New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-23
PORTO RICO'S SCHOOLS.
COMMISSIONER OF Quotations LAST
REPORT CRITICISED.
MANY INACCURACIES DUE TO HASTE IN
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES TO
PREDECESSORS.
tRY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBuNE.l

| nv
| Washington, Nov. 22.-Many readers and especial
~ those more familiar with the recent history of
affairs Porto Rico will regret the generaI tenor
of the late report of the Commissioner OF Eouca-
ton of that island 1t is An unfortunate departure
| from the usually conservative and rehabie tone OF
| Washington documents and though some Of the
| Inaccuracies may be due to the haste with which
| 1t prepared they n rule Involve general
statements. and the less excusahe as they tend
to reflect upon DIR. Brumbaughs predecessors.
| The Government has already published two re-
ports upon education in Porto Rico. one as an APP
pendX to General Daviss report upon civil afrairs
| In that island, and another. by the president and
officers of the Insular Board of Education as
| special document issued last spring. The United
States Bureau of Education also contains data
upon this subject. including full account of the
| reorganization of the schools by General Eaton
| the first commissioner under the Military Govern
| ment The report of the present commissioner
however. far 1t relates to the past, seems to
| be based entirely what the courts call hear
| say evidence and the statements of DR.. Grofr. an
| unfortunate gentleman who, according to this
| report. managed virtually to waste about
| 10000 of the islands scanty school funds while
acting as temporary commissioner during the In
| terval between DIR. Brumbaugh'S appointment and
his arrival in the island. Some of the unfortunate
errors resulting from this method Of collecting
facts and for which the commissioner thus
becomes sponsor, are the following:
The School law written in part by General
Eaton. who was the island three months, and
who made but trip outside the capital" Gen
eraI Eaton was the island from early in Janu-
airy until the end of May. 1899; he made two
tended tours and shorter trip Into the island,
visiting all the larger towns. and his assistant.
who reported to him. visited more than one-fourth
of the smaller municipalities during this period.
THE law is based largely upon the school sys-
tenn Of Massachusetts" These laws are published
in full in General Daviss report. and any one
familiar with the Massa chusetts system can sufi-
GENTLY disprove the statement by consulting them
except so far of course, all American school
laws have a general resemblance to each other.
SPANISH CERTIFICATES.
This law does not require examination OF
applicants ror teachers certifcateS provided they
hold a Spanish Porto Rican certificate.
No such provision is contained in the law
published. BY a reference to the report of the
president of the Insular Board it is learned
that the provision criticised an order of the
Insular Board dated August 81 1899. three months
after General Henry and General Eaton had left
the island. Though these gentlemen were not re-
sponsibe for the order they did insist that teach
ers already employed in the schools should not be
summarily deprived OF their positions and liveli-
hood by what must seem TO them an arbitrary n
actment, a time when this policy would have
awakened hostile public opinion that would check
rather than further the educational progress of
the island. The subsequent action Of the Insular
Board may may be justified, but 1t was not
a part of the school laws.
Local Boards of Education constituted by
the same law-they have power to
collect any money
Section 6 of the act creating the boards as pub
Hshed, is entitled district taxes" and grants
them these very powers. 1t is difficult to say what
the practice may be. but the law Is defective.
These powers were further confirmed by General
Davis in General Order i60 Series OF 1899.
So much for Inaccuracies occurring In less than
page of the report. AS the special Commits
sioners provided by the Foraker bill to revise the
laws of Porto Rico charged with framing also
educational code. the recommended ton that
la he he
changes suggested by Commissioner Brumbaugh
probably desirable, and have been proved so
by experience. They practically identical with
those recommended by the President of the InsuIar
Board in his previous report And II Is evident
that these recommendations were made ndepen-
IDENTIFY by each party.
ENGLISH SUPERVISORS.
Under English Supervisors readers Of the re-
port are told. upon authority of DR.. Croft that
these men were at first 'eX-solders ex-teamsters
ex-packers and other such men largely There Is |
authority for saying that majority the sixteen
now employed were appointed by General Eaton
and there was not an ex-teamster or ex-packer
in the original corps. There ex-sodiers from
volunteer regiments, who were teachers OF exner |
ence. Several were college normal school grad
yates From the report of the president of the
Board 1t is seen that in December. 1899 ten held
degrees from colleges or had completed spectal
courses in such institutions. Three were gredmates
teacher with common school education Ter @
ports Of these supervisors which are printed with
the Board report Just mentioned do nor show +br
TO nave been an especially Ill informed or illiterate
The model and training school (at San Imam,
had no relation 10 the school system Of tho tslond
The purposes of this school and its relati"n r.
the general educational system are clearly set orb
on Page 1I2 of General Dayss report Ero ~ ~
Board report 1t appears that a year ago If had 5gS
pupils enrolled with teachers and the taT nh" 200
tosraphs accompanying this documont miss e Pho
are fictitious, indicate well organized mi ny
unique institution was in theorv al this
cal with that which the following nara crnrb
report outlines as projected by the new COMMITS
sioner '" Oo'nIr'ls
Nature study was discussed although M ro,,,r
study Is required in the Of study nTerantS
the Teachers Manual which is made b feeTt; Tor
guide to schoolroom work. includes cha tiers on "a
nature study. and the bulletins Of the Bpard on
Guided as an appendix to the report Of tho nroat
dent present directions for teaching this sIbfect
The section headed School Books" is eIoJ
leading though this was probably enno ms
tentlonaL the delay In securing books ins, ynnr
and their relatively greater cost is commentsd year
unfayorably, allowance being made for ~ upon
that last most Of these books had 70 he aCt
and printed after the contracts were 'tten
that there practically no competi"n leo, and
instances, while this year several comnetfne HHnE
And IN comparing the sum spent last wear for bo[
with the sum spent this year, the reader oiH ns
to discover for himself that this year conEidsrat
and more expensive books like geographies uht as
last las year there were nothing but a few English |
insular board furnished no supplies for the me
Is only partially true No appropriation for tpt
supplies distributed by the central ot MAJ such
efforts 10 establish library sn9 Eat2n for his
the actual beginnings made by him which it see nor
were uttlized-rerhaps without his knowing tbeiS
accuse the author of report of intentinnso TO
ialrness, nut he has evidently been Ill advised and
mas formed nasty judgments to the work Of his
A SINGER OVERCOME BIZ GAS. !