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ERIC ED541148: Education in the Territories and Dependencies. Bulletin, 1919, No. 12

Collection
Historical Records
Sub-shelf
Internet Archive (V.I. texts)
Kind
Historical Record
Date
1919-01-01
Topics
Disaster Recovery
Pages
71
Text
Native Text

Mb a DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF EDUCATION BULLETIN, 1919, NO. 12 EDUCATION IN THE TERRITORIES AND DEPENDENCIES [Advance Sheets from the Biennial Survey of Education in the United States, 1916-1918] 4. L WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINT; OFFICE ADDITVINAL, COPIES OF TLIII PUBLICATION MAY BE PROCURED FROM TUE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS OOVNRNMI.NT PRINTING orrics WASHINGTON. D. C. AT 10 CENTS PER Cory :44 EDUCATION IN THE TERRITORIES AND DEPENDEN- - CIES: CONTENT8.-17ducation In Porto RicoEducation In the Canal ZoneThe Virgin Islands . ilawallThe Philippine public school systewEducation in Alaska. EDUCATION IN PORTO RICO. / By PAUL (1. MI1 !TA, Commissioner of Education for Porto Rico. The work of the public schools has been greatly handicapped during the past year through conditions brought about by the 1Vorld War. The department has lost many of its most efficient nwIt, who wat into the military service. Du; not only to war conditions, but also to the prevailing low salaries, frequent changes in the teach- ing, corps have taken place, with the resulting loss of efficiency. …

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Mb a DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF EDUCATION BULLETIN, 1919, NO. 12 EDUCATION IN THE TERRITORIES AND DEPENDENCIES [Advance Sheets from the Biennial Survey of Education in the United States, 1916-1918] 4. L WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINT; OFFICE ADDITVINAL, COPIES OF TLIII PUBLICATION MAY BE PROCURED FROM TUE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS OOVNRNMI.NT PRINTING orrics WASHINGTON. D. C. AT 10 CENTS PER Cory :44 EDUCATION IN THE TERRITORIES AND DEPENDEN- - CIES: CONTENT8.-17ducation In Porto RicoEducation In the Canal ZoneThe Virgin Islands . ilawallThe Philippine public school systewEducation in Alaska. EDUCATION IN PORTO RICO. / By PAUL (1. MI1 !TA, Commissioner of Education for Porto Rico. The work of the public schools has been greatly handicapped during the past year through conditions brought about by the 1Vorld War. The department has lost many of its most efficient nwIt, who wat into the military service. Du; not only to war conditions, but also to the prevailing low salaries, frequent changes in the teach- ing, corps have taken place, with the resulting loss of efficiency. The rural teaching force alone underwent 730 changes, whereas in the city of San Juan there were no less than 110. In spite of these obstacles the work of the schools has been char- acterized particularly by,the various activities carried on by super- visors, teachers, and pupils toward. promoting the success of tho 'United -8tates and its allies' in the World War. The war activities of the schools will ever stand out conspicuously as witnesseg of the loyalty and patriotism of all. -In this respect the work may be justly, counted as a year of achievement and accomplishment unparalleled., in the history of Porto Rico. Special attention has been devoted to increasing the food supply through school and home gardebs, both rural and urban. w the promotion of community and. war propaginda,and es- pec,ally for agricultural development, committees were organized which conducted. public gatherings. Parent associations, also, held public meetings; *teachers visited rural homes; and in cooperation with the food commission rural conferenceswere held. These"activi- ties.will be elaborated Under their respective heads; The chapter school committee of the Porto Riot. chapter, American National Red Cross, effected local Organizatiom the Junior Red. Cross-in every municipality. In response to tvSpecial appeal 4 NUL SU VEY OF EDUCATION, 1916-18. by the commissioner, 2,587 teachers out of a total of 2,649 in the service at the close of the year made a special contribution' to the second war fund, which, together with amounts given by the office staff of the department, the supervisory force, employees of the uni7 versityr and certain employees of school .boards amounted to $6,665.8'9. T Porto Rico has an estimated population of 1,223,981, of whom 427,666 are of legal school age, i. e., between 5 and 18 years, and 215,819 of compulsory school age, i e., between 8 nit 14 years. -The total enrollment in all public schools, excluding duplicates, was 142,846. Of these, 84,570 were enrolled in ,rural schools; 50,060 in elementary urban schools; 3,346 in secondary -schools; 3,613 in night schools; and 1,257 in the University of Porto Rico. Of the 141,589 pupils .enrolled. in schools under the department, 80,063 were -males and 61,526 females; 113,462 were white and 28,1:7 colored. In addi- tion to the pupils enrolled in public schools, 7,248 children attended private. schools. . 'The total enrollment was 33.1 tier cent of the total population of school age and 65.6 per cent of the population ofcompialeity school age. a \The average number belonging in all schools- Was 115,689; ti average daily. attendance 106,4-fl, or 92 per- cent. *Of the 141,589 pupils enrolled, 2.4 per cent were found in secondary schools, 35.3 per cent in 'eleinentary urban schools, 59.8 per cent in rural schools, and..2.5 per cent in night schools. These ptipils were taught by 2,r1.5 teachers, of whom 909 were men and ,806 were women; 174 .were .teachers from the United States proper and 2,541 were native Porto Rict-ins; of the total- _ number, 2,230 were white and 485 colored. Oftheelenientait. pupils, 62.7 per cent were proinoted to the next higher gradel, as against ,60.1 per cent the preceding year; These- .. figures,are based upon the total enriAlment.. Using he average ran- her 14onging as a basis for calculating promotions, 81:8 per cent.of the elementary urban pupils were promoted and. 72.0 of the rural giving.an average of 76.2 per cent for.Allelemenitary...Sehools, Eighth-grade diplomas were awarded to, 2,035. pupils, and .347 ,high-school pupils received diplomas. . . There Were 42 new graded_teachers added to the professiorl by' Means of licenses granted upon the basis of normal diplomas.itied by the University of Porto Rico; 30 rural licenses were granted to persims who.. had completed the special two-year course for rural teachers in the normal departMent of the University of Porto Rico; and four rural licenses were granted to Persons who had obtained the diploma in agricultttral science issued by the College of Agriculture and Mechanic. Arts.' EDUCATION IN PORTO RICO. 5. Summer schools for the training of rural teachers were held at Rio' Piedras and Mayaguez, at the close of which 74 rural licenses were issued.. Special examinitiol for the licensing of rural teachers were held also in October and November, resulting in the granting of 240 more rural licenses. This number, however, was not sufficient to supply the schools of the island, and it became necessary to issue 169 provisional licenses before the close of the year. The schools of Porto Rico were conducted in 1,712 separatC school buildings, representing 2,845 classrooms. Of these buildings, 540 are public property and 1,172 are rented; 316 are situated in urban centers and 1.396 in rural barrios. As to their character, school building?Nge from tl - covered shack in remote rural barrios to thoroughly modern concret&structures in the larger towns and cities. During the past two years' 88 new 'sites for school buildings have been acquired, 20 in urban centers and 68 in rural littricts; 58 school buildings, 17 urban with 141$ooms, and 41 rural with 49 rooms, have beep meted during the same period. The total assessed valuation of property is $243,736,262, or $199.01 wlw per capita of population. The expenditure for eduZmtional purposes fast year was $1,634,- 313.99 from insular appropriation and other funds and $730,947 from school -board funds, making a total of $2,365,260.99. The total per capita expenditure per pupil was $12.63- for elemen- tary education and $41.92 for secondary instruction. The per capita expenditure per inhabitant was.$1.93. SCHOOL ALLOTMENTL.URBAN VERSUS RURAL:SCHOOLS. Of all the children of school age. in Porto Rico, 344,615 live in the rural barrios. Of this .number, 84.570, or 24.5 per cent; were enrolled irr the rm..] schools during 'the past year, whereas of. the 91,601 children of s mollage living in the urban centers, '0,406, or air 58.3 per cent, Weret ending School. This taltes no account of a total of 3.613 enrolled in he night schools. The above summary goes to show that in the urban-centers over one-half of the population of school age is attending school, while in. the rural districts this holds true for but one-fourthof the popu- lkion. In.other words, in order to enroll the entire population of schoolage, the number of urban schools would have to be multiplied by 2 and the number, of rural schools .by.: 4. Such an increase is totally out of question for the present in view of the. economic status of the island. The fact .that but one-fourth of the rural population. of school age is at present enrolled in the rural schools by no means' signifies that the remaining three-fourths are deprived of an_oppor- Utility to.attenq schoo).' The ever is nearer the truth. Probably 6 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION,1916-18. no less than three-fourths of the rural population attend school for a limited number of years, while perhaps less than one-fourth fail to avail themselves of the opportunities that are at hand. Furthermore, the period of school attendance in the Tropics is necessarily shorter than in a northern climate. Not a few of our young men and women marry and assume family cares before they have attaiffld the maxi- Mum school age. Any attempt, therefore, to enroll the total popula- tion of school age is; and will ever be, impossible of attairunent in Porto Rico. The relative needs of the urban, and rural populations have always- been calculated on the figures given by the island census without regard to actual conditions, and the tendency as a result has inva- riably been to favor the rurallation at the cost of the urban centers. This is shown by contrasting the provision for common schools in the budget of 1913-14 with that of the budget for 1917-18. Urban and rural tcachers provided for. Year I Tearlicrs. 1913-14. Year 1917-18. increase. Pet 04, Total urban teachers provided ler 985 997 I . 2 Total rural teachers provided lot 1,141 1, 660 45 4 . The results of this-policy have been that. whereas in many mimic', polities Tura] teacher's are unable to fill their schools to their normal capacity, in ninny of the urban centers, notably in such towns as San Joan, Rowe. Caguas, Bayamon, and Agnadilla-hundreds of children who clamor for admission at the opening of each school year have to be turned away. The absolute shortage of urban schools . has been more especially f into years as a result of the city ',growth and the abolition of Ouble-enrollment RURAL EDUCATION. The number of rural schools opened, was 1,440. This takes no account of the rural schools ()pencil in the semiurban zone and in some of the urban, centers, as these schools follow tuft graded course of study and are considered part of the-urban schiiol syste1tn. The withdrawal of teachers, both urban and rural, to go into military service and into other work, has been one of the most perplexing features. An unusual number of graded and rural teaehers ree signed, and as vacancies in'the corps of graded .teaehers are getter, ally, filled by the promotions or rural teachers who hold the grade(' promotions 1 license, the rural schools were the ones particularly affected. A total of 730 changes took place in the rural schooli hist year. This means KincenoN n(rorro RICO. .7 . . . that approximately one-half of the . rural schools have had . wore than one teacher during the year. . The numerous changes, made the work of the supervisory. force and of the department particularly difficult. ..To train a total of 730 new teachers, practically half- the rural teaching force, to a satisfactory standard of efficiency is a problem to tax the industry, patience, and skill of the best supervisory force. , The policy of 'the department under such circumstances has necessarily been to em- . ' phasize -constructive supervision. Professional study and reading iaises have been established; frequent teachers' meetings and dem- mistration classes .have been held in all the districts; and every- N\ In re much of th6 supervisors' time' has had to be devoted to the st rengthening of this unduly large proportion of new rural teachers. For the purpose of further awakening public interest and of extending the usefulness of the 'rural schools, the rural uplift cam- . paign initiated three years ago was given continued emphasis. Alf sulls n. isors of schools gave particular attention to rural school or-. ganizat ion, paid longer and more thorough visits' to rural schools, held frequent conferences for rural teachers,- and ultimately chteked promotions in all rural schools grade by grade by making a personal examination of every pupil recommende gi eater proportion of rural teachers lived ' the, bartios where their ,for promotion. A much schools were located, and such teachers became a vital faCtor in neighborhood life., Teachers livingin the barrios not only gave to the patrons of the districts an example of sanitary and wholesome.. living, but they often made the schoolhouse a social center, where parents meetinds, evening schools, and lectures were held. Where agriculture was stresse41, teachers became the natural leaderS of the- food-supply propaganda, which has increased the available local food supply considerably. Libraries wire opened for country dis- tricts, and teachers paid many visits to the-parents in ebei homes. The department has directly aided many of the supervisors by sending' speakers to parents' nteetingN, which, as a rule, were held on StmdayS. Sup'ervisors, report that 'the attendance at these Sunday meeting's reached as high a figure as 400 person's. To-day the peas-. ' ant of Porto Rico has conic to realize that the rural schools belong to him as winch as to, the landowner or rich planter of his district. 'Co carry out this rural campaign Las rtquired much sacrifice on o part of. the supervisors and rural teachirs. To teachers accuston ,d to the Comforts-of City We, the iSolnied.life of the countrLhas entai d no small hardship, but resulf.sliave coinpensated them for such unse f- ish serviee. Many supervisors who havastressed the rural campat n have gi.yen up. almOst all their Suedays to this. work, While st !li lahoris onerous, it is telly by, such devotion to dm cause that the u ti- mate redehiption of the illiterate peasant will be achieved. - ;.4 . BIENNIAL $CRV,EY OF BDUCATIONr1916-18. Out of 1,440 rural schools, 1.262, or 87 per centNere on the double- enollment plan; i. e., they have one group of-pupils, up to a axi- mum of 40, during the three hours of the morning session and another similar group in the afternoon for*the same length of time. This arrangement- allows the pupils to take their noonday meal at home, and also makes it possible for the older ones amoog them to help their parents at home and on the farm during part of the day. This is a very important consideration during the coffee-pieking season, from September to Demmbee, when the entire population of some of the districts, old and young, is employed in the coffee harvest. This double-enrollment plan,'while it 'has its seriousr.disadvantagei, in- sures a better erfr011ent and Alen:lance. The total number of puiiils enrolled in the rural schools during the year was 84,570; and of this total, 8.821, or 58 per cent, were pro- oted. This low percentage of pfromotion is largely accounted for by the frequent changes in the teaching force and the closing of many_ echools for want of tear.hers., CONSOLIHATED RURAL SCHOOLS, Ir A. familiarity with, the-rural-school situation leads to the inevitable * conclusion that the need is for better xchootq, rather than for more xchools. The emphasis must be placed on better buildings, better AC equipment, on a 'fuller and necess: longer Turse of study, with special provisions for the ,tielling hOme'eononlics,.manual train- ing, agriculture, Mal other industrial subjects. This will demand better teachers and, as a logical accompaniment, higher salaries. The consolitlatei rural school brings together three. four, or more rural schools within one building or common center, in contrast with the - p'resent isolated school plan. whereby an underpaid and often poorly prepared and in:mature teacher has to struggle as best be can with three, four, or more grades .under his sole charge and with a large enrollment .on the half-day plan. Such consolidated rural schools should eventhiqy become the community eenters,of their barrimi'; and rural libraries, noonday lunches for the underfed pupils, medical inspection, and entertainments arc some of the community improve- ments that would be brought within the scope of pretieal, successful achievement. ._...L. GRADEp SCHOOLS. The work of the graded schools has beet carried on along .very nnieh the same general lines as in former years. The more important changes have been the following: 1. The teaching of English on a strictly fond basis, which last year was introduced in the first gi.ade of the urban schools, has been ex- EDUCATION IN PORTO RICO. .9 tended to the second grade of the urban and to the second and third grades of the rural schools as well. In addition to the First Grade Manual in Oral English, which was published last year, a manual for the second grade has now been put into the hands of all primary teachers. A Third Grade Manual has also been under meparation., and has been given a thofough preliminary test in sonic districts. The shifting from reading to conversation as a medium for the teaching of English in the primary grades meets the-needs of pupils and leads them along a natural and easy road to the stage where they amenabled to carry on the bulk of their studies in the English language, as is required of them in the intermediate and grammar grades. It brings the Porto Rican child in this particular respect one step nearer to the level of the American child who hears and talks English four or five years before lie is required to read it. 2. The policy of the department to provide pupils with books giecially designed for them wa. further advaneedlast year by the introduction of n specially pre d textbook in arithmetic for the use of third and fourth grade pupils. The text is in Spanish. It supplefnents and carries forward the beginning made last year when a special manual for the teaching of arithmetic in the first and sec- ond grades was prepared and issued to the teachers... 