Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-18
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Act to Provide Schools in the Phil
ippines.
APPROPRIATIONS FOR BUILDINGS
Regulations for Superintendents
and Teachers.
T n E CIVIL SERV VICE

Quite a number of the acts of the Philip
| pine commission, as promulgated by the
| military authorities in the islands, have
| been received at the War Department. One
| of the most important, that for establish
| ing department for public instruction in
| the islands, has already been briefly re-
| ported by cable from Manila. 1t provides
| for a general department Of public instruc-
! ton, with the central office at Manila, un-
| der the direction of a general superin-
tendent, to be appointed by the commission
| at a salary of $4,000 per annum Schools
are to be established in every pueblo in
| the archipelago, where practicable, and
| those already established shall be reor-
ganized where necessary. The salaries of
| the division superintendents and teachers,
the curriculum for primary, secondary and
! other public schools are to be established
| by the superintendent. He is also to pre-
scribe the plans for the construction of
school houses, to be built by the municipal
| tiles. he is to determine the towns in which
English teachers shall be employed, and
exercise general supervision over the entire
department There are to be ten school
divisions In the archipelago, each with
division superintendent and there is to be
a superior advisory board, composed of the
general superintendent and four members,
to be appointed by the Philippine commits
sion, who shall consider the general subject
of education in the islands, and make reg
ulationS, &c.
English the Basis of Instruction.
According to the terms of the act, the
English language shall, as soon as prac-
ticable. be made the basis of all public in
struction, and soldiers may be detailed as
instructors until such time as they may be
replaced by trained teachers. Authority is
given to the general superintendent to OBJ
tain from the United States 1000 trained
teachers, at salaries of not less than S15
nor more than 500 per month the exact
salary to be fixed according to the eff
cheney of the teachers.
The act provides that no teacher or other
person shall teach or criticise the doc
trines Of any church, religious sect or de-
nomination shall attempt to influence
the pupils for or against any church or re-
ligious sect in any public school" Violation
of this section is made punishable by sum-
mary dismissal from the public service 1t
is provided, however, that it may be lawful
for the priest minister of the pueblo
there the school is situated to teach re-
ligion for one-half an hour three times a
week in the school building to pupils whose
parents desire it. But If the priest, minis
ter or religious teacher use this opportunity
''for the purpose of arousing disloyalty to
the United States, or of discoura ging the
attendance of pupils, or interfering with
the discipline of Schools the division su-
perintendent may forbid such offending
priest from entering the school building
thereafter.
Normal School at Manila.
The act also provides for a normal school
at Manila for the education of natives in
the science Of teaching. 1t appropriates
100000 for school buildings and $4,000 for
text books and other supplies for the cur
rent calendar year. $25.OOO for the normal
schools, 5000 for the organization and
maintenance of a trade school in Manila
and the same amount for school Of agri-
culture.
Among the other acts is one declaring all
persons In arms against the authority of
the United States in the Philippine Islands,
and all persons aiding or abetting them on
the 1st day of April, 1901, or thereafter, in
or profit in the Philippine Islands. An
other act provides for the free admission
into the islands of all supplies and mate
rials for the use of the army or navy or OF
the insular government. Still another act
regulates the hours Of labor.
The Civil Service.
1t provides that the heads of departments
and offices in the Philippine civil service
to require of all employees, of whatever
grade or class, not less than six hours OF
labor each day, not including the time for
lunch, and exclusive Of Sundays and public
holidays Provision for leave Of absence
with pay is as follows: Employees receiv-
ing less than 5000, fifteen days; between
$500 and $1,000, twenty days; from $1,000 to
81, 500, thirty days. and above 81 800, thirty
five days leave. If employe elects to
postpone any or all Of his leave during any
one year such leave shall accumulate. and
in case he is granted leave of absence for
the purpose of visiting the United States
he shall be allowed half pay in addition to
his leave for the actual time occupied by
him in going to and returning from San
Francisco, provided that such leave to -isit
the United States shall not be granted more
than once in three years. The provisions
Of this act are made retroactive. Provision
is also made in exceptional cases where
an employe is i'll to grant him additional
sick leave not exceeding sixty days. Per-
sons appointed to the Philippine civil SER
vice shall pay travelling expenses to San
Francisco, but from San Francisco to Ma
nila travelling expenses shall be paid by the
insular government if the employees come
by the routes directed by the chief execu-
tive of the islands. Half pay is allowed
from the date Of embarkation at San Fran
ciaco until arrival at Manila.