The Lamar register., 1908-04-08

American schools are g!rdling the
earth. and America is becoming the
schoolmaster of the children of almost
every cline and nation. This fact has
been specially emphasized recently by
the announcement of recent gifts as-
gregating 100000 for girls college
at Constantinople by Miss Helen
Gould. Mrs. Russell Sage and other
prominent women. But these schools
do not merely girdle. but gridiron, dot
and cover the most distant parts OF
the planet. making commercial enter
prise retire to the background by
CONF garrison.
American school lessons echo from
the banks of the Euphrates to the
Congo and from the Amazon to the
Yellow river. This extension of our
public school system. except for the
necessary use of native tongues, might
hardly be differentiated in merit from
home institutions. The subjects and
methods are the same, from kinder
garten to Latin and botany: football
teams, debating societies and college
yells, very polygot, complete perfect
likeness.
The beginning of the secular school
worl, of the United States government
in its possessions acquired through
the Spanish war is a record of hurry
up achievement that would have
shocked the old.fashioned educators.
A cargo of 500 men and women teach
ers was shipped to the Philippines in
the summer of 1901. and a command
ing general estimated that their paci-
flying influence was equal to ten regi'
ments OF troops.
American schools in Porto Rico have
more than doubled in the last nine
years The Hawaiian islands began
to come under the influence of the
stars and stripes in 1920, when the
American board of missions started Its
work there, and now there are 10000
scholars in private and public schools.
A self-governing system Is in opera.
tion among the scholars of the Royal
school in Honolulu. Oahu college Is
the eldest institution of higher learn.
ing west of the Rockies. Amid the icy
desolation of Alaska there are 81 pub
lie and many mission schools. Per
haps the northernmost American
school in the world is on the frozen
DTluh vi tlt o''hhs II oihi
Barrow-an old mission station.
1t has been estimated that above
100000 pupils attend American
schools in foreign lands. Including
all kinds of institutions, from kinder
gartens to colleges, there are not less
than 8,63S of them. divided among the
various denominations as follows:
Methodists. 2,041; Baptists. 1882;
American board. 1888; Presbyterians.
9S3; Disciples =, Christ, SO. The fig
ures of the Episcopalians are not given
In this estimate.
A great increase In Korean school
work for last year was described to
the writer by Messrs. Underwood and
Sharrocks, missionaries of the Presby-
terIan church in that field. There was
a gain of 60 per cent. in the number
of schools and ~ per cent. in at
tendance. The Presbyterians now have
si4 schools in Korea. and nearly every
one is selfsupporting.
The Methodists have a hourishing
college at Tokyo. The Episcopalians
and Presbyterians also maintain col
Ieges at the Japanese capital. The
Kobe College for Women is on the
list of the Congregationalists. other
wise the American board. 1t has half
a dozen buildings and a goodly teach
ing staff One of the largest Jap
anese universities at Tokyo. the Do.
shisha. with SO instructors and a
record of 5000 students. is practic-
ally an institution OF the American
board. A majority of the educated
japanese prior to 1890 got their first
instruction from American mission.
aries, 1t is said.
Mission schools entered China more
than three-quarters of century ago.
and there are now 10 American col
leges and 16 medical colleges. not to
mention the numerous lower grades.