3. A Special pamphlet on moral mill civic traininglas also been ° prepared and issued. Formatinstruction in this subject has now beet0fr made a brief butregular feature of the daily program of our schools. The need for something of `this sort was realized a long time ago. The past history of the island; the limited- experience of the people in self-government, the illiteracy which still prevails in the country districts, and the relatively few agencies,outsideof the public schools, nieriiing for the enlightenment and the uphailding of the people along moral and social lines, brought the need for such a course into plain evidence. `rho improvement which has taken pliwe:In4he primary grades as a 'result of the introductieh of a better coordinated system of teaching such elementary subjects as Spanish,' English, writing, and netic, in closer harmony with the neck and the life experience of Porto Rican children, has eerywherq been a remarkable one. Better general results are evident, and this appears in the percentage of promotions from these lower grades.' This improvement is further (Jim to the introduction amo use of specially prepared textbooks in which' the standpoint of the.Porto Rican child, his experience, and his needs are 'given due oonsidera- tion. The department plans to extend gradually the policy of using specially prepared bottqcs and to exclude those whieli-do not provide . for the special reqUirements.of the Porto Rican hild. 1003467. -10-2 10 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1916-18. HIGH AND CONTINUATION SCHOOLS. Secondary school woriKas catied on in 11 high and 26 continua tion schools, not including the University High School at Rio Pie- dras. nor the preparatory department. of "he College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. Mayag llez. In addition to the 11 regular four - }ear high schools, ninth grade work was tapght in 26, and tenth grade work in 11 . The total enrollment in secondary schools was 3,346, of which num- her 1.584 were logs and 1.732 were girls. These figures show an in- crease in the enrollment over that of any previous year, but a ela- tive decrease in the number of buys enrolled as .ompared with the preceding y ear. The enrollment N:asNlist ributed as follows: Twelfth grade, 382 ;:eleventh grade. 601: tenth grade. S98,: ninth grade, E41;5. The total number of graduates from the 11 depaliana high schools was:317: frOm the general comic?, 310:. friim the commercial course, 37. The rni%ersity of Porto' Rico issued 71 secondary diplomas. < -Difficulty in secnrinir iexts and supplies becanse of delays in trans- -oportatibn. the shi ft ing ()1 teacberS becanse of vacancies brought about by war conditions, and the dcerease of enrollment due to economic, coi ditions. made theyear a trying one to teachers, -principals, and Notwithstanding these adverse conditNons,lhe quality of work done was generally satisfactory,- and no vatieS of 'infraction of discipline marred the yea's work. The Central High Saool at San 'Juan continued to occupy a building entirely unsuited for a school, Lack of teaching farce and shoolroom capacity made it necessary to refuse admission to"thimrr qfplicants, and as a ,consequence ninth grades were organized at other school 'centers in San Juan; .but even by. the organization of these extra ninth grades many ambitious younbteuple could not secite admission. WAR WORK OF THE SCHOOLS. 14, The all-prevailing activity of the schools during* the year was the work of teachers and pupils in connection with the World War. The complete' obilization of the vital forces and nthrterial resources of the Nation for the successful prosecution of the war which had been effected throughout the United States had likewise been put into Operation here. Porto Rico, which had but-recently been granted the privilege of American. citizenship, could not remain indifferent to the conflict in which the Nation had become involved. P.OUCITION. IN PORTO RICO. TH OD QUESTION. Although in its comme 1 relations with the mainland Porto during tlie fiscal year ending June 30. 1917: had a balance.44.4 favor of 27 million dollars, largely as a result of its constantly grow ing exports of sugar, tobacco, and fruit-the exports tualer these three heads alone totaling $70.408,907it nevertheless depended upon the United States.for a very large proportion of its food supply. The war brought into striking relief all the disadvantages and (ringers of Porto Rio's dependence upon.the distant markets of the United States for her daily food supply and the need of taking iiu- n measures to place herself on a relative basis of self-support. It owing to this that the appeal of the United States. Food Cam- niisioner, to save food and to add to the sources of its supply, car- / rieil special weight in the case of Porto Rico. The appeal tell on soil 1.already prepared. To the incentive of patriotism there was addird the all-compelling force of the instinct of self-preservation. . COOPERATION WITH THE PORTO- RICO FOOD COMMISSION. In the matter of promoting this agricultural interests, the-depart- meat worked in cooperation and harmony with the Jocal food coin- ., mission. 'A total oi super' isora of agriculture were employed during the year. Twenty:five if these. were special agents of the food commission and were: paid oitt of its special funds. The re- maining 10 were paid out of the funds of the department. All, however, were in equally dote relations with' the department, and all workeirthrOugh and with:the supervisors and teachers of the public schools for the improvement of tht food situation. Teachers pytirywhere; those in'thecountry districts, especially, sierved as dis- tribtiting agents for the'intiophlets and circulars issued by the food conimission. Rural teachers acted as. the local rePresentatives of the commission. collected the' neceasaty. information, and made. regular IrepOttslof the, fOod:sittiatiorif their respective'liaiTios. F D CONSERVATION WEEK. All the wheat floe r 'consumed in Porto "Rico, a total of 31.6,616 herrels for the fiscals.ye,r lg1017, was imported from the United States. Wheat being the cot-new:Wile of the natihal food conserva- tion campaign., it behooved Porto Rico to do its share. in the conser- vation of thislood product. As wheat does not gro* in the Tropics, Porto Rico could only help by limiting .its consumption of white bread. A further appeal wa#made by the food ommiwion for economy in the consumption of such "idler ianported foodstuffs as 12 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1916-18. Iere needed by the people of the allied tountries.To bring about this result an island-w,ide campaign of education-and propaganda kcame necessary. A direct appeal had to be made to the patriotism and good will of every inhabitant.. A large part of this work natu- rally devolved upon the rural schools. During " Food conservation week" kcampaign was conducted by public-school teachers in every town and bail% of the island. The number of public meetings held during that week exceeded 2,000.. Both urban and rural teachers made a house-to-house canvas to ex- plain the meaning of the pledge card and.to secure signatures. A grand total of 122,S 6 pledge cards were signed through the efforts of the schools. AGRICULTURAL AND PATRIOTIC PRO.P.A.GANDA. 1The following summary will -show the nat ore and extent of the campaign carried on by the schools: 1. Number of agricultural committees (Comitf(s de Foment° Eseolar y Agrieoht) organized 1,177 2: Number of public meetings held by these committees 2,380 8. Number of parents' associations -7 831 4. Number of public meetings held ty these associations 4207 5. Number of rtiral conferences i 2, 157 0. Number of rural.homes visited by teachers 00, 038 These thousands of home visits and public meetings have made a deep and lasting impression on the people. .The necessity of food economy, of increased food production, of improved methods of cul- tiation and of planting a greater variety of.products has been preach-8'41*th° remotest rural barrio of the island: PatriOtie propaganda has also been stressed:. A campaign of edu: cation to explain the causes and the aims of the war, its relation to the people of the United States and of Porto Rico, the duty of every citizen to contribute to the successful outcome of the conflict.the full- . est measure of his powers and resources, has been conducted froth one corner of the island to the other. WAR LITERATURE AND PATRIOTIC INSTRUCTION. Woo*, Teachers have found ample material, both for their daily classes and for their conferences with the people of their reipective coMmu- nities, in the literature that has been stipplied them. by the depart- ment and by the insular food commission. Antunber of pamphlets frofftvarious patriotic organizations in the United States were also . mailed to the teachers. In addition the department procured a' full .J:110 supply or tne mommy ututethis 1,ssitea oy tne ,,,,ommissioner Lau- cation of tile United States, entitled. " Lessens in Community and EDUCATION IN POETO 13 National Life," and ineorporated these in the regular course of study in English and civics for all the upper grades of the common schools and for the continuation and high schools. "Democracy To-day," a collection of President Wilson's principal war addresses, as well as speeches by other statesmen, properly edited for class work, was used as a text in high-school work. Spanish copies of "How the War Came to America," published by the Committee on Public Informa- tion, were distributed to all teachers and school board members in order to enable them to become thoroughly posted on the issues on liicktbe Nation entered the war. . The result has been that many of the teacerwnd not a few of the older pupils have becalne efficient propagandists, ready and able, to take part in the molding of public opinion along patriotic lines. AGRICULTURAL COMMITTEES. In order to poPularize the movement for food conservation and for increased food production, a local tommittee officially known as " Comae de Foniento Escolar y AgFiola" wa3 formed in every barrio. Each was composed of five influential citizens, prderably farmers of the more intelligent and progressive class. These com- mittees met periodically in the schoolhouse and planned their work in close cooperation with the'rural teacher and with the agricul- tnal agent of the district. Each committee held pnblic meetings for purposes of propaganda among the inhabitants of the. barrio. The local teachenand a number of prominent people from the near-by town took an active part in the meetings. The supervisor of schools and. the agricultural agent of the district also took part whenever their other duties peritteq. A total of 1,177 of thtrse committees were organized during the a.ear, and they held a total of.2,30publie meet i ngs.- iip PARENTS' ASSOCIATIONS. The organization of parents' associations dates back' tl\ree years: While a certain number of these associations sere V8 year meried into the agricultural committees and in a 'way absorbed by them," many tarried on theft. independent .activities. A total of 831 such associations held 1,297 public meetings. While the subjects. dis- cussed had a special relation to the life of the school in its more 'limited educaliOnal or professional aspect, questions of general in= terest and especially those related to the World, War did not fail to receive their due share of attention. -O RURAL CONFERENCES. In addition to the meetings held tender the auspices of agricul- ture committees and parents' associations, all more or less local in 14 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1916I8. character, conferences of a more general nature have been held un- d the immbdiate direction of the supervisors of schools in all the t ns and main barrios. Special speakers were secured, for these conferences, both the insular food commission and the department of education sending presentative& The local municipal authori-, ties, professional met , and many public-spirited citizens throughout the island gave their services as speakers. At the close of the year the commissioner of education sent a personal letter.of thanks and appreciation to each of these. A total of 2,157 of these general con- ferences were held during the year. Universal enthusiasm has been aroused by this island-wide propa- ganda. This is the first time in the history of Porto Rico that a undertaken campaign of education has been undertaken in behalf of the popula-: tion at large. These meetings have- served as popular forums in which questions of public interest have been brought to the atten- tion of a people the majority of whom are still illiterate and v, lie can not be reached by means of the daily press or any kher age guy except direct contact.: Porto Ricans have come to realize the mean- ing of the great war, their responsibilities and their opportunity of demonstrating their loyalty to the Natio'n and to the cause for which it fights.' , The success obtainedin increased food production is most gratify- ing. Above all, the home gtirden/movgaent holds sopcial promise for the futuro. During the past year there were established 1, 2 rural and 83 yrban-school gardens used for. instructional pur oses. Only 103 rural schools did not have school gardds, generally or lack of land. The schools fostered the cultivation of 5,548 urban home gardens and 21,115 in the country. at The large farm and plantlion owners. have come to realize 'the need for a greater variety of products. They now plant large acre- ages in corn, beans, potatoes, onions, and yautfas, whereas in the pa,t they limited their activities to a few standard products, to cane, _ :coffee, tobacco, tutd the like. Better methods of cultivation have been elvocated and their importance is better understood. Certain sec- tions of the island not only raiseenough vegetables for their own needs but now produce a relative surplus for 'other markets. Twenty-five agrictiltural exhibits held in various Owns toward the close,of the schoollear have attracted deserved attention, both for the quality and for the quantity 'of the products exhibited. Some of these exhibits eempare. very favorably with those held in the United Stdites. EDUCATION iF PORTO RICO. 15 WORK IN HOME ECONOMICS. The course of study in home economics, including both cooking and sewing, comprised four years of work, extending from the seventh.through the tenth. This work was conducted in -I3 munici- palities. . . A two weeks' summer school for teachers of home economics was held in August to study the um conditions and the new work for the ensuing school year. Owing to changed living conllitions, due to the war, the course of study in practical cooking wcas changed entirely. Since it was Garet' that communication with the mainland might be cut otf. special bulletins were prepared to instruct students and their families in a diet that would make use of local food products. An effort was also made in these bulletins to increase local production of the necessary carbohydrates, proteids, and fats. . Recipes for the preparation of pie and bread were entirely omitted, quick breads and local substitutes raking their ,places. In all other recipes calling for wheat flour, starch extracted from native vege- tables such as yautfa and batata was substituted. A sinip, .home-. process was explained whereby the large percentage Of sta -.con7 tained in these vegetables could easily be extracted. Children learned to mare use of this starch for thickening sauces. soups, and gravies, theotarch serving as an excellent substitute for flour and the corn starch' of tinarily used. Lard and butter were omitted from all recipes, and coconut fat, coconut milk, or coconut butter stibsti-- tuted. Coconut fat was extracted and bottled in the classroom. Frying- was eliminated and baking substituted. In place of bread there were substituted baked or boiled yantia. baked or boiled batata; baked phitauos..casabe, sorullos, aigpits, gam, hallacas, and corn bread. Slices of boiled yautfa and boiled batata displaced bread in making sandwiches, 'for which as a filling peanut Butter, shredded coconut, or a combination of these was used. . While the students of home economics were taught a Yoar ago the possible use of local foodimaluets-in the fwent of a food shortage., the sinking of the C1,olhm4, brought home to. tho. people. the ..abso- lute practicality .of sufh teacriing, and increased inferAst in bat ,students and outsiders developed with very gratifying success. As the result of a year's teaching along these lines, the number of home gardens increased materially. In nearly every town, every student of home economics had a garden. Gardens were planted and studied Ity .virls as a war measure so' that women might learn to produce as well 4I'lls to prepare .food. . ... An exhibit of the year's work was held in each town at the close Of school,. Collections of .starch, wheat, bread substitutes, industrial ., . .. al 16 BIENNIAL SURVEY Of EDUCATION,- 1918-18. cards, and sewing work were shown. Laundering utensils, the proper setting of a table, and invalid trays were often included. -The care and feeding bf infants was demonstrated by means' of a doll dressed as a baby, showing clothing, -feeding bottle, and bed. EXTENSION WORK IN HOME ECONOMICS. Mothers' classes taught in Spanish were given by. Porto Rican teachers -of home economics once a week. -These classes covered a period of two hours.. The use of wheat substitutes and war-time menus was studied. These classes