The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-28
THE SCHOOLS OF MANILA
srpT. ATKINSON WRITES III EDr
cATroNAL MATTERS ruEHE.
DimcuIt Work OF Teaching Chiidren
Who Have Had such superficial
and und Instruction

Philippine islands. In a letter just received
from him, for a popular account OF school
conditions in Manila. This account was
prepared primarily for the Springfield
Women's Club. but its facts are of so gem
eraI interest that they are herewith pub
nshed. FRANK \. HILL,
Secretary Massachusetts State Board Of
Education.
Mr.. Atkinson says:
The public schools of the City of Manila
do not owe their origin 10 American initi-
atfye, nor have they been fashioned upon
American ideals. Buildings. equipment,
teaching force, and, TO a large extent, the
subjects and methods Of instruction are
a heritage from Spanish times. or the
thirty-six primary schools in Manila. near
~ all antedate the American occupation.
In order TO understand the present char
acter ana condition Of the schools OF Ma
mia II Is necessary to describe the Span
isb system with some detail. In the first
place. IL must be promised that these
schools were not. properly speaking. public
schools. they were rather heavily subsi-
died private institutions. There was no
superintendent OF education, no central or
ganization or department Of city schools.
Schools We're conducted I'm the residence Of
The schoolmaster and choolmistress The
city government paid each OF the teachers
a certain small wage, ard also paid the
rental OF the building occupied by the fam
Iy OF the master and by the school. Only
the children OF those manifestly too poor
TO pay for instruction were admitted with
out charge. al others paid for the tu-
ition a sum ranging from 80 cents a month
upward. not TO the government but 10 the
schOOlmaSter. The attention and instruC-
ton meted out TO the child were in pro-
portion To the amount paid. Some masters
derived income from boarding pupils, who
were sent in by their parents from the
provinces. There were still other ways,
however. by which the teachers supple
mented their salaries Rooms in the school
building. supposedly not otherwise re-
quired. were let by the master 10 tenants
or dodgers. Relatives and family connec-
lions were in this way invariably admitted.
Sometimes a room was let for a small shop.
where cigars and refreshments, charms and
various small wares were dispensed.
The Spanish government appears TO have
made an annJal appropriation for books
and supplies. The teachers frankly admit
that these books were sold to those pupils
who were able to pay The salaries al
lowed by the Spanish government in this
cl,y in 1897 for principals varies from $50
TO so, and for assistants. 81 to $3.50. but
unqueStionably those sources OF revenue
mentioned above returned amounts larger
than the salaries. and together with the
salaries paid by the government afforded
an income considerably in advance of what
the teachers are now receiving under
American rule.
THE FORMER METHODS.
Children entered the school from four
10 six years of age and rarely remained
later than their twelfth year. For the
average pupil probably three years of in
struction was a maximum record. Par
ents Withdrew their children as soon as
they felt that they had acquired a suf-
fcient knowledge of the catechism and doc
trinal elements to Mt them to participate
I'm the sacraments of the church. This,
with a slight knowledge OF the Spanish
tongue. and ability to read and write a lit
tie. constituted the equipment with which
the greater number OF children terminated
their school life. The course or instruction
in the public schools can best be described
by an account of the textbooks used The
hrst book placed in the pupils han was
81 little paper-bound primer of less than
f0rtS- pages OF text, The Heavenly Shep-
herd This little book contains the al
phabet. the syllables of the Spanish
language, a few exercises in pronun-
citation and reading, moral and reliS-
i0us reflection and several pages OF
simple prayers. in verse. for memOrizing.
\ few very rude wOOdcuts that have no
reference to the text. ornament the pages.
This primer was followed by a second little
volume, THE AdmOnitOr." This book con-
tains about one hundred pages. The first
part of It is something of a repetition of the
Heavenly Shepherd. 1t then contains a
number Of the church prayers in Spanish.
religious commandments and maxims, a
poem on the birth of the infant Jesus and a
few pages Of sacred history, from the re-
creation to the fall of Jerusalem. Then fol-
low some forty pages of Useful lnforma-
ton including a little number work, Ill
vision of time. geOmetric figures. a descrip-
ton of the universe and of the earth, with
an account of the Philippine islands and of
Spain and Spanish history; a few pages on
the Three Kingdoms OF Nature, and two
pages on Hygiene for Children. The
book concludes with simple explanation of
tthe service of the mass. with the Itany-
These two modest volumes comprised the
total of book learning received by many
iof the Filipino children. They contain all,
apparently, that it was thought advisable
that the ordinary Filipino child should
learn and the average native know
. ORIGINALITY DESTROYED.
& The system of formal questions and an
swers to be memorized has completely viii
sted the methods of teaching. The common
! complaint that comes from the native
teachers against the American textbooks
now being introduced is that they ask ques-
lions, but do not supply the answers The
whole tendency has been TO recite in the
words of the book. which is deadening to
the originality and independence OF the
pupil. The teachers merely ask the ques-
tions that are in the book and do nothing
10 enrich the subject matter treated IN the
This review Of the character of the
schools under Spanish regime may help you
10 understand the difficulties that stand 40
The way OF a more effective and enlightened
school policy,
All The buildings now used for schools
were. without exception, designed and built
not for the purposes OF schools. but Tor
family residences. as such their cOnstruc-
ton does not GlfTC- from ina OF the more
ordinary Manila dwellings. The entrance Is
through the stCne-paved driveway, With
large ~grOUnd-fiOOr rooms on one OF both
sides. 4 stable for horses is either under
he main room or Immediately In the rear
beneath the kitchen. The upper iioor con-
tains the large hal. with sleeping rooms
adjacent. and in the rear. kitchen. store
rooms. servants quarters. 1t must be man
ifest how unsuited such buildings are Tor
the purposes OF Instruction. The entrances
ere usually dark. the yards and surround
ings nOisome au6 inimical To work. The
streets on which the windows open are full
OF the noise 81 traffic and traveI. Carts
rumble past. street haWkCrs shout their
cries. and al the sounds OF 4 quarreinS.
JsstiDg. idle population burst into tins
rooms. OWNS t. the habit OF studying
aloud and the imperfect discipline prevail
IT (. the nOiss within sometimes rivals that
without Pupils are seated on forms or
benches about ten feet in length. About
fvo-thirds Of the number are also provided
with long tables or writing desks. In many
schools pupils are obliged 10 sit on the
floors.
THE NATIvE TEACHERS.
Eighty-seven native teachers constitute
the force of primary instruction in the city
OF Manila. OF this number. two are Span
isls ereoles. two are Mestizo-Chino (mixed
Chinese), one Is an English-Mestizo and
the remaindev. have either some Spanish
blood or are fuiI-blooded Tagalogs Nearly
all the principal teachers nave taught o
oroos man vaare-Savaral from furou4v-