El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-06-17
Islands Need Skilled Men
srboors of the Philippines Have
Recn backward With In
dustrfaI Training.
n u--.rr.-Fu i HnaEzfu-
d BE Frederic - la HI

ANAI Private EenOOLS anu Il4AG=l5
in the Philippines have had
very little in common with the public
schools until recently In fact, they
have been antagonistic to the cause OF
free learning for the people They stiI
are so to great degree, and doubtless
would continue to be but for the grow
ing demand Of the Filipinos for sane,
practical. instruction, and the determi-
nation of the insuIar government to
Drlng such institutions up TO puDLc
school standards
Early Courses Not Practical.
Prior to American occupation all the
schools in the islands were private to
All 1nIenus and purposes A great many
were supposed to be public, but only
lnose persons who could pay got the
benefit The courses were classical,
never practical In Spanish times not
one trade school agricultural college
or anything of the sort worthy of the
name could be found in the entire
taught definite standards were not
maintained.
A young mans B. A. meant very lit
tie IN comparison WITH the same de-
gree I'D this country The colleges for
men turned out lawyers, advocates and
LLteEafy nights who could not work.
old not want to work, and despised
thOSe Who did The schools for girls
minced dalnJlly through m1idenly max
ms race making and needle work no
scno0l ever had a gymnasium, no edu-
-aleQ young man knew the sweet smell
or IurrOW turned by his own hand,
no young woman felt deserved exulta-
llon over home made spick and span
by her good days work
Need Skilled Tradesmen.
What the Philippine islands always I
nave needed. and still need is skilled I
farmers, trained mechanics, small
tfadesmen and the like They must
learn what the rest of the civilized
world IS already assimilatiug-the doc
Lrlne OF efficiency The islands have
Dten among the most backward of all
CHRISTIAN nations in this respect. Ac-
corclng 20 the findings of the com mis- I
slOner OF education of the United States
the south and Central American coun- (
ules nave been ahead of the Phil
America
The universities OF Uruguay, Chile /
and the Argentine Republic support
--J-eln industrial branches Of study.
The last named, in particular, gives I
courses IN natural sciences agrOuOmy
and veterinary science which equal
JlOSe Of Cornell and the universities OF
4llc1iSans Wisconsin and Pennsylvania Z
The Catholic University Of Santiago. IN
Chile, teaches mechanical, electrical
and civil engineering
Private schools Now in Line.
4uEee years ago vice governor gen
eral Newton W Gilbert. who also is
secretary of public instruction, decided
that these private Institutions had 10
De trimmed to the new era They were
no good to the people They were. in
fact. the bulWark Of organized Oppose
ton to uutrGmmelled schools. He con-
Guided to standarGize them and con-
sidered It wiser to gently bring them
In line with the governments eduCa-
uonal policy than TO drive them into
a small, compact force Of active OppO-
Sluon- The work has been done from
ms own office under the direction Of
T. y o. Re1lly. a division superintendent
Of schools on special duty. Today all
the worthy Institutions. religious and
secular, are in hearty accord with the
plan The others are going under,
SmOrnered by their own musCIueSs-
AT the present time 25 private insti-
tuIlons have adopted the course de-
creed by vice governor general Gilbert, /
VINO used 10 be a member of congress
from Indiana Last year nine were
taken into the fold. one for the degree
or bachelor of arts, two for high school
diplomas. -FOUR for intermediate and
two for primary certificates six 9TH
ers are expected to reach the standard I
this year. OF the schools still unap-
proved, 90 in number. six OF eight are
looked upon as sure 10 get through
within a couple Of years. There is lit
tie hope for the others
Some ReactiOnaries.
The unapprOved schools which are /
showing very little disposition TO meet :
the requirements of the government .
are as bad as they ever were. They
usually are found in provincial capi- /
tails, and some are in the city of Manila {
itself They occupy private residences I
which frequently are dirty, dark and I
cramped. impartinE an atmosphere I
quite remote from that derived from Z
cal fountains OF learning The pro I
1essors' know little OF nothing about f
grading and classification of school /
work and their text books would shock I.
q o. r|arH rrH en- M va
Mere boys are allowed to grOp5 f.
through college subjects Four or five I
years of this brain scrambling is sup [
posed to turn out Illustrates They /
are permitted TO pick out their own {
courses, upon payment Of the fees .
which feed the professors skipping I
OF grades is another recognized priv Z
lege Of the embryo 'ilUstriOus one
Practical studies, sanitation and ath-
leticS are unheard of in these places.
They are saturated with reactiOnary-
ism They turn out conceited- iSno-
rant pin heads and viii continue to do /
so until they die Of dry rot
Catholic College Is 800 Years Old.
The most worthy of the private in
situations are SantO Tomas university.
the -z-2rfeo. Silliman Institute. LiceO de Z
Manila, La COncordia. Centre EscOlar. /
Assumption, La Sale and san Juan de Z
LeJran. Most of these are Catholic col
IeSes which always have been above
the average Philippine Institution of
300 years old and has graduated the
majority of Philippine leaders in re-
IgiOn, politics art and business sill
man Institute is Presbyterian. located {
at Dumaguare, Oriental NeErOs. in the
Nisayan sugar belt The LiceO de
Manila is an admirable secular cOllege
in Manila which is run wholly by Fill
pinos. Most of the Catholic colleges
always have been under strong Span
ish Influences. Assumption college is
perhaps the leading girls school in tho
islands.
b. A. Degree After Is Years.
The higher private Institutions are
permitted TO give the q. A degree after
q IS year course, which includes four
years OF primary. three of intermedi-
ate, four of high school and two of
college instruction The college course
in the first year requires German or
Greek logic and psychology with two
optional studies chosen from English
literature, French. Latin. plane and
solid geometry lif not previously
taken). elementary chemistry. adj
vanCed zoology, colonial history, public
finance In the second and last year
German and elements of politics are re-
quired- The optional studies two to be
chosen, are English literature, French
49, arH