Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-16

training school at San Juan, however" he
SAYS, rs most pronounced success, and
the Porto Rican pupils are showing an in
terest and aptitude in the work equal or
superior to that of the Americans.
Until a corps of teachers competent to
give instruction in these subjects is pro-
Vided-and this will be matter of some
years at least-we would not recommend
any attempt 10 force instruction In agri-
culture and manual training in the rural
and smaller village schools. A summarized
statement of the views of inspectors and
superintendent that have come under our
observation would be, Without properly
qualified teachers such instruction is a
waste of time
not wanted here. 1t may make better poll
ticians than citizens. In all graded schools,
normal schools. and in special institutions
manual training should be given and school
! gardens should be established under COM
petent special instructors so that the peo-
pie Of the island may become thoroughly
imbued with the idea that hand training
is essential part of complete education
and teachers may be prepared in time to
extend this instruction to all the schools.
In this subject, as in English, the diff
culties are too great to be successfully met
II our forces are scattered. Effort must be
concentrated first in a few centers from
which light can be passed from hand to
hand to the remoter districts of the island
Discipline IL Poor.
discipline in most Of the schools is poor
Habits of regularity, order and system I'M
taught in the home and not understood OF
appreciated by the teacher, are unknown
There must be better standards of order
in the school before they will perform their
full function of teaching the self-control
and respect for the rights Of others that
are the most essential elements of civic in
struction.
"In preparing their reports for this office
the supervisors were directed to make spe-
nj nf nj rsia oil Jt+yx -
the children in the schools. So far as exact
data to growth and physical develop
ment are concerned. the results of their OBJ.
servatons have given little that is
| the situation are apparent-the children
| from the majority of the homes of this
| island are ill-fed and poorly developed phys.
icaliy compared with those of northern
climes. This is partly the result of race
| and habit and partly the result of poverty
With the return of commercial and agri-
cultural prosperity the children will be bet
ter fed and clothed: but these are results
which it Is not in the power and province
Of the teacher to secure, 1t may be diff
cult to overcome climatic and racial in
fiuences sufficiently to interest the youth
of the island IN physical training especially
in outdoor sports. They are still subject
to the traditional habits brought to this
country from the peninsula
History of Porto Rfcan Education.
In his review of education in Porto
Rico Mr.. Enrique c. Hernandez. secretary
of the insular board of education, points
out that in 1855, when there were 44,ss3
inhabitants and twentyfour towns in Porto
Rico, there were only two schools for chill
j dren on the island. 1t was not until 1904
that the Spanish government interviewed
in primary Instruction when it left teach
ers to establish themselves on the island
and created a board to give them certif-
Gates of qualification. 1t is a sad story of
Loot Il ,t,,fet tN,,
by Mr.. Hernandez of attempts at educa-
ton in Porto Rico up to the time of the
American occupation there.
ut is SEEM he says. that public in
strucion was in the same position in Porto
Rico when Spanish sovereignty ceased that
1t had been eighteen years ago, when the
organic decree of 1850 went into effect The
larger number of schools and the larger