The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-10
PORTO RICO AS IT is.
American Missionary Society
Representative Reports.

Boston, April 10.-Rev. e. s. Tead Of
SomervfIIe, Mass, who with Rev. A F.
Beard of New York, went to Porto Rico
as representatives Of the American Mis-
sionary society, make the following re-
port:
In some of the towns where the great
est povery exists Spaniards live who are
worth all the way from 100000 to 81
000, 600, but they are not touched by this
condition of the poor nor are efforts
made to alleviate distress. Beggary IS
common and in some Of the stores little
baskets of coppers on the shelf hold the
amount which the merchant intends to
dispense that day. All sorts Of bodily
deformities and disease are displayed by
these beggars, such as blindness, tWlst-
ed feet dropsy sores, bruised legs, para
lysis, women carried in carlson hobolng
along on their launches, or men seated
by the wayside holding up manned
limb and begging for pittance-
The need of the island is general
hospital equipped with modern april
ances A hospital could be built and
equipped at comparatively small expense.
Miss DR.. Atkins, connected with the
Presbyterian mission of San Juan has
twenty five to forty calls day from
patients who need hospital treatment.
many of whose lives are lost because Of
the lack Of it.
The education Of the people is receiving
the careful consideration OF the authorA-
ties. DIR. Brumbaugh, the commissioner
of educa ton, Is working night and day
on this pressing problem. At present
10000 children are in the public schools,
but 300, 600 remain yet unprOVtded for.
There are 500 teachers, about 80 of whom
are from the United States Both Span
ish and English are taught and the chill
tiren are quick and eager to learn There
is no high normal industrial school or
COLLEGE in the island though MaJaradO
has raised $40 600 for a normal school
Sixteen school inspectors are in the sad
die visiting the different sections of the
island and their services are much need
ed to keep the native teachers to their
tasks which sometimes they are disposed
to shirk.
Religion is not allowed a place IN the
curriculum There is a widespread de-
sire to learn English and at Lares the
clerks in the stores meet Prof. Scott in
the night school that he has opened to
study the language
The Presbyterian mission. under the
wise generalship Of Rev Dr. John N
Green, the Methodist mission led by Rev.
DR.. Drees. the Baptist and Episcopal
missions conducted respectively by Rev.
Drs. Mccormick and Van Buren,, are
doing excellent service in educational
and evangelistic lines Their Sunday and
week day services are crowded with
curious and interested listeners.
The Congrega tionalists. through the
American missionary association have
two excellent schools at San Turce and
Isares and are doing as thorough work
in education as is done by any schools
on the island There is a distinct and
emphatic call for a large central board
ing school of the higher grade with nor
NAL and industrial departments
The outlook for industrial, educational
and religious quickening is encouraging.
During the past two years great ad-
vances have been made. The people IN
spite Of the present disturbances are ex-
pectant of changes for the better. The
hope of that fair land Is in the chill
dren BY their ready assimilation OF
American ideas they constitute the