Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-13
DRAWING ROOM

| of the islands at the carnival In Manila
this year. the school requirement was 49,
grounds. The exhibition building was
erected. from foundation to Flagstaff.
wholly by the students in the Philippine
school system. That they had reason to
be proud of their work was later evil
denced in a practical way by the receipts
of the school section of the exhibition, as
$4,000 pesos, or $4,000. were received for
the various articles sold during the show.
There We're more than 100000 visitors to
the exhibit.
In the girls schools instruction in lace
making and embroidery. in both of which
trades the FilipinOs naturally excel, has
| resulted in the production of many ex-.
quisite bits of workmanship. dress OF
Irish crochet" produced by the girls OF
the Tabago School at Albay, sold Tor
$500 at the exhibition.
Coupled with the practical instruction
in physiology the bureau of education
is developing in the Filipinos q taste for
a diversified diet. Rice and fish, good
enough staples in their way for a semi
civilized nation. are not the food neces-
sary for the development of sturd1er
and more independent race. To that end
the introduction of new vegetables and
other farm products, through the me-
dunn of the agricultural branch Of the
educational institutions work. Is inter-
esting first the curiosity, and latterly
the taste of the inhabitants, in a diversi-
fed diet.
From the point Of view Of the housing
of the school children of the Philippines
there has been tremendous advance dur
ing the last four or five years. The new
schools are models of tropical architec-
ture. They are open to every breeze, the
windows being sashless and equipped
only with sun or rain shades: Inc style
of the school buildings has been stand
ardiZed and the buildings represent the
latest development in matters of SANTA
ton. The bureaus standards call for
schools of ole, two and three classrooms
schools of one, two and three claSsrooms
are a few two-story structures. but in
general the bungalow style prevails
Concrete and steel are used wherever
practicable, but in the outlying districts
wood is materially cheaper and is used.
In design the schools are achitecturally
attractive and of dignified decorative ap-
pearance.
Former System on Paper.
The reform that has been wrought in
the brief period since America took up
the task of putting the Filipino on a self
supporting basis is regarded as more re-
markable in fact than in theory, for
theoretically the Philippine school sys-
tenn under the Spaniards was excellent
1t was a. paper system, however, and as
a practical working organization 1t had
1863, the Spanish school system had made
fine paper progress from that date up
to the first Filipino revolution. Tomas
G. Del Rosario, himself q Filipino, speak
ing of the conditions precedent to the
American invasion and assumption of
government, says:
Prom all the data given no one can
doubt that primary instruction. in the
Philippines was advancing along a pros
porous and fiourishing course TWO thou
sand one hundred and fifty-three public
schools scattered throughout the archi-
pelagO and 173 sets of provisions regu-
lating them or tending to the intellectual
development of the people are. without
doubt, matters which lead one at first
sight to believe that popular education
in the Philippines had attained the state
which it usually reaches In progressive
and civilized countries. However, this
was superficial only; at bottom every
thing was contradictory to those laws and
provisions, which were nothing but a
veneer. veil which covered the greatest
of governmental fictions. The purpose
was to show other colonizing nations that
in this country (the Philippines) the gov
eminent was paternal and that education
was fully developed. while at the same
time measures of all kinds were adopted
to keep the people submerged in igno-
rance Consequently the efforts made
were of no avail Notwithstanding the de-
sire to attain that purpose.
Spanish Language Not General.
Despite the efforts and the desire Of
the Spanish government that the Spanish
language become universal throughout
the archipelago 1t did not become so.
through the hindrances Of the church
The wish of the Spanish government for
the characterization Of the language of
the islanders was based on hope that
a common language would develop a COM
munity Of interest. Through the efforts
Of the church the Spanish language did
not become general. and. due to the d.
versity of dialects in the country and the
lack of books in these dialects, education
| went along a hard and difficult path
Some of the Spanish officials assisted the
friars in this work"
The purposes are different now. The
more difficult English has in ten years
made strides which the century Of Span
1sh domination failed to make for the
more liquid and infinitely easier tongue
Besides that, base ball and outdoor sports
in general, American agricultural and
trade Technology and American news
papers are getting in their work The
Fflipinos are learning how to be good
FYlipinos through American example
They are better Filipinos than they were
| a decade ago. and they are nearer to the
American ideal Of good citizenship than
they were when Uncle Sam started to
educate them. And for all this there is
not presented to them one argument from
American lips as to why they should be