The Washington times., 1909-12-04
Bv WALTER 3. FAHY.

Educating the children OF ns Ives
and Americans IN TIE Canal Zone IS
done without cost TO he United States
All Of ,.le money necessary IS lerived
from lc Taxation, the principal part
or whieh S received for liquor Horses
A number Of the we'll paid yes
IN the Zone send their chi -Hun to
school n the Unii-1 ststesf but Il can
scarcely be said q L It is necess s. -ry TO
do so. q" stent teachers are en-
ployed. ,.-- edu ucationaI system ir vogue
seems TO be working admirably. and a
boy or girl can remain in school IN the
Canal Zone until he or she IS ready TO
enter college. So Tar as expense is con-
cerned. the parents find II easier 10
keep their children IN school than IN
the United states. There IS absolutely
no cost Of my kind.
All books and supplies as furnished
free Of charge. If q child living along
the line Of the canal is attending high
school either at Panama. On one end
of the isthmus. or at Christo0al. at the
other end, they are furnished with free
transportation on the Panama railroad.
At most Of the towns along the rail-
road the children are taken to the train
in the morning In a quartemasteTs
wagon, and are met in the afternoon
by the same conveyance.
Collector Organizes Schools.
In December. 1900. after a scfooI cen
sus mad been taken, the Canal Zone
schools were organized under the di-
rection of the collector of revenues
This plan obtained until May I, 1906.
From that date until November Of the
same year the schools were admins
tered by the bureau of municipalities.
IN November the division OF schools
was created. responsible directly TO the
department.
At first the school year was divided
into four terms OF equal length. This
plan was found unsatisfactory. AID on
June II. 1907 the commission resolved:
THAT the public school term IN the
Canal Zone shall extend from october
to June 80. with the following inter-
missions. Sunday and SATURDAY OF
each week, Thanksgiving Day, and the
Fridly following; from December q %
January 8. inclusive; Washington
birthday, the week preceding Easter
SUNDAY and Decoration Day. hal
teachers in the Zone public SClocls
shaI be divided into three classes, those
In class 1 70 be paid at the rate OF Sll'
! OUnlled States CuTencyl per month UuI
/ ing the school term. those in class 2 q
be paid at the rate OF $50 (Dultcd STATE;
currency per month during the Sthoo
term, and those I'm class to De paid
at the rate Of $50 (UMted States cur
rency) per month during the sehoo
term.
No Changes Made
To date no changes have been mad,
with respect 10 ,he provisions Of thh
/ resolution.
! From the opening of school in Janu
ary. 1896. a JPerlnteudent was employ
ed. The problems before him at frs
were manifold; teachers, buildings
school supplies Of every kind We're Il
2 be secured. Tt Is notorious that ther
is no distinctly American school sNs
/ TEN, ana the representatives from "a
many different school systems as Their
were states in the Union We're on tn
/ isthmus, and their provincial edrca
tionaI ideals were 20 be subdued. WORK
/ ed over. and amalgamated into sys
tenn that would, as far as practicable
meet the various demands Of this heter
/ ogeneous society: there was no pre-
cedent by which the new superintendent
could be guided. as this was the frs
! attempt 20 establish American whit
/ schools IN a tropical climate; the chill
dren here were to be caught civil gov
ernuent. practical arithmetic, and othe
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