Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1902-08-30
SCHOOLS IN PHILIPPINES
ARE FAIR TO THE CATHOLICS
Report of Il. IL. Bowen. Superinten-
dent of Public Instruction, Made
Public-Denies Certain Charges
Mnde-Teachers Not Permitted to
Proselyte-Must BE Competent.

Washington. Aug 25-The bureau OF
insular affairs of the war department has
made public the report of Frank II. Bow
en-, acting superintendent of public in
struction for the Philippine islands. upon
charges made in the United States
against the school system of the islands,
alleging that it was used as a proselyt-
ing agency against Catholics and gener-
ally used to the prejudice of Catholicism.
The charges were forwarded to Manila
and the reply was made to Acting Gov
ernor Wright. The report of Superin-
tendent Bowen is dated July T. and is a
general and specific denial of the
charges
He says that of 20 persons who have
been superintendent for the government,
one has been a clergymen. Three divis-
ion superintendent were appointed from
the list submitted by the Roman Catho-
lie church in the United States.
In this connection the report says:
THE question of religious belief of ap-
plicants and appointees was never con-
special lot of applications gathered by
the authorities of the Roman Catholic
church in the United States, was sent to
the civil government of the island and
transmitted to the general superintend-
ents. From this special list three divis-
ion superintendent and % teachers were
appointed. In reporting these appoint
ments to the civil government the gen.
eral superintendent stated
II have had much difficulty in finding
in this lot of applications teachers who
are possessed of the educational training
and teaching experience which Is re-
quired Of other appointees in this depart
ment. Those who have not been selected
seem to be wholly unsuitable.
THE only departure from strict nom
sectarianism in the conduct of the
schools was a provision Of the Philippine
commission which made it lawful for a
priest or minister of any established
church in a puebla where a public school
is connected to teach religion for one
half hour three times a week in the
school building to pupils whose parents
have expressed a wish for such instruc-
ton"
Concerning PROSECUTING the report says:
mot only is no PROSECUTING allowed or
attempted in any of the public schools,
but inquiry of the leaders of the four
principal Protestant denominations here
brings out the fact that, so far as known
/ &c ixyn
Protestant Sunday school teacher in the
entire archipelago The statement that
not one third of the Protestant teachers
ever taught a day before going to the
Philippines, and that the Catholic teach
ers are sent to the distant provinces, are
emphatically denied"
The assertion is made that the educa-
tional department has no knowledge OF
/ the distribution of bibles in a private
| school by missionaries 1t is also stated
! that the conditions of the public schools
/ in the Philippines do not warrant the
! statement that they are worse in the
! islands, as viewed from Catholic stand
point, than in the United States.
The report closes with the following:
1.-The venomous attack on the Philip
pine commission, especially the Filipino
members thereof, who are termed traitors
and rascals, serves to show the degree OF
bitterness and recklessness which char
acterizes the whole article. The negotia-
lions at present under way in Rome in
regard to the church lands in these ISL
ands are sufficient refutation of the last
wild statement of this extraordinary pro
duction, in which not one material state
ment is true
A Forty story Building.