varied io s size froni.10 to SO per- sons. In mail-asses actual cooking was .done.; in larger ones, demonstration lectures were given. Neighborhood evenings were held once a month in the home eco- nomics room, at which meetings subjects relating to home and com- munity life as affected by the war were discussed. Men, women, and older students attended these meetings, which usually were crowded. Extension work by .the (caviers of home economics was carried on in sonic of the rural districts by means of lectures and demonstrations. Bread substitute were taught and gardening was encouraged at these meetings. SEWING. Sewing classes studied the change produced in the clothing prob- lem by war. Clothing conservation was taught, as well as the pur- chase of durable clothing an the elimination of unessentials, such as laces, ribbons, dress trimmings*sand jewelry. All fourth-year classes made pajamas for the Cress. The change made in- the 'course of study in the past year has facilitated still greater adaptation to war conditions. The practice Secured. will make it.possible to do much work in refugee garments, while the hospital garments will continue to be made as long as money and materials are available. MANUAL ARTS. The work in nianual nets for the past year has been badly handi- capped because of the entrance of more than one-half of the teach- ing force into the militaryservice of. the ;United States. The other half was left in a restless condition, but, in spite of this fact, the year's work as outlined Was completed and ninny problems bearing '..tipotrtha construction of articles' suitable for use by the Red Cross and the Young Men's ChriStian Association were worked out.. These 1111.11.1Ued muttaug needles, food driers, opus, tables, surd supports, :Checker boards, and folding chairs. The, manual. arts classes in EDUCATION IN PORTO RICO. 17 every town where this subject was taught made bulletin boards for the posters of the United States Food Commission. All, this work was done in addition to the regular repair work, class work, and community work done by the pupils. In order to fill many vacancies ilia the manual arts teaching force, caused by war conditions, a summer session was held at the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts for high-school graduates who had done exceptional work in this subject and who were especially recommended by the respective supervisors of schools. The results of this milliner school were gratifying, though most of the candidates were necessfirioung, the average age being 21 years. Enough candidates were obtained to fill all vacancies. JUNIOR RED CROSS:DRIVE. The commissioner of education. the president 'of the school board of San Juan, and-the supervisor of home economics were designated as the. chapter school committee of the-Porto Rico chapter of the American National Red Cross for the purpose of organizing and carrying out the Junior Red Crass drive. In every municipality there was appointed a local committee of three members, consisting, as a rule, of the supervisor of schools or the acting principal, the president of the school board, and a teacher, usually the teacher of home economics. Owing to the fact that the public.. schools were engaged in one kind of war work or another since the outbreak of the war, the com mittee delayed organizing the Junior Red Cross membership, and financial-campaign until the early part of the month of May. Teachers and children, olden by a generous public, 'responded loyally and patriotically to the efforts of the chapter school com-. mittee and local committees. The results are considered exceptionally good when one bears in mind the poverty prevailing in many parts of Porto Rico, and also the fact that naspecial effort was made to carry the campaign to rural schools. . . In 52 municipalities all .the urban school mills were enrolled as members of the Junior Red Crass, and in 11 municipalities, namely, San Juan, Ponce, Arecibo, Fajardo, Guayama, Guabo, Main°, Joncos, Patinas, 'Barceloneta, and Camay, all pupils, both urban and rural, were so enrolled. The total' membership' at the close 'of. 1, the year was 68,013, and the total *mint contributed $21,501 ?2. AMERICAN RED CROSS. in audition io cue 11C1.1A 11.1CS 1B uenaur OI time .11111101' Red uross many teachers have aided in the work of the Porto Rico chapter.of . the American ROd Cross wherever it had local organizations: 106356.7-19-3 18 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1918.-18. During the second war-fund drive an effort was made to have all employees of the insular government give one day's pay as a special contribution to this fund. An appeal was sent to supervisors and teachers by the commissioner, urging them to make one more sacri- fice in addition to those already made. Of 2,649 teachers in the service at the close of the year, 2,537 made this special contribution. LIBERTY LOAN CAMPAIGNS.. The schools have taken an active part in the Liberty Loan cam- paigns for promoting the sale of liberty bonds. They have partici- pated in all the 'civic. parades organized for this purpose, and in a few towns the propaganda Ar the sale of bonds was directly in the hands of teachers and school boards, who conducted public meetings in which the schools participated. A total of 705 liberty bonds were bought: By the office and, supervisory force, 104; by teachers, 522 ; by schools, 74t Good records for the purchase of liberty bonds were made by the supervisors and teachers of the Fajardo, Ponce, find Yauco Districts. SCHOOL MEN IN MILITARY SERVICE. Since the United States entered the World War the department of education and the University of Porto Rico have lost 233 of their best men by their entering the military service. ''Of these, 10 were su- pervisors of schools, 12 instructors in the university; 4 high-school -principals, 10 high-school teachers, 5 school board members, 18 mantra-training teachers, 13 teaclwrs of English, 2 special -teachers of agriciiit,R.e 49 graded teachers, and 110 rural teachers. DATIVE INDUSTRIES. In addition to the courses in home economics and manual training, whir have become a regultir part of the Urban course of study, plain sewing for girl pupils was taught in the urban schtalsof 27 munici- palities and in certain rural schools of 60 other municipalities. While in the greater number of rural schools both boys and girls were required to do garden work, in many there were not*enough implements nor sufficient ffind.available to employ both sexes, and in all such cases the girls spent one 011 period each day in sewing, while the boys were at work in the garden. In very many instances women teachers devoted an hour after the close of the regular daily session to, the teaching of sewing, embroidety, and lace work. No additional pay was received for this work. The teachinff of native industries in the..selsools is a' question of momentous importance in connection with the tune welfare of the, people.. This -onn not however, be undertaken a general and sp. EDUCATION IN POBTO BICO. 19 tematic way until such time as the legislature finds it possible to pro- vide special funds for the work. The need of expert supervisors and teachers is especially 'urgent. This need has been recognized by a number of school boards. Special instructors in hat making, sew- ing, and embroidery have been employed by some of the boards with good resttlts. But very few of them have funds available for this .purpose. An additional preliminary step that must be taken is .to increase the available supply of raw materials. In .certain sections the hat palm and Lextile plants are plentiful. In other sections, how- ever. they are not to be had. In a number of towns where plans were made during the year for instruction in list making, they had to be abandoned' owing to the difficulty in securing raw materials. It will therefore tie necessary to carry out a systeMatic campaign for the cultivation of palm and textile plants on a wider scale before a number of native industries can become generalized. School boards, supervisors, and teachers- have been urged to go ahead in this matter independently. The importance of the step is not, however, as yet generally recognized. In but 37 of the mu- nicipalities have any efforts been made in this direction. In 38 municipalities absolutely nothing has been done. It is gratifying none the less to report on the resnits already accomplished in approxi mutely one-half of the districts. Many of the products of the pupils' industry have found a ready market in the island. order to command a market in the United States, however, these products will have to be standardized. This department realizes that this is a field for increased attention as soon as the legislature makes the necessary funds available. SCHOOL LIBRARIES. Urban school libraries are maintained in 62 municipalities. They report a' total of 32,950 volumes, an average of 530 per library. Unfortunately. many of the books which were acquired or donated in years past are not in the least adapted to the needs and interests of school childten. Since the department i.s.stied an official library guide, however, with the added regulation that Or books purchased from school-board funds should be selected from the guide,. these libraries are gradually assuming a chttractere.pd an appearance there in harmony with their purpose. A total. of 2.35 new books have been bought for the town libraries during the year at a total cost of 81.218.55. A considerable number of books have also been donated. . . Thirty -four municipelitle.s report the maintenance of rural-school hbji The totul-nuinber of books is 5,097, an average. of iso. *mks. per municipality..- Of these, 1,187: have been bought during the year are.of.e nature thaVvill meet thnneediof rural . ., 20 BIENNIAL, SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 191648: SCHOOL LUNCHES. The movement to provide poor school children' .withnoonday. lunches was initiated some years ago by individual teachers with; the cooperation of public-spirited men and women. . The. movement has grgwri to encouraging proportions, although. it is still wholly . supported by private funds. While,it has not been possible tb .devote any public money to tfiis work, the departine*.ia entire sympathy with it, and it has done what it could to encourage, and extend it. A law- was enacted by the legislattire at its List session. to appropriate public funds for it. 'Unfortunately, the scarcity of funds available for school 'purposes will nullify the favorable action of the legislature for the present, as other needs of the schools of an even more imperative nature will have to-be given preference: Wherever it has thus far been possible to provide noonday lunches the results have been most satisfactory. Supervisors: and teacher3 report a .better attendance and a higher grade of individual work. . The "comedor escolar" insures' the undernourished Child at least one fairly well-balanced meal every school day. Iu many instances teachers: ba ve through various activities been able to paw u_l proportiOn of the cost theniselves.- In the town of Lacs, -f-Jir nstance, the principal of the schools leased the town fheater and gave a 'roving-picture show throughout the year for the exclusive purpose of providing funds for lunches. This accounts for the fact that the Laves teachers were able to feed, on the average, 50 . pupils each day at a cost to the. community of less than 1 cent per DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS. F, ' During the biennium the department issued 214 circ4ar letters dealing with administrative matters, and 11 bupetins for 'the guid- . mince of teachers bearing directly upon the work of the schools. The Pbrto Rico School Review; published under the auspices of the dertertment of education and the Porto Rico teachers': association, was issued monthly during the school year and replaces to a large extent the_bulletin heretofore issued in pamphlet form.. The Review . has developed into a standard professional magazine and serves as is forum for discussion and as it medium for informing the.teaching.. force of ratters of eduentional iniportance. TEACHERS' MEETISIGS AND:INSTITUTES. In view of the relatively large proportion of new teachers who thave come into the-service during the pasefew years, due to.the in- crease in the number of schools and also to the fact that many of the more experienced teachers left school work as a result of. war condi- tions, supervisors have everywhere been called upon to take special EDUCATION IN PORTO RICO. 21 measures to meet this situation. This has called for longer and more frequent visits'on the part of the supervisors, and everywhere added importance has been given to such factors as teachers' meetings and demonstration classes. Of teachers' meetings a total of 3'27 titre reported during the year. This does not include the very many grade or group meetings which, lore been held at stated intervals in practically all districts. Of the 3:17 meetings, an ,average of 7 per district, 16G were graded teachers' meetings,- 87 were for the special benefitof Aral teachers, and Tt were general district meetings. The following subjects are illustrative of the practical nature of the themes diseus4ed : Purpose and voue of seat xvork. Types of seat work. Teaching of English and Spani,h in the itrinlary grades. English pronunciat ion. Moral and civic training. Securing the cooperation of parents. The hour- plan. Teaching children how to study. Socializing the recitation. t Motivation of school work. hcfitities connected with the wa received their full shire of at tent ion. Food conservation :Ind extension of the food supply, school gardens, the American Red Cross, the Junior Red Cross, Liberty. Bond campaigns. and War Savings Stamps were common topics of discussion, and in all the districts special meetings were devoted to these subjects. Series of practice or demonstration classes have been held in many the districts for the special ..bkefit of weak or inexperienced teach- ers. Another practice which" has been followed to.a much greater. extent titan in the past has been that .of allowing weak teachers a ,visiting day: , In many instances teachers have shown a readkess to undergo the expense and trouble of 1:isiting, some of the lager educational critters, hway from their respective towns, to observe , the work of the more .successful teachers and to familiarize them- kelves with certain experiments'that were being conducted in educa- tional lines - : : - General teachers' institutes were held at Aibonito, Gilayania, Baya- mon, Ifilmacao, Quebradilla§. San German, and Caguas. Other institutes, gotneWliat more local in character, were held at Fajardo, Manati, and Maricao. 'At all these meeting; re.present ives from the depaytment. assisted the local supervisors. Thenature of the meet- ings was constructive rather than corrective, as has been the practice in the past. Demonstration classes were given, and certain subjects 'of the course of study received definite attention. 22 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF IDUCATION, 1916-18. ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS OF THE TEACHING FORCE. As an index to the amount and -kind of academic and professional. qualifications of the teaching force of Porto Rico, the following table is presented, showing-the bases of the licenses held by the teachers: Tr Affirms itor.ntrto THE PREICIPAI.'S 1.10EN. sE. Degree from a college ortnive.rgity Four years' normal training By examination HUM-SCHOOL V.:Art! Pils. _I1 3(1 Degree from a college or university .-.+3 Four years' normal training 13 Two years' normal training i Upon basis of experience or special training. 13 APECTAI, Degree from a college or university 21 Four years' normal training Two years' normal training -t 1 Upon basis of experience or HpecInI tralang 37 TE WHF.Its OF ENCI 1411. Degree from a college or n university 44 Four- years' normal ;raining ;6 45 High-school or academy diploma or previous licenge. Is By examination :t -- GRADED TEACH MIS. . Degree from a college or a unlyngtry n Four yearenormal training 3 ' Two years' normal training Sl'it By examination -------- I. 7s3 TE CHEIN. years'.normal training_ aa 9 1. 133 Total 3, 3172 By exanitqation_ MINI WART. en Teachers holding a degree from a college or a tiolverMY ?Wit four years' normal training, , EDUCATION IN PORTO ItICO. With two years' normalltraining Upon basis of experlence or training '50 With high- school -or academy diploma or previous license 18 Entering by examination 1,96W 3,362 890 Total r PROFESSIONAL READING COURSES. An organized effort has been made during the past three years to' raise the professional standard of the teachers by providing them. with a number of the best and latesebooks on educational questions. As it result, reports received front supervisors all point to the un- questioriable improvement. which has been brought 'about in the . 'general attitude and in the efficiency of the teachers. During the . year just clos0 no insular funds have been available for the purchase of professional books An appeal was, therefore, made to teachers to purchase the books,Indicated.for the year's reading course, out of Their own fends. They responded readily.. The books thug pur- chased will be available for reference 'during succeeding years, and '$very teacher will thus have the nucleus of an individual professional library to which, it is hoped, each will add as his means will permit. The: books rts'onnicentled for Abe yetir's. reading course were as fol lows 1. For hiral tefichers: Social problems in Porto Rico Flenpfe.: Jean Mitchell's Schad. 2. For urban leathers from the first to the fourth grads: Motivation of School 'Work Wilson and Wilms: A' Schoolmaster of a (bent City Petri. S. For urban teachers froM the fifth to the eighth groc: Motivritioo of School WorkWI/son and Wihon,,, Education ?or CharacterSharp. 4. For hfgh and conthdation schooLtearbers: Supervised 'StudyIlall-Quest. Education for CharacterSharp. For school superviisors: Teaching .Elementary Fano! SubjectsRapecr. Daring the. year 191647 the following books were Prescribed E3rhit's Types of Teaching:. .Bagley'S Classroom Menagement; Titormlike's Principles of TeaChing: and Strayer's 'a Brief Course in the Teaching Process: A small but:constantly growing collection of professional books is qow found in the office of every. district supervisor. 