The Saint Paul globe., 1901-08-26
WORK OF ESTABLISHING SCHOOLS
IN PHILIPPINES UNDER
WAY
BUILDINGS BADLY NEEDED
Now Making to Rent
Converts and Such Other
Structures as Can BE
Utilized
STATUS OF WORK IN MANILA

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.-The division
OF insular affairs, war department has
received copy of the annual report of
Prof. Fred w. Atkinson, the general su-
perintendent of public instructions for the
philippines, which covers the time tro1u
the enactment of the Philippine school
law to the close of the last fiscal year.
June 80, 1901. The school law mentioned
authorized the appointment from the
United States of 600 school teachers. of
whom Prof. Atkinson states 7S1 had been
appointed either absolutely or provisional
~. That there was no scarcity of ma
terial from which to make the selection
OF those appointed direct from Mania is
shown by his testimonial, show
ing that more than 5000 personally
written applications had been fled Four
hundred and eighty-seven soldier ap-
plicants have entered the examinations
prescribed, of which seventy-nine passed
satisfactorily and were assigned to
schools
The next step in the organization of the
educational system was the districting
or the archipelago into eighteen divisions.
the school work of each being placed in
charge of a division superintendent.
In speaking Of general conditions. Prof
Atkinson said:
The great public need is that of ade-
quate and suitable school buildings. All
school buildings occupied by soldiers or
In any way used for military purposes
should be vacated and turned over to
school authorities at the earliest practical
moment, and arrangements should be
made for the rent or vacation Of all con-
vents or church property now used for
school purposes. Nearly all the buildings
that have been used for military pur-
poses are in poor condition It will be
necessary for the municipalities to spend
money for their alteration and repair
Present school buildings consist general
ly of one or two large rooms, with sew
eral teachers carrying on work in each
room. These rooms are everywhere over
crowded, and many have no windows Or
floors. Some times one teacher has 100 to
200 pupils.
The education Of girls has rot beon
thought as important as that of boys
Wherever a school for boys is established.
1t will be the policy to establish one
for girls, either In a building near the
boys or under the same roof as the boys
school, but completely separate with its
cwn entrances and play grounds.
REVENUES ARE SMALL.
DR.. David Barrows, city superintendent
or schools for Manila reports upon the
question of local support Of schools. in
Uting attention to the fact that the agri-
cultural land is In large holdings. and
large proportion of the products mus+
go for rents. In the absence of land
tax, which was unknown under the Span
1sh reign, and none patterned upon the
american system being yet in operation.
ne cites one pueblo, where the local rev.
enues are so small that the policeman
gets only pesos per month the native
man teacher 10 pesos and woman teacher
s pesos
Prof. Atkinson adds that It was plan
ned to conduct teachers institutes in all
the provinces at an early date. At pres
ent there is no schedule of salaries for
Filipino teachers. and it is planned to
establish the same upon the base of en-,
rollments and certificates. Evening
schools have been established where prac-
tlcabie, arousing great interest on the
part of the people. One high school at
the capital of each province will be es-
tablished in 1902.
DR.. Barrows, city superintendent Of
schools of Manila, reported, under date
of May last, for the first six months of
his work:
''rhe most significant change is that
which has taken place in the attitude of
the Filipino teachers. Owing to the un-
certainty that has attended American oc-
cupation of these islands six months ago.
scarcely any changes had been introduced
into the public schools of Manila.
In December the plan was adopted
OF having the teachers of English devote
at least the last half hour Of the fore
noon to the instruction of the Filipino
teachers, and at the same time the an
nouncement was made that very shortly
Spanish, as a medium Of instruction
would be abandoned. With a very few
exceptions, the teachers accepted the pro-
posed change of language, and their at
titude has now become one Of real eager
ness for the adoption Of English They
have also so far progressed in their
knowledge Of English that 1T will be pos
sible with the opening of schools in June.
1901, to use only English. Almost with
out exception, our teachers are becoming
appreciably more loyal to their work and
more conscientious in its discharge
THE question Of religious instruction in
the schools has also been settled and
without friction or any loss in the attend
ance Of pupils. Upon receipts of an Off
cial copy of act No. "A of the Philip
pine commission, which forbids any re-
igious instruction by the teacher, a com
prehensive order was Issued forbidding
the practice Of religious devotions. or
their employment as means Of punish
ment, the discontinuance of ali teachings
Of the catechism or religious doctrine
and the removal from the school house
of all books containing such matter, and
the removal from school rooms Of cruel
fixes, religious emblems, sacred pictures
placards, etc. These orders were in every
case Immediately and exactly complied
with. There was no protest from either
parents or teachers, and, as above stated.
no dimunition in the attendance, the
school year closing with the largest at
tendance in the history Of these public
schools. To many of the teachers the
change was aDnarentlv Welcome