New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-29
DR.. MACCRACKEN RETURNS
Chancellor Emeritus of N. J. U.
Tells OF Sights on World Tour.
WIFE RESTORED TO HEALTH
Contrasts Educational Work IN
Philippines and India, and
Praises Filipinos.

About a year ago Henry NJ. MacCrackeh'
now chancellor emeritus of New YORK
valid wife on his way 70 the Orient. Mrs
MacCracken for the three years preceding
her departure for Japan had spent at least
third of the time in bed She returned
TO this city last night with the chancellor
on the North German Lloyd liner George
Washington. from Bremen. after years
trip around the world. and both were en-
jcying excellent health.
IL feel like a schoolboy" said Dr.. Mac
Cracker when the reporters met him on
the deck of the Washington off Quaran-
tine. My health was never better. My
wife. who was an invalid when We went
away, IL now enjoying excellent health. she
improved soon after we started on our
tourney and is thoroughly we'll to-day Not
a thing happened during our long journey
TO mar a thoroughly enjoyable and instruc-
tive trip. did not expect TO come back so
soon, but you see three new grandchildren
have appeared since ! left New York. and
hurried home TO see them We were III
Egypt when the third one was born. and
we hurried to England (making the trip in
five days.. where we boarded this ship
DR.. MacCracken and his wife went TO
China and Japan from San Francisco.
After three months in these countries they
went To the Philippines and the Straits
Settlement. where they spent month. They
were two months in Ceylon and India. and
from there went to India and Egypt
Cd a
things that came 10 his notice in the
strange lands he visited. but that he nat
urally gave more time to the study OF ed
vocational methods and progress, which ne
said were more i'll his own particular line
"I was greatly impressed with the way
the United states government is handing
the education Of the Philippines said the
educator. II always had the idea that the
average Filipino was an indolent fello"'
but my views changed when | visited the
College Of Agriculture. some thirty-hVe
miles up the Pasig River. 1t was de-
lightful experience. | made the trip with
Major Ahearn. an old New Yorker. VINO is
intensely interested in forestry, and is now
employed by the government In the phil
ippines met him in China and travelled
with him some two thousand miles in that
country.
"I-p near this college | saw the sons OF
veli-to-do natives ploughing with caribou
and cultiyatins their gardens with hoe and
spade. The splendid bungalows were built
by their own hands. and although only
erected some eighteen months. the grounds
about them abounded in splendidly laid out
gardens.
They have the right idea about educa-
ton in the Philippines. They know the
value OF elementary education That is
the essential feature. and IT should come
first Let the colleges come later. This
is where the British made the mistake in
India. They began at the top. building
universities. instead of beginning at the
bottom with the elementary schools. They
encouraged the founding Of what we might
call colleges of the arts. and they have
turned out an overproduction Of men who
feel that they want government and other
high class jobs
Il might safely say that between ] and
. per cent Of the children Of India between
the ages of seven and twelve, have no OPP
portunties Of learning to read or write.
Conditions are just the opposite in Japan,
where elementary education between these
ages t. compulsory. The folk OF India
know what they are doing in Japan. and
they want similar advanta ges al home.
There is great unrest in India. Great Brit
ain should give the children a chance TO
start with the three RS. and if the colleges
must come. let them begin with a college
Of agriculture and other practical institu-
tions of this sort"
The George Washington made record
run from Bremen TO New York. covering
the distance Of 3.l39 miles in days %
hours and minutes. taking SIX minutes
off tho previous record. She also beat her
record for the best days run. which was
is2 miles. from noon Friday to noon Sat
urday. Her average speed for the entire
trip was 1878 knots