Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-01-08
MExIco's NEW SCHOOLS.

With the reOpen1ng IN January u
Mexicos public schools after the an
nual vacation, there will be employed
100 teachers who have been trained
In the public school system OF the
United States. All, or nearly OF them
will be placed in primary schools new
Nv established In the rural districts
ar Mexico. These American trained
teachers will devote themselves to
districts which, hitherto. have been
wholly lacking in school facilities, and
they will give part of their time to the
instruction of those among the otnei
1000 teachers who have not enjoyed
the advantage of study here.
The task of founding national eau
cational system, which is OF such SUI
nreme importance to Mexico, upon SO
slender a foundation as has hitherto
existed, called for the earliest anu
most careful attention.
President Carranza has repeateal!
declared his intention OF sendlng' uitl,
mately. all of Mexico's primary scnooi
teachers to the United states lot
student sojourn, even though the gov
eminent can afford to make their stay
no longer than two or three months.
II is apparent, therefore, that the pup
lie schools designed for Mexico by the
government, if they be not wholly
modelled upon the public school system
of the United States, will be largely
influenced by it.
In the federal district, comprising
Mexico City and it's neighboring towns
there are about $50 primary schools;
one preparatory school corresponding
ia an American high school, and TWO
normal schools, one for boys and one
for girls. The primary schools carry
nupii. to the fourth grade and primary
education is obligatory on all children
.nnder existing laws. In practice, now
aver. primary. education has failed IN
its obligatory aspect because the FED
eral district, possessing =. Only ~ so OIL =
$50 schools, requires at least ovV:.- lne
problem of school congestion Is even
more battling in Mexico than II Is III
the large cities of the United STATES.
outside of the Federal district tnere
are. on the whole, very rev scnools'
The land owners controlling those
areas have been as, consistently op'
nosed to education for their poems as
are the authorities in Russia. Wnen,
aver progressive haciendado desired
r. establish a school at his own ex-
nense His neighbors persuaded MIN 10
abandon the idea.
There are. indeed, in the outlying
districts a number of parochial scnools
identified with the churches and nam
tanned by them. Those schools, now
ever. are devoted largely to religious
instruction and do not satisfy the
needs Of a truly popular educational
system in Mexico. The semlnar1es
and colleges, maintained by the church
and the religious order, are of higher
quality in their field than are the paro-
chial schools; but their Denents ~
exclusively to the children Oh inc
wealthy.
education in Mexico can be compre.
hended from the fact that 80 per cent
of the people are illiterate. Presloeht
Carranza has appreciated fully the
social and political consequences at
tendant upon this general condition
If ignorance. He realizes that peo-
ple can preserve their institutions OF
freedom and self government in peace
and prosperity only when they are en-
lowed with the essentials of a modern
public school education. The educa.
ton of the Mexican people is vital
reality. an imperative political need.
Given peace throughout Mexico,
Mexican leaders hope to have the
public school system universal WITHIN
at least ten years. Industrial and vo-
cational instruction will be not only
an integral part of the system but also
a feature very much emphasized. The
governments expectation is that. with
a people able to read, write and cipher
and trained to work at useful trades.
the dissemination of knowledge Will
progress rapidly. Profitable industry
will eliminate both the idleness and
the dissatisfaction which, under exist
ing industrial conditions, have been
the prime incentives to disorder.
Mexico hopes to attain to peace and
prosperity through the education OF
the masses.
SEA NO BARRIER.
IL