Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-06

own behalf. Come and take two good looks
at man who is spending his passage
money to hire theater and goes home on
the steerage.
Senator Patterson. Senator Carmack and
the anti-fmperialists Of Boston might make
good use of this discharged school teacher.
He shares their opinion that American ex-
pansion is a failure. and might furnish
them much interesting information con-
corning the management of affairs out
here. although It is likely to be somewhat
tainted with personal prejudice and illumi-
mated by vivid Imagination
Only Fifty designations
1t is the best Of evidence concerning the
success of the corps Of American teachers
that there will be only about fifty vacan-
cies by resignation to I'LL after three years
of service. Several of the women who came
out here to teach have resigned to be mar
ried: indeed for a time there was an cpl
demic of matrimony in the educational de-
partment. and II is pleasure to hear OF
the happiness and prosperity of those who
met their fates In that way.
Fifteen American teachers. including
seven women. have been transferred by
the bureau of education to the employ Of
the Moro government, which is independ-
ent, and under command of Gen. Wood.
About 5000 native teachers employed
and paid by the municipalities In which
they are teaching, but are selected by the
American superintendent and are RESPONSE
BILE TO him.
The year will close with more than twen-
ty-five hundred schools In operation In the
islands, which is double the largest number
ever conducted in the archipelago in Span
ish times. These are divided into three
classes-first. secondary or high schools. of
which there is at least one in every prov
tnce and several In the thickly settled por-
lions of the country supported partially
by the insular government and partially
by the provinces and conducted chiefly by
American teachers; second, municipal
schools which maintained in all
the centers of population with native teach
ers under the supervision of Americans,
who give a portion of their time TO teach
ing. and the remainder to executive work:
and thirdly. barrio or village schools, sup
ported by the natives under the jurisdiction
of the municipal authorities.
instruction in English.
In all of these schools instruction is en-
tirely in English, although the teachers in
some of the village schools are but slightly
in advance of their pupils in that accom-
plishment, and learning with them
from the charts and primers. This is
necessary and unavoidable situation, be-
cause it is impossible to obtain native
teachers who know English in sufficient
numbers to supply the urgent demands and
appeals received from every village and
hamlet throughout the islands.
The educational fever in the Philippines
is beyond all comparison. We prize our
schools at home. There is not settlement
on the soil of the United States without
schoolhouse. and revolution would follow
any attempt to take them away. but in the
Philippines, where the people have never
had ordinary advantages. where they have
never known the real meaning Of the word
education. they estimate 1t even more
highly than we.
AS l wrote you the other day. there were
comparatively few schools under Spanish
authority, and most of those were conduct
ed by the priests chiefly for religious in
struction. Outside of Manila practically no
provision was made for secondary instruc
ton except in few private institutions
dignified by the name of 'collegios,' for the
exclusive benefit of the richer classes who
were able to pay the charges.
Forty High Schools and Academies.
At the present time there are forty high
schools and academies taught by American
teachers and attended by more than six
thousand young men and women of all
grades of society. who are rapidly APP
preaching the standard of scholarship
maintained In the high schools of the
United States. The opportunities they en-
JOY were unknown here until two years
ago.
From these higher schools the govern
ment will soon be able to draw a sufficient
number of native teachers to conduct pri-
mary classes in every village and hamlet in
the Islands, and Dr. Barrows promises
within the next two years to place facili-
ties for a primary education within the
reach of every child in the Philippine Is
lands. AS yet no higher institution than
the secondary and normal schools has been
provided or even proposed. although there
is already a clamor for a university. That
will have to be left for the future, when a
sufficient number of young men and wo-
men seek a college education to Justify
its establishment. The present plans of the
government contemplate only ordinary in
struction among the common people to
enable them to improve their material
condition. to qualify them to exercise their
privileges as useful citizens and to enable
them to do their share in the upbuilding
of a nation here.