The Holbrook news., 1912-06-21


 winter is always summer,
 and the summer months-as " far as temperature is con
 cerned-do not vary much from those of winter. It is certainly an ideal resort for those who wish to escape the cold.
 The climate, however, Is not the only attraction The customs, cos tunes and habits of the Spanish peo- pie have not been entirely obliterated after 12 years of American control. and the observant visitor finds much to aAIuse and instruct during a brief stay. While there are many Ameri- cans here, some in official positions, others engaged in commercial pur- suits, the Spanish language is largely used, and especially so in all business transactions. A nation may be con quered and annexed, the people may be reconciled to the change in govern ment, but they will cling to their na- tive tongue until 1t is gradually oblit- erated by generations of time and the Influence of schools on the children, writes D. W. Grubb. in the Indianapo- lis News
 The civil government of Porto Rico consists of a governor, an executive council (the upper house), and the house of delegates (the lower house). The upper house has a membership of Il, all appointed by the president, and six of these must be native born Americans, and five citizens and resi- dents of the island. The lower house has a membership of 35, all chosen by popular vote in the various districts. Some idea may be had of the prepon- derance of the native voter and of his loyalty to those of his own race, when 1t is known that only one native born American holds membership in the lower house=whicb is elective-while in the upper house appointed by the president-six Americans and five Porto Ricans make up the entire mem bership.
 Certainly the natives have no req son for complaint as to their influence In the legislative department. IT the legislature and in the courts the Span ish language is used, and all the pub lie records are made up in that Ian guage. If no greater progress is made here than was the case in the state of New Mexico, this island will be 6panish-as far as language is con cerned-for sixty or more years to come. Education, however, is doing more for the people of Porto Rico than 1t did for those in New Mexico. The system of public schools here is fair ly good and Is being improved and ex- tended from year to year. There are good school buildings in nearly all the school districts, and many of them are of a class that would be credit to some of the large cities of the north.
 IIIIteracy on Decrease.
 At the time of the American occu- pancy of this island the illiteracy of the population was 84 per cent Today among the adults-the percentage of illiteracy is still great, but of those under fifteen years. there are few who cannot read and write. Of course, in some of the remote and sparsely set tied districts schools are scarce, and possibly not up to date. but, on the whole, progress has been made and is still being made and results have been satisfactory.
 Official records of 1899 give the number of children enrolled in schools at that time as 25,798 There was only one schoolhouse in the island built for school purposes. Scarcely half a dozen schools were taught in public buildings, and the remainder were, as a rule, conducted in rented houses, many of them unsanitary, in- l adequate in size, having no proper equipment, and often providing but | scant protection from the inclemencies | of the weather.
 The number of pupils has more | than quadrupled. During the ten years, beginning with the fiscal year | 1901, there has been expended in the | educational activities of Porto Rico | s9 .3s9, ,121.97, divided as follows: Buildings, $9O3, 3,62S19; books, equip ment. administration, etc, $3,68O,- | Rs8. 8.92, and instruction, including sal aries and scholarships, $4,SO5, ,3O3 -96. | The continuation of progress is shown by an increase from 1O5, ,125 pupils en- rolled during the fiscal year 1909, to an enrolment of 121, ,453 during the last year in all public schools, being an increase of approximately IT per pent- for the year.
 There are now S21 buildings used for rural schools, and 2O4 for schools ln cities and towns, a total of 1925 vchoolhouses. As rapidly as avail