The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-26
FILIPINO.
EDUCATION
Should English be Made the
Exclusive Language.
OF EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
Controversy Over Course to
Pursue in Schools.

Washington, Dec 25.-The difference of
Judgment between President Schurman
end ore of the superintendents OF the
schools in the Philippines on the question
whether English ought 10 be made the
exclusive language Of the educational
system OF the islands under our rule,
seems to resolve itself into this: VIII
1t be wiser TO compel the Filipino -ehA-
dIen 10 learn English or compel scion
Of one tribe to learn the dialect Of sew
tral other tribes?
\ good deal OF the controversy aroused
over this subject treats it as If it in
solved the ultimate question of unifying,
u of permanently widening the gulf be-
tween the members of the several tribes
through the disposal made Of the Ian
guage problem. 1t thus recalls to the
memory of The writer an Indian school
he visited il New Mexico some years
ngo. lie was impressed with the extra
ordinary percentage Of pupils in the in
ssitution who seemed to be able 10 under
STAND and speak English-not with d large
vocabulary. perhaps, but one sufficient
to meet their needs in associating with
the white people who We're to be their
ueighbors and feilow-citizens in later life.
On inquiring into the reason for this phe-
nomenon he discovered that it had been
The policy Of the superintendent of the
school TO gather into it young representa-
uves from as many and as various tribes
Is possible. There were children of the
Navajos and ties and Apaches and Mo
Cuis and Zunis and Mojaves-aH sorts
End conditions In short-who met on the
common playground every day and were
faced with the alternative of inter-
course or non-intercourse: The young
Navajo. for instance, could not be eX-
pected 10 master the Mojave tongue for
the sake Of being able to play bali with
two or three Mojave children, while still
remaining a stranger TO all the rest; but
ell soon realized by an unconscious pro-
cess of Judgment that if they could
speak common language the whole
school could join in sports. English was.
Of course, the only tongue which could
b. considered common to the entire mass
Of pupils. so they learned it almost with
out effort.
1t might not be practical to apply this
clever idea to the case of the young Fill
Iinos. who cannot be correled in the
same way as young Indians, but the New
Mexico school case suggests the general
eisdom of letting the language question
settle itself as far as it will without in
reference from any arbitrary authority.
This was the policy promptly advised,
sitter our acquisition of the Philippines
end Porto Rico by Commissioner VIII
linn T. Harris. whose fame as an edu-
GATOR rests quite as much on HIS wisdom
as on his erudition. and possibly more.
Or. Harris was able to cite in Illustration
of IS position. the experience of western
sities who had 10 tackle the question of
compelling the Germans to learn Eng
nsh. Wherever compulslon was used,
The tendency Of the Germans was to seq
segate themselves. establish parochial
schools and become colonies rather tnan
part of the genera body polite; but where
patience and tactfW methods were en-
pioycd and the matter left as much as
possible - the operation of the automatic
processes Of social intercourse the Ger
mans became. in the seconu generation
al furthest. the most enthusiastic ana
patriotic OF Americans.
And speaking Of the education of the
Filininos. who shall say that they are
not learning the lessons of good citizen
ship early in respect TO slams against
the government collectible through legis-
iative agencies2 Two. of which the doc
ume1ts have lately come before congress.
are typical OF multitude of others. one
Juan Catan Of Cabagan Nuevo isabella
province. wants pay for horse-a Moor
ISh race horse mark YOU. which cost him
nifty dollars in American silver pieces.
together with a saddle. blanket ana bri-
DIE worth in The aggregate $3.50 or more.
To substantiate the claim he produces
HTldavits reports letters. recommenia-
tons and endorsements. filling twelve
pages Of print containing some cabalis-
ii symbols. fac SMILES of the private
brands on the animal. which must have
required special castings from the type
foundry. II appears that soldier named
Paxton, Of Company T.. ION United
States Infantry. had swooped down upon
Senior Catan's garden and helped him
relf 10 the racer. which was Lied there.
without 50 much AS notifying Rs owner.
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