The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-10-17
The annual report of the Director

The annual report of the Director
of education for the Philippine
Islands, a document which has Just
been issued by the Bureau of Insu-
lar Affairs Of the War Department,
ought to be strong argument for
those who advocate the extension Of
the work of the Bureau of Education
in Washington until it assumes the
proportions of a Department study
ing the needs of American education
and acting in an advisory capacity
about as the Department of Agricul-
ture stands in relation to farming.
The report shows that when Unc!,
Sam undertakes a. work. of any kind
he usually accomplishes a much
more thorough job than any local
political subdivision. 1t shows that
in directing the affairs of the Philip
pine Islands Uncle Same has COM
pletely assumed the white mans
burden, setting up a primary school
system on standard high above
that of rural education in the Unieu
States.
So we'll adapted to the needs of
the needs of the Philippine people
is the school system that great au-
thority of education who has been iii
the Philippines recently called it the
greatest primary school system in
the world"
Vocational education in the pri-
mary schools of the Philippines is
being strongly developed by the Am
orleans in charge. This is due to
number of reasons. In the first place
The Filipinos mature early in life.
Ii the manual training were left to
the high schools, as it is largely IN
this country, few of the natives
would take advantage of it, since by
the time they reach high school age
most Of the Filipino children are out
earning their own livings Conse-
quently, it is in the lower grades
that the vocations are taught. ~
Then again there is the great ne
cessity for vocational training in the
islands. The islands are not an in
dustrial country. There are no fac
tories near at hand to teach appfen-
tice boys the skilled trades as soon
as they are ready to leave school,
Uuless the children are taught these
trades in the schools few of them are
ever likely to have profitable occu-
pations. The archipelago is agricul-
tural. Most of the school boys are
destined to become farmers. And I'M
less they are taught in school the
scientific methods of agriculture
they will cling to the archaic farm
ing practices of their ancestors And
the girls are never likely to learn
scientific and sanitary cookery and
other household arts unless taugt
by the American teachers, for the
whole nationa is like a child learn
ing the white mans civilization
Consequently, the Philippine
school system has been adapted to
these needs. And the figures submit
ted in the report show the extent to
which vocational training has been
carried.
Last year .3O,327 Filipino boys
were enrolled in the corn growing
contests. In the United States, with
several times the population of the
islands, only about 100000 boys
were so enrolled. Ninety-three per
cent of all pupils enrolled, or practi-
cally every pupil above kindergarten
age, took some kind of Industrial
training. The report shows that 49,
958 boys took trade and shop work;
1O0,648 boys took gardening and
flaming; 12,969 girls took gardening;
Z 83,193 girls studied household arts.
Among the crafts taught were lace
making, embroidery, cooking, hat
making, mat making and basket ma
king. There were 33,719 home gar
dens and 2,310 school gardens
Concrete results were seen in the
great improvements in the quality
and quantity of fresh vegetables sold
in markets all over the islands and
in the 100 per cent increases in ex-
ports of embroideries since 1911.
Recommends Helmer Memorial
Or. W. r. Morrison, who until
five years ago made Bemidji his
home, but who now resides in Bill