Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 06.djvu/757

* EDUCATION. 659 EDUCATION. general appropri.ition of .'?400.000 for the first year was made for the const nut ion ami equip- ment of buildings, and of .$2:;o.OOO for the pur- chase of text-books and school supi)lies. The law established a municipal council of four to six members, who should hac duties corre- sponding to those of local school boards in the Inited States; and also a superior advisory board of education, to lie composed of the General Sui>erintcn(ient of Puldic Instruction as presi- dent, and four incm1)ors to be appointed bv the Philippine Commission. The duties of this board are largely of an advisory nature, but investiga- tions are to be conducted by them and recom- mendations made to the Commission. The system of schools as now being organized contemplates free elementary schools through- out the islands, with the probability of a com- jjulsory education law; free high schools in each of the forty or more provinces; a normal, trade, and agricultural school in the northern, central, and southern portion of the archipelago; and finally a university located at ilanila, to include literary, scientific, medical, commercial, and en- gineering departments. The plan of administra- tion of the elementary school calls for a ten- months' school .year, with four hours of instruc- tion daily, and one hour's normal instruction for the native teachers. In addition, during each summer vacation a four-week normal session for the native teachers is to be lield in each provin- cial capital., imdcr direction of the American teachers. In the summer and fall of 1001 al- most 1000 American teachers arrived, and were assigned work throughout the island in places determined by hx'al needs and safety, while at the same time more than 120 of the former soldier teachers were retained. During the first year more than 100.000 pupils and .5000 Filipino teachers were enrolled in the day schools, and 20,000 adults received instruction in the evening schools. In addition to the Spanish- English text-books, which cannot have verj' ex- tensive use, Visa.van-Knglish and Tagalo-English readers and grammars are being supplied the schools. Many improvements in administration have been made, such as better grading of pupils, individual in place of concert recitation, the es- tablishment of silent study for the old custom of studying aloud, and especially the change wrought in hygienic conditions. However, the chief work of the .merican a<lministration of schools is to bring about a better .spirit between the two peoples; and tliis is being done by the establishment of friendl.v relations between the American and the Filipino teachers, ])upils, and jiarents. Grave doubts are expressed of the possible success of the plan to introduce the English language. One .vear's time is not suf- ficient to aflord an.v test of tliis and other pur- poses of the American-administered school. At least the mistake made by England in India, of concentrating efTorts on higher education, is being avoided, and all efforts are centred in reaching the masses through the common school, with the hope of making at least the next generation American in spirit, PoKTO P.ito. The educational conditions in Porto Rico constituted one of the most serious elements in the situation which the Americans had to face on the assumption of control in the island in 1898. E.xecllcnt legal provisions for schools, including free tuition and compulsory attendance, had existed for nuiny .years, but for the most part these provisions had been dead letters. The excellent reforms in education in- troduced by the .Spaniards in 1S80 had been non- etrective, and political and social conditions for- bade any progress and prevented any interest in such affairs. These conditions had been made nuieh more critical at the time of the American occupation by the social and governmental dis- organization incident to the war, and b.y the liiir- ricaue, which had destroyed most of the little intcr<'st the peo])le had in schools, along with all ability to contribute to their sujiport. .Moreover, such interest as the people had had for genera- tions was in the education of the upper classes, and consequently in higher and secondaiy- rather than elementary education. A few institutions of this higher grade existed, the most imjjortant of which were a collegiate institute, founded in ISSO, with an attendance of 00; a normal school for girls, with an attendance of oO ; and an in- dustrial school for instruction in trade, with an attendance of 312. The nu'thods of instruction and the management of the institute and normal, however, were so defective that, after investiga- tion, these institutions were suspended by the American authorities, and other provisions made for carrying on such work. There were at that time, and still exist, a number of private col- leges and academies, which for the most part are under religious control. One of these private in- stitutions. La Sociedad Protectora de la Intcli- gencia, has for its object the sending of poor .voung men who have distinguished themselves in the examinations to the United States or Spain to complete their studies. The last Span- ish statistics, three months before the Americans took possession, showed a total of 555 schools, all but 26 of which were public. Of these 380 were for boys and 148 for girls. The' total enroll- ment in public schools was 25.044, with an attendance of 18,243. The attendance on private schools was 980. This was out of a population of almost 000,000, of whom 300,000 were of school age. The entire population showed by the American census an illiteracy of 83 per cent. In ila.v, 1899, six months after the Americans assumed control, Gen, .John Eaton, formerlj^ Commissioner of Education for the United States, was appointed Director of Public Instruction, and an order was issued by the Military Government for the reorganization of the entire system. An insular hoard of education of five members was created, the president of which was to be insular superintendent of education. The order divided the island into school districts, somewhat like those in the United States, provided Knglish supervisorships, prescribed the manner of elect- ing local school boards, establislicd lines for non-attendance to duty on the part of the boards, and provided for district school taxes and the issuance of bonds. The municipalities were re- quired to furnish buildings or quarters for the schools, distinct from the residences of the teach- ers. The seliools were graded, a six-.vear course of stud.v prescribed, the qualification of teachers defined and their salaries fixed, free text -books provided for. and a high school, a normal school, and a professional school organized. Coeducation was not required, but was encouraged ; and in the cotinlry clistriits where no provisions existed