Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-07-06
PORTO RICO SCH0ur
CHILDREN STUDYING r,,.
Hney Eagerly Welcome 1t and ,on
IeaoherS-rhey Honor ,hs
Flag. ansr,

Flag. Aasts
when / reached Porto p,o.,.
the educational activities of ~ ia
were based on the Spnnisb ,o ,ne "
OF 1857, as modified by later >pUOl toSs,
crees," said General John E,,O!4 o!4
has just returned from po,.
where he was charged with ,Tn "
sible duties Of reorganizIn, S III, 'e
schools. "The educational wo.E 4e "
braced what may be called n,
mentary, auxiliary and rural sE @
a school Of industry, n normal ~ y
FOR girls and II collegiate Ins,i,,.s
boys. The cost of muint,,n,a
school Of industry, the Normal y
and the collegiate instl,u,e Mas
from the insular treasury, as I ,Ss,
II, and the expenses of the cIam...
and rural schools were paid Lv ~
inequalities, Of which there ,ra @
seventy In the island. I!
The question of introducl,, p
lish was Il delicate one TLsr,
those who thought 1t would rr.,'
ritation, but the plan adoptcd way y's.
natural one. A reader in Eny,I,t II
put into the schools and tIa
were assigned regular lesson, h, Il
simple reader. The island va, y
into sixteen divisions and A ,T,.H
ing teacher in English wa, NJ" ~
to each division. who yiJ,J =
school and saw that the E,.fS =
correctly pronounced. Thea ,T.,r;
Ing teachers We're selected ironI-'.
Americans who resided In po-,r
and the soldiers who Were sersz
from the United States, al,houctS,S,I
necessary in n few instance, ID u
10 this country for assistants.
"The English reader We alq.l
very simple. and the native la,
are required TO use il. The sura,T,
assists the native teachers in piVa5-
ing the English words. There a,
fewer than 10000 children now h,
ing English, and instead Of oppos.
to the Introduction of our lany5.
there Is a great desire for IT, The r.
lar teachers are pleased that ,hey
an opportunity to learn it, and y
children take to it with special !.
est. Writing in English was ais y
troduced, and patriotic songs IN
ltsh, including The Borlnqucn,' ths
tional air of Porto Rico. One q.
most delightful things down there
the presentation of national ais d
each school by the Lafayette ws u
the Grand Army of the Repulg 4
New York. Now visitor who Z
into the schools of Porto Rico vii !
the flag saluted in English Wit
much enthusiasm and as beaE.!!
as anywhere in the United Stats 4
school children sing the Ameria; 8
with great deal of enthus!sa
"Under the old Spanish law 0:1
ued General Eaton. "cducats n
compulsory. That is, childrel tsJs. r.
the ages Of q and 0 years weHs =
PEELED to attend schools. 1t will lkE
purpose to extend the limit M! M.i4
attendance between the ages t5sn
16. The children did not gG el0rs
education to benefit them. TIE Z
scheme of instruction embraces o.
American ideas, from the klnders1rt
up, including normal schools, both M
tai and manual training and praf
sional school. Two languages WI,
taught-English and Spanish-but
Spanish will be more pure Cas'-7
than in the past. All scctarian ins- 4
tion has been withdrawn lron
schools, as under our constliu'0-
could not be continued. The peopk
In favor of excluding religious las1
ton from the public schools. L.
Il had to adapt American pThSF e
and methods of education to the 90
tlons in Porto Rico. As have 81.
was able to find among the Ald4
soldiers and residents many -
competent to act us INSTRUCTORS
lish. but various municipallue I e
asked for teachers in addition 70 IL
provided by the insular govern
There is one school in Ponce kho,
the American school. and II IN
popular. Not n few children aIess
ding tears because they callilo' "
admission to it."-Chicago ke"-