Evening star., 1905-10-28
LACK OF TEACHERS
OF PUPILS DOU-
BLED IN LESS THAN A YEAR.
Enthusiasm Of the People the Most
Pleasing and Significant Feature
Of Situation in the Islands.
Written for The Star.

government work in the islands Is expand
ing so rapidly that it is hard to keep track
of 1t on this side. These critics We're pub
fishing statements regarding an enrolment
of about 100000 in the public schools at a
time when the enrolment had, in less than
a year, doubled on those figures. The total
enrolment in the public schools of the
Philippines for the school year ended last
June was 514.000. of which about 47o.OOo
were in the primary schools and the rest IN
the intermediate and high schools. the
trade schools and the night schools. The
highest enrolment In the primary schools
at any one time during the year was 1884,
600. The ideal which General Superintend-
ent David P. Barrows has in mind IS to
maintain an enrolment constantly Of 4O0,-
600 Filipino children in the primary
schools He estimates the number of chill
dren between seven and fifteen years Of
age In the Christian portions of the Philip
pines at 100000, and wishes to reach one
third Of them each year. for g. three-year
primary course, thus affording opportunity
for the teaching of the full school popula-
ton during the nine years of admission to
primary schools.
Simple Educational Program.
Thus, simply stated, the educational pro-
gram of the American government is not
the complex nor audacious thing that some
have made out, but is simple and realiz-
able scheme for putting primary education
in the reach of every child in the islands.
Beyond that, If they care to go. the oppor-
:unity will be prepared for them. That the
children can be got, when the schools are
provided at the proper places has been
shown In the past year by the Increase IN
enrolment, as Dr. Barrows has pushed the
prir Snhn 0llt
into the barrios. or outlying districts, OF
the Philippine municipalities. He now has
5000 primary schools, one in practically
each one of the /, 141 old Spanish municipal
tiles, and 2,000 in the outlying barr1os.
There are about r. 00o barrios in the Chris
tian provinces. SO there is much expansion
yet to be .undertaken-not SO much. how
ever. would appear, for each barrio
school will, placed properly. accommodate
three to f1ve barrfos IN all.
The chief problem is to get the teachers
About 4,bO0 Filipino teachers, mostly young
Filipino men and women. the great major
ity Of them trained in the American schools
since 1900. are now In the service. About
1900 more are needed. and are being ad-
mitted as "aspirantes." or apprentice teach
ers, receiving no pay at. hrst, then being
promoted gradually. as are the others IN
the corps. some few of whom have r.sen
already to rank along with the American
teachers supervising teachers. This is
the work of neari all the American teach
gagged in high school and interrned ate
school and special courses The new Fill
pino teaching force, recruited SO rapidly. IS,
of course, crude; but it is the best avail
able, the only sort with which the work
that is now under way can be done for the
money which is available, and it is being
used to effect. Here Is where Americans
and Filipinos come together and work
hand in hand as in no other branch of the
public service.
Work of the Primary Schools.
1t Is impossible. for the less than 81 ,5OO-
600 which the insular government has felt
1t could supply the schools during the past
two years. to furnish either teachers or
equipment to introduce manual training
into the primary schools. There is. in any
event, quite enough for them to do in teach
ing a language which has a literature and
introducing the rural Filipino boy girl
to the simpler forms of that literature, In
spring them to read of the outside world.
teaching them the simpler arithmetic opera
tons, which may render the coming genera
ton less dependent upon the caciques or eco
nonfc bosses of the masses. and training
them in the rudiments of sanitation and
better housekeeping. An instance Of the
work done In this last line In the primary
schools is the circular sent out in August
last, at the time when new cholera epi-
demic was threatened, furnishing to pupils
and parents of the masses, through the
teachers some simple means Of dealing
with cholera and Of guarding against IT.
Manual training and technical training In
general are left to the intermediate and
high schools. and to the special schools.
such as the trade school now In successful
operation in Manila: the big normal school
at Manila with Its 456 pupils, the agrf-
cultural school to be established on Negros
Island, the nautical school at Manila, which
is turning out officers for the fnter-island
steamers. etc.
intermediate and High Schools
The intermediate schools also have
three-year course, continuing English. Ut
erature, mathematics, sanitary training
and education in civil government, but also
starting the pupils in the work of the
hands. The girls are instructed tn better
housekeeping in model Filipino home,"
where the work In physiology and hygiene,
and In plant life and other sciences is made
primarily practical. The boys are given
culture, or the beginnings of business
career. This work is carried to its COM
pletfon for the more advanced students,
who go on to high school course. There
and languages, in agriculture, in some me
chauical trade centering in the wood and
iron working shops, or IN a commercial
course, with stenography and typewrittng-
or is preparing to build the first structure
of the group ultimately intended to form
the intermediate and high school establish-
rnent, with shops. Fairgrounds, model
houses, laboratory and recitation hall It Is
also planned to put an intermediate school
in some ninety more of the most important
towns of the provinces. There are now
fffty-two intermediate schools IN operation.
often only as the beginnings Of such
school and It Is planned to have 120.
Enthusiasm Over the Schools.
Already. counting the little children. one
may find IN the Philippine provincial towns
more Fiifpfnos with whom he can talk
in English than in Spanish. The enthusiasm
over the schools is the most pleasing. most
significant and most universal feature of
the situation in the islands. Experts may
dogmatize as they please about the pOsst-
bilitiea Of q tropical people; these people
both parents and children. are going after
education for the next generation. ana are
making sacrifices for 1t. which entitls the
work now under way In their country TO
be compared to that Of quarter century
back IN Japan.
Among ths Less CfviNzed.
It Is not alone in the Christian provinces
that headway - being made In this re-