Columbia courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1902-1905, 1904-05-13
PHILIPPINE SCHOOL fSSAYS.

substantial PROOF OF WHAT American
school-teachers are doing.ih the Philip
pine schools is offered by the Chiedgo
Tribune in 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 Ismael!to Amado, thirteen years
old. the second, Mr.. Hoye, the teach
err, 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
maelit6. 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 n person wished to study, he should
buy or pay all the books which the
teacher gives him for himself: So
think here is reason why many OF
the Philippines do not know how to
read and write:-Everybody knows
that the Philippine islands are a 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 II 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 nll.
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 go
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 in
which General Lawton was killed.
That was his first acquaintance with
Americans.
1.-The name Of the governor Of the
p. I. is Mr.. William H. Taft" wrote
the winner of the first prize. "He Is
good governor. Before the presi-
dent Of the U. s. would change this
government and would give another
employ In the U. s. But when the
people in Manila knew that the presi-
dent In the U. s. would change this
governor. They wrote to the pres
ident and said that If he would please
not to taken this governor in the P.
l. so he stayed here.
UNITED States is a very strong
country" the writer continues. "Peo-
pies in the United States were all very
wise. Most Of them can read and
write. And they are good.
SCHOOLS are very many In the U.
s. The boys and girls in the U. S.
Should not stopped to go to school till
they are wise; 80 when they are full
grown they are all wise and some Of
them were doctors. lawyers, mer-
chants. priests and some were teach
ers
1.-THE Americans is better than the
Spaniards," says Vicente, because the
Americans wishes to do good to the
PHILIPPINES. And the Philippines wishes
to do good to them also"
1.-THE American pay anything they
like" writes Carmelo Cristi. sixteen
years old. but the Spanish govern
ment did not give anything to the
poor people, also II they like woods
or anything else they did not pay it."
A photograph of Mr.. Hoye's school
shows about fifty of his two hundred
pupils, extremely bright and neat
looking boys and girls. Nearly all the
essays give good accounts Of our plan
of government.