The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-12-07

and better adapted than those who
may have had greater advantages in
the larger centers Of instruction on the
mainland. The Normal School work
with Filipino teachers win be the most
Important that Is to be carried on for
some years to come for II is that work
which Is going to give the home sup
|ply of teachers. Fortunately for DR.
/ Atkinson he has ample funds at his
disposal funds which are not tied up
/ i'm specific appropriations, but which
Iare broad given for the work in hand,
to be administered as it seemed best
Running through the report one
comes across matters of interest totally
apart from school affairs. In trying to
see what can be done for raising dis
trict funds for school purposes DR.. At
kinson ran against the land question.
At Dinalapijan the entire pueblo, en-
bracing forty square miles of produce
tive land, was owned by one church
corporation. A very heavy rental, in
kind, is taken by the land holder. All
local taxes and all internal taxes col
lected for the Insular Treasury are
"wrung from the industrial class while
the land owner best able of all to pay,
the Spanish system, which we have not
yet readjusted. Forty square miles of
productive land produces not cent
but out Of the earnings of the tenants
is screwed first an eXorbitant rent
which goes untaxed into the boards
of greedy land holder, and next the
internal revenue tax and the local tax
No wonder the Filipino is desperately
poor At Florida Blanca, DR.. Atkinson
notes, where all the land is owned by
ten or twelve large estates, the entire
internal revenue is but forty pesos
year. Evidently a new taxation sys-
tenn is needed.
The ravages of war also come out
incidentally. DR.. Barrows, assistant
superintendent, reports to his chief as
follows:
Although a considerable number of
small barrios along the military road
have been recently burned for harbor-
ing ladrones and firing upon escort
parties, no portion struck me as de-
pressing in it's condition except that in
the borders of the Province of Pam
panga. Here the effects of strife seem
to be the most lasting. Nearly all the
barrios between Dinalupijan and
Florida Blanca have been destroyed
only few desolate communities re-
main. The military road has become
so overgrown with jungle and so wash
! cd to no hi
horseback. The fields have grown up
with 'cogon,' and there is very little
present cultivation. 1t will probably
require several years, even in this sur
pTisingly recuperative country, to re-
store this district to a normally thriv-
ing condition"
1t is such reports as this, which
While dealing with other things in the
main, yet throw a strong light upon
| events apparently unconnected with
the peaceful avocation of the teacher.
Indeed throughout DIR. Atkinson's re-
port there is a sort of muttered accom-
paniment of the clash of arms. Cap
tains, Majors, Lieutenants and non
commissioned officers report to him
The commissary department forwards
teachers to their posts, and carries the
needed supplies. 1t is a report of a
community still in the throes of war,
with a large section of it only too
eager for peace.
The result of his work up to the time
of putting in his report DR.. Atkinson
puts in the following terse shape:
"As a brief summary of the work
done within the time covered by this
report the basis for an educational
bill has been framed and legislation
enacted thereon, a large quantity of
American school books and supplies
have been carefully selected, purchased
and distributed to the various towns,
and the old textbooks removed from
the schools; nearly eight hundred
teachers have been appointed and are
| beginning to arrive from the United
States; the Archipelago has been div
ided into eighteen school divisions, and
an American school superintendent is
being placed in charge of each division;
| all religious instruction during school
session is being gradually abolished;
the English language has been intro
duced as the basis of all public instruc-
Ition, and a months term of normal
school instruction has been given ma
tive teachers; the fee system in use
! under the Spanish regime has been
abolished and salaries of Filipino
| teachers increased; plans are being
made for the establishment of normal
agricultural and manual training
schools, and a number of instructors
have been appointed therefor; many
towns throughout the Archipelago
have been visited and the needs inves-
tigated; much interest in regard to
educational matters in general has
been stirred up among the Filipinos,
and the whole policy in regard to the
| Inauguration of a complete American
lied school system has been outlined.
This work has been done under the
disadvantage of having practically no
basis to build upon. 1t has been pioneer
and creative work purely, and in con-
sideration of this fact it has been
deemed wise to go slowly with refer
ence to many questions that have
arisen"
The work that DR.. Atkinson has un-
dertaken in the Philippines is some
thing stupendous, and only man of