The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-02-09
PROGRESS IN PHILIPPINES.
What Ii Being Accomplished in tho
Education Of Children Of
the Islands.

According to the report of David p.
Barrows. general superintendent OF
education for the Philippines. there
were. In March and April of this year,
227 900 children in the public schools
OF the islands. OF these, 10000 were
In some one OF the three years of the
primary course. AS in all probability
the great mOjOrity of these will no: do
more than finish these three years,
says the Chicago Evening Post, 1t is
interesting to note the sort of educa-
ton they are receiving under the
American administration.
In the first year of the primary
course reading. writing. spelling. arith-
metic and object work intended to cul-
ttvate the power Of observation are
the prescribed studies. In the second,
these studies are continued with adj
vanced apparatus.
In the third. geography is added, and
there are courses in business, buying
and selling, contracting loans, interest,
security and commission, for the bene-
fit Of boys who cannot take the inter-
mediate and secondary courses. Such
boys are also to be organized into
clubs. in which they are to be taught
the rules and procedure governing the
conduct Of meeting. the election of
officers, the making of a motion, de-
bate and voting.
Toward the close of the year the
club will organize itself as a municipal
government, and at each meeting there
will be explained the municipal and
provincial governments, the powers
and duties of officers and the rights
and duties of citizens.
The intermediate grades. three in
ence studies and prepare them for the
secondary courses of the high schools,
which fit the students for entrance
into a college or university.
Mr.. Barrows says that the number Of
pupils in the primary schools must be
about doubled before the instruction Is
placed within the reach Of every Fill
IA years. That is, enough schoolhOuses
and teachers, school furniture and
books to give continuous schooling to
400. 900 children will be required. eff
this standard can be reached and
maintained for a period of ten years."
continues Mr.. Barrows, I'VE will.
broadly speaking, have no illiterate
youth among the Filipino people"
AS this Is a matter Of the first i'm
portance in carrying out the purposes
Of the American people toward the
Filipinos, the facts presented by Mr..
Barrows and the recommendations ac-
companying them should receive the
most earnest consideration of the gov
eminent and the Philippine commits
sioners. Already the island schools are
overcrowded and lacking in trained
native teachers To reach the standard
and the capacity set by Mr.. Barrows
would require the doubling of appro-
priations for current educational ex-
penses from both local and general in
sular sources.
Some way should be devised to meet
this expense. Highly creditable work
has been done thus far. and In the face
of unusual difficulties. Each year now
the task must grow lighter. the I'm
culties must grow less. The solution ct
most of the problems with which we
have to deal In developing the Fil1pi-
nos and their archipelago lies in the
education Of the Filipino children. The
American public schools Of the islands
constitute the most useful and vaiua-
BILE agent in preparing the Fjhpinos
for full self-government.