The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-02-01
THE BEST MISSIONARY.
BY WALTER j. BALLARD

EDtCAl1ON is a rhicf--if not the chief
IT factor in tho work of civilization. We
| IL may carry TO other races our most i'm.
| proved methods of work and living. our
| labor saving appliances, ouy system Of scf.Goy.
crnmcnt, and all the other blessings of twentieth
| century civilization, but without education as a
preliminary, they will only tend TO make the
| alien discontcntcd We must, by cducition first
| teach him his need Of those blessings and then
| how TO apply them.
| Under Governor Allen, Governor Hunt, and DR..
VI. g. Brumbaugh, a grand work in education in
| Porto Rico has been done, and is being inCreas.
| ingly done With equal force we can say the
same of the educational work in Cuba, under
| Governor Wood and Lieutenant Matthew H..
| Hanna, but neither in Porto Rico nor Cuba are
there such gigantic and difficult problems TO
| solve along this line as those with which Gov.
| crnor TAFT, the Philippines commission, and Dr.,
| Fred W. Atkinson are so ably grappling in the
| Philippines.
Starting in November 1000, with only onc clerk
| and one interpreter, DR.. Atkinson now directs
and inspires the work of 500 American teachers
with 1000 native assistants, among an enrolment
| OF 100000 scholars. That is great work and a
great beginning but it is only tthc of what
remains TO be done among n restless, suspicious
and many tongucd mass of 100000 people.
Under Spanish domination it was made study
to prevent this people of many tongues, learning
spanish, or any common tongue, for fear they
might minslc with each other. discuss their
| common WRONGS, and unitcdly turn against their
orprcssors This want of common tongue i'm.
incasurcahly increases the difficulties to be faced
by that hest OF all missionaries the American
school teacher.
Arc those difficulties being successfully met?
Let us refer to Dr. Atkinsons report OF the work
| from July j. 1901, to September So 1901. After
graphically describing the arrival and placing
inside thirty days, of the 5I2 American teachers
who arrived there last summer, the report goes
on to say
THE American teachers were warmly well
coined. Many towns are still begging for them
No moro women teachers can be utilized owing
TO the want of suitable living accommodations,
but two or three hundred American young men,
we'll trained and OF good character aud willing
10 endure some discomfort and hart,ships, can be
used to good advantage. For these positions
eight on nine thousand applications are on file.
lie teachers are directly responsible to their
respective division supcrntcndents."
From April 10 to May 10, 1891, normal term
for the teachers OF the islands was conducted in
Manila, under City Superintendent David r. Bar
rows aided by forty American teachers. About
ttS native teachers were in attendance.
At the examinations for teachers positions in
the schools Of Manila. May, 1901, held daily for
two weeks, there was an average Attendance of
one hundred and twenty-five many of these htu-
dents had never studied The English language,
before entering. Many had had wears of expert
cncc in teaching under Spanish rule, but had to
be taught from tho text books now used in the
public schools of Manila Others were young