanish
teachers The schools sre now held In
houses separated from the houses Of tho .
teachers and modern text books in En-. I
glish and Spanish are used All public .
schools are under American supervision. /
Tho school year has been reduced from
~ 20 months aud salaries have been .
increased somewhat. being placed on .
the American currency basis
Ground has been broken for the e-
Enlistment Of normal and industrial
school at Fajardo. on the northern coast /
This school will open during the coming
year The city Of Fajardo subscribed
$50 0OJ toward It's construction and the
insular government like sum.
A modern training school under
American teachers has been established
in San Juan in an up 10 date school
building About 2jO pupils are study.
ing ia this school All courses are IN
English and English textbooks are used
exclusively The grades range from
kindergarten 10 through college pre-
paraiory.
Last spring a similar school with sim
liar grades was started at Ponce with
American teachers, but under private
auspices This Ia now a public school
with au enrolment of go
Its the policy Of the department 20
organize good American schools giving
! instruction Ia English and this is being
done as fast As funds permit In order
that native schools may b, remodelled
upon an American basis by following
[ the methods Of American instructors
/ Under the Spanish regime there were no
graduation from the schools and few
pupils would be- found beyond the third
year Of their course Fifteen per cent
Of the people read and write. and Of
these one.third have been taught IN
their own homes or in private schools or
In other countries than Porto Rico For
some years many have been sent
g. tho United States for education
Noreligious instruction permitted The
children appear eager 10 learn English
and pick II up with remarkable apti'
tude The teachers employed are from
the United States and are mostly grad.
yates with moderen methods The lie.
paftmont Is about 10 issue teachers
manual l, publishes regular bulletin
In languages for teachers and provides
pedagogical literature Spanish and
English literature ara also supplied 10
the schools
The present school system has been
great success aud although It has been
In force comparatively short time one
fifth Of the total school population is
already provided for Governor Gen.
eral Davis has caused to be appropriated
~ per cent Of the tATes for educational
purposes instead Of 0 per cent As form.
erly He takes personal interest in
the school question, inspects the schools
and is cordially supporting the intro
duction Of American methods
The great baue Of the schools is
politics A large percentage Of the male
attaches are politicians some are agi.
tAting against the new system as detri.
mental 10 their own interests Most OF
the teachers however heartily cooperate
with reforms A board Of school trus'
tees for each town Is elected by the
people. and elections are now occurring
throughout the island For the first
/ time the school organization is separate
] from tho municipal organization. A
! great improvement is already observed
e In tho larger towns, especially in the
{ accommodations. organizations, disci'
4 pline and grading. A better sanitary
] s..uNtffnp ala. aWtafa