Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-04
MODEL OF ITS KIND
EXCELLENCE OF THE WORK
TURNED OUT.
Superintendent Leech Speaks Cordially
Of the Industry and Efficiency Of
the Men in His Employ.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star ana
Chicago Record-Hera
MANILA June q 1904.


| institution I found in Manila. 1t Is one
| Of the most complete. perhaps the most
complete. typographical establishments In
| the world, because everything In 1t Is OF
| the latest, most improved pattern, and
was selected by experts who consider per-
| lection more important than expense. The
| plant was purchased in New York and Chi
| cago last year, and is conducted by gradu-
ates of Frank w. Palmer's Typographical
University at Washington. D. c.
John 8. Leech Of Bloomington. ILL.,, Is the
superintendent and was selected for the
| duty from the staff of the public printing Of
| fee at Washington because Mr.. Palmer
considered him the proper man for the
place. 1t Is not necessary to say that he
has justified the choice and has proven
himself deserving of the confidence placed
in him. The appearance Of the official pub
| locations of the Philippine government Is
| the best evidence of the efficiency Of the
printing Office. Some people complain that
| the government Is having too much printing
| done, which is a acknowledging state
ment. An Official gazette Is published every
| week containing the laws and acts adopted
by the commission. the decisions of the
| higher courts, official circulars announce
/ ments. reports and other documents OF pub
lie interest. and the other printing COM
| ferent departments Of the government 1t
all resembles in appearance the work Of
| the public printing Office in Washington.
| A School for Printers.
| Nearly all the employees of the Manila
printing office are natives who have been
| educated since the American occupation,
| and Mr.. Leech Is conducting an important
| school for printers, which will be appre-
| ciated by private publishers who now find
it difficult to get competent and reliable
| journeymen. The law allows the public
printer to appoint many apprentices I'M
der the age of eighteen as he can use. They
| are divided into six classes according to
| the length of time they have been studying
| their trade. are paid respectively 20, 80. 40
| 60. 50 cents and $1.1O day, and are pro-
| NOTED for efficiency at intervals of three to
| nine months. No apprentice can be adj
| vanced until he has served three months in
| a given position, and If he is not qualified
for promotion to the next grade at the end
| of nine months he is dropped entirely, on
| the theory that he is incompetent. The
| chief clerk receives daily reports Of the
habits, character, conduct. aptitude, indus
try, punctuality, intelligence and pro-
fc1ency of each apprentice. and at the end
| of three years, If competent, he becomes
craftsman, when he is entitled to re-
ceive accumulated pay at the rate of from
| 10 to 30 cents day for all the time he has
been serving his apprenticeship. This ex-
| ira pay is withheld for three years as an
| inducement for him to stick and become
proficient, and the amount is governed by
liio ioliHSS oH ali luc pOlutS luVOlVeu-lH-
| tegrity industry, intelligence and pro-
! ficiency.
There are now fifteen apprentices in the
| bindery, twelve in the composing room.
seven In the press room and several others
| scattered around the building working I'M
| der these terms. The law was not passed
until last aMrch, so that there has been no
test of it yet. but it has inspired the ap-
prentices with great zeal
Industrious and Efficient.
| Whatever may be said about the habits of
| the Filipinos as class, there are certainly
exceptions, and Mr. Leech speaks cordially
| of the industry and efficiency of the print
| ers under his charge. Some of them can
not always be relied upon. he says, but they
| will rate as high on all the good points Of
| printer the average members of that
| trade throughout the world. And they are
| much quicker than Americans in learning
| how to do things, and especially In imita-
| ton.
This is also the testimony of the teachers
| of the School of Arts and Trades, and of
various other people who have had the OPP
| portunity to study the character of the race
| in connection with the art Industries DIR.
| Barrows, superintendent of education.
| whom l have quoted frequently and freely
| on subjects relating to his department, has
| a very high opinion of the Filipino race in
| many particulars and considers our little
brown brothers superior in many ways to
| the neighbors by whom he Is surrounded
| Il believe we may be hopeful with regard
| to the training of the Filipino In arts and
| crafts" he said. THE Filipino Is naturally
| deft with his hands and has much artistic
| ability. That same high grade of excel
! lency which attaches to the handiwork Of
| the Japanese people can certainly be imi-
tated here. and may perhaps in some ways
| be excelled.
mo small part of the work of the bureau
of education lies in introducing new crafts
which will make special appeal to the ar
| tistic-loving qualities of the Filipino mind
| and in training up skilled workmen for the
| establishment of these arts, l am con-
| WINGED also that the Filipino will not be
| found incapable or averse to following the
heavier and more laborious trades. es-
| pecfally when they are presented to him in
| the form of skilled handicraft and when
their pursuit is assisted and improved by
| the employment Of the best methods and
| of machinery.
| "Many doubts have been thrown upon
| our power to interest educated Filipinos in
| arts and crafts. 1t was said that all the
| influence of the civilization of the Islands
| was against US. The Spaniards certainly
| looked down upon skilled handlcraft or
every description and considered such call
| ings impossible for the educated man. and
| this unnatural and false view has unques-
| tionably impressed the educated class of
| Filipinos. who owe their ideal to Spanish
| cultivation, but this attitude, while 1t 10
unfortunately frequently met, is not rad
| ical characteristic. but Is derived from for
| eign influence and example.
Where Skilled Work is Esteemed.
1.-THE typical Malayan peoples show great
| respect to the man skilled in body and
hand If we look at those tribes In the
| Philippines who did not come under the
| influence Of Spanish civilization. the print
tive Igorrote and the more advanced Moro
In the south, we find that the man skilled
| with tools enjoys high reputation. This
! Is especially and Interestingly marked
| among the Moros. Mohammedanism has
| never despised the artisan or the trader. In
Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago at the
| present time even the datu, or chieftain. Is
| often a famous forger Of weapons, and
| spends many hours each day beside his an
| vii and bellows. There Is salip, or relig-
ious leader, of great influence on the island
| of Basilan who is famous boat builder
These facts show the true radical feel
Ing unaffected by foreign ideas. and should
encourage us to hope for an attitude on the
part of the Filipino people that will be ia
| vorable to the practice of skilled arts and
| trades. The early efforts of the bureau of
| education met with little response from the
Filipinos of Manila. The young elegante
appeared to disdain to soil his fingers with
| the grip OF a. tool. bat in recent months
| tool and garden work has been undertaken
| in number Of school divisions. and in