Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-09-06
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
TiIipino. LEARNING Ensil.h.

The division OF insular affairs, War
department. has received copy OF the
annual report Of Professor Fred W. At
kinson, general Superintendent OF pub
lie Instruction Tor the Philippines.
which covers tile time from the enact
men, Of the Philippine school law To
the close OF the last fiscal year. June
30. 1901.
The school law mentioned authorized
the appointment from the United
States OF i.0JD school teachers, OF
whom Professor AtklHS0n says ISL
had been appointed. There was no
scarcity OF material from which TO
make the selection. more than 5000
personal written applications having
been filed.
Speaking OF the general conditions
Professor Atkinson said:
THE great present need II that OF
adequate and suitable school buildings.
Present school buildings consist. gen.
orally, OF one or two large rooms with
several teachers carrying ON work In
each room. These rooms arc every.
where oyercrowdcd and many have no
windows or il0ors. Sometimes one
teacher has one TO two hundred pu-
pills"
The education OF girls has not been
thought ms important ns that OF boys,
but wherever a school for boys Is cs-
tnblishcd IL will be the policy to cstnb-
lish one for girls. II has been planned
to conduct teachers Institutes In all
the provinces at II nearly date. Even
Ing schools have been established
where practicable. nrousIns great In
tcrcst upon the part OF the people. One
high school nj tile capitol OF each
province will be established In 1907.
DR.. Barrows. city superintendent OF
schools OF Manila, reports OF the six
months OF his work:
''rhc most significant change Is that
which has taken place In the attitude
OF the Filipino teachers. In December
the plan WIS adopted OF having the
teachers OF English devote at least the
last hnlf hour OF the forenoon TO the
instruction Of the Filipino teachers and
Mt the same time the announcement
was made that very shortly Spanish.
as n medium OF instruction, would be
abandoned. Wlth n few exceptions.
the teachers accepted the proposed
change OF language and their attitude
has now become ole OF real caecrncss
for the adoption OF English. They have
also so far progressed In their knowL
edge OF English that II Will be possible
with the opening OF school IN June
d00D to use only English. Almost
without exception our teachers are be.
coming apprcclably more loyal to their
wort md morc conscientious In Its dis.
charge.
'.Thc question OF religious instruction
in the schools has also been settled.
and without friction or any loss In the
attendance OF pupils. Upon receipt of
an official copy of.act No. "a OF the
Philippine commission. which forbids
any religious instruction by the teach
er. comprehensive order WIS issued
forbsudlng the practice Of religious de-
votisns or their employment rs means
OF punishment. the discontinuance OF
all teaching OF the catechism or rcli-
gious doctrine. and the removal from
the school of all books containing such
matter and of all religious figures, al
blcms, placards. etc. These orders
were In every case complied with.
There was no protest from either par.
ents or teachers. and as above stated.
no diminution In the attendance, tho
school year closing with the largest At
tendance In the history OF these pub
lie schools. To many of the teachers
the change was apparently welcome"