BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-06-05
Address QI fle OPENING 0I me
IDSlI0T NOIDl1I School
d POrIO Rico.
By Samuel McCune Lindsay,
Commissioner of Education.

To-day we bear loving tribute to the
memory OF those who, in time of war,
have laid down their lives in noble
public service. We also consecrate a
great public building to the training of
teachers who, in time of peace, shall
endeavor to make of your children and
mine patriots, citizens, and civic leaders.
i hus shall the ideals of those whom
we mourn today be realized thus shall
the places of the fathers be filed by
those worthy of their heritage thus
shall their work and dreams abide.
This building marks an epoch in
Porto Rican education. In is a costly
and substantial structure admirably
adapted for its work 1t is the largest
single gift the people of the United
States have made to the cause of educ
alton in Porto Rico. 1t is the last
necessary adjunct to maintain a COM
plete system Of public secondary in
struction from the kindergarten to the
High School. Henceforth we shall
need only to multiply these facilities
Until we have a well-drilled copps to
wage war on illiteracy and ignorance,
to set a higher standard of physical
development, and to perpetuate in Porto
Rico the life of thought, of purpose, of
culture, and of heroic deeds.
The equipment of the Insular Nor
NAL School is as complete as we can
make it. We have provided for lee.
ture-rooms audience-rooms, class-rooms,
laboratories a gymnasium, and in time,
a botanical park. The fittings are the
most modern; the supplies are the best.
the teaching is faithful, earnest, and
well-trained. At cost of nearly
/ l$35,ooo, and within ten months of the
date that his beautiful tract of 80 acres
of land was secured, We have finished
with all possible despatch, on account
of the urgent need, a structure in which
we all may take just pride.
Yet this is but the beginning. Be.
fore the last nails we're driven in this
building, our Governor consented to a
further use Of the Trust Funds placed
in his hand BY the President Of the
United States in the name Of the peo-
pie Of the United States. Before an
other School year opens, we hope to
have placed two more buildings on
these grounds, one a Model Graded
School, in which the children shall
have the advantages of the best teach
lag the American School system al.
ford.
Suc1, ladies and gentlemen, are the
upbullding works of a free republic.
They are fundamentally planned for
the help and strength OF all. Our Me
mortal Days are days which look out
to the fl ure, as well as uron the past.
They not only commemorate the fdel-
ity and aonor of the dead they inspire
the courage and devotion of the living.
They call us ever to a higher life.
Of this higher life the true teacher
Is q representative and exponent. This
building is IN reality dedicated, not by
what we say here, but by what is done
here By the teachers within it's walls.
Upon their unselfsh spirit, their zeal,
enthusiasm, training, and earnest ser
vice, the true foundation of Porto Rican
education rests. 1t is theirs to mould
the coming race. Some one has truly
said; There is not gold enough in the
mines of the world to measure the
value of teacher who lifts the souls of
children to the true dignity Of life and
living.
We cannot have. good schools without
clean, honest, intelligent and sincere
teachers; we cannot have wholesale de
mocratic institutions>in general without
good public schools. We cannot have
happy homes, nor industrial and com
mercial prosperity without an under
standing and appreciative love of law,
order, and free political institutions 1t
is thus the imperative duty of Rep
ublic to support and advance its public
Schools, to cooperate y it'll their teach
ers, and to work harmoniously together
for the public good.
flIoonny Ennn;nfod 0oovofru,