'Standard professional magazines, such as Normal Instructor and Primary Plans.-the Patio Rico School RevieW, Primary Education, and the Elementary SChool Journal have large numbers of subscribqiii anion . . the teachers.-. 24 13tENNIAL SURVEY OE EDUCATION, 1016-18: The readiness of teachers to make pecuniary sacr'fices and their willingness to adopt any suggestions tending to th r professional improvententis a "decidedly encouraging feature. ell . , 4( RATING OF TEACHERS. L. At the close of the school year all the teachers in the. active service in the schools of the bland were classified according to efficiency of service, a thodified form of the Boyce score card being used. Clas- . sifications range from. E. the higine to P. the lowest. The latter classificationresulA in the cancellation of the teacher's license and his -reiniNti front sertIce. .turlrinuyl tfil lhr 1,htssi.liolimi ol 'whir v.v.. 410 It*S. classilicutira 1 'than :Unto) 'I 91 al, te2tImrs. 215 835 31 1,07.7 r. 245 1,912 07 414 481 P. .2 10 Tidal r 1,119 1,530 2;649 SCHOOL CELEBRATIONS. The celebration of sclail hOlidays in Portoitico has .been found an excellent Means of estabNiing ch1ser relations .bet ween parents and .se,11011 -authoritieg. 01i these occasions exhibits of work done in the classroom are usually.displayed in ()niser to give the parentsan idea of what is being accomplished. :.4onto of the holidays were ohserved by appropriate exercises held , in the afternoon of the previous day. Of the legal liolidays,'Wasli- ington's, Birthday, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving Day,'AbolitiOn Day, and .111entorial Day were duly celebrated. .Arbitr Day, Lincoln's Birthday, and Mothers' 'Day, though not legal holidays, were also , generally observed. The passing of the Jones law, the new organic, act under which l'in.to Rico. is governed, was celebratedinseyentl.distrids by appro.. priate' patriotic exercises. The' total .number of celebrations held in. the.41 school districts was 170'. to 'EDUCAT1OMAL TESTS AND MEASUREMENTS. Dt ing the year 1915-16 the:gene+al educational tests given by die AWFUL Ill Opium'', Ala ig 11811, ;1 IL lll l reasuoing-proutiseu wide interest and resulted in their extensifilli ill many districts. Tests were conducted in 50 of the 7i inuniciPalit ics.% Of the 4r supervisOrst 0' EDUCATION IN PORTO RICO. 25 . all but 9 gave,tests in several grades, while a few supervisors ieneral tests not only to measure progress wit It like grades in the same municipality but to compare results with standard' nieasurt ments. In but few districts! however, was attention given to tests . in rural schools. Two supervisori made use of the Studebaker economy lir:take exercises as the basis for periodic tests in arithmetic, and one super- ` visor used the Courtis tests for thesame purpose. The Ayres r0eas- .1:ring scale for ability in spelling waftsed in many districts, while three supervisors made similar scales for testing the ability of chil- dren to spell in Spanish. Although the spelling of English wordi will necessarily be effiphasized throughout the 'school,course, it is believed by several supervisors that, by proper attention to the mat- . ter, the spelling of .Spanish words can be fixed by the end of the fourth, grade. In measuring the ability to Write, both the Highland and the Zaner handwriting scales were used. Tests were held in Spanish, English, writing, physiology, civics, history,-arithmetic, memory, and reasoning, but the greatest number was given in arithmetic. Some supervisors emphasized accuracy and others reasoning; all agree that the tests stimulated both teacher and pupils. Most supervisors report that results secured from rural dis-, trios were, very discouraging One supervisor who has carefully prepared and preserved standard work for every subject in every 'grade report-s thit "withdrawals _are the chief factor in producing retardation." Another super- . visor Maintains that the entire course of study .is too difficult, and that . " scarcely any children in any grade are abreast with the work as outlined fw. the grade . THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTO RICO.; . The University of PortPRico comprises time Normal 'Department, the..C011eges of Liberal. Arts, Law, and Phattifitcy, the University high School, and the Practice School, which is attended 1.-,Y elemen- tary school. pupils, all located at Rio Piedras.; -and the Colhte of Agrieultime and Meelanic Arts situated at Mayaguez, RIO PIEDRA DEPARTMENTS. Marked improvements have been, made during the past year in buildings, grounds, and material equipment. The pharmacy depart- ment has been moved, into large, and well-lighted Atoms of the 11fe morial Building, where it is in close proximity .tzthe physics and chemistry laboratories and-fully equipped with the proper laboratory . conveniences and necessities. The usefultnws of the bio.logy laborat- tory has been greatly increased. 3 0035(r -719-4 i 26 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 916-18. The library accommodations have been improved, and the library is now under reorganization to conform to the Dewey system. in spite of changes, the university is still badly in need of more and better.- buildings. . Many students of the university' have entered the teaching pro- fession this year by taking special examinations or by securing temr liora ry licenses. . . The firstsCeps in a self survey of the university were taken at the end of the year by securing from each member of the faculty a synopsis of each course offered by him during the current year, and detailed comments and suggestions concerning the local administra- tion of the university. The most immediate problems connected with the development of the university are financial. ment of the college ,of liberal arts. the organization of a Not Not of the plans for improvement and extension, including the devel school of education, a school of medicine, and a school of commerce, and the effecting of a scheme of .cooperation with universities and colleges of the United States for the preparation of teachers of Spanish and of .commercial students entering the field of Lat in- American commerce, can be put into effect until the university has .ivore and better buildings and material equipment, and sufficient funds for increasing the faculty. There is great need of legislation to place the university on a stable financial basis by designating permanent and fixed source of revenue for the university and free- irkg the institution from thb uncertainty of relying upon special ap- propriations voted at each session of the legislature. __COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS.. The College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts haaphad a year of steady progress, in spite pf the same interruptkink that have Iven experienced by all educational institutions since the entrance of our country in the war. The reqUirement for-admission has been raised one year, giving a distinctly older andjaiore terioas tone to the whole student body; but.resulting in a low total enrollment. 204 in .place of 210 last year.. The college was main called upon to supply man- nal training teachers to fill the gips in the teaching force of ti, public schdol system. gave up'stadents who went into the extension work of the United Spites Experithent Station as agricultural agents, fernislittd a full quota of candidates for three training ramps for officers, and suffered the most serious loss when eight of the faculty resigned in one week: six to go inteiethb training camp, one. into the Young Men's Christian ttEiAwiStion mork,- and: one to be director of, the Insider- Experiment Station. All memb4rs of the senior inct junior elairseX of -sugar themlgts were sent out to help in theiabo EDUCATION IN pORTO RICO. . tories of the sugar companies, and without exception have done well. In short, therej has never been a time when the training given at the college receiveR such recognition, and when. the demands.for its men were so far beyond its power to fill: Naturally, this demand has reacted favorably on thestudent body, as a very Practical demonstra- tion of the monetary value of thorough work. Of the three formsof activity in which colleges of this characte are engagedinstruction, research, and extensiononly the first is properly the function of the college as at present organized. The Federal and Instilar Experiment Stations in Porto Rico are each distinct organizations tp which the functions of research and exten-, sion naturally belyng. The importance of instruction in agriculture, partieultirly in d country where hick of other resources makes the, land the?sole basis of wealth, is so great, while the fund's available are so limited,-that attention has been directed to this end: Experimental work has been carried on in testing vegetableeonder tropical conditions, in raising Belgian hares as a possible cheap meat supply for the tropics, in 'poultry, which plays such an iin-. portant part in the food supply of all warm countries, and in forage and cover crops. In March a very successful three days' agricultural congress was held in connection with the United States Experiment ApLion, the Insular Experiment Station and the Food Commission. ''M arouse the interest in a greater food supply grown in the island. CERTIFICATES. DIPLOMAS, AND DPIOREES,GRANTED. Rfo Piedras department : College of Liberal Arts: B. S. In chemistry 1 College of Law: Bachelor of law. I .----:...- 18 Normal Derailment: - .! . Tour-year coulee diplomas_ , 42 Rural teachers' certifielit es _ 80 High-school diplomas 51 Tptal ....----., ..... 13i 0 College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts: B. S. in agriculture_ . ..... -- B. S. In civil engipeering .....11 % B. S. in mechanicil engineering AL B. S. in sugar engineering IL.1../. Stihe011eglat? diploma, in agricultural selenee - Sitheolleglate diploma in polytechnic science t. Total 1 8 8 12 . 29 . . :Grand tots 28 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1916-18. EDUCATION IN THE CANAL ZONE. [Summarized from the report of A. R. Lang, fuperluteudenti New''concrete school buildings at Ancon, Balboa, Pedro Miguel, Gatun, and Cris al werecompleted October 1, 1917, but late arrival of school furn ure and quarantine at. various parts because of preva- lence of whoopm cough and measles delayed then ening.. The enrollment for both white and colored schools, as a so the total num- ber of teachers employed, showed a steady increase over those of the two preceding years.. The growth of the system is shown by the fol- lowing-'named new positions, authorized for the school year 1917-18: Supervisor of upper grades, $2,400 per year (recreated). Instructor of apprentices, $2,100 per year. Teachers (two) of science and mathematics, high school. at $159.50 per mouth, each. Teacher of Spanish and French, $104.50 per month. Director of music, $175 per month. Manual-training teacher, $159.50 per month. !. Teacher, high school, $132 per month, effective October 22, 1917. Teacher, grade, $104.50 per month. (Seven; one abolished and one high-school position at $132 created October 22, 1917.) Other igns of progress arc: (1) The entrance salary for grade teachers was increased from $95 to $104.50 per month, effective at the opening pf the school year; high-school teachers from $120 to $132; and science and mathematics teachers from $145 to $159.50. (2) The eleventh and twelfth grades were added to the Cristobal. high School, and the eighth grade was added to. the Pedro Miguel white school. -The usual physical.examinations of pupils in the white schools were made during the week beginning October 27, apd showed the follow- ing results:' Total number of pupils exatnined_ 1, 303 Number fouiid needing treatment 679 .Percentage of those examined needing treatment 52 .Number with teeth as only defect_ 341 Number with defects other than those of teeth only :338 Defects found 4 790 Defects of vision 77 Defects of bearing SiSsai breathing Hypertrophied tonsils 167 Pulmonary disease 5 Bronchitis 3 C.horca or other nervous disorders 4 Orthopedic defects A NlaInutrition_ 2 Defective teeth ?.... 441 IM EDUCATION IN THE CANAL ZONE. If-- Defects found Continued: Contagious diseases Enlarged cervical glands ('ardiac disease Total number of cases treated Number of pupils vaccinated_ Work wasCarried on during the year-in the revision of the. C011pettS of study in. both white and colored schools, which will be put ilto (rea for the year 1918-19. Night schools at the Balboa high School were started on Feb- mu,. 19, 1918, the following' subjects being taught: Shorthand, typewriting, bookkeeping, algebra, geometry, English, and Spanish. Tuition was $4 per month, and salaries of teachers $4 per night. Junior Red Cross work was carried on extensively in the white schools, and a Junior Red Cross Auxiliary was organized in each Avhite school and did good work, raising $640 ty be used for ma- terials. School entertainments and dances were held for the benefit of the Red Cross; the Industrial- Arts Schools cooperated with the Red Cross _work and food conservation; and the manual training classes made boxes for packing local Red Crossmaterial to be sent abroad. According to the report of the secretary of the Junior Red Cross, $27,167.56 was invested in Liberty Bonds, War Savings . Stamps, and Thrift Stamps. The Junior Four Minute Men speaking contests were carried on successfully in connection with the work in English. The pupil who made the best speech became a Junior-Four Minute Man and was awarded an appropriate certificate. The flag salute, patriotic songs,. etc., were used daily. Flags were displayed at each school and in. each classrbom.... Patriotic posters were displayed in every school. "Lessons in Community and National Life" (prepared by the United Slates BUreau of Education and used in all grades above the third, including the high school) and thrift and war savings prob.- lents were incorporated into the work of the sehools in such subjects as arithmetic, reading, his!ory, English, geography, and current events. Examinations in the subject matter .covered by Lessons in Community and National Life were _given at the .midyear and also at the end of the school year. It was.the aim to correlate these prob- lems with the different subjects in the schools thelmttire of which has inspired'the pupils to better resoits.. Circulars have been issued to parents and grardians requesting tfiatt they Cooperate with the schools in inspiringthrift and patriot- hAn. and to teachers urging the importance of this kind of 'work.. _ _ _ P. 1 'Time High School Balboa continueu.us successful career, op pn.. pils, including the class of 1917, having. been graduated from The apntuti, igh-school play ivas,given at the-different:Yong:Mee ChriatiaitAsSociatioi clubhoiiies 7 29 5 27 13 164 80 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1918IB. Manual training and household arts classes were carried on at Cristobal for the Cristobal and Gatun pupils. SEWING WORE. The business of prOviditcg suitable industrial training in the .one is difficult because of the scattered condition of its population. In order that results on a par with those of the modern industrial"schools of the States may obtain,- plans are under way for erecting and equip- ping buildingS and providing instructors for each of the two termi- nal towns. When these are available, every child from the sixth grade on will share in the advantage that will come of havirig an institution of the most approved type. As the study of the condi- tions under which the courses of instruction must be developed con- tinues, obstacles must be overcome; and new problems, unusual to -- teachers who are likely to be drawn to this locality, must be solved. No better results could be achieved, and to no better use could the cooking department be put, than solving the new native produce question. This would be an ideal locality in which to conduct an agricultural center. with the boys in the fields producing the crops the year claind and the girls cooking and studying food preparation from a scit7litific viewpoint. Contrary what. might be has been created ftir the pieces of furniture that add to the comfort and ap- pearance of the homes. and altogether there seems ,to be no.end to the possibilities of the industrial department. During the year much attention has been given to the organization of the manual training course in a. way that would acquaint the 'students with the working methods of the shops. Satisfactory results also come of requiring them to give some time to the making of articles of equip- , meat for the schools, the salient features being the promotion of responsibility for the welfare Mkthe department, appreciation of ex- penditnres for its upkeep, and the discouraging of selfishness. In this way emj)loyment is afforded those students who can not pay for, or whil can not decide to make, furniture for themselves. ,As'a result considerable school equipment of superior grade was turned out. Drawings, tracings, and blue prints for the proposed industrial school buildings at Balboa and Cristobal were made. There are other lines of industrial work rich in cultural and practical value to students and the community which should be'given consideration. The steady growth of the apprentice department has beea note- worthy, as shown in tie following table:' THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. Enrollment according to trades and school grades. 31 Trades. 4th. Sth. 0th. 7th. 8t b. 9th. 10th. 11th. 12th. TO/Sd. Boilermakers 2 1 1 2 1 7 Blacksmiths 1 1 2 Cabinetmakers 1 t Coppersmiths 1 1 1 >re f tsmen 1 1 Electricians 1 Slachinists , . S 3 3 2 2 17 Molders 1 1 '2 Pipelitters 1 1 4 Physical trailing and athletics were continued in all the white schools. in almost all the white schools monthly fire drills, under the supervision of the Panama Canal Fire Department, were held. The following table summarizes the comparative educational sta- tistics for the years ending June 30, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918: Comparative statistics. Moms. 1915 1918 1917 1911 Number of school bufkilligs 15 10 19 17 Buildings erected and converted 4 3 Additional rooms constructed. I additions to eeisting 2 4 1 Number of employees In divIsion 60 70 Rl Number of SIIPOrViS(Ir lure.' 1 ..1 2 3 Total expenditures tappros I mated 6100, 000 470,188. 