Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-23

io0ay stne active work OF carrying on
and pefecung the-new school system Is
largely In the Cubans' own hands.
The system To-day.
There are now 500 schsols on the island,
with about Lao, 900 school children enrolled,
over half million dollars worth Of the
most modern school furniture has been pur-
chased and sent to the different municipal
tiles; the pupils of the island are furnished
with books and all necessary school sup
plies free of charge; might schools for adults
are about to be established, and a plan has
been formulated for Teachers normal
school on the island during the summer
months for the benefit Of those who cannot
join the excursion to the United States.
Particular stress should be laid upon the
part the natives are taking in the work.
Thus, the teachers are C0bans, boards of
education are made up.cof Cubans the
alcalde. or mayor in each town being ex-
officio member of the board, and each
municipality conducting its own affairs e1-
clusively. This has contributed to great
and pardonable pride on their part, and
they are doing all within their power to
make 1t success. Local ambition in many
cases runs high, as instanced by the al
calde. who went to Gen. Wood and asked
that system of municipal taxation might
be established in his town, which, he said.
desired to make Its own appropriation for
the school fund and be self-supporting, in
stead OF being dependent on the island rev.
enues. This request Gen Wood was
obliged to refuse. as the time for munich
pal taxation has not yet quite arrived. and
when 1t does the system must necessarily
De unlrorm put the case deserves to go
on record. Mr. Frye modestly asserts that
the success of the work is almost entirely
due to the spontaneous and universal as
slstance the Cubans have given him since
they understood the import Of the system
Free School Supplies.
The supply Of books, material, etc, free
Of charge to the pupils is probably the most
remarkable In the world. 1t was made
necessary by the empty treasures and the
impossibility of raising money sufficient for
the purpose by any system Of internal
revenue until the country could recover
somewhat from the devastating effects of
the war. The law provided for compulsory
attendance at school. Now II the children
went to school they must have books, but
the parents had no money with which to
puy DOCKS. and frequently there were no
parents, there being upward of $1,000 or
phans on the island today, according to
the official returns. The time will probably
come when such lavish furnishing of sup
pies will no longer be necessary, but that
Will not be for year at least.
TO the Cubans the arrival of the school
furniture and supplies, maps, bookcases
globes, blackboards, etc, especially In the
red letter day. Never before had such
equipments been seen. "Carramba!' was
the universal exclamation-here were
things meant for use exclusively in
schools. just like the Americans! The
awarding Of the contracts for that fur
niture was a most important detail, and
many days and nights of unceasing fnspec-
ton and vigilance were devoted to it.
Representatives. of both Cuban and
American firms fairly swarmed about Mr..
Frye as soon as 1t was known that the
furniture was to be bought, for the value
of equipments needed mounted up to more
= 10, ln;x Of
its sort ever placed. This provided for over
100000 pupils, and 1t was thought at the
time that it would do for the whole of the
present school year, but the increase of
writing several thousand children are I'M
provided for in any way, and the prospects
are that new awards must be made by the
opening Of the next term
Teachers Are Well Paid.
To most American teachers the salaries
paid to the teachers of Cuba will probably
seem high; but 1t should be remembered
that living is much InoreV expensive in Gu
ban than American cities-a fact which
Americans In Havana Learned by sad ex-
perence last winter. Also that formerly
the Cuban teacher had his house free OF
rent-a custom that has, been done away
with under the new regime. 1t was. IN
addition, thought desirable to fix good sal
aries in order that, the best possible ma
terldl might De secured AT present ABOUT
three-fifths of the more than 1900 teachers
are women and two-ffths are men, no dis
elimination being made between the sexes
in the matter of pay when similar services
are performed. -
The lowest salary paid to any teacher IN
Havana is $500 and this Is % per cent more
than the average of the highest salaries
paid in fifteen Of the largest cities of the
receive exactly this average of highest
salaries in these cities of our country.
while the lowest salary paid to any regular
teacher In the Cuban public schools is 5000.
1t must not be supposed, however, that
many well-trained, highly qualified teach
ers are now In the work. The exigencies of
the situation demand that the school boards
should simply select the best and most
available men and women and employ them.
There Is not single teacher now in the
Cuban schools who has passed an examl-
nation, but the school law provides that
after September next all teachers must be
examined. This will be after the great ex-
cursion has returned from the United
States
The Course at Harvard.
A special summer course with reference
to the needs of the Cuban teachers has
been arranged at Harvard, and instructors
conversant with both languages will impart
the instruction. At the same time 1t is
expressly understood that on their return
the excursionist teachers are to impart as
can to those who remain at home, and also
to describe the trip in general in as great
detail as possible. Thus the ideas gained
will be distributed over the entire island.
1t will be seen that the Cuban teachers
are to receive a great object lesson. They
are to be introduced in American homes and
entertained and besides the instruction of
the regular six weeks course they are to
see our museums. laboratories, parks, great
public buildings and public works; they
are TO have the opportunity of studying our
cities and our manners and customs in gen.
eral. The plan includes outing and social
features, as well as study, and a trip to
Washington, Chicago, Niagara Falls and
New York has been planned, the citizens
of New York being now engaged in raising
a fund of $1,000 to provide for their enter
tainment while there.
Plans for the Trip.
The only cost to each teacher will be
travelling expenses to the seaport from
which the transport will sail, and incidental
individual outlay. The women teachers
will have accommodations in the homes of
private citizens; the men will be lodged in
the dormitories. The women will dine in
the beautiful Memorial Hall and another
large new building, with spacious reading
rooms and parlors in charge of a Cuban
woman, has been especially prepared as a
meeting and resting place for them. The
government transports on which they will
sail are the Burnside, the Mcpherson, the
Mcclellan the Crook and the Sedgwick