Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-06
.ACU|NALDO AS FARMER
TYPICAL OF EVOLUTION
UpIift Of Filipino People
Through Efforts of Ameri-
can Educators.

AgulnaldO, erStWhile rebel leader, en-
gagged in farming and in the manufacture
of a special brand Of hemp braid for
hats is the enticing picture of Philip
pine industrial conditions drawn by j. c.
Muerman. formerly division school super
intendent of Cebu. P. T., now a rural
school specialist in the United States
bureau OF education. Aguinaldo's peace
full pursuit is typical Of the change that
has taken place in the Philippines during
the past few years.
Mr.. Muerman describes the remarkable
educational advance in the islands since
the day the first American teachers dis
embarked from the United States trans
port Thomas dozen years ago.
Transforms Industrial Conditions.
Unhampered by academic tradition, and
face to face with problems of education
that were as big as civilization itself,
these educators and those who followed
them have gradually developed a system
of Filipino schools under Filipino teachers
that is rapidly Transforming the social
and Industrial life of the islands.
Compulsory industrial training. fitted
Tor the needs of everyday. Filipino life,
is the most distinctive feature of the
island schools. The Americans have care
fully studied the possibilities of the val
rable raw materials abundantly at hand
IN the islands. and are able to show the
Fuipinos how to make the most OF them.
Every Filipino schoofboy is required to
do a certain amount of work with native
woods and f1bers: every one must learn
to till the soil by actually doing 1t in the
school garden and In plat Of his own
and every Filipino schoolgirl is taught
certain essentials of sewing and other
home-making arts. All the children in
the schools are obliged to pass through
TINS period OF elementary training in the
everyday tasks Of life.
Household Arts Taught.
Most significant in the scheme of in
dustrial education is the recent estab-
lishment Of the Philippine School Of
Household Industries. Two hundred
women from different parts of the islands
were brought together at Manila. shown
how to adapt Their native skill in en-
broidery and lacemaking to the demands
Of foreign markets. and then sent back
to their homes to form certers Of indus
trial progress in their own communities.
The government has established q sales
agency to dispose Of the commodities thus
produced, and SO far the demand has
greatly exceeded the supply One Fill
pinO woman who was trained in the new
school has 500 women working under
her and Is receiving from firms in the
United States orders for thousands of en-
broidered shirt waists and handkerchiefs.
The beautiful pima cloth. made from
pineapple, is one product to which spe-
cial attention is paid. Before the Ameri-
cans came this cloth sold for from 10
to 80 cents a yard; the demand for it
is now such that it brings from $50 to
s. a yard.
1.-The hardest thing American teachers
in the Philippines have to contend WITH
says Mr.. Muerman, lis the American
spirit of hustle and hustle. The Ameri-
can is in too. much haste. He wants to
get everything done at once He tries
to overturn in a few weeks the tradi-
tons of centuries. And yet, coming into
a country where the ideal tends to be
that of manana-never do today what you
can by any possibility put off till to-
morrow-he has really made astonishing
Roadway in Transforming the Philippines
into country of today, where things
move with something like American
hurry. The old folks shake their heads
and sigh for the good old times, but the
young people, boys and girls alike, are
glad to take advantage of the more eff
cent methods. They play American
games and accept the educational Oppor-
tunities offered them with equal adapt
ability, and 1t is through them that the
new Filipino civilization is making its
way irresistibly.