06 $87. 1100" 1140,000 ynli le of school propel ty $129,129) 110.000.03 $100, 000 550, 000 Net enrollment: White se I tools 1.146 1,300 1,1.118 1,7114 Colored schools 1,430 78S 855 1.010 ' White and colored 2,076 2,149 2,373 2,774 Per capita expense of maintenance approxlm !Wed on net enrollment 542.31 $32, 66 936.66 9;,0. 87 Total dayt of attendance 249,9125 2.5.244.0 290,007. 0 /S0,619.4 While schwds 127,337.0 183,21skil 209,782. 0 239,527. I. Colored.schno Is 126,431.1 3,0540 85,915. 0 111,091. 3 Ayer so, dal le ut t 'dance 1,702. 2 1.301. 4 1,709. 2 1, MI 2 White sChools 1.115.3 yin-, I 1,212.11 1,322.9 Colored selnads 03.11 430.3 4:16.6 010.:1 Absence of toabers on'actount of sickness, day S 217 lot 234.5 312,3 Average monthly wages of teachers: 800. 7, 919. 94 1100. 52 9121. 6;1 Colored 950. 70 VIO. 56 165. 00 $67.67 Tuition collected 31,184.00 S2,462. 32 33,310. 12 64,851.61 THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. [FROM THE REPORT OF THE SCHOOL DIRECTOR FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE SO, 1918.1 . There arc only two classes of schools in the Virgin Islands---the public and those still maintained by the Roman Catholic Church. The public schools comprise those situated in the towns lof Charlotte, Frederikated, and Christiansted, as well as the country schools formerly conducted by the MOVIVRai Church, which for a short period were subsidized . by the United States Governmentt, but have now been formally transferred and become t of 82 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1916-18. public school system. The former Danish school director continued under our Government until July 1, 1917, when the present director . assumed charge. There are, now 19 public schools organized in the Virgin Islands, with 80 teachers and about 2,500 children. There are 18 private schools maintained by -the Roman Catholic Church, with 44 teachers and 1,364 children. The average saint"?' receited the public school teachers is $17.03 per month, having recently been increased from $13.15. All teachers are natives. The director of schools for the islands states that his work has been greatly handicapped by reason of laCk of books and equipment, practically none of which are available. An examination of the outline of the course of study shows the work-planned almost entirely from the academic standpeint, industrial and vocational work receiving comparatively little attention. The survey of the actual school system has also shown clearly that to inaugurate a proper system of public education in the conditions Of extreme poverty and ignorance generally prevailing, to purchase land, erect necessary buildings, provide furniture and other equip -ment, and engago..teachers of satisfactory capacities, will require not less than $300,000. Such a system, to be adequate and to effect the sorely needed improvements in the life of .the people, must carry education beyond the elementary stages, so that what native. talent there is in the people may have an opportunity to develop along agricultural; industrial, and business lines. It is also plainly essential that a normal school be established as early as possible, in order that native teachers may be developed under American. instructors. HAWAII, fly HENRY W. KINNEY, Superintendent. During the. past two years the school population of Hawaii has inctettsed with considerably rapidity, the increase during the school year ending in June, 1917, being 6.9 per cent, while that for the school year ending June, 1918, was A.4 per cent. During the same, two years the pupils attending the .public schools of the Territory, have increased in.number from 30,205 to 34,343. To meet the needs occasioned by this increase a number of addi- tional teachers have been employed. The total number of traders in June, 1916, was 804, and in June, 1918, it was 967. While the number of the teachers obtained from the Territorial Normal School has approximated 50 annually, it ha's been necessary secure a greater number of additional teachers from the United States. The department has been fortunate, in establishing close relations with the prominent universities and normal schools on the -" r!' HA \VAII. 88 Pacific coast, and, as a 'result, nearly all e teachers who have come to Hawaii from the United State's dun g the past two years have been graduates of these institutions. It has been found advan- tageous to employ this method of securing teachers, as a better class is secured through the conscientious and responsible heads .of instis tutions than could possibly be obtained through other means. Some teachers. are obtained from 'those who attend the summer school held annually in Honolulu, a four-week course open tb those who pass the eighth-grade examination. From those who pass the summer-school examinations are drawn the teachers placed in the small schools of the remote regions, to which better-trained teachers refuse to go, owing to isolation and similar conditions. The departs. meat does not feel that this method of certification is satisfactory, owing to the manifest lack of both academic and prOfeSsional prepa- ration, but, until the normal school furnishes trgreater number of graduate's, it will hardly be possible to avoid 'employing this means. It is also hoped that the time is coining when the normal-school . course may be made more exacting, but it seems as if the conditions resulting from the war. particularly the scarcity of qualified teach- ers, may postpone this step. . The department has, nevertheless, for the past two years been able to reduce greatly the percentage of teachers- without adequate cer- tilintion. This is due largely to the fact that the legislature of 1917 so increased the school appropriation as to raise teachers' salaries from 5 to 15 per cent. The high schools in the Territory have increased quite rapidly, the number of such pupils in June, 1916, being 444 and in June, 1918, 525. The number of high-school teachers during the same Toned. has increased from 32 'to 42. The department is working to- ward establishing absolutenniformity in the high schools -under its,. control, and, with this end .in vie*, uniform textbooks were adopted. in June, 1918. During the school year beginning September, 1918, 57 high-schooLteachers will be employed. The normal school.in Honolulu will be enlarged by the addition Of.. a 12 -room training school unit, and the number of teachers employed in the normal school will be 8, nE against 32 employed in June, 1918 and 25 in June, 1916. The most conspicuous featuile of the Hawaiian school system is-the divin4;ity of nationalitieS found in the public schools. The :summary showing the total IS given below: Enrollment in the Hawaiian schoOTs, by nationalities. 3,218 PartHawaiian 3,803 1083308-10--3 34 BIENNIAL SURVEY, OF EDUCATION, 1016-18.d` Enrollment in Hawaiian schools, by nationalities. American 849 British 106 German 126 PortII gl I ese 5, 001 Japa nese 15,101 Chinese S. 305 Porto Mom 1, 032 Korea n -409 Spa iisish 489 Russia n 125 Filipino 020 Other foreigners 151 Total 34, 313 In the schools no cognizance is taken of race, and it. is surprising, especially to strangers, to norC how very little influence the race problem has 'won the school system. As a matter of fact, the depart- ment maintains that its task is the blending of its heterogeneous population into one harmonious and intelligent. bodypolitie. During the past two years the- emphasis placed on vocational training has continued, although, it is, owing to War conditions, veering to some extent' from the shop to the field and garden. Ntarly all the large schools of _the Territory now have well-equipped shops in charge of specially trained. teachers. The schools had also conducted school and home gardens on a large scale, initiated even before the war began. This was an excellent foundation on which to take up the home production' which' the war placed upon the shoulders of the school communities. In no place in the Union is self-help, particularly as expressed in the lwme garden; so important as in Ilawaii, which,-by this means, is able to reduce greatly the qualitity of. imports from the mainland.. As every ton of home*-. grown product means the saving of a 2,100-mile transportation from San Francisco, the children of llawaii have had this matter par-. ticularlyimPressed upon them. There is probably not a school in the Territory which does not possess a garden, and practically all -the school children who !lave attained suitable age have numerous..home gardens as well. Thus, 132 schools have, home gardens totaling 0,092 The number of school kitchens in which domestic science4s taught by speeittlly trained teachers and. which serve 24, 5, ha 10 cent ,lunches to the school children is .steadily increasing. While the war. has taken away so many of .the young men from the force that the instruction in the shops and possibly in agriculture will be seri- ouslv impaired, the kitchens will go on as liana). The'.voeational. of instructors are obliged at present to do classroom work as well as vocational work, owing mainly to the lackof funds in the vocational HAWAII. 85 appropriation, bid it is the hope of the department that these teachers will soon be able to devote their entire time to strictli vocational work. I In this connection it may not be out of place to mention the fact that the public-school children have taken a very4etive and very pro- ductive interest in the activities occasioned more or lessdirectly by the %var. Stamps and liberty bonds have been bought in large quan- tities by pupils and teachers. an4 lied Cross units have been ogan- ized in practically all theschoo6 having children large enough to furnish assistance of value. A large number of articles needed by the lied Cross live been .prepared, and on the whole the war has undoubtedly done much toward fostering. the spirit of united 'Ameri- canism among these Children of many races and nationalities. The increase in school population has made it necessary to add materially to the school plant. While additional grounds have been annexect in a number of places, and while the legislature of 1917 made special appropriations for the enlargement ofi number of the principal schoolS in Honolulu. the securing of additional areas will still be one of the principal problems of the department during the coming biennium. While the counties remain in control of actual school construction, , and the department has only the power'of approv0 or disapproval_ ', ()I' plans, this system of dual control has, in the past two years, been administered More efficiently than might be expected, owing to the cooperation which hiss existed between the various counties and the department. The task f o. coast ruction has been simplified by the use of standard types of buildings. One of these, a bungalow type, has served well in the past where it was necessary to provide a serviceable building at the minimum of expense, but the department hope. that during the coining biennium it will be pos.sible to abandoit' or at least improve this type. On the whole, the school buildings. constructed during the past two years have been adequate and up to date as far as lighting and space. ventilation, seating capacity, 'et", .- are concerned, but these buildings have been made extremely plain, owing to the lack of money. and it is to be hoped that the .coming- . legislature will provide funds to build strUclues which will be more of a 'source of pride to the community and of inspiration for the pupils. . It should be added that the comparative lack of fonds for scheol construction is due mainly Co the tremendous increase in the cost of construction. The price of materials has advanced ,cnormously. as I it has elsewhere, but, in addition to this, llftwaii has had td contend ' %%vith the tremendous advance in cost of ocean transportation. which is a serious matter, as practically nil the material, such as lumber, hardware, cement, etc., has to be transported over 2,000 ilea, 1 36 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1016 -18. It is fortunate that it has been possible to improve the conditions in many of the country schools by the construction of dwellings for teachers, so that now practically every school in the Territory. with the exception of those locatal in Honolulu and .Hilo, has on its grounds cottages for the teachers. This has made it possible to secure in many o the country schools a class of teachers superior to that employed when no adequate lodging facilities existed. In some of the counties it has been possible to have 'furniture for these Cottages manufactured in the school carpenter shops, and it is hoped that during the next- biennium all the teachers' cottages will be provided. at least to a very great extent, with serviceable furniture. The public schools are notoriously lacking itt toilet facilities, and the prov=iding of suh ill be one of the problems of the next biennium. The school Mr the eare of defectives has increased in size from 1 teacher and 13 pupils in June. 1916, to 6 teachers and probably about50 pupils in September. 1.91$. The department is now looking for a site in which to establish an institution permanently. and there is available an appropriation of $35,000 for teachers and buildings for the preSent biennium. While at present deaf, dumb, blind, mrd mentally defective children are taught the same institution, it Will undoubtedly be advisable; when the number of pupils justifies the step, to divide the present. institution into two separate unitsone for the.mentnlly defective and another for those having other defects. . At present only pupils are taught who can come to school alone oc who can be'reached by means of an automobile provided for their transportation: The institution should, however. be provided with facilities for boarding' children from the other islands. A school foiJubercularchildren.exiAlS in Honolulu, and .another may be established on One .ofthe other islands in the near future. . SeVeralungraded rooms for the instruction. of backward cllildren have been provided .in Honolulu, ani during the coming term an experiment will be. made whereby a coach will be provided to instruct children who are backward in one or two subjects in the afternoons and on Saturdays. Ifthik plan is found 'successful; it will be more, generally used. .. Medical inspection in the schools hits been extended. This;work is tinder the control of the Territorial board of health. By means of a fund raised by private subscription, it has been = possible to feed a number of poorry nourished children, and in some schools careful records have beenmade of weights and measurements. A. new primer, particularly adapted- the needs of helnipils of this Territory, has been compiled by a co ittee of teachers 4nl 'is now in the protess of publication by the .p ting cla.ss of the normal school. These books are to be issued to the schools as sup- HAWAII. 3' plementary renders until it has been determined whether they are altogether suitable for general adoption. A special examination of the German textbooks- used in the high schools has been made, and several which were considered as beint4 of a (inestimable character have been eliminated. All teachers in the public-school service have been required 'td. sign the following pledge: The principal function. of the puhllc schools of the Territory of Ilawall Is to produce loyal Amerit'an citizens. Good American cItIzeuship ti nairwimportant 1 Ilan seimlarship. The bepartment expects all its Mailers to express thentsolves positively in teaehing loyal Amtriennisin. Nviir you do tills? Answer this nnestitin "Teti or " No." Answer Signal are The attendance in the public schools continues to be extraordi- narily good. as the following r'ecord will show: Per eent. June. 1910 93.4 June, 1917_ 03.8 June. 1013. 93.8 4 The wondeffully fine climate of the Hawaiian Islands is, to a very great 'extent, responsible for this condition. The- outltaik of year beginning September 1, 1918, is rather discouraging. owing to. several conditions which have arisen on account of the war. .A nun tber of the male teacher's have entered: the Army. This deprives the 'department of many of its beSt, young. principals, and will materially hamper the. work in -its carpenter, shops:and. along agricultural lines. Thus 'it will be necesSary to have vocational instructors Who will visit one 71trool one day ttnd another the next, -whereas, in the past, it has been possible to have one instructor flit each large school. A number of the Noting women in the servidt have married officers of the Regular Army garrisOn's in Hawaii; and have left for the mainland_ lyith the exodus ofregue. troolis. A number of married ..Woinen teaching. in the schools in the outside districts have left for Honolulu, owing to the fact that their husband's have been drafted in the regiments consisting of local men,.which have all been stationed on the Island of-Oahu. As -a -consequence,- the numter of t(Tcherslleaving the service has been unusually large, and the difficulty. of securing 'others from the United Stateq to take their places has been greater than 'usual. .kfilither (Micah), Ir-aS arisen from the fact that a number of the .steamers . plying between San Francisco and the islands-have been withdrawn from the service., and teachers. wishing to come to the islands have found it verydifficlilt secure transpertation4 Despite these ola 38 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1916-18.. stales the department expects to bring about 150 teachers how the.United States. to which number should be added 56 graduates of the Honolulu Normal School, who will also enter the service this ya THE PHILIPPINE PUBLIC-SCHOOL SYSTEM. By w. W MARQuARDT. Director of Education, ORGANIZATION OF THE BUREAU OF EDHCATION. During the sebootyears o18 -17 and 1017-18 no important chance took place in the organization of the public-school system. The sys- ,.. tear is a highly centralized one, the director having charge of all public schools in the island's. In certain matters of policy his -action is snbject to the approval of the secretary of public instruction. I. ,sides the director. there is an assistant director, a second assistant , '. d ii, rector. a general Are force, and a field force. The work Of the general ollice is in charge of the chiefs of the fol- lowing divisions: Academic, accounting, industrial, property, and records. -. In the field the division superintendent of schools is directly re- 7 :Tonsil& to the director of education. lie snperviss Old schools of a Province, and under hint are usually a supervisor of academic,:in- struet ion, one or more supervisors. of industrial instruction; a high- school principal, and several.sukeervising teachers.. l'he division is divided into supervising diStricts, each in charge of a supervising teacher who has control of primary and intermediate schools . sehools %titbit) hi district.