The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-01-07
PROGRESS IN PHILIPPINES.
What Is Being Accomplished IN the
Education Of CHILDREN OF
the Islands.

According TO the report Of David =
Barrows. general superintendent OF
education for the Philippines, there
were. in March and April Of this year
227. 500 children in The public schools
of the islands. OF these, 220.c0U were
in some one Of th/three years of the
primary course. As in all probability
the great m~0jority of these will no: do
more than finish these three years,
says the Chicago Evening Post. it 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, arlth-
metic and object work intended to cul-
tivate the power Of observation are
the prescribed studies. In the second,
these studies are continued with dd-
vanced apparatus.
In the third, geography Is added, and
there are courses in business, buying
and selling, contracting loans, interest,
security and commission. for TIE 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 a 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
number, bring the students TO the sci
ence studies and prepare them for the
secondary courses of the high schools,
fit the students for entrance
into a college or university.
Mr.. Barrows says that the number of
pupils in the primary schools must be
lbout doubled before the instruction is
placed within the reach of every Fill
1ino child between the ages OF 6 and
4 years. That is. enough schooihuuaes
md teachers, school furniture and
looks to give continuous schooling TO
100, 600 children will be required. III
his standard can be reached and
maintained for a period Of ten years"
ontinues Mr.. BarroWs, I'VE will,
speaking, have no illiterate
among the Filipino people"
AS this is a matter Of the first i'm
ortance in carrying out the purposes
t the American people toward the
'ilipinos, the facts presented by Mr..
and tbs recommendations ac-
Ompa8ying them should receive the
lost earnest consideration of the gov
rnmert and the Philippine commits
.oAsrs. Already the island schools are
yererowded and lacking in trained
teachers. To reach the standard
nd the capacity set by Mr.. Barrows
ould require the doubling of appro-
riatiOns for current educational eX-
enses from both local and general in
liar sources.
Some way should be devised to meet
lis expense, Highly creditable work
as been done thus far, and in the face
unusual difficulties. Each year now
10 task must grow lighter, the diff
must grow less. The solution OF
ost of the problems with which we
i've to deal in developing he Fillpi-
Is and their archipelago lies in the
Iucation of the Filipino children. The
merican public schools of the islands
institute the most useful and vaiua-
G agent in preparing the Fjiipinos
r full self-government.