Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-14

bilious to succeed, that is, very sma!i
degree of success seems sufficient TO sausty
him, and he Is unwilling to put hinaseA
seriously to inconvenience IN oroef 10 I'M
prove his education and make his services
valuable. -.
1.-The above statement will as rule noi9
good but there are notable exceptions, ana
the number has been steadily incre ,sesn
schools The example set by good AmerA-
can teacher in controlling and teachinS
school has taught the Filipino more tn isa
his daily lessons in English and arithmetic
Teaching the Teachers.
From the first 1t has been assumed thaI
the most valuable and necessary work
American teachers can do is That OF m
structing native teachers. The bureau has
provided for ten weeks normal INSTITUTE
centrally located, which all native teacners
have been required to attend. All F1nplhos
who have sufficient education to 90 SO nave
been invited to enter. further enort mas
been made to induce boys ana girls VI
twelve years and above to take advantage
of this opportunity. The work or tnese
normals has been planned for the beneht or
the native teacher, and BESIDES the resuia,
ton academic curriculum a mooei scnool
of young children has been established 70
give him practice in actual instruction and
discipline under the immediate supervision
of American teachers This mooei scnooi IS
composed of pupils ranging IRON seven sain Is,
to furnish an average pueblo schooi WIN
none Of it's difficulties absent Each nauVe
teacher has been required 10 give wv ~ y.
the ten weeks to work in regulating TINS
school, which has proved one or the most
satisfactory features of the institute
."The normal for last year was an agree
able surprise, 400 teachers and adults being
enrolled with 100 aspirants or advanced
pupils. These numbers. while Significant,
do not convey any idea of the exceiie e
S work k b being done. Their enthusiasm and
good will have won the American teSch .aIs
to the most patient efforts During the Ten
weeks association the teachers ,es oe ennnnrsge
each other and the native Is gwen an 0p
portunity of participating IN sociaA iiis
to which he has been unaf fed bU him anu
..1The Filipino teacher has gained some
thing Of perspective, and in a degree mas
succeeded in being able to think or more
than one thing at a time rms pa[l vi ms
education, which has come seemingly WIN
ont yolition and unconsciously, Is the most
valuable thing the American schooi mas
given him. There was time When ne
thought it not inappropriate 10 sle lnuoien.-
lv during the entire session Of his school, TO
ignore the existence of pupils not recltlng'
to smoke cigarettes before the children dur
ing school hours to pay no attention to the
roll call and to ignore the entire SUBJECT
of school-room decorum and discipline
A Work Of Years.
.From the purely academic point of view
1t will be some years before the provincial
teacher can achieve much. The intellectual
and moral background of his life has been
formed during a period Of unrest and agita-
ton The history of the Philippine Islands
for the fifteen years preceding American
occupation discloses a series OF ponucai ana
social disorders, and under such depressing
influences small attention could be given
to educational institutions. The Filipino
who has during the last three years reached
the age of twenty-five passed the formative
period of his life during time of turmoil.
He has not had fair chance, and 1t is per-
haps true that he will never be able to re-
adjust himself completely to the new
regime There are native teachers to whom
this does not apply-teachers who have fall
en- quickly and easily into the routine of the
present system, and are punctual, reliable,
energetic and intelligent-but their number
is small An extended period of education Is
yet necessary if the native teachers are
ever to be brought to that stage of eff
cheney which will enable them to take the
place of American teachers. This is true
from every point of view, whether We con-
slider scholarship, power to assume respon-
sbility, practical knowledge or school
room discipline, courage to face and over
come opposition or ability to take the ini-
tiative in matters connected with the i'm
provement of the school"