Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-03
TO TEACH TEACHERS
Proposed Pedagogical Insti-
tute in Central America.
PLAN OF PEACE DELEGATES
In Line With Scheme of a Fedora
ton.
MITIGATION OF SYSTEMS
Upper Glasses Well Educated--Edu-
cational Facilities in the Country
Districts Are Unsatisfactory.
PLAN OF PEACE DELEGATES
MITIGATION OF SYSTEMS
BY WILLIAM p. CURTIS.

Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
The recent conference at Washington
Of delegates from the five Central
American republics, to quote the Ian
guage of one of their treaties, ''recog-
nizing it as of the greatest Importance
and consequence to model public in
struction on spirit of Central Ameri-
canism, and to direct it uniformly along
the lipes which modern pedagogy. es-
tablishes, and being animated by the
desire to make this recognition effect
i've and practical" and animated by a
desire of establishing a common es-
sentially homogeneous system OF educa-
ton, which may tend toward the moral
and intellectual uniflcation of these sis
ter countries. have agreed to found, at
the expense and to the advantage of
all, pedagogical institute with di-
vision for men and women for profess
Slonal education for the purpose of
teaching. Costa Rica shall be the seat
of the institute. 1t is understood with
regard to it's staff of teachers, build
tngs. furnishings and scientific appa-
ratus, that the pedagogical institute
shall be of as high a grade as the best
Institutes of it's class"
The government of Costa Rica will
nave immediate supervision, with a
sentatives from the other governments
Each republic is bound to furnish at
least twenty students of each sex at
all times for the next fifteen years. and
each republic is to pay it's share of
maintaining the institution.
Unification of Systems.
The treaty provides also for a peda-
gogical league, which shall be the first
step toward the unification of the sys-
TENS of education of the five republics,
and the institute is intended to provide
competent teachers. Education is now
compulsory in all of the Central Amer
lean countries. but competent teachers
are very scarce. The other professions
and commercial affairs pay better than
teaching. The schools in the cities
which are maintained by the munici-
palities are usually good, but in the
country districts schools are scarce
the teachers are incompetent and ILL
paid and the compulsory educational
law cannot be enforced for the lack
of facilities.
The new institute with the awkward
name Will be what we would call CO.
educational normal school. and will be
organized and conducted on North
American methods and under the man
agement of experienced teachers
brought from the United States The
school system of Costa Rica is already
organized on the modern American
plan, with normal school in charge of
American teachers. In Guatemala the
school system is still conducted on the
old-fashioned Spanish plan. The teach
ers adhere to the early traditions, for
Guatemala was the seat of colonial
government In the other countries
there is more or less of old and new
methods mixed, but the tendency is to
modernize and adopt the methods in
use in the United States as oeing more
successful and popular.
Other Schools Proposed.
The governme nt of Costa Rica is about
&c establish schools of veterinary science.
aAicoltural chemistry. and domestic econ
orS,sind Mr.. ~. B. CaIvo, the minister of
than country ito Washington. is now ne
gotiaGng for three competent teachers in
those branches, and for an additional
feackef competent to train the students
OF the normal school, in the science of
school organization and management. The
government offers from S100 to 500 a
month, god, and travelling expenses, with
two-year/ contracts-s
Thexk/are already five American teach
,ers in the Costa Rican normal schools
and several in Guatemala and Nicaragua.
AT Managua. the capital of the latter
country. there 10 an institute for second
Upper Glasses Well Educated.
AS in Spain, the upper classes of Central
America are highly educated, and are es-
. pecially good linguists. There are many
excellent private schools for the education
Of the children of the rich. Each country
has its University except Honduras At
the University of Guatemala are faculties
of law, medicine and engineering. and, in
addition. there is national school for
women. a military school for training Of
ficcrs of the army, a conservatory of
music and a school of art-all supported
or subsidized by the government. In Sal
vador there is university with chairs
of medicine, law, natural science. and en-
sneering. and a military school. At
Managua there is a university with de-
partments of law. medicine and other pro-
fessioual branches. the Costa Rtca Uni
versty teaches law, medicine, pharmacy
and engineering.
Ii is proposed later 10 establish a school
OF the arts and trades in Nicaragua, a
school of agriculture in Salvador, and Il
school of mines in Honduras. to be sup
ported jointly by the five republics on the
same basis as the proposed normal school
in Costa Rica.
The Proposed Federation.
The educational plan adopted by the re-
cent conference is only another step
toward the~reunion of the Central Ameri-
can republics into a single federation, like
the treaty for a uniform currency and
that for a bureau of information. These
plans have been proposed before and have
been agreed upon and ratified by four of
the republics out Nicaragua has never
been willing to join in the movement I'M
til now. 1t is expected. however, that
that country. acting under the influence of
TaN-ig. .anI 10 "a Nv,