The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-11-27

20. Our average daily attendance for
nine months was IS per cent. In '97-'9S
| it was, in Massachusetts 76 Pennsyl-
vania "a, New York 6S, Kansas SO, Vir-
ginia 6S, Texas sc and New Mexico Ga.
Thus, you see, we are now ahead of
Pennsylvania by per cent, and within
! / per cent of Massachusetts,. This is
a conclusive argument that our schools
are popular lin the true sense).
"3, Under military government we
had 612 schools. On May 1, 1900 we had
500 schools. For term opening Septem-
| Der 80, we shall have 1000 schools.
-. When I came here we had less
than 100 good American school desks
for pupils. Washington, D. c., sent
few secondhand desks. Since 1 came
we have put into the schools use 1000
first-class desks. This year we shall
add $500.
20. In January, 1901, we had not one
school-house of our own in Porto Rico.
We now have
and ready for September 80.
"S more in process of erection.
&c four-room brick graded schools
ready.
"2 four-room almost ready.
"3 ten-room in professionally Sep
TENDER 80.
81 six-room in professionally Sep
TENDER 80.
"9 two-room in professionally Sep
TENDER go
Cost of all, 5000, 1000.
Cost of equipment, $4,000.
"Insular Normal, ready November l,
$50, 600
Value of permanent equipment,
1855 900 in six months.
"6. We have petitions for more
schools daily-demand greatly exceeds
supply. Our limit is money. We have
$500 900 in this years budget for schools
which is % per cent of all insular funds.
Impossible to maintain more from in
sular revenue. United States Govern
ment ought to give us $3.50, 900 to $780,
900 annually for ten years to erect
school houses. No local district has
been able to erect schoolhouse.
~. We have in many schools fifty
five pupils-the limit-and as many as
124 on the waiting list; i. e., patches
up to ia ready to enter various schools
as soon as we can find room for them.
49, Spain had few schools-only in
towns. The poor poems never had a
single school. We have now opened
over 400 rural schools and 200 more will
open September 80, 1901. Thus are dem
ocratic ideals working among the hum
BILE and the neglected. To us it is one
of our best results.
80. Some one in Chicago is trying to
have an official CD Spanish version of
the Star Spangled Banner adopted. 1t
| is not needed in Porto Rico. All our
10000 children sing America Hail
Columbia and Star Spangled Banner
in English. We want no Spanish YER
sion of our national hymns. The chill
dren easily and quickly sing in English
and national song loses force in a
translation of any sort.
10. We are now on a propaganda to
beautify the school grounds. First at
tempt: Houses are being whitewashed
or painted; grounds fenced, campus
provided, flowers planted, an effort to
take care of grounds and house. It's
influence in the homes of the people is
good.
10 N1ril
money to pay all their debts for the
first time. This is the financial stamina
injected in one year, e. g., Ponce owed
SIS, 600 last year.
'12. Systematic practical agriculture
will be taught in 20 schools, l. e., one
acre of ground will be worked daily.
Thus the industrial future of Porto
Rico is being conserved
Evidently the cultivation of flowers
in the school yards is regarded by
as of educational value not |
only upon the children but upon the |
adults. He says tits influence in the |
homes of the people is good" Systema-
tic practical agricultural instruction is
also given, and does not seem to call
forth any objections either in Porto |
Rico, or on the mainland. Singing is |
also Systematically taught, and the |
children sing in English as they do |
here.
The system of education in Porto |
Rico has been founded upon the very |
latest and best models and it is a
source of satisfaction to see that Ha-
wall has been a pioneer upon the lines
in Porto Rico.
Delegate Wilcox still figures in the !