The Irish standard., 1902-07-19
man that aids landlord combination
is made peer; the man that aids the
tenant i'll self-protection is made con-
EDUCATION INTHE PHILIPPINES.


there appeared am article from the
Catholic Citizen OF Milwaukee which
was written by an American Traveller
to Il Catholic prelate in this country
on public education in the Philippines.
The writer declared that the head OF
the entire educational system in the
the head OF the Manila schools was Il
Protestant minister who employed
only Protestant teachers as principals
and had only two Catholic ladies ap-
pointed to subordinate positions; that
the head of the Normal schools was
another Protestant minister who had Il
corps Of Protestant teachers for his
assistants, and that not Il single Ameri-
can Catholic was among them. He ac-
cused the superintendent principals
and assistants OF rank bigotry and
said they We're engaged in the pro-
selytizing of Filipino teachers and
pupils, and had given the choice OF po.
The names of both prelate and cor
respondent We're contidentially given
to the Irish Standard, and taking for
granted that the information was
thoroughly reliable and accurate i'll
every specification, the Irish Standard
not only published the article but
10
saying in part:
LET there be non-sectarian system
of education in the Philippines as at
home, and let the Catholic Filipinos
have religious freedom under the
Stars and Stripes. 1t is Il gross insult
to the Catholics of the entire world to
place Protestant superintendent and
teachers in charge Of Catholic children
in a Catholic country in order to Prot
lie prelates Of the United States to pro-
test against the proceedings narrated
by the correspondent of the Catholic
dignitary, and hope that the Protes-
tunt missionaries in Charge Of the pub
lie schools Of the archipelago will not
remain long in the positions they now
adults, but the school children must
be saved from their proselytiZing i'll
fluence. Such system of education is
unique in the history Of the would"
The Catholic press Of the United
States was up in arms on the appear
ance of the American travellers letter
to the Catholic dignitary and protested
strongly against the prcselytism of the
Filipino school children in the manner
described. The attention of President
Roosevelt was directed to the matter,
and he Immediately ordered an investi-
CATION. Nice-Governor Wright, the
acting governor of the Philippines in
the absence of Governor Taft was i'll
structed to report the facts bearing
upon the charges made and he lost no
time jn giving Il fiat contradiction to
the statements of the American tray
eler.
Instead Of the superintendent being
all Protestant ministers, the fact is
that only one of them had been a min
lister in the United States for Il short
time before he became teacher. Dr..
Bryan, of the Manila normal school,
was never a preacher either at home
! al, Tn 1,,S,
Catholics under him and there are five
others i'll the city schools. The native
teachers in Manila number 40, and
they arc all Catholics. There is no
proselytizing going on under Bryan and
the graduates from his establishment
are mostly, il not entirely, Catholics
Stone and Oliver, Of the city schools
are not bigots, and do not make any
discrimination in the employment OF
teachers on account of their religion
Supt. Atkinsons private secretary is
a Catholic, and 50 is the private secre-
tary of Commissioner Moses. Three
division superintendents are also Cath.
olics. There are about 3,4OO native
teachers employed in the islands, all
OF whom are Catholics. They are Sc
lected without reference to religion
and not allowed to preach or teach re-
lgion in the schools. Upon the re-
quest of parents, however, religious in.
struction may be given by priests in
school buildings, three days per week
out of school hours, as concession tc
Catholic sentiment. In other words
the Faribault plan prevails in the pub
lie schools Of the Philippines.
The report o. Vice-Governor Wright
is confirmed by Rev. William L. Nc
Kimon, Il Catholic priest who is 6
member Of the advisory board Of gen
cal instruction and who acted as
Archbishop Chappelle's secretary dur
ing his stay in Manila us papal en-
vOy. Some Catholic bishops ant
priests in the United States who hat
known the superintendent of public
instruction referred to by the Amer
lean correspondent before they went tt
the Philippines have barne Testimony
to their lihcrality and denied that they
were ministers On bigots when ut home
The charges of the American CORE
spondent arc therefore untrue. and il
the interest of truth we gladly make
this correction.
In his address tO tho maml,erS nj