, 1915-10-27
A YEARS PROGRESS IN PORTO RICO.

"A 1I4s4h > EhOO1GEOO In EOn1O 1IOOs
The Report of the Governor of that Terri
tory Shows the Substantial Advances that
have been Made in Many Directions.
Work that will prove of the highest inn
portauce IN the economic development of
Porto Rico is being done by the United
States in that island. Little is known of it,
however, outside of those directly concerned,
and u summary, from the latest annual re-
port of the Govarnor af that Territory, there
fore, will be of especial interest on account
OF it's bearing on commercial mud industrial
c0niitlous.
"rhe question of illiterocy,' says the Gov
errors report, "js the darkest and most stub
born Of all social and political problems OF
Porto Rico" In that island, rs in all agrl-
cultural countries, the rural schO j is the
crux Of the whole educational problem. OF
Porto iiico's population 70 per cent. live III
the rural districts, and 70 per cent. of this
population IS still illiterate il spite Of Mi that
it has been possible to do in the last IA years.
At present there are about 1900 of these
rural schools which are attended by nearly
10000 children of school age--5 to 18 years.
THIS enrolment is only about one. third of
the total eligible.
In addition to the extension of rural school
work, the course of instruction has been
much improved and enriched. Elementary
courses in practical agriculture ure given
throughout the island, and while the Spanish
language 10 generally used as the vehicle of
instruction, English is taught IN all these
schools beginning with the secoDl grade.
Ia the urban districts more than 50 per
cent. of the children Of school age are en-
rolled. The course of'instruction includes
yocatlOna! training for both sexes in the last
three of the eight grades, and English is
made the vehicle of instruction III nearly all
subjects,
The work of sanitation made much pro-
gres4 last yeur. The lowest death rate ever
recorded was achieved. A systematic ard
very successful ca,npaign for the provision
of pure water supply and other sanitary ne
c~essjties has been carried on, and w~aterworks
plants were Installed in nine cities during
the year, making a total Of rs. The SAM
tation service, which was organized under
the law of 1912, has also brought about the
the building, in various cities aud towns, Of
modern aqueducts. sewer systems, sanitary
slaughter houses and meat markets md clean
dairieA
The progress of public works also has been
notable. The island now has u general road
system a2gregating 1,115 kilometers in
length. San Juan is now linked by q high
way with the western end of the island.
Telegraph or telephone service, or both, is
now maintained by the Government between
u municipalities. The extensive improve
ments of San juan Harbour are progressing
rapidly. These improvements include the
construction of y reinforced concrete bulk
head along the whole of the present water
front; the building of modern warehouses
adjacent thereto, equipped with the latest
cargo-handling machinery; the widening
and paving Of the merginal street, m d the
placing thereon of railway tracks for facili-
tating the transfer Of freight from vessels
to land carriers. The past year has also
seen the completion of the most important
features of the great irrigation system. The
dams and appurtenant structures Of three
great reservoirs have been completed and
illed, and many sugar planters are now using
the water with excellent esults.--Ibj