The Washington times., 1906-09-02
Books, Methods, Supplies,
Songs, Flags, and Many
Teachers From States.
EXPANSION HAS BEEN RAPID
Finance for Support of Public Educa-
tion Comes From Municipalities
and Is Ample

Canal Zone has been entirely revolution
lied since the beginning of the present
year till now IL is entirely American. It
IS conducted by Americans. supplied with
American books and many of the teach
ers are Americans. using American
methods. songs. and literature.
This situation in the educational sys-
TEN of the Zone has been brought about
with great satisfaction TO Secretary
Taft. Chairman Shonts. and Governor
Magoon. all of whom have been interest
ed in the problem OF educating the ma
tives. The system has been gradually
changed TO American rule and methods.
till up to tie beginning of the new fiscal
year there were twenty-seven American
schools, with 1000 pupils enrolled.
About 10 per cent of these were white.
BY the first OF next January, it is eN-
pected the number win he fully 2, 800,
while several mere schools VIII Dee es-
tablished.
Isthmian School Report.
These interesting facts have been
brought out in a report made TO Cover
nor Magoou by Rufus A. Lane. chief
of the Bureau Of Municipalities. OF the
Canal Zone government. and it has been
forwarded 10 the offices OF the Isthmian
Canal Commission in this city.
In 1904 the commission authorized the
establishment OF a system of schools on
the zone but. according to Mr.. Lane, /
with the exception of taking a census
of children of school age i'm
June. 1895. nothing definite was accom- /
plished until December. This establish /
ment was attached TO the revenue de
partment although independent of
this work some seven schools with an
attendance OF over $50 pupils were being
maintained by the municipalities OF the
Zone. In December last. school super
intendent was appointed TO take direc-
ton of the schools of the Zone, and
such preliminary steps as We're thought
advisable were at once made with "a
view 10 opening the schools.
Mr.. Lane states that ON January . 1906.
the first public school of the isthmus UNI
de- the jurisdiction OF the United States,
was opened at COToZal. and other
schools We're started at Empire. Cor
coma. Mdtachin. and a few other points
along the line OF the canal. For a time.
therefore" he writes. there We're two
sets of public schools on the Zone-those
operated by the municipalities, under the
chief Of that division. and the Zone syS-
tenn attached 20 the revenue department;
these systems acting independently Of
each other. but on tho first OF February
the schools were turned over 90 the de-
partment OF revenues.
Observation-Disclosures and delays we've
met with on every hand. the chief o.
which was the difficulty iE securing
suitable buildings equipment and sup
plies. On this account the department
was able 20 make but very little progress /
in extending the system. and on the is.
OF May the schools were transferred
from the revenue department TO the Blu
reau of Municipalities The difficulties
encountered heretofore We're, in great
measure, then overcome. as ii was pos
sible for the municipalities 70 take a
more Independent action, by being less
hampered by rules inscparable from
Government methods. Buildings were
rented. others repaired. and in one in
stance. erected. Material and labor
available were obtained, for and at the
cost of the municipalities where the
schools might be located. In this way,
and by these means fairly good prog .
ress has been made during the three
months just past"
Operating Eighteen Schools.
Ar Lane reports that at the time az
the transfer of the schools, May ], there +
were then eighteen schools in operation /.
on the Zone. TWeuty-one teachers were
employed. with an enrolment of $50 I
pupils, and an average attendance of /
6ll June ]. The number was Increased /
10 twenty-five schools. with an enroll /
ment Of loss, and an average of 73S. /
On June 1. however the municipalities /
put into effect a local ordnance. making /
school attendance compulsory.
This" says Mr.. Lane, ''has proved /
very effective in increasing the atten- /
dance. and on the 30th of June there /
were twenty-seven schools open. with /
an enrolment Of lob pupils. and an
average daily attendance of 1.I07, with /
maximum of 12S5.' The first half of /
July was a vacation period and on the /
10th of the month the schools reOpened,
under a reorganized system, in accord
ance with an executive order dated July !
Is. The report is dated at AncOn. Aug
ust s. and Mr.. Lane states that during
the past two weeks two additional |
schools were opened, and the munich
palities Were having plans made, and /
proposed TO advertise within the next /
ten days for bids for the erection of at
least two school buildings. which viii
Accommodate eleven separate SCHOOLS 3
and from COO to TOO more pupils. The .
construction and opening of these
schools VIII be FASTENED as rapidly as
possible. he says.
Supplies From States.
The report states that acquisitions
were being made AZ. that time for addi-
tional supplies, which will be procured (
from the States He also announces
that additional teachers also VIII be pro-
cured in the States. If possible.
"Of the twenty mine teachers employed /
on June so. nine were American, six .
Panamaian, and fourteen colored. from
Jamaica" the report states. Four of .
the schools were for white children only.
and the others were mixed with larg,
majority of the children negroes. The
system is similar To the school systems .
Of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois. Iowa.
and Nebraska. All the books used are
from the welI-known book publishers in
this country and the majority of the .
school furniture was made here.
The opening OF the schools as a /
H.--.