The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-08-17
ROCKS AHEAD.

not draw a very brilliant picture of
the future of the teachers en- route to
those Islands on the Thomas. None Of
them are intended for Manila, but all
are for the country districts. AS he
remarks in his interview few of them
know what they are coming to and
there will be many sad cases of home
sickness among them.
For the young men who go out there
can be little sympathy. They have, in
the bulk, gone out in the spirit of ad-
venture. To very many of them the
affair is only a stepping stone to for
tune. There are tales of gold in the
mountains of Mindanao and it is that
gold that some of them hope to become
owners Of The school room to them is
to be the base from which prospecting
operations are to be carried on. There
were others who made no pretence of
staying with the school department of
the Philippines, and merely desired to
get over on free passage to shake
themselves free of all trammels as soon
as possible.
But most, if not all of the young wo-
men, who have gone out, have gone from
a sense of duty. They had and have
the true missionary spirit of education.
How they will stand the strain of dull
ness, of fighting against ignorance and
prejudice it is hard to say. DR.. Atkin-
son thinks they will pass through their
period of blues and will then have such
an interest in their work, that they will
become perfectly and thoroughly salts
fled with their lot. Some may but
great many will not
The wholesale carrying over the
ocean of an army of teachers is an I'M
precedented event in the history of the
world. Its ultimate results will doubt
less be magnificent, but there will have
to be a great deal of winnowng of the
chaff from the wheat before those re-
suits are obtained. DR.. Atkinson's in
terview as published in the Manila
Times throws very strong light upon
the immediate future of the teachers
positions in the Philippines, and know
ing, as we most of US do, the conditions
of educators on these Islands, it is not
difficult to predicate the trouble that is
ahead.
On these Islands, where Europeans
and Americans are spread through the
length and breadth of the land it is
very difficult to get teachers for the
outer districts. Indeed many teachers
will not go to the outer districts even
if big pay is offered. The dullness and
isolation tell upon the nerves of the la
dies, and the Commissioners of Edu-
cation have often to depend upon the
local supply of the district, which is
not always properly equipped for the
work In time Hawaii will raise her
own teachers through her Normal .
School, but even this class of teacher,
properly trained and equipped does not
care for the country school. If this is
true of conditions such as we have here.
how much harder will it be in the con-
ditions that exist in the Philippines.
There is bound to be dissatisfaction on
both sides, and with dissatisfaction will
come discomfort.
The matter of pay will also be a
source of trouble. The teachers of the
ordinary class are to be paid $75 to
800 per month. This looks big pay,
but expenses are very high. Upon 500
a month one of the pioneer teachers,
who went out to Manila a year ago,
found that she had to pay the whole
sum out in securing board and lodg-
ing. Outside of Manila prices are some {
what lower, but the whole scale of liv- {
ing prices is going up throughout the I
3
The police of Manila have just been I
airing their grievances, and these bring I
out the rates of pay. A police captain S
gets 1880 Mexican per month which is t
equivalent to $165 in gold larger sal ,
airy than most teachers will command /
a police lieutenant gets $3.50 Mexican, S
equivalent to $50 in our gold, a police C
corporal gets $3.50, equivalent to $50 in t
gold, and a private receives $13O equal
% $65. At this rate the ordinary school
teacher, with all her normal training
and the years she has snent in prepar- n
ng herself for her position as an in
5tructor of youth, receives less than a "
police corporal and. only $40 month
more than private The police too, Ii
are complaining that their pay is in
adequate, what then must be the pay II
IF the average school teacher There a
will undoubtedly be considerable trou-
Die ahead over the pay question. 1t a
vas not SO long ago that young lady Ia
rom Iowa passed through here, havin' n
given up a S65 month place in that a
state for sT5 a month place in the Il
4p Iowa she could save g
money, in the Philippines she will save
hone. There will be a dismal wall by
md by. :H"'I q,