The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-16
TO AMERICANIZE OUR NEW POS
SESSIONS,

The interesting statement concerning the
public school system i'm Cuba made by Mr..
A E. Frye, American superintendent of
schools for the island. shows that the work
has fallen under wise management. Every
body recognizes the great Importance of
educating the rising generation of Cubans,
and also that it must necessarily be a work
OF time and patience. Under the Spanish
regime the school system was worthless,
and the war swept even that away. The
important point of Mr.. Frye's statement
is that whereas the Introduction of the
American system met at first with very
bitter opposition. there has since been a
complete revulsion of feeling and he is
now receiving the heartiest support from
all classes. The cause of this change of
feeling on the part of the people is stated
by him as follows:
How was this work accomplished? 1t
was by placing absolute confidence In the
Cuban people and winning their confidence
in return. Thus the superintendent of
schools had so framed the law that all the
boards Of education were Cubans, every
teacher was a native. Cuban teachers, un-
der proper guidance, had selected the text
books. All children were being instructed
in their mother tongue. All appointments
under the superintendent of schools favored
the Cubans. There was absolute freedom
in methods of teaching and absolute free
dom in school organization. In other
words the Cubans were trusted. They
rose to the occasion and organized their
own schoo. system in a most thorough and
surprising manner.
This shows very wise management on
the part of the superintendent and suggests
what should be the keynote of all our deal
ings with the inhabitants of our new pos
sessions. To win their confidence and CO.
operation in every good work, to ~inaugurate
and carry forward needed reforms on
American lines without rudely or unneces-
sarily interfering with established usages
and methods should be the aim of all our
The situation in Porto Rico is different
from that in Cuba, because the former is
our permanent possession. while we are
pledged TO withdraw from the latter as
soon as practicable. Being an American
possession Porto Rico must, of course, be-
come Americanized eventually. but this
should be accomplished by gradua and
conciliatory means and not by methods
arbitrary I'm themselves. or too abrupt in
their application. In short, to recur to Mr..
Frye's statement. the Porto Ricans should
be trusted as long and as far as they show
themselves worthy of trust. and thus led
TO cooperate In the Americanizing Of the
island. Spanish traditions. usages. methods
and language should be treated consid-
erately and not impatiently. Eventually
they must all give way to the American,
but as this is a foregone conclusion we can
afford to avoid crowding matters at the
risk of repelling the cooperation Of the
Porto Ricans. 1t will take at least a gen.
Grafton or two TO Americanize the people,
even with their trust and cooperation. and
without these much longer. We ought not
to expect nor attempt to root out the
Spanish language quickly. In this respect
the main work and best results must be
' among the children and through the