- Thero are 48 divisiovs and.More than 306 "supervising districts. FACTORS OF SUCCESS.. Vhatvvpr Fllecess has been achieved in the Philippine publie. school system has been due largely to the fact that a centralized sys-- tem has been established under the control of 'professional educators.. The future." evelopment and prograss of tliepublic.schools will de- pond upon whether or not this policy is continued. ..: . -SCHOOLS AND PUPILS. There was no inc ease in the number of primary schools and a +very-slight lucre: in the -litliober of secondary 'schools, whereas 'the number of in tnediate schools grew mildly because intermedi- ate schools are upported uhnost entirely by tuition fees. If inter:. THE PHILIPPINE PUBLIC-SCHOOL SYSTE1L mediate schools had depend pd upon governmental _revenues, no in- crease could have been made. Increan in achool attendance. A tterkancc Primry. latetmo Scroni Total. ar. r4rh,m Is: i, 1917-1,4 1.276 421 1' . 7.:47 191647 1,234. 364 . 46 4,103 .511:1160 enrollment: 1917-16 5,c,,163 64.3161 . 14,524 671,396 191647 607.642 Aveinec monthly enrollment: 56,6,41 II. ire 675,996 1917-1. . 499.9.6 56..'02 12,W 5, 175 1516-1- 507.231 50,31$ In, QM S till A ve i:age dilly Attendance: 1917-P9 4.1:754 53,2S2 12,391 ..317 .6.4.263 un6-17 l'etcOn too or at tendance: 457.363 47.230 11,6.".i 1917. t% per cent PI ni 911 ITh 1916-1: per cent 90 94 96 91 I The annual enrollment for 1917 -15 was a tittle less than for 1914;-17; the average monthly enrollment, slightly largor; t le aver- aere'dailv attendance, 7,114 greater; and the percentage of attt ndanee, - larger. Although the percentage of attendance' increased, he fact that 24 per.cent of the pupils dropped out of school during 1916-17 can not be overlooked. In other wtirds, only 76 per cent of the .pu- pils enrolled during the year were eligible for promot haunt the close of the year, in March. .During the past five yeArs there has been an increase in the percentage of pupils held in the schools throughout- -the year, but during the latit two years the increaSti-bas been slight. .1 Taking into consideration the fact that there is. no compulsory at- tendance law in the Philippines, these (hits are not diseotwging. It is unquestionably true that the publie school5 have cultivated a d-io for education, as is evidenced by the demand for:schtioIR and the in- creased regularity of attendante, One encouiaging feature of _attendance-figures i; -that the propor- . . tion of girls to boys in the public schools, v-pecially in the higher . grades,. is increasing. The oriental attitude toward edtication of women is being gradually overcome. and titpresent nearly -40 per vent of the total number of pupils in school arc girls. The greatest dilliculty hos been experienced in keeping girls in school after they finish the primary. grades and even until they finish the printery vrades, Statistics: show, however. that, the proportion of girls in higher grades is gradually Increasing. ('ompari-on of figitres.of attendance of boys and girls in intermediate grades for the school years 1910-11 and 1916-11 showt; that the increase attendance of boys was 82 per cent, while that of girlswas 222 percent. In the high schools the figureS for boys was 250 Ater cent, and for - gir'l's 267 per cent. These data inIlicate that an increasing number of girls. are 40 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1916-18. no longer conte,ut with a primary education. With the introduction of the new secondary course in housekeeping and household arts, it is believed that a proportionate increase in the number of girls in the high schools will take place. Extension of school facilities among natives has gone °vapidly. The Philippine Legislature was liberal in the appropriation of insu- fundsfor this purpose. Consequently, the number of schools for natives and the attendance on them increased .greatly.- Special at- tention was given to adapting the instruction to the varying needs of these people. Agricultural training w .s emphasized in prac- tically all new schools opened for them. At present less than one-half of the school population of the Phil- ippine Islands enjoy educational advantages, and no adequate remedy for tEis deplorable condition is possible without making provision for increased sources of school revenue. For several years the di /rector of education has tried to impress. upon the PhilippineLegis7 ( lature the great need for legislation which would provide increased school revenue. Although it is believed that such legislation would have the support of the Filipino people, and although most of the legislators proclainaheir support of the public schools, no remedial legislation has yet been secured. During the 1914-47 and the 1917-18 session of the legislature the ditector of education presented certain . :bills and conducted press campaigns in an endeavor to.arouse public opinion to support them. The bills proposed were permissive and not mandatory, and were designed to give provincial and municipal governments discretion as to whether they should levy increased taxation in the form of an additional rate upon land Ialues or of an increase in poll tax, or both. Xothing, however, was accom.: , p3ished. In Vie*: of the present-prosperous condition of the Philip- pine Islands, there-is,no'reasofi why legislation should not be enacted; to provide whet)] funds sufficient greatly to extend the systein of primary schools. ,Since the above words were. written, they have been fttAlled io a Lamorkable duefee. In February, 1919, 30,000,000 pesos ($15,- 000,000) wasamiroprihted by the Philipping Legislature to. extend free education to all the children in the islands. Of the effects of this, Acting Gov. Gen. Yeater'saye, in his report: This act is of prime Importance, not only ilectiuse it provides funds for a term of years sufficient to extenta primary education of seven grades to alt the chit- dren of school age, but also because it enables the [Philippine]. hurvau of education to ,prepare and carry into execution, a complete: and 'systematic developMent of the existing excellent educational plan, Mitch lacked; 'only extension over the entire Vela. Furthermore, it Is a menus of incalculable value for the welfare Of the Filipino people, since it stvill'haulsh establish permanently English as the comma language of the land, afford a imoinimisommisr Amilikimmilmindeilewlemaimatm11111161 . THE pArraPP1NE ruago-scsom SYSTEM. 41. firm foundation for democratic institutions, and' insure order and stability to the insular government. . N,, The adoption of this thoroughly Anierierin educational measure will tend greatly to lift the moral responsibility incumbent on the United States to secure a arm and orderly got-ernment, nud aside froln the differences of opinion which may have exikted among American stateamk in the -past it has been advocate' b all Americans from the beginning of the occupation that universal tree education of the makes should be an essential chttracterlitic.of our na- ;,Ital policy in the. Philippines. Inasmuch as when COngrtss considered para- ;:aph 2, the -ace's of July 1, -19, and of August 29, 1919, much disCusslik was laid about the political capacity of the Philippines, I feel' that I discharge a duty of conscience to call your attention to the fact that' this enliOtened litea,,Ilre was passod by the legislative departmedt of the govefament, which, as you know, is composed entirely of Filipinos. By this law of Universal:free education the all-Philippine Legislature in the lust two years has provided for doubling the quantity.of the educational work effected In ahnnt"two decades; .1' previous American occupation. Under the financial supportpfeviously,giveu, it teas 'necessary to turn away from the -doors of the schoolhouse one -hall of - all the children of the islands. In five years all the children of th4 Mud receive educational advantogez. Beskres this, the salaries of all MunielPiti teachers will be increased 30 per vent. In addition, I direct attention to the fact that at the session of 1917-13 two normal schools. were established, and two more were established at the session ;,just adjourned, all to be located by the secretary, of public instruction, snaking, with two already existing, six suyh schools; also, four agricultural schools were established in The session of 191771S, and three moreathls year, making 17 in all The college o{ agriculture has just Mid its appropriation largely increased, and nu experiment station has been established in connection wild- it. The appropriation of this year fOr then university far exceeds any former appropria- tion.. le addition to all this, the appropriation to the bureau of education for this current calendar year exceeds by 3,000,000 peSos any former-appropriation. Furthermore, legislative itplariatIon was made for pensioning 150 young men and women to be trained as specialists in the. colleges of America and else- where, and they are expected to sail in August next. . . The heroic anal unselfish work of Afperictut teachers, ninny of whom- lost life or health, deserves and should receive the vilry highest praise, but it would bq ileulurly nujint and unfair for me as head of. the departMent of' piddle instrue- tiou -hot to recognize and Malakknown the work of Filipinos in this regard. di rho preu4ent teaching force.,pf over 14,000, less than 3 per cent: are Americana, The itinaber.of American teachers is gradually growing less ns Filipino teat:her nee tralai-iFte,take the Imporittot positions wide!, they hold. PHYSICAL EQUIPMENT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. .. The past two years marked great improvement in the iluipment of 'public schools, especiall in regard to school -furniture. Thera was also an increase in the number of school, sites and school. buildings. 'use number of school sites fOr 1916 was 2,623, and for 1914, 2,824. COnsiderably more than one-half of (lido sites arc first class, accord- ing to classification below. 4 42 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1816I8. A. FIRST-CLASS SITES. I. A minimum area of one-half .hectare for every 2X00 pupils of the annual enrollment or fraction thereof up to 2 'hectares for 800 pupils or more is required. 2. The site must be well located and easily accessible. 8. The site must be well drained and sanitary. 4. The topography must be such that a satisfactory athletic held can be laid out. 5. The soil must be suitable for gardening. B. SECONI)-CLASS SITES. 1. A minimum of one-fourth hectare for every 200 pupils of the annual enroll- ment or fraction - thereof up to l hectare for 800 pupils er more is required. Y.-An insanitary site or one entirely unfit for gardening and athletics should not be considered second class. C. T111111)-CLASH sITES. I. All other sites come under this head. Conditions brought about by the World War htive greatly increased 'the- cost of construction of all types of buildings. esi)ecially, of the standard reinforced concrete structure, the type of permanent. build- ing commonly erected for school purposes. Construction of this type of bUilding has continued, however, because. relief front high costs of materials can scarcely be expected for some years. and the additional. prosperity tends to lessen the burden of increased cost of construc- tion. It 1917. 840 buildings, 448 of which were of reinforced con- crete, were classed-as permanent, while in 1910 only 757 were so classified. The 'greatest advance in physical Conditions .during the last two years took place in the equipment of schools with suitable school desks and other furniture. At the close of the school Year 1917-18 there Nvere ebinparatively few 'Provinces in which any -large por- tion of pupils wore without desks. In the campaign to .provi ach pupil with a desk of approved type, the provincial trade sch and schoOl shops rendered Valuable service and in addition constructed teachers' tables, bookcases, and other school furniture. "TRAINING AND .WELFARE OF TEACHERS. Facilities for training teachers hotli before and afterthey enter the teaching service were materially increased during the past two years. Attendance in the higher classes of the Philippine Normal School greatly increased, and the total number of graduates from tletinstitution for the lait three years is greater than the total num- ber of graduates for alllaceding yeard. . The Philippine School of Arts and Trades' continued to turn out teachers: of woodworking .and mechanical ,drawing, and the 'Central... THE PHILIPPINE PUBLIC-SCHOOL SYSTEM. 43 Luzon Agricultural School sent out a large number of teachers to agricultural, farm, and settlement-farm schools. These teachers were scattered throughout the archipelago, but nearly 500 of them went. to the Department of Mindanao and Sulu. where many new settlement- farm schools have been opened. This body of teachers represented practically every -Province in the Philippine Islands; and th harmonious cooperation is a significant development in educaMn and in the problem of the final unification and nationalization of the people of these islands. At the beginning of the school year 1916-17 a four-year normal course was organized in five large provincial high schools. At. the same time the course of study in the Philippine Norm pool was revised so that only students who had completed the year of the regular high-school course were eligible for entrance. The Phil- ippine Normal School now givers a special one-year course for super- vising teachers and principals in addition to its courses in academic, industrial, domestic science. and physical education. In 1917 a two- year normal course was outlined and put into effect in two or three high schools where the complete secondary course was not offered. The legislature in 1917 \wpropriated $1:io.000 for the establish- ment of two new normal schools, one in northern Luzon and one in .the Visayas. Large site for these schools have been secured and construction is expected to begin soon. The college of education of the University of the Philippines now has a larger attendance than ever and is supplying teachers for sec- ondary work. It. is evident, however, that this ingtitutiOn can do little toward supplying enough secondary teachers when. the aver- age attendanCe of secondary students is more than 12,000 and when the yearly increase is so great that the attendance almost doubles every three years. At present, the problCm of securing suitable sec- ondary teachers is acute. Due to the war it isimpossible and uncle, sirable to get young men from the United States: and while a certain number of women teachers have been secured. not enough aro now - (August, 1918) available properly to su'pply the teaching force fOr the secondary- schools. A rather complete system for the training of teacherkin service has been developed, becanse a large proportion of teachers have had little or no actual training in nortillpor other schools for the prepa,:'.. ration of teachers. During each of the school years 1916 -17 and 1917-18about 800 selected teachers from all divisions attended for a five-weeks' period the teachers' vacation iiSsembly in .Manila, Where. primary and intermediate methods anethe latest developmentiOn,:i..: induitriel work were emphasized, Upotreturning to their divisions'' the teecheroWk0 attended the essionlbly in Manila became instructors 44 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF e.DUCATION, 101 6718. for four weeks in division normal institutes for division teachers. The assembly in Manila, and the division institutes which followed, were of the utmost importance in the improveMent of the character of academic and industrial instruction. A professionil -reading 'course for all intermediate teachers has been outlined for the present school year.. . - Other agencies used for improving the quality of teachers are: Visiting days, which have become a feature .of school work in prac t ically all divisions, and teachers' meetings of various kinds.- The teachers' vacation assembly, held in Baguio duling April and . Nay of each year and attended by American and Filipino teachers mid supervisory officers, is also an important factor in improving school work. '.Confeyences lasting a. week each Ivere held (1) for teachers. and principals of intermediate and high schools, (2) for supervising teachers, and (3) for industrial teachers. Following these conferences was the convention of division superintendents. Classes for Filipino super;ising teachers were also held in Baguio. In 1918 for the first time model classes were conducted in connection with these claSses. Model classes henceforth will be the most im- portant feature of. the teachers' vacation assembly- in Manila and of the division institutes. A determined effort .has been made to increase salaries of teachers . of all grades. This has been merely a matter of justice, since the - cost of 'living has increased greatly. The salary increases which the director was able to give teachers on the insular pay roll and the in- creases which divisiOn superintendents were nble'to give municipal teachers are not considered suffieients compensation for the great ma- jority of teachers in-the,-service. During the paSt two years the mattet of raising salarieS of muni- cipal teachers was taken up with tdivision superintendents with the idea of making the minimum. salary $10 per month -and. with the intention .of increasing this to $12.50 a- month at -the earliest possible A $10 minimum salary has been fixed in nearlytall divisions and the legialature will be requested to appropriate:idlesto make. a $12.50 minimum salary effective. The average -salarzo o municipal teachers in March, 1910, way $11.44, and in March, 1017, it was $11.09.' In January, 1018, the average was 'about $18.50. Returns for March, 19l8, Allow the following in -regard to salaries of municipal teachers: Percontages of teachers 'receiving various mOnthly.'salaries: . Less than $10:00 to.