The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-08
America in The Philippines
VIZ EDUCATING THE FILIPINO
BY Frederic ]. Haskin.


Manila. That the Filipino should
learn more about work and
less about literature" is the common
protest of that type Of American resi-
dent Of the philippines who. when
he was at home, did not approve Of
the policy of giving the negroes in the
South opportunities for education
equal to those Afforded white child
rem. That the Filipinos need to be
| educated. that as a nation they will
school, and upon the contrary, they
will develop national pride that will
make for national Industrial develop
ment, Is the argument of the Amer
lean resident of another type. One
often hears that the existing system
of education in the islands 10 not
practical" yet an investigation OF the
plan of education hardly leads the
disinterested Investigator to such>
conclusion. 9t
During the Spanish regime there
were two classes of natives the gentle
AuotA0a1 WIN ANcu upon ING lhD0E Oh
the working class, and the gentle
baJa," who constituted that class. They
were peasantry who perhaps did not
desire a great deal because illiterate
persons In tropical countries have few
wants that nature does not supply
Since the American occupation a slight
change In the social order is discern
ible. although a decade is not long
enough time to work a social revolu-
tion. A middle class, composed Of
Filipinos who are taking advantage of
their opportunities to improve their
condition, is gradually coming into ex-
listence and bids fair to become
prominent social factor. This class is
composed of persons in the commercial
and professional walks of life. At
present 1t is only in the larger centers
| of population that the change Is not
| iceable but It is the contention of per-
sons who advocate a liberal education
al system that in time this develop
ment will spread to the provinces, and
that there will grow up a much to be
desired class Of small farmers owning
their own land. At present most agri-
cultural workers are iandless tenants
upon sugar, rice or cocoanut estates,
owning nothing and looking forward
to no prospect of Industrial indepen-
| dence.
| The aim Of the educators Is to pro-
duce a middle class sufficiently educat-
ed to keep their own accounts, man
age their own Affairs and harbor an
ambition to get ahead In the world.
1t is contended that moderately good
education for the masses tends to
| create such a class, and that at the
same time facilities should be pro-
vided for students who wish to take
| nf Instruction TWO
forces work against the carrying out
| of the policy advocated by the edu-
Gators. The first Is a fair amount Of
local American opposition to education
| in the islands, and the second Is the
annoyance Of Filipinos who Shell the
wood" during their campaigns for Of
fice, declaring that there will be early
independence and raising in the minds
of the people a question as to whether
1t Is worth while to learn English in
the local schools
As matters stand the schools are
giving encouragement to the native
who desires to fit himself for a uni
versity course, although there are
many practical courses of study. The
primary course embraces four grades
4 and may be completed in four years
4 The aim of the Bureau of Education
IL to reach the entire Christian popu-
lation, about 100000, with these
primary schools. 1t Is urged that this
can be done in a short time il the
government will furnish the funds
At present there are 5000 primary
schools with about 100000 attendance
II is estimated that there are needed
1900 more primary schools and 5000
additional teachers. The present system
of primary school finance is not only
not sufficient for this increase. but is
hardly sufficient to continue the pre-
sent basis.
The primary schools seek to give
the young Filipino enough education
to make the masses literate in English
That Is to say, to put them in touch
with the civilized world by teaching
them TO write reasonably good En-
glish. to read well enough to take al
interest in books and newspapers, and
to know enough about mathematics
to conduct ordinary trade transactions
These primary schools also teach arti
and industries native to the islands
with a view both to preserving then
and of making the children proficien
in work in which most Filipino fami
lies participate during leisure hours.
During the last year of primary in
struction the pupils are taught how
to make calculations relating to pur
chase and sales, to keep books. tC
keep accounts at bank. to homestead
land and to attend to other ordinar!
business affairs. They are also laugh
something about hygiene and santa
ton. The boys are taught rudimen
tary agriculture. while the girls arr
instructed in household duties. A spe
cial type of elementary industrial
school has been planned, but not ye
established.
The intermediate schools continu