The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-19

Of schools on the difficulty Of
procuring good teachers. Offers of from
S125 TO 500 per month for teachers in Eng
lish schools mean pay in bullion. the pur-
chasing power of which is continually be-
coming less. The higher income will not
provide more than ordinary living, and
those who do not get so much lose heart
when they find themselves obliged to give
up all OF it even when they pinch expenses
Teachers who come out under contract tire
of the never-ending summer when there Is
nothing ahead in it for them. 1t may well
be supposed that those who can get home
some remain on because they cannot-do
not recommend the experiment to their
friends. Half-hearted service by such
teachers and the scarcity OF fresh material
prevent anything like generally vigorous
school growth. As the inspector of schools
says, the poor quality and the low rate
of pay act and react on each other, the bad
teachers keeping the scale Of pay low and
the low pay tending to keep the average
quality OF teachers bad.
Whatever may be said of the primary
education, which applies to the masses OF
possible school attendance. reports uniform
ly good come from the secondary schools.
Queens scholarships, which insure success
full candidates a yearly allowance of ESQ
for five years, with which 10 pursue a uni
versity course at Cambridge. have stimu-
lated competition so keenly in the various
advanced schools as to lead to the intro
duction of the Cambridge local eXamina-
tions, certificates in which, both in the
senior and junior grades, are regarded as a
passport to employment in commercial
houses. 1t had been hoped that as a result
of these examinations the force of teachers
in the colony might be locally recruited.
Those who are clever enough to pass this
test, however, know that the outlook for
them is much more promising. They will
probably continue to feel that way until
school work can offer better pay than at
present.
THEY WILL NOT WORK.
Except in the vernacular schools, which
pupils may attend without any charge,
pupils must buy books and supplies and pay
a fee Of from 81 to $150 per month for
tuition. Free schools get government al
lowances, based on the number Of pupils
entitled to regular attendance and a pass
able quality of work to present themselves
for examination. This accounts in limited
measure for the low public expenditure on
school account. Government has shown
some inclination to encourage indus
trial training, but beyond rendering al
lowances to worthy candidates who may be
willing to apprentice themselves in local
shops little has been. accomplished. Eura-
slams, for whom some of these benefits were
attended, looked with scant favor upon this
opportunity to fit themselves for mechan-
- -AUnn1 20
the Chinese, it has been assumed that they
are so attached to their own tools and their
own way of using them that it would be
time lost to attempt to fit them in indus
trial arts, although they constitute the en-
tire labor force in the foundries, machine,
metal and woodworking shops at the docks.
where they must perform their tasks in
European fashion. As to the Malay, he
has no wish to enter into this sort Of COM
petition with anybody, even declining to ac-
cept instruction in improved methods of
rice planting and fruit growing. Industrial
school classes, to teach the theory of vari-
Gus manual occupations, are maintained,
but they fail to rouse widespread interest.
Government aid has had one good effect in
encouraging the establishment and mainte-
nance of various schools supported in part
by mission bodies. They attempt little re-
ligious instruction, but are most serviceable
to the Chinese, who get English in them,
and much else that they wish, to induce
an increasing flow of dollars in their direc-
ton.
Differences between English and Ameri-
can methods in dealing with youth in
Malay land are thus about as far apart as
possible. Experience of nearly a century
here has convinced the English that credit
able government, or material progress, does
not depend upon forced mental improve
ment OF the native, who is believed alike
incapable Of that form Of growth, and
careless OF it. Education is to be had by
those who make reasonable efforts to get
it. If the masses do not think the effort
worth making government sees no advan-
tage in prodding them up to it. Hence, the
system, so far as it concerns the native,
has become most passive, drifting along in
the easy fashion that the Malays like, and
warding off by force Of inertia the dreaded
effects of overexertion in the tropics.
FREDERICK w. EDDY.