$12.40.: fyer Cent, 1 12 51. $12.50 to $14.09 $15.00 to $17.40 9 $17.50 to $10.09 4 $20.00 to $29:40 5 THE PHILIPPINE PUBLIC-SCHOOL SYSTEM. 45 All regular teachers whether municipal or insular receive salaries for 12 months a year. The average saltily of insular teachers has been increased from a little more than $27.50, in 1916, to something more than $30 per month at the present. time. At the convention/of clip ision superintendents in May, 1918, the following salary schedule was recommended for municipal teachers: Min Imtnn $12.50 30 per,txlit of teachers_ $12. 50 to $14.99 30 per cent of teachers $15. 00 to $17. 49 15 per cent of teachers $17. 50 to $19.99 13 per cent of teachers $20. 00 to $22. 49 5 per cent of teachers $" 50 to $24.99 5 per cent of teachers $25.00 or more. While this schedule is not ideal, it sets an aim mueh in advance of that which can be attained with sources of school revenue as they are. TEACHERS AND THEIR WORK. The numbevof teachers on duty in March of each of the last three years is shown below : Tea hers. March 1910 1917 1918 A ',what); Insular 506 1,279 477 1,391 1,411 303 51 lot ielpal 9,130 10,336 11,484 A 'prof] t , 40 D9 3 Total 10,003 12,303 13,236 The number -of American teachers has &creased nearly .100, the number of insular teachers has increased 110, and the number of municipal teachers has increased at the rate of more than 1;000 a year. The following table shows the number of teachers ossigneti'lz various duties in March of each of the last three years: Teak hers. , Moth- K X916 1917 1918 I'r 11.4ry 4.435 9,58.5 10,447 131,11. Mine 5401 1,339 1, 880 Nceo ary -4151. 268 843 Industrial Instruction and supervishin 691 313 ueneral supervision vim 320 Only two-tenths of 1 per cent of American teachrs on duty in lart were engaged in primary 'work, end they, w ^ teaching in 46 BIENNIAL SURVEY Olt EDUCATION, 1916-1S. a schools attended by American children in Manila and at Army posts. Five per cent of intermediate teachers in 1917 were Ameri- cans, a decrease of more than .4 per cent since 1916. A little more than three-fourths of the teachers engaged in secondary work were Americans, and 35 per cent of the teachers doing supervisory work were Americans. The time is rapidly coming when Americans will be employed only in high schools, as provincial supervisors, and as division superintendents. Very few supervising teachers now are Americans, and all supervising teachers will be Filipinos in the near future except in a very limited number of cases. COURSES OF STUDY. An ortant change in the courses of study was the introduction of ne. ourses in secondary schools. The primary course of study has remained practically unchanged. Few changes were made in intermediate courses, where, however, some interesting developments as regards distribution of pupils among the courses took place. The enrollment in intermediate grades by courses for March of the last three years is shown below: Enrollment. March- 1918 I917 1918 e General Teaching Tnsdes Ma. a Frming liousisYceping and household arts 23,129 7,412 3,582 1,380 5,917 30,399 3,438 3,510 1,092 7_585 35,999 1,881 3,000 1,721 9,449 These figures show that the intermediate teaching courset :is dead. Practically no pupils were enrolled in this course at the beginning of the school year 1918-19. Teachers of higher attainments than the completion of an intermediate course are now available in most provinces. The table shows alarge increase in the ntunber of girls enrolling in housekeeping and. household arts and a small increase in enrollment of boys in the farming course. A greater increase is ex- pected in the:farming course. . In 1918 new secondary courses were outlined. The general course and the four-year normal course were revised. Courses in house- keeping and household arts, in commerce, and in agriculture were outlined for the first time. It is not expected that these now courses will be used in all provincial high schools, but they will be giYen in several of thelarger_ schools whore the number of pupils and the equipment. make a diversifiektion in courses feasible, :In sddition to the courses offered in provincial lifgh schools, there are six insular iichoolawitha Philippine Normal School, tha;:Philip- "- .4- THE PHILIPPINE PUBLIC- SCHOOL SYSTEM. pine School of Arts and Trades, the Philippine School of Commerce, the Philippine autical School, the School for the Deaf and the Blind, and the Central Luzon Agricultural Schoolwhich offer special courses: Tlee work of the Philippine, Normal School has already been mentioned, as has also the fact that the Philippine School of Arts and Trades and the Central Luzon Agricultural School give courses of training for industrial and agricultural teach- ers. The Philippine School of Arts and Trades also gives courses in woodworking, ironworking, electrical wiring, plumbing, automobile operatiOn, preparatory engineering, and surveying. The Philippine School of Commerce gives courses in bookkeeping, stenography, type- writing, and -commerce. The Philippine Nautical School gives a two -year course of training to fit young men to become officers on inter-island vessbls and trans-Pacific 'steamers. The Central Luzon Agricultural School offers. in addition to its teaching course, a course in farm management and one in the operation of steam,and gas engines. PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND MEDICAL AND DENTAL INSPECTION. The war has directed attention to the necessity of conserving human -life and of increasing efficiency. For years practically all students in Philippine public schools have engaged in some form of physical exercise. the effects of which upon the physical development of the Filipino people are distinctly apparent. During 1917-18 military training was prescribed for all boys in high schools and physical education was given a more definite place in all secondary courses of study. A complete course in physical education for pri- mary, intermediate, and secondary grades istheing prepared. When kitliis is published, instruction will be more systematic and uniform. Medical and dental inspection, af pupils is in the hands of the Philippine Health Service. *Well has done valuable work along this line. It did net giCe to these7matters all the attention needed, however, because of lank of stiffnient persennel. *Medical inspection 'hair been quite general. bet dental inspection has been limited to a few places. During the past year a. let ter was addressed to division superintendents requesting them to take up. with provincial boards the matter of providing more adequate medical and dental inspection in the public schools and of securing additional nurses for public- school service. As a result incrCased attention haS been givon these matters, but conditions are yet far from satisfactory, and; will 'ree, main so until there are several provincial nurses as each diviaion ' at least one municipal. nurse in each: large _municipalityand-an adequate :. corps of physicians. to -examine, pupils .* of,* ri id diseases. 48 BIENNIAL suntrlY OF EDUCATION, 1916718. WAR ACTIVITIES OF THE BUREAU OF EDUCATION. The public schools entered the food-production campaign with enthusiasm, and as a consequence the cultivated area of school and home gardens and the production of food doubled. Thus-the Philip- pine Islands helped to conserve food for the allied forces, and in addition Many Filipinos enjoyed a more varied diet. Red Cross work was done iniTie schools in 1917, but this work is now being undertaken On a larger scale. In the public schools band- ages for wounded soldiers and clothing forFrench and Belgian refugee children are being made in large numbers. 1i Red Cross membership campaign just ended has resulted in the enrollment of more than 12,000: teachers as senior members of the Red. Cross Society, and more than200,000 pupils as junior member§. .During the teachers' vacation assembly in Baguio a Red Cross drive on May 7, 1918, resulted in raising $2,500. American and Filipinoteachers and other employees have sub- scribed liberally for Liberty Loan bonds. Employees of the bureau oil education purchase more than $60,000 worth of Liberty Loan bonds of the third issue, in addition to their subscriptions to the first and second issues. ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION: A great improveinerit in academie instruction took place during.. 1916-17 and 1917-18. This was largely a result of better' facilities for training teachers and closer and more effective supervision. The appointment of a larger number of academic supervisors helped to make supepision much more satisfactory. However, Inucli varia- tion in eNcieney of instruction still exists. In academic instruction increased efficiencythe. main factor in to- promotion of pupilSwas shown by the average increase of -6 per cent in promotions in all grades for 191 -17 over 1915-1t As this increase was not due to any lowering of Standards* was -;:gnificant. INDUSTRIAL INSTRUCTION. Industrial instruction occupies an important place in the courses of study- About 17 per cent of thelotal time in primary grades and,: 18 per cent of the total time in the general intermediate course is devoted_ to this form of instruction. In special intermediate courses and in special types of primary schools about half of the time is devoted to industrial work. The following data give an idea of the value. of the commercial output of the public schools for the school year 191718: Embroideries, $12,500; laces, $9,000; crochet, $4,500; THE PHILIPPINE PUBLIC-SCHOOL SYSTEM. 49 sewing, $28,000; cooking; $3,500; basketry, $33,000; hats, $1,500; products of loom weaving, $3,500; bamboarattan furniture, $3,000. a large number of other articles were made in small. quantities. The value of the gross output of trade schools during the ast_ three years follows:. For 1.913, $61,41.8.81; for 1916, $79,132.04; fOr 1911..$106,485.12. These figures include Cost of material, and there- fc -e do not give a-definite idea pf die total value of work done by l)ue to war conditions the total value of embroideries exported from the Philippines increased from $162,456 in 1914 to $1,361,214:50 for the fiscal yeaVulv 1, 1916 to .tune 30,1917. A part of this in- crease was undoubt4 made puesSible by instruction given in the publ IC schools. War' conditions have not been favorable for the production of all commercial articles in the public- schools, .however. The great in, crease in trans-Pacific freight rates has made it unprofitable to export articles the value of which is not relatively great as compared with weight and bulk. Excessive cost of transportation hasthus made it necessary to abandon die- making of larger and more bulky articles. The bureau of education, through traveling industrial teachers, has fostered household centers, the members of which eng,aged in the making of embroidery, lace, and- other articles of handicraft. The bureau of education gave up the supervi;ion of these centers as soon as.theywere developed to a point where they could deal directly with business houses. During the last year the value of sehiol production of articles of handicraft was $86,270 and 60' value of product Ton of household eqpters was $11,78'2. Articles to -.the value of $92,290 were sold through the general sales department of the bureau of education, and kcal saks.amounted to $;).,852: AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION. . . . Facilities for agrieultiiral instruction were developed and extended. The number of agricultural, farm, and settlement farm 'schools in. creased from 79 for the year 1913 -16 to 138 for 1917-18., Of the increase, 0 were agricultural schools; 12, farm schools; and 117, seillement farm schools. During the same period enrollment in these sehools neai4y...doubl6d, the cultivated area doubled. and the total value of production much. more than doubled, having been wqre. than $15,900 for 1917 -18. Agricultural clubs for boys tuid girls were organized to 1916-13. Club projects now include gardening, cooking, chicken and hog kis- sing, and fruit growing. At the end of the year 1916-17. club mem- 50 BIENNIAL SURVEY 01 EDUCATION, 1816-18. bet's owned 31,53w chickens and 2,247 hogs. During 1917-18 the number of clubs increased .to 1,135 and at the end of the year the number of chickens and hogs owned was 58,458 and 2,744, respec- tively. An organization pamphlet and 120 lesson leaflets are now being distributed to members, and these -help to direct the work and make it inure effective. The work of these clubs has an importamt bearing uppn the educational and economic development of the country. Tjtis is an agricultural vottntry, and-everything that tends to increase agri- cultural production brings nearer the time wheh all, instead of one- half, of Filipino children way enjoy educational privileges. School and home gardens have dune much to provide a varied diet and to improve living conditions. The following table shows the number of school and home gardensur the last three school years: chuuf and house purviews. Gardens.. .1915-16 3,545 48,432 1916 -17 1917-18 e. School gardens Bode gardens -40- 3,960 54,655 . 4,023 103,668 Garden (lays, -1.272 of which were held in 1917-18, arksed interest iti home gardening: At these. celebrations pupils and farmers not only exhibited garden products, but' exhibited domestic animals as The Intreans of agriculture, forestry, health, and constabulary cooperated with the.burean of education in furnishing exhibits for some of the garden days. During each of the last three years ap- -__proximately 100,000 shade and fruit trees were distributed to4he public through public-school nurseries. SCHOOL LIBRARIES. . . In 1915 a movement was started for the establishment and develop- Inent of better schoollibraries. The table below' shows the excellent progress. made: School libraries. ti 1915 1910 1917 . . N? tuner o I school Ilbruies 3S9 721 1,084 7 umber of books acquired 8, 8S8 21,020 42,8'14 Nunther of outsiders using school libraries,' 1,580 3,'81 10,308 , The increase in the number of outsiders using the libraries was perhaps more important than the large increase in the number of libraries and the ;lumber of books acquired. The school library prob- THE PHILIPPINE PUBLIC- SCHOOL SYSTEM. 51 lem is far from being solved when the library is established and filled with suitable books. The reading habit among pupils and outsiders must be formed. Proper use of libraries is now being emphasized in public-school work. A large number 9f outsiders using 'school libraries were once pupils.in the public schools, where they undoubt- edly cultivated the desire for reading. An important step toward inculcating the reading habit was taken in 1917 when the bureau of education started the distribution twice it month of 14.000 copies Of a small four-page publication known as The Philippine News Review," whijh contains- current. events of the Philippines and of the Nvorld. In many -localities this was prac- tically the only available source of important news. The number of copies diStributed was increased to MAO in 1918. All secondary and a large majority of intermediate schools now have librarii,s. The establishment 'of libraries in larger primary schools is going forward rapidly. These libraries fuinish interesting Tiding for pupils and provide professional magazines for teachers. The following parts of Bulletin No. 44, Libraries for .Philippina Public Schools. were iced in mimeographed form in 1916, 1917, and 1918: Books, and Pictures for Primary Grades, Books and Pic- tures fur Intermediate Grades, Supplementary Dist of Books for Primary and intermediate. Grades, Supplementary List of Books. for Intermediate Grades... Supplementary Reading in Geography, Books and Pictaves 'for Secondary- Schools. . A five-weeks course in library training was offered in 1917 and 191S' at the teachers' vacation assembly in Manila, and a similar Course was given at normal institutes. 'The new one-year course of study at the PhilipleineNorinal School for supervising teachers and :principals gives training in school library management.. Division superintendents haVe been requested to make plans to provide each school with a teacher- librarian. THE INFLUENCE OF THE PHILIPPINE PUBLIC-SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE FAR EAST. During the Years- 1916-17 and 1917-18 the public schools were visited by a large. nuniber of delegations from China, who sttidied the school system thoroughly. A commission from Formosa and a number of visitors from Japan showed much interest in Philippine public schools. .Constant requests were received for publications from'stich countries as China. Siain, India, Egypt, Burma, Hawaii, Japan, Chosen, French Indo;China., Ceylon. Cuba, Porto Rico, Hayti, Australia, Straits Settlements, Federated Malay States, Papua, Java, L Sumatra, Formosa, Newfoundland, Chile, New Zealand. and Fiji. During this period Filipino teachers began tA5 render ser'ice in foreign countries. Two industrial teachers were sent to Guam to 52 MENA IAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1916-18. undertake the development of industrial instruction there along the same lines followed in the Philippines. A Filipino teacher of indus- trial work, 'who was furnished the jovernment of the Federated Malay States. achieved '.marked success in the Malay Training Col- , lege for Teachers at Malacca. Two Filipino teachers were employed, -us instructors in English in the mission schools of Penang. FINANCIAI. SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. The following table gives insular, provincial, and municipal ex- penditures for education from PH to 191,6. No later data are E.cpeudit u et's for education. I Year. 1 Pros Municipal. 