Gunnison news-champion., 1919-06-27

of them is required for promotion
During the Spanish regime, such .
va.lety of courses was absolutely
absent in the minds of the so-called
.-maestros- (teachersl and the school
authorities. The main teaching in
the elementary schools was learning
10 pray. Very little reading, gram
mar, arithmetic reading and writing
was taught, and no geography, his
tory, hygiene, agriculture, and manual
arts. The practical side of the sub
iect matter had been absolutely ignor-
ed- Under such conditions. how much
did the elementary school boys and
girls in the Spanish school system de-
velop and improve mentally and ply
sically7 To be sure. the children of
rich families had access TO higher or
cultural education. The present sys-
tenn Of schools meets all the conditions
required by the democratic ideas and
principles Of popular education Ed
ucation for all regardless Of class" is
the present slogan.
After the establishment of civil
government the present Bureau of
Education was established and was
given full authority over all the
public schools. Every province has
its division superintendent who has
he authority over all the municipal
and rural schools within his province.
A pros nee is subdivided into dist ricts
which are under the supervision Of
the district supe. visors. \ ia1ni-
cipality is composed Of several "bar-
NOS (villages) and is under the
policy of the Bureau of Education.
A-t .rs= of k.K -
build a school house. the superin-
teacher. So, education is being
brought even TO the remotest villages; ;
and. despite the fact that only primary
grade instruction is given, the child
ren gain fair knowledge of writing.
reading, grammar. geography. gar
dsning, etc. After finishing the prim-
airy work, the young graduates are
encouraged 10 go to town where they
can attend the central intermediate
schools, and then the provincial high
school which is located in the capital
of the province.
Handiwork such as basketfy. weav-
ing of mats, hats, bags and door-mats,
Is intensively taught. In 1905. when
the Bureau Of Education made a sur
vey. il was found that the Filipinoes
possess a peculiar aptitude for handi-
crafts; so this kind of work was given
due prominence throughout all the
grades. The Bureau sent several
teachers to Japan to study the differ
ent kinds Of weaving, textiles, etc.
When they came back, they became
Industrial teachers in the Philippine
Normal schools and other industrial
schools. In 1908 the first Philippine
Exposition was held in Manila-all
schools tby provinces) in the islands
being represented. II was indeed a
surprise, not only to the natives them
selves, but TO the Americans and other
foreigners as well, to note the unpre-
cedented success Of the present school
system both in academic and industri-
al education.
The pessimists at last realized that
American ideas and aims in education
have no difficulty whatever in being
planted in the mind of new people.
The Bureau has adopted the best and
highest possible standards in order
that the present public school system
may be brought TO the same level with
that OF the United States. The prob
lem of supporting and establishing
high schools and other higher institu-
tons of learning naturally arose, but
such problems have been solved by
the authorities without the least pre-
judicc. In every capital of each pro-
vince there has been located second
AIRY school (called provincial high
school where the intermediate grad
uates are admitted to prepare them
selves for college or for the profess
sions. Its courses of study are SINH
lar to those of the American high
school. In some big provincial high
schools, advanced courses in domestic
science and in business training are
also offered.
Besides these provincial high schools
there are several professional schools
of secondary grade, such as the Phil
ippine Normal School, Philippine
School of Arts and Trades. Philippine
Nautical School, Philippine School of
Commerce, and Central Luzon Agri-
cultural School. The demand for
officers on ships engaged in the inter-
island shipping service is being met
b. the graduates from the Philippine
Nautical School. The Bureau, how
ever, recommends a larger and better
school of this kind in order to meet
the larger demand.
The Philippine Normal School, To-
Gated at Manila, offers four-year
course in the art and science Of teach
ing for those who are planning to
teach in the intermediate schools. A
postgraduate work is also given for
those prospective principals and sup
ervising teachers. The increase of
the number of supervising districts
demands more supervisors. There is
greater recognition of the fact that
the chief object of supervision is to
better classroom instruction. Methods
of instruction in both academic and
industrial work have improved in the
primary schools. This is due to the
efficiency Of normal institutes which
are held once year, to the large
amount Of school visiting, and to bet
ter Supervision.
The Philippine School Of Arts and
Trades offers industrial education.