Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-07
AMERICA i'm THE PHILIPPINES
VIT-EDUCATING THE FILIPINO
By Frederic j. HaSkin


plan of providing manual training only
in high schools suffers in the matter
of actual results because the hlgh
school student is too far advanced III
education to become a tradesman. Al
present nearly 100 intermediate schools
have shops where various trades are
taught and the number Will be IN
creased. The girls are instructed in
domestic science i'm kitchens where
Filipino stoves and utensils are used.
Gardening is taught in small plats of
ground in school yards, but as yet
there has been developed no real sys-
tenn of practical instruction upon
farms.
There is one intermediate school at
Malabon, in Rial province, which mas
the distinction of uniqueness. Here
special building has been erected to give
instruction in fisheries. Fish propaga-
tion in ponds and oyster culture are
now confined to the vicinity of Manila
and the object is to distribute them
through the archipelago.
Literature, science, history COM
merce and agriculture and teachers
training are taught in the high schools
in provincial capitals and the founda-
tions are laid for higher education
abroad. At present there are about 200
Filiplnos in the United States complet-
ing their educations as government
students or at their own expense, put
an act has been passed to establish the
University of the Philippines. Teach-
ers are trained at the normal school III
Manila, and at Institutes for teachers
held in Manila and at Baguio during
vacations.
Athletic sports are emphasized in the
Philippine schools, to the material ben
eft of the students. The Filipinos are
physically neglected as a race, and
| IL, Nf tDc as IN how TO
! keen we'll and grow strong. The sons
! of Igorote head hunters are making
! baseball enthusiasts, and in many 9TH
er parts of the islands considerable IN
| terest is shown in outdoor games.
Nearly every high school has one or
more ball teams, and the girls in sew
eral provinces are playing basketoall
and tennis. The students field meet
! held annually in Southern Luzon is an
| important event OF the year Trophies
are offered for baseball prowess as well
as for defamation and scholastic rec
ords This gathering OF the people is
made the occasion of the display of
modern farm machinery, and many
sales are made.
The Filipinos are among the few peo-
| ple of the east who accord to woman
| the high position she enjoys in the Oe-
cident. In social life the woman Is the
|
greater, influence in domestic anairs.
! In business matters her judgment Is
| respected and like her sisters in Bur-
| ma the Philippine woman engages IN
! various kinds of mercantile business.
! There are many small dealers ana not
few commission merchants among
| them. Many wealthy Filipinos manage
| their own business affairs with success.
| This gives the Americans an advantage
| i'm promoting school work. The Fill
| pino girls turn readily to teaching.
! partly because 1t affords them oppor-
| tunities for continued study, and be
| cause they are altogether acceptable 10
| the parents of school children.
! The native school marin" is small,
! slightly built, somewhat demure, but
quite independent in appearance. she
| is model of neatness In her prlshtly
colored skirt and always freshly laun-
dered chemisette and panuelo, present
ing the appearance of a great ruffie or
collar of seventeenth century style, she
! is a stranger to stays and stockings,
and her chinelas-heelless slippers with
wooden soles-seen Just ready 70 SIP
from her toes as she walks with tho
shuffing gait of a Japanese girl. But
waltzing, and she rarely 'hings
shoe"
Very few of the students who finish
| school are failures. STATISTICS roCehtiy
compiled show that many of the young
men become United states government
students or attend universities at their
own expense. A larger number become
clerks, civil servants, farmers, mer-
chants or teachers. The girls who do
not settle down as brides become teach
ers. clerks telephone girls and account
ants. Several have recently taken up
the study of law, but none has yet been
admitted to the bar. Others have tax
en- up medicine, and still others are IN
| hospitals as student assistants TO
nurses. -
The complaint of educators Is that
the normal school is not entirely full
filing it's purpose. because the gradu-
ates are so often able to secure more
remunerative work as a result OF their
training. These results of education
show why the American resident IN
| Manila finds that he must give his
servants evenings off that they may
attend night school. and why ones
harefooted "cochero" Is q student at
the same institution. much to the dis
gust of the "ilustrado," who sees no
reason why the common people should
be educated.
TomorrOw: America in the Phiiippnes-
VII: Adopting the English Language.