The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-14
Washington Correspondence Boston Her

Washington Correspondence Boston Her
aid.
Uncle Sam has taken up in real earnest
the business of pouring knowledge into
the rising generation OF Fllplnos. lie
has already appointed a small army of
teachers and stationed them in all parts
Of the archipelago. with instructions to
saturate the young barbarians as thor
oughly possible with American Ideas
and information.
Most particularly, they are to be taught
English and immense quantities Of school
books in that language-geographie
arithmeticS. readers etc.-haVe peen
shipped across the ocean for their use,
together with states and pencils. pens ana
copy books. blackboards and chalk. maps
and globes and other such apparatus ad
libitum.
1t is a big Job to tackle Under Span
ish rule the educational system IN the
islands was exceedingly prim1tlVe-so
much so, indeed, that the mass of the
people got next to nothing in the way OF
schooling. There were no schoolhouses.
no school furniture worth mentioning, ana
no good textbooks.
The friars managed everything, ana tney
considered religious instruction to De the
only kind that was Of real Importance.
Some of the schools were without any
seats for the pupils. Girls were taught
embroidery and needleWork, but were not
supposed to require other knowledge Inc
duly censored the annals Of other nations
being deemed unworthy OF attention.
Where the Flllplnos Excel.
The Filipinos possess, as rule, remark
able mechanical skill, and excel In Wrltlns
and drawing: but the Spaniards made no
use of" these faculties. Schooling ordl-
narily ended with the tenth year OF the
pupil and teachers were so poorly paio
that their calling was looked down upoii'
1914 If
made to educate the girls and even sub
seouently it was understood that females
needed no knowledge of biography or his
tory, The method Of instruction was q
sort of poll -parrot system, the teacher,
with book In hand, hearing one pupil at
a time, while the others Stuuleu aAouo
In sing song.
The first act Of the Philippine COM
mission, when it turned its attention to
the work of education, was to prohibit
instruction in religion Of any KIND or creed
in the public schools, and to require the
removal from them Of all religious en-
blems and pictures. At the same time.
the subsidies previously allowed to the
friars for educational purposes were dis
continued.
The schools supported by the govern
ment were divorced from the church, and
A. plan was blocked out for making school
Ing compulsory, while free Of cost. so
as to bring it within reach Of the labor
ing classes and the poor.
Since then the archipelago has been
divided into seventeen educational dis
tricts, with an American school superln-
tendent in charge Of each. One thousand
American teachers for primary work have
been appointed and assigned to stations
in the various towns, with 200 additional
teachers in higher branches.
Besides these, 3,40O Filipino teachers
have received appointments, and provi-
sion has been made for instruction In the
English language in $500 schools, In
which 200. 900 children enrolled
Night schools, for adults and others I'M
able to attend during the day, have been
opened throughout the islands,
Teaching the Native Teachers.
Meanwhile, the Filipino teachers have
received daily instruction in English and
have been encouraged in their work by the
announcement that they will have charge
of their own schools, and will not be dis
placed by the American teachers. Usually
they get one-half the salaries of the
American teachers, who are paid from
$1,000 to $1,000 per annum.
Two > ~oh~ {v fIo