The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-12-27
PROGRESS IN
PORTO RICO
EXHIBITED IN LECTURE B1
PROFESSOR BRUMBAUGH.

NOI G00SN o4SO 4Aox1 044s
How Choas in Educational Methods
in That Beautiful Little Island
Was, Under American Initiative,
Converted Into Order and What
This Means for the Future of the
Porto Ricans and of This Country.
The following abstract of a lecture
given recently by Professor NJ. G..
Brumbaugh, Of the University of Penn
sylvania, before it's Graduate club will
be of interest both to his many Scran-
ton friends and to all who are con-
cerned in the educational welfare of
Porto Rico. Professor Brumbaugh was
appointed commissioner of education
for Porto Rico by the late President
Mckinley and his work in that post has
been notably painstaking, patriotic and
efficient. He said:
"When the smoke Of the Spanish
American war lifted from the island of
Porto Rico, the Americans found an
island forty miles wide, one hundred
long, with mountains towering almost
1900 feet and an outlook upon d dream
land of luXuriance and of poverty. A
population of almost 100000 was
crowded upon this area of less than
$500 square miles, and for their educa-
tion Spain allotted about 100000 pesos
or less than 8 per cent Of the annual
budgetary funds.
The American army organized a pro-
visional government, and, under a mili-
tary governor, the island was ruled DUR
ing the terrible hurricane of 1899 and
until the congress made provision Tor
civil government. Spain never gave the
people a voice in their government
The so-called autonomous government
was never organized. April 49, 1900, the
president of the United States approved
the act of congress known as the For
aker bill--an act temporarily to provide
for civil government in Porto Rico
This act provided that civil government
should become operative in May, 1900
and that there should be a governor, an
executive council of eleven members
and house of delegates of thirty-five
members. The executive council is
made up of the six cabinet officers Of
the governor and five native citizens.
They also sit as Il senate during ses-
sions of the legislature. and have entire
control Of all franchise matters in the
island.
PROGRESS SHOWN
"Among these oouncilmen is the COM
missioner of education. When, by per-
sonal insstence of the president, was
given leave of absence from my uni
versity labors to assume this office, no
one could foreSee the tremendous task
that was awaiting us: 945, 900 human
beings in Porto Rico and IS per cent
illiterate! The schools organized by the
military bureau OF education had en-
rolled about 23,O)0 pupils, and $3.50, 900
We're expended in the fiscal year 1919
1900 for these pupils. In the next school
year at an expense of 100000, $4,000
children attended the schools, and this
year, with u budget of $501 900, we have
992 schools and 10000 pupils enrolled
This represents in part the growth of
the school idea in Porto Rico. Last
year we reduced the percentage of ilit-
eracy fully 6 per cent, and had an av-
erage attendance CT rs per cent. being
the largest gain in literacy, and, with
Massachusetts excepted, the largest av-
erage of any country under our flag.
Al TIC outSel VI lIie CIVIL government
the people We're discontented and hos
tile to the schools. The reasons for this
are too complex Tor analysis. That the
military authorities made mistakes and
that the people We're all too prone to
censure are alike true; and it Is also
just to state that many good things
y, We're done during the reign of martial
law. The fact remains that new sys-
tem--in fact a system where none ex-
lsted-was yet to be created.
"A new school law in many provi-
sions similar to that used in our old
est states, was written and promptly
enacted by the insular legislature and
1t has now been in operation for almost
one year. Its provisions have proven
eminently wiseand under II the schools
have become Il tremendous force in
Amercanizing the Island. The only
note of opposition heard in many
months comes from hostile pro-Span-
ish paper, which claims that the sys-
tenn is advancing so rapidly that the
children cannot keep pace with the de-
partment This, of course, Is more a
compliment than criticism. 1t will be
many years before Porto Rico need fear
its education is overdone.
MINORITY REPRESENTATION.
'"rhe political parties in the respec-