Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-10-11
SCHOOLS IN PORTO Rico
Encouraging Results Of the
Work Of q Year.
IMPROVEMENT IN FACILITIES.

missioner of Education. In . Pri.
vate Letter TO n Friend Tells What
Has Been Accomplished In . Short
Time.
DR.. NJ. G. Brumbaugh. United States
commissioner of education Of Porto Ri
co. in a private letter to n friend at
Schenectady. n. Y, tells Of the prog
cess of educational work in the island
He says:
First.-We maintain school in Porto
Rico for nine months-i. e.. the average
school year is nine months. This is as
high as any state in the Union, think.
Second.-Our average daily attend
ance for nine months was 10 per cent.
In 1918 1t was iu Massachusetts 16,
Pennsylvania "a, New York 60, Kansas
Co. Virginia 90, Texas &C and New
Mexico "a. Thus, you see, we are now
ahead of Pennsylvania by l per cent
and within l per cent of Massachu-
sets. This Is a conclusive argument
that our schools are popular in the true
sense.
Third.-Under military government
We had 612 schools. On May l, 1900.
we had 800 schools. For term opening
Sept 80 we shall have 1000 schools.
Fourth.-When l came here, we haI
less than 100 good American school
desks for pupils. Washington sent
few secondhand desks. Since came
we have put into the schools use 1.0Uo
first class desks. This year we shall
add 1900.
Fifth.--In January we had not one
schoolhouse Of our own in Porto r co.
We now have eighteen agricultural
schoolhouses built and ready for Sept
&c. eight mare in process of erection,
six four room brick graded schools
ready. two four room almost ready.
three ten room in process, ready Sept
30; one six room in process, ready Sept
80; three two room in process, ready
Sept. 80: cost of all, 100000; cost Of
equipment, $4,000; insular normal
ready Nov. /, $4,000: value of perma-
nent equipment, $265,00O in six months
SiXth.-We have petitions for more
schools daily; demand greatly exceeds
supply. Our limit is money. We have
100000 in this years budget for
schools, which is % per cent of all in
sular funds. Impossible to maintain
more from insular revenue. United
States government ought to give us
$250,OO0 to 100000 annually for ten
years to erect schoolhouses. No local.
district has been able to erect a school
house.
Seventh.-We have in many schools
fifty-tive pupils-the limlt-and Al
many as 1874 on the waiting list. e..
patches up to 1914 ready to enter var-
GUS schools as soon us we can find
room for them.
Eighth.-Spain had few schools
only in towns. The poor poems never
had a single school. We have DOW
opened over 400 rural schools and 200
more will open Sept 80, 1901. This Ii
democratic ideals working among t2,+
humble and neglected. To us it is one
of our best results.
Ninth.-Some one in Chicago is try
ing to have an official O. Spanish YER
sion of the Star Spangled Banner
adopted. 1t is not needed in Porte
Rico. All our 10000 children sing
America" Hail Columbia" and Star
Spangled Banner in English. We
want no Spanish version of our ma
tional hymns. The children easil.. and
quickly sing in English. and national
song loses force in translation of any
sort.
Tenth.-We are now on a proDa-
ganda to boautify the school @roun L.
First attempt-houses are being whins.
washed or painted, grounds fenced
campus provided. flowers planted. IA
effort to take care Of grounds AND
house. Its influence in the homes OF
the people is good.
Eleventh.-I- Local boards this year
will have money to pay all their debts
for the first time. This is the financial
stamina injected in one year-e. &.
Ponce owed $4,000 last year.
Twelfth. Systematic practical 2gri
culture will be taught in twenty
schOols-i. e., one acre of ground viii
be worked daily. Thus the indus trial
future of Porto Rico is being conserved
Thirteenth.-The total cost Of pulN
! nour schools during the past year to
the insular government is $12 for nine
months.
Fourteenth.-Th Hon. Andrew Car
negie has practically conceded to us g.
free public library ($150,0OW due t.
my personal effort.
Fifteenth.-A free public library Is
furnishing 1900 volumes; open daily
till 10 p. m. Doing much good
SiXteenth.-Budget for 1900 gave
100000 for 1901 100000, for mainte
nance of schools.
This % per cent increase represents
only our financial, not our educational
growth. We could have voted 81, o0o-
900 and had support from public sent-
ment But we knew our financial linn
its. The main objection to the budget
was that the school fund was toe
small.