El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-05

While manifestly the circumstances
of a majority of the children were hum
BILE, their attire was uniformly neat ana
clean, their hands and faces were as
immaculate as one could reasonably
expect those Of an active, healthy
yOungster to be, and their hair was
combed. When this was mentioned
one of the teachers explained:
The children are not allowed to re-
main in school unless they are clean
If the parents of a child are too poor
to supply the proper clothing, the
teachers and the pupils whose parents
are welltodo, usually do what they can
to supply the deficiencies. We give
them ample facilities for keeping their
bodies cleanly 1 will show you.
This was in one of the 10 modern
school buildings which have been
erected within the past few years The
teachers led me TO the lavatory, and
with an abundant supply of water. soap
and towels.
Watch Health of Children.
I'VE also keep a careful watch over
their health" said the teacher II chill
dren are ailing, or show signs of eye,
ear or other disorders, they are sent
Immediately to physicians"
When I was in the city of Tehuan-
tepec, 1 saw children so small that
their tiny legs cleared the floor by
inches. porting over their English books
Children of wealthy and welltodo
Mexicans are sent to the public schools
1 watched a son of Jose Yves Liman-
tour. the minister of finance. sitting at
a desk side by side with the son of a
~ Influence
the present educational system of the
country would seem to tend toward in
culcating a spirit of comradeshfp and
democracy among the classes. Minister
Lima nt9ur, by the way, is an earnest
second to president Diaz's educational
projects. He has just donated four lots
and s195, 900 in cash toward he cs-
adjustment of a home for students of
limited means who come TO the capital
to study in the higher and psofession-
al schools OF the republic.
Kindergartens; Night Schools.
Kindergartens and night schools are
a late manifestation OF the expansion
of the free education in Mexico. The
government pays for all. text books. in
struction. etc, in primary, normal and
professional schools.
President Diaz turned his attention
to the education of the indian children
nearly 90 years ago. Attendance upon
study was made compulsory with them.
The states have been spurred TO ap-
propriate as much money as they can
AFFORD toward education. There is not
a town or hamlet in the country with
out its primary school. Most stress Is
laid upon teaching the children read
ing. writing and arithmetic.
Education for Prisoners.
Education is also compulsory in the
army and in the penitentiaries- Ger
tain hours daily are set apart for in
struction in the barracks and the pris-
ons. Service in the army, or a term in
the penitentiary, ought to be blessings
in disguise to thousands of Mexican
men, providing they possess within
themselves the ability and the inclina-
tion to take advantage Of their oppor-
tunties.
Recent estimates, conservatively
based show that there are in the Mexi-
can public schools 100000 children,
with $50. 900 in the Catholic seminaries
and 0,00O in schools conducted under
the auspices of Protestant denomina-
tons. Free scholarships aggregating
$50. 600 are given yearly by the govern
ment
Two normal schools. une for each
sex, in this city graduate teachers, who
are educated and trained according to
accepted principles of modern peda-
gogy. The efficiency of the teaching
force is constantly being improved
Formerly the public school teachers,
owing to lack of opportunities for ade-
Quate training were not properly
equipped. This class of instructors are
being replaced as fast as possible by
normal graduates. while the former are
detailed for service in the schools OF
the various states. In this manner a
system of progression and Improvement
/ in the teaching corps has been inau-
gurated which will. within few years.
relegate the less desirable instructors,
and replace them with graduates Of the
normal schools.
Pensions for Teachers.
Encouragement to engage in the pro-
fessiOn of teaching has been supplied
by the establishment of a pension sys-
tenn After 80 years of continuous SER
vice teacher is entitled to retire on
full pay. If they elect to continue
work their salary is doubled.
Moral precepts are taught in the
school, although instruction In rellSioh'
and the reading of the bible is pro-
hibited. The course of study in the
schools Of this city resuires six years
IN the primary grades and five years
In the preparatory schools. Then the
student is passed to the professional
schools. Plans are now under way Tor
the establishment of secondary
school for girls which will place with
In the grasp of the mentally ambitious
young women Of Mexico an opportunity
TO acquire a higher education In the
primary school manual training ana
domestic science are required
Old School Buildings.
In the older schools of the city much
is to be desired in the environment
me buildings, originally not intended
Tor scholastic purposes. are either Ola
or inconveniently arranged. But this
condition is being remedied- Besides
the ten modern school houses already
spoken of. three others are now build
ing. There is at present avanapIe 81
9oV'OoO for new buildings.
Within ten years the budget allow
ance for federal education. comprlsln
only the federal district and the terri
tories, and exclusive of the amount
spent by the states has been increased