The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-05-13
PHILIPPINE SCHOOL ESSAYS.

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Substantial proof of what American |
school-teachers are doing in the Philip |
pine schools is offered by the Chicago |
Tribune in a set of compositions writ
ten by Filipino pupils. The Tribune
offered two cash prizes to the children
in the school at San Mateo who should
write the best essays on America"
Vicente Santiago, twelve years old,
who wrote with pen and Ink this year
for the first time, won the first prize,
and Ismaelito Amado, thirteen years
old, the second. Mr.. Hoye, the teach
er, allowed them no aid, and their pa
pers were not revised except by them
selves, but their penmanship is almost
copper-plate, and their spelling and
grammar are not at all bad. The
lenses of verbs proved the chief Stun
bling block. Ismaelito Amando's es-
say was neatly typewriter.
II can easily realize that the Amer
lean government is much better than
the Spanish government" wrote Is
maelito. 1.-THE difference is. Spanish
Government had not much interest to
teach the boys and girls. and 1t did
not have any free schools as the Amer
lean Government has. Every school
in the Spanish time were not free, and
If person wished to study, he should
buy or pay all the books which the
teacher gives him for himself: SO
think here Is q reason why many or
the Philippines do not know how to
read and write:-Ev erybody knows
that the Philippine islands are poor
country and that many of its people
are poor, also. Now most Of these peo-
pie have sons and daughters. They
wish them to learn, but could they
learn if their fathers and mothers had
not enough money to pay the teachers
But as l see to the American GOV
eminent, do not do these facts at all
They have free schools, free books
etc, to be used by the pupils in a
schoolhouse; and so, though some OF
we boys, and girls are poor, we can &C
to the American schools easily, without
costing us anything"
Only four years ago the little boy
who now writes on the typewriter this
essay on the American school system
hid in "tin house" with his play
mates, and watched the battle il
which General Lawton was killed
That was his first acquaintance will
Americans.
1.-THE name of the governor of tn
p. l. is Mr.. William H. Taft" wrot
the winner of the first prize. HE /
a good governor. Before the presi
dent of the u. S. would change thi
government and would give anothe
employ in the U. S. But when tn
people in Manila knew that the pres
dent in the U. S. would change thi
governor. They wrote to the pres
ident and said that if he would pleas
not to taken this governor in the
l. so he stayed here.
United States is O very stron
country" the writer continues. "PeC
pies in the United States were all yer
wise. Most of them can read an
write. And they are good.
Schools are very many in the
S. The boys and girls in the U.
Should not stopped to go to school ii
they are wise; so when they are full
grown they are all wise and some
them were doctors, lawyers, me
chants, priests and some were teacl
ers.
1.-THE Americans is better than I'll
Spaniards," says Vicente, because IL
Americans wishes to do good to IL
PHILIPPINES. And the Philippines wish'
to do good to them also"
1.-The American pay anything the
like" writes Carmelo Cristi. sixtee
years old. "but the Spanish COVER
ment did not give anything to Il
poor people, also if they like Woo
or anything else they did not pay 1t
A photograph of Mr.. Hoye's scho
shows about fifty of his two hundr'
pupils, extremely bright and nea
looking boys and girls. Nearly all Il
essays give good accounts OF our pl;
of government.