Evening star., 1901-08-26


ment and arrangement should be mace LOT
the rent or vacation of all conventos or
other church property now used for scnooi
purposes Nearly all the buildings that
have been used for military purposes are
in poor condition It will be necessary 1or
the municipalities to spend money Tor tnelr
alteration and repair. Present school build
ings consist, generally, of one or two large
rooms with several teachers carrying on
work in each room. These rooms are every
where overcrowded and many have no win
dows or floors. Sometimes one teacher mas
100 to 200 pupils
The education OF girls has not been
thought as important as that OF boys:
Wherever a school for boys Is estapilsneo
1t will be the policy to establish one Tor
girls either in a building near the boys or
under the same roof as the boys school,
but completely separate, with its own en-
frances and playground. Indian educatioh
In the United States was not successful un-
til Just as good arrangements were made
for the girls, the mothers Of the coming
generation.
Quotations From Reports.
Prof Atkinson makes quotations from
some of the reports submitted, the follow
ing extracts from which will indicate the
status OF the work during the past year:
Major Cornelius Gardener, governor OF
Tayabas province, says:
I'm all the large pueblos there are schools
In operation for both sexes, at which all
English Is taught by American teachers.
besides the native teachers who teach
Tagalo. In all but six of the small pueolos
schools are In operation under native teach
ers. After a period Of war lasting nearly
five years, during which time schools were
ruined or destroyed and school furniture
broken up, there is much to be done to re-
habilitate matters In these lines The peo-
pie, however, are yearning for school faciH-
ties for their children and are doing every
thing in their power in that direction. Chill
dren and grown people are all anxious to
learn English and in nearly every pueblo
where there Is an English teacher night
classes are being formed Tagalo children.
both male and female are the most preco-
cious / have ever seen, very bright and
studious and exceedingly well behaved.
There are five pueblos in my province who
desire each to send a boy to the United
States to be educated, the expense to be
paid by popular subscription.
Heretofore general education was frown-
ed down upon and only limited number
were encouraged and permitted to study
Spanish. The people appreciate American
efforts for general education, and they ac-
knowledge the manifest good intentions of
our government In their behalf. If properly
managed hereafter the bureau of education
In these islands with good American teach
ers in every pueblo, can be more beneficial
than troops in preventing future revolu-
tions. When the children are on our side
we naturally have the mothers, and the
mothers, especially among the Tagalogs,
Local Support of Schools.
DIR. David P. Barrows, city superintend-
ent of schools for Manila, reports upon the
question Of local support Of schools, In
viting attention to the fact that the agricul-
tural land is in large holdings and large
proportion of the products must go for
rents. In the absence of land tax which
was unknown under the Spanish regime
and none patterned upon the American sys-
tenn being yet in operation, he cites one
pueblo where the local revenues are so
small that the policeman gets only pesos
per month. the native man teacher 10 pesos
and woman teacher pesos. He then adds:
"In general, the condition of the province
impressed me as reassurtng and hopeful.
In the province of Pampanga the effects of
strife seem to be the most lasting. 1t will
probably require several years even In this
surprisingly recuperative country to restore
this district to normally thriving condi-
tion."
Benguet province has school population
of some 5000, with seventeen pueblos, only
three OF which ever had school OF any
kind, and only four Of which now have
school buildings. Governor Whitmarsh es
timated that with the cheap native labor
$25 In gold would cover the expense Of each
building needed.
AS an instance OF the interest prevailing
among the people. 1t is stated that at Laoag
q class of eighty adults meets nightly for
the study of English.
MAJOR John u. Balance reported from
Vigan:
Native male and female teachers are em-
ployed In all OF the sixty-six towns and in
many OF the barrios Of this district AS
rule they are not efficient, but they are the
best obtainable under present circum-
stances In the provinces OF Abra North
nocos South Hocos and Union there are
1913 public schools, 233 teachers and Il, ,S32
scholars
Captain Peed, detailed on duty in the
province Of Batangas, reports for last
March II schools, 2,273 children in school,
English teachers and % native teachers
The field calls for very large individual
continue to do so until the elementary
foundation Is SO firmly flxed that it may be
enlarged. The enthusiasm Of the people
and the children in behalf of the public
chools Is one of the suspicious signs of
the times.
Teachers' Instftute Planned.
Prof. Atkinson adds that 1t was planned
to conduct teachers Institutes in all the
provinces at an early date. At present
there Is no schedule OF salaries for Filipino
teachers. and it Is planned to establish the
same upon the basis OF enroIlments and
certificates Evening schools have been
established where practicable, arousing
great interest on the part of the people, It
has also been planned to establish one high
school at the capital Of each province in
1902
The former school year ranged from six
to twelvee months. in lieu of which q uni
form year of nine and one-half months will
be established and one OF the vacation
months utilized for normal instruction of
teachers.
The general superintendent cites the fol-
lowing from the report OF Captain Harri-
SON g. Kerrick, detailed as division super