33.6 3L 3,73, . 3,7x3,173.27 -* .. InstirtiAtion 1 administration. I I 92.(0).(n.99 2. 017, 073. 27 2,161,M:41.55 I'ithlie ss orlss. 1914 1915 9 ' 41'191 s-- 3211, 929. nt 394091:SI 191,994..11 4236, Va. 15 221,5143.48 n1,121.ss 31.1111,652 17 1,0s2,466. s.51, 1,127 During these years insul;r, pr,ovincial, and municipal expenditures varied a little.- The total 4)f-insular appropriations was between two and two and one-half 'million dollars; provincial expenditures atimutited to about two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars; .... and Municipal expenditures to more than one thilliOndollars. . Taking into consideration the increase in prices ofpractically all commodities', it is evident Oita approtiriations have nolieen sufficient fo provide for extension of public education. In fact, the ninnber of . primary schools has decreased slightly. t, When theburcaii of education was organized, the insu ar govern- ment undertook a large share of the,support of public-sc ools. At that time, ho Bever, it was thought that provincial and nicipal 'government§ would gradually assume largervesponsibilities fOr the. maintenance and support of schools. Such has not been the cage however,' and provincial!. and - municipal expenditures. for \ pnblic. schools show relatively small increases. . 1. For several-years permissive legislation, hiclf would :permit.: .vi pronces and municipalities to raiir increased school' revenues by taxation, has been by the bureau of education-to the Philip- pine Legislature, but favorable actioii- has not been secured. Such., action' is necessary if :there is to be any further extension of the public-scliool system. If sccOnditry and agricultural education ,in: ,the provinces is to be placed Upon a firm .basis, a fixed provincial school fundis necessary, and it should he not Ws than 10 per ceitt of the total prothleial revenue. , , .1 . . \ EDUCATION IN ALASKA. WHAT THE BUREAU OF EDUCATION STANDS FOR. The bureau of education advocates: divo. 1. For every boy and girl a Minimum educational opportunity, consisting of free attendance upon at least the four grades of the primary course. 2. Fur every primary graduate the opportunity to attend an intermediate school frte. 3. For every intermediate graduate the opportunity to attend n, secouda4 school free. 4. The rapid extension of opportunities to secure instruction in practical fanning, especially in the type of institution known us the agricultural school. 5. Ete411sh as the language of instruction, since It can, by becoming the com- ..nton medium of communication, advance national solidarity and provide the best conditions for individual and national progress. O. Physical education for all pupils ns a means of developing both physical and moral strength. 7. Industrial as an aid to economic developMent and to character. 8. A school system made thoroughly demoCratic by the early abolition of all voluntary contributto.n and tuition schools. The placing of these schools upon a business-like basis through the enactment of legislation providing increased school revenues.' 9. Permissive taxation legislation which. will grant provincial and municipal governments greater autonomy and 'will make possible the extension and Improvement of instruction in all grades. 10. Liberal appropriations for school purposes by the Insular government, with special provision for buildings and special types 44 schools: 11. Salaries for teachers and supervising ollicerk in keeping with the Mluen- Mimi and professional. attainments required and the Mipreme significance of their service to the community. 120 The recognition of school supervision and teaching as profesSions demund- big technical training and skiff in no way inferior to those required in other professions. 13. ProfeAsional control of the school system by.educators as the-only means _ of retaining the confidence and support of the peopre and of nutting intp erect modern principles pt business elliciency as applied to educational ndministration.% 14. Provision by the government for the adequate training of librarians to take eltaige of school. and other libraries and thus to contribute to educational progress through the formation of the rending habit by pupils and people. 15. Sites, buildings, and equipment suitable or conducting all school activities (physical, social, academic, industrial) to a way to achieve resnits Worth while in each. 58 EDUCATION IN ALASKA. 1. ALASKA NATIVE SCHOOL SERVICE!' The 'schools for native children in Alaska am tinder the super- vision of the Duvall of Education of the Interior Deliirtnient, being 1PC 'Summarized dom the report of Gov. Thos. Riggs, Jr., for 1918,, pp. 1043. . 54 . BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1916 -18. ° directly supervised by, five district superintendents in Alaska, re- eponsibl o e chief of the Alaska Division of the Btireau of Edu- Cation,, ith h dquarters in Seattle. For the past year these schools numbered 71; two of which were summer schools having a total en- rollment of approximately 3,500. The majority of these schools are located in native villages, each of which is usually in charge of a man and wife. On account of the variety of the wqrk in connection with a native school the Bureau of Education finds it advantageous to appoint married people. Not only must'these Federal employees be capable of teaching school. but they must also possess practical abilities which will enable them to promote native industries, domestic arts, personal hygiene, social welfare, and in general improve the living conditions of the adult as well as the school population of the village and the vicinity. The schoolroom and living quarters of the employees are usually .ler one roof, forming a center from which quite often there issues the only uplifting and civilizing influence in that community: There has been and still is an attitude of aloofness toward the na- tive population by the white people of Alaska which is not conduciv to rapid' advancement by the former race. Quite often the bur einployeefi and the missionaries are the only whites who seem t ave any interest in the natives' welfare. The native Alaskans era self- reliant, law-abiding; and honest, and the only help they have had from the Federal Government is the establishment of schools in the larger villages, a little medical relief, and ,the introduction of rein- deer among the northern and western trfbes. This assistance has been given them through The organization of the Alaska Division of the Bureau of Education. Because of the fact that the native population is very scattered and the villages have rarely over 200 or 300 inhabitants, and generally much less than that, the bureau's educational efforts have been rather hampered. Were the natives located in large- settlements of 500 or more, their education, medical relief, and industrial advancement mould be siniplified considerably. To this end the bureau has gradu- ally been working toward attracting the natives to selected sections of land which have been -reserved for the exclusive use of the natives and the bureau. These resetves, are not to be confused. with the Indian reservations of the States ayhey in no way interfere with.the libeftiett and freeddm of the native' inhabitants thereon. By estab- lishing tettstries on these reserves which will give the natives work the year around, schools that have more than the elementary .gritcleN, and by placing the care of their physical 'welfare in the hands of trained medical employees,qhe bureau will lie able to secure maxi mum benefits to.thanatiyes; As' long as the btteau's workis confined to numerous annifillagest only ininbnum:reculta can bC expected at EDUCATION IN ALASKA. 55 a heavy-cost per capita. At the present time the small sehools`do not justify .grammar grades, and it has been customary ,for advanced native children to enter the Indian schools of the States. This usu- ally results in physical breakdowns due to the change of climate, environthent, and absence from home. It should be possible for native children to advance as far along educationlines as they desire without the necessity of leaving home. This can come only lien the natives are, persuaded to live in larger conmmnities which will justify the establiqinient of larger and more complete schools. '1.1,c concentration of the bureau's work on large villages, made possi- hlk through the favorable conditions of the reserves, will hasten the. arrival of the day when the native Alaska will take his place along with his white brother in the affair f the Territory. That the natives are loyal to the United States has been especially proved the past year through the work which the natives have con- tributed for the Red Cross and the purchases ihty have made of Liberty bonds and War Savings Stamps. Through the agency of the teachers. Red Cross auxiliaries have been established in many native villages, and the zealous and untiring work of these native organize- tons is a great credit to them. Th°e work done in knitting, sewing, etc:, for the Red Cross is equal to the belt work done by white organi- .zationi. The purchase of bonds and Jtanips has not lagged behind the Red Cross work. 2. PUBLIC EDUCATION OF WHITE CHILDREN, IN ALASIW A. INTRODUCTION. Until very recently the public education of the whiterthildren of Alaska has received comparatively little attention. Before 1900, when the Territory was first allowed to send a Represeetgive to Congress, education in Alaska centered upon the native popula- tionIndians and Eskimos. Much has been written abOutthe educe- tioti of Indians in Alaska. but there has been little demand for an Authentic account of theri The year 1017, however, saw so great . an advance in the education of Alaska's white children that the demand for an accurate history of their education now warrants the compiling of all available definite information upon the subject,. Since the occupation of the Territory by whiti people, the native population has been practically stationary. The native; far omit- numbered the white people until the Klondike gold rush ip 1897 and -.1808, and even now the latter 'compose only abOut 40 per cent of the taital.popdlittion, the °number of white people .at the present' time being about 80,000 years ago tlialpiniber,ollvhits ,..tiVfPfred by 1114 Tratt suliOrWadosi it pablks spool,. 0,14044 Abate. ia.port..-Org.v. 4;14,11011,1. Via.: 7 56 EIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 101648. children in Alaska was so small in comparison with the number of native children that for the most part their education was identical with that of the native children. Even to this day, in the 85 native schools of Alaska, there are 390 children of mixed blood and 12 white children: T .; study therefore will of necessity treat of the education of the native children of Alaska in so far as the education of both native and white children was and is identical, although its main purppse will be to set forth the facts in the development of the public education of Alaska's white children. B. RUSSIAN SCHOOLS. The immigration of white settlers:: into Alaska began soon after the discovery and exploration of the country, in 1741, by the Russian adventurer, Behring. From that time until 1867, when Alaska was officially transferred from Russia to the United States, the white population was made up principally of Russian traders and their families and Russian priests of the Greek Catholic Church and their families. These Russian priests had, and still have, a very important part in the education of the Territory. At the time of the transfer, .they were maintaining several school in :Alaska, five of thesetwo lower, two higher, and One theological schoolbeing located at Sitka, at that time the capital of Alaska. Tiles° schools 'were supported by the Russian Government. In- deed, mail 20 Tears after the transfer, the Riissian Government ex- pended more money annually for the schools of Alaska than Amer- ica itself. In that year, 1887, Gov. A. P. Swineford, in his report to the President of the United States, alleged that tie. 17 Russian sehools were receiving from the Russian Government $20,000, whereas the 15 United States schools' were receiving from the Government at Washington, D. C.,- only $15,000. The principal Russian schools at that time were situated at Sitka... (57 pupils), at Kaiak (22 pupils), at Kenai (15 pupils)ott.Nushe- gak (8 pupils), at St. Michaels (7 pupils), at Unalaska (59'pppils), at Unga (30 pupils), told at Belkovsky (25 pupils). . In .1894, the number of Russian schools had been reduced to 6, and in 1896, according to Gov. Sheakley's report, there were 8 such schools. Three or four of these Russian parochial schools are still existing in Alaska. These schools ministered principally to the In- dians of their respective communities, but they were also of great- benefit to the Russian white children of the Territory. After the transfer these schools taught English isWell as Russian, the teach- ers often speaking very pure English. One of the most lioted.ofthese yussian families of priests was the &iskez4211 family, consisting of EDUCATION IN ALASKA. 57' five priests, two of whom. are now conducting Greek churches at Kodiak and Juneau, respectively. C. FIRST SCHOOLS FOR AMERICAN *HITE CHILDREN., When Alaska became f)ossession of the United States, in 1867, it was first Placed under military rule. It nns then too remote from the Government at Washington to-receive anuh attention of any kind, especially with respect to Schools. The \vbite settlers were but a handful, and the natives were considered "too- unsavory to be t (wiled." Accordingly, the white people at the capital, Sitka, which had in 1807 a total population of 3,000, took matters into their own hancls,.argariized a-city government, elected two school trustees, and made the-mayor ca officio chairman of the school board. This school board immediately bought a building for $300 and established a school. The school and town pissed through a rather. precarious 10 years, but both finally diedin This school for white children is the first.of which we have any definite record, although two others are known to have existed at the same time on two of The Pribilof Islands, St. Paul, Island and St. George Island, respectively, under the jurisdiction of the Alaska Commercial Co. D. PRESBYTERIAN MISSION SCHOOLS. In 1814"t, the board of home missions of the Presbyterian Church sent a missionary to Sitka. He at once Atablished a school for fn- dian children, and through, his influence, Miss Pauline Cohen, an American girl ping at Sitka, was prevailed upon to conduct a school for white children, her salary being' raised by subscription. For bne year all the white children of school age at Sitka attended MissCohen's school, even those of the Greek Church, who were per- mitted, however, to receive religious instruction from the priest one hour a day. In 1879, Mr. 'A. E. Austin, of. New York, took charge of this school, and in the next year his younger daughter helped him. . The Presbyterian board of home missions soon extended its 'work among the Indiana by establishing four day schools and two indus-, trial sehodls, one of the latter atSitka and the other at Wrangell. The authorities at Washington, D. C., then recognized the worth of these `schoOla by granting IthemGovernment aid. The Sitka India: trial School,. which finallrabsorbed the Wrangell-school, is still pur- suing its eminently useful work at an annual cost of $35,000 to theme -" Presbyterian Church, the United States Government having dropppd its support is 1894. The school now has 150 pupils and 10 to .hers. 58 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1916-18. MISSION SCIJOOIS OF OTIIER DENOMINATIONS. Other denominations have at different times conducted schools in Alaska. Gov. A. P. Swineford in 1888.reported the number of these schools, excluding the 17 Russian schools; as follows: I Presbyterian Training School at Shka.1 1 Friends' school at Douglas.' Catholic schools. Episeopa Ilan schools" 3 Moravian schools.._ swetlish Lutheran seho.ds, Total numher, 12. , . In Is92 Gov.-Knapp recognized the great work of these mission-. nri,, when he recommended to the President that these schools . recehe aid from the United States Government, stating: Shall a little. sentiment. or a pet theory' not 'applicable 'here. prevent our en- (.01111101g these nohleagencies for the accomplishment of the very work we, as a Nation, desire to accomplish. and which there is no hope of our doing our- selves? I di) not hesitate to assert that the hest educational work which has Set been done in Alaska has been done throngh these mission' agencies. This recommendation evidently found favor with the Government, for Gov. Shenk ley in 1894 reported that the Government. had that tear given said to 15 elision schools. However. this practice- was unfortunately discontinued soon afterwards. At the present time the Roman I.:0114e parochial schOols are the principal remainingimission schools in Alaska. St. Ann!s parochial 'schools at Juneau and Douglas lire the largest of these', that, in Juneau having an attendance in 1917 of 'about 60, while that .in Douglas had.'an attendance in 1917. of About 45 pupils. ; E,, SCHOOLS MAINTAINED BY THE UNITED STATES (ILWERNMENT.' a In 1884,.oh May 17;Ccongress passed the first. law with riferencelo education in AlaSka. Section .13 of this -"6tganic Act," as it, was . called, provides: ' . . . I . _._ That the !Secretary. of the, Interior shall make needful and properprovislon for the education of children of school age In the Territory of Alaska. without '' reference to race until such time as permanent provision shill he made for the same, and the AIM of $Z5 n .000. orao much thereof as nty he necessary, in . , _ for uereny appropriated ror lois purpose, . A year later (Mar. 3. 1883) the execution of this act was coin- inittea to the Bureau of Eduration. at Washington. The 4ecretary .. a the Interior, Hon. L. Q. C. Lamal. appointed Itv. Sheldon Jack-. , Pauly aupported by Use Government: 1 I In 1506 four EplacopolInn Pehoole In Alaska were placed to charge of Dr. Peter Is. Trimble Rowe. VIM Is now bishop of. the Episcopal Church hi Al 'M. EDUCATION U