The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-30
SCHOOLS IN MANILA.
Work Accomplished by Father McKinnon
Before He started for Home.


MANILA. June e-Padre McKinnon has gone
to Negroes TO Join his regiment. the First Cali
fornia Volunteers preparatory TO starting for
home. and tho schools. the cemeteries and the
leper hospital are left without a supernten-
dent. Padre McKinnon has had a lively year
OF IL. Before we took Manila he was constantly
exposed not only to the dangers which the
men OF his regiment met. but also to several
others ofhs own seeking. as. for instance. when
he walked into the city to see the Archbishop
and was shot at several times by the Spaniards
before they recognized him as priest. On the
day OF the surrender Of the Spaniards Father
McKinnon was wounded slightly "a he adj
vance along the beach with his regiment
Almost at the beginning OF the American
occupation OF Manila Padre McKinnon was put
In charge Of the public schools. The system
under the Spaniards was not very extensive
nor was the work very thorough. and there was
lot az hard work for the padre in getting
things to running again in anything like
proper shape. Before he had fairly got started
at it. the lcper hospital was put in his charge
also. AMI there was q lot more work Then he
was made superintendent OF the cemeteries.
all Of those In Manila being under his direc-
ton. and that did make his hands full. All
this work the padre has looked after steadily
since he took hold of 1t last fall and besides.
boys under fire in their fighting about Manila.
II was in the schools that Father McKinnon
was most Interested. At the start 1t was slow
work. There we're comparatively few pupils
and there were only two schoohouses. Both
OF these were conducted by the Jesuts. one in
the walled city and the other in Malate. The
school In the walled city was the only regular
municipal school in Manila that in Malate was
a normal school for tho training OF teachers.
conducted much on the lines OF similar insti-
tutions in the States. These schools the padre
at once arranged tocontinuc the Jesuit fathers
being glad Of the opportunity There had been
sev"rnI district schools Of little better than
primary standing. and these Father McKinnon
programmed and set at work as soon as possible.
He was able TO employ most OF the old teachers;
others This was not a matter OF great DIM
Guilty, although 1t required some time.
for his ss ns so Se
matter of education There was no great lack
Of pupils when it became known that, the new
schools were free and that care would be taken
Of all the children who came. 1t soon became
NECESSARY to provide more room. and F9thcr
were rented in various parts Of the city. and
n"w SCHOOLS were opened as $; n East as was re-
Eoash the sH pay wstS rot 9gFs few
cases amounting to $40 (4exlsan, a month,
hG s wSsm aht q ncknnsn met 0 nd rs
indication Of the force OF the insurrectionary
movement. It cnme in the shape Of prohibit
ton by Aguinaldo of one Of his pct plans He
and Stripes over the Normal schooi building IL
Malate. All the native teachers and some OF
the, pnpls were to take part in the ceremonies.
and an elaborate Pr9gramms r Was prepared
anything to do with tho raising Of the ,Xmer,
can flag. and all obeyed him. Nevertheless the
flag raised on the .b day and at the time
Americans and The Filipnos kept growing
steadily more and more strained. and It's effect
schools, There we're, some. pupils. however.
who were faithful. and even in the most trying
times Of The nrst flghtng the schools were not
A couple. Of months ago Father McKinnon
decided to begin giyipg instruction IN English.
were competent to give the children q start in
the new Official language, and a, few SpanIards
some of the American women here took hold
and the English denartnent was pretty well
number OF pupils was tho immediate result.
Men and women applied ms we'll as the chill
hren. The Flipin9s are eager to learn Eng
tude for IT, They came In such numbers that
1t was necessary to establish an age limit. and
mitted to the schools There are more than
5000 pupils, and there ls hardly room for them
established since Father McKlnnon took hold
OF the system.
general the .n curriculum Of the nm Manila
plest rudiments are taught for the most part.
but on the whole the work under Father Nc
Kinnon has been very successful. and 1t Is al
most entirely due TO his nntiring Energy and
have closed now for the long summer vacation
and there will be no effort to select a new SUI
nLerintendent until u Is certain that Father Me-
sires TO go home with his regiment and be
mustered out with the boys with whom he
started from San Francisco last summer. But
he has become 40 much interested In his work
out here and In the people with whom that work
has thrown him In contact that he In more than
willing to come back and go with the work
The Archbishop OF Manila ia very anxious to
have him return. and will have him appointed
Father McKinnon certainly has done very ex-
celient work here, and lot OF il. and 1t will he
extremely difficult to find n man to take his
place. Also. but that ts Of no consequence
It will be extremely difficult for the man. who
aver he ia