The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-09
SCHOOLS IN PORTO RICO.
Samuel ID. Hickman, Assistant Com
missioner of Education, in the City.

The children of Porto Rico sing Ameri-
ca and the 'Star-spangled Banner in the
English tongue and the American flag
floats over every schoolhouse on the
island" remarked Samuel b. Hickman at
the Denison Hotel last night. Mr.. Heck
man is assistant commissioner of eddca-
ton for the Island of Porto Rico, and has
come to the States TO take a few weeks
vacation. He is a Harvard man and has
attended school at Earlham College in this
State. DR.. Samuel NJ. Lindsey is commits
sioner of education for the island. The de-
partment of education began work on the
island about two years ago and Mr.. Heck
man says that very good progress is being
made 1t is the plan TO establish an Ameri-
can system of schools on the island. 1t is
divided into sixteen school districts and
each district has a supervisor in charge.
These supervisors perform duties similar
to those performed by county superintend-
ents of schools in the States. s. w. Eek
man. al Indianapolis man. was formerly
in charge of one of these districts, but has
resigned TO engage in private business.
have about one thousand teachers
at work" said DR.. Hickman last night.
''and about one hundred and twenty-five of
them are Americans. More than half OF
this number are women. We are carrying
OA lllLt a AtI WI n ~ Tx lSidllu a. well
as other school work. About $1,000 children
are attending school, which is about II per
cent. of the school population on the
island. We have a normal SchOOl Where we
are teaching Porto Rican teachers how TO
carry on American school methods. Eng
lish and Spanish are both taught in the
schools of Porto Rico. Back in some OF the
mountain districts II would. of course, be
impossible TO teach the children English at
once and there we teach them Spanish. But
they learn 10 sing the patriotic songs of
anrTn - tho nNfG 49, II I1--4-
Rican teachers must be able to speak the
English language as well as the Spanish,
but it is not necessary that American
teachers should speak Spanish.
When we went TO Porto Rico two years
ago there was not a schoolhouse on the
island, such schools as were carried on
being taught in other buildings. Now
there are about forty schoolhOuses, and
all have been erected without a cent of
cost to the insular government. The island.
OF course, furnished the ground and the
American government built the houses.
The people of Porto Rico did not have to
pay for them. The people are taking TO
American methods OF education favOrably,
and there is an unusual interest and en-
thusiasm being shown in the schools. In
nearly every district we have large wait
ing lists OF pupils who cannot get into the
schools for lack OF accommodations. There
is no need OF compulsory education laws
i'm Porto Rico. because we cannot now ac-
cOmmodate all the children that want TO
attend school. The island has set apart
for the next fiscal year 100000 for the main
tenance OF the schools. The department
furnishes all supplies for the children free.
There is some poverty and misery on the
island. but, on the whole, the children come
10 school clean. The results OF this school
training IS already apparent In the home
life OF Porto Rico. Next year We will have
about four high schools doing work equiva-
lent 70 that done in the high schools in the
States"
Mr.. Hickman says that many Porto
Ricans are taking courses in education in