Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-03-08
SCHOOLS OF MANILA
WORK ACCOMPLISHED BY REV.
FATHER M'kINNoN.

H.
''"e"'s ARC 1ausn'' ou' INC average
| Filipino Is Anxious to Learn.
Almost at tba beginning Of tho
Amerio.n ooornot;,.p Of Mantle podr.
NcEinnon wos mt in charge of tho
nublic sobooIs Tha sys+or, undar tb,.
Snaniards wos NOT very extensive nor
xyos tho vorl, ,,arr +borouob ond tbara
,v,s +. Iot of hard xvort for +ba nodre
in cetting things to RUNNING again IN
anythino like nroner shane Refore
Iener bosn,tai was nut in his charge
also and tbere was q ,ot moro wor,,
Tbep be was made sunar;ntendant of
the cemeteries all of those in Manila
| being under his direction. and that did
make his hands fulI All this work
the padre has looked after steadily
since he took hold of it last fall, and,
besides, he has found time somehow
to go with his boys under fire in their
fighting about Manila.
1t was in the schools that Father Nc.
Kinnon was most interested. At the
start it was slow work. There were
comparatiyely few pupils and only
two schoolhouses. Both of these
were conducted by the Jesuits, one
in the walled city and the other IL,
MaIate. The school in the walled city
was the only regular municipal school
in Manila; that in MaIate was a nor
NAL school for the training of teach
ers, conducted much on the lines OF
similar institutions in the States
There had been several district
schools of little@better than primary
standing, and these Father McKinnon
reorganizcd and set at work as soon
as possible. He was able to employ
most of the old teachers, and where
these could not be had he found 9th
ers. This was not matter of great
difficulty, although 1t required time.
The Filipino as q rule is extremely
ambitious for his children. Especially
is this so in the 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 Father McKinnon be-
gan to spread out. Buildings were
rented in various parts of the city.
and new schools were opened as fast
as was required Teachers were not
difficult to get, although the pay was
very small. in very few cases amount
ing to $40 (Mexican) a month.
The system was In a flourishing con.
dition last fall when Father McKin-
non met his first Indication of the
force of the insurrectionary move.
ment. 1t came in the shape Of n pro-
hibition by Aguinaldo of one of his
pet plans. He had arranged for
formal raising of the Stars and Stripes
over the Normal school building in Ma
late. All the native teachers and some
of the pupils were TO take mart in
the ceremonies. and an elaborate pro
gramme was prepared. Aguinaldo
simply forbade any Filipjno TO have
anything to do with the raising of the
American flag. and all obeyed him,
Nevertheless the flag was raised on tho
day and at the time appointed. After
that the feeling between the Ameri.
cans and the Filipinos kent growing
STEADILY more and more strained and
its effect was shown i'm n diminishing
attendance at the schools. There were
some nnnils however who were faith.
ful. and even in the most irving times
Of the first fighting the schools were
not shut down altogether.
Sometime ago Father McKinnon de.
cided TO begin giving instruction in
English. There were n few of his reo-
ular teachers who were competent to
give the children n start in the now
official lanpuage and a few Standards
wore fonpd who could and would b,In
them. Then some of the American
women here took hold and the English
denartment was nrettv we'll eoninned
An astonishing increase in tbe MN
her of nupils was the Immediate re-
suit. Men and women annlied nc VOL,
as the children. The Filipinos are eag.
| %, En- loor,, r,o,;,h o,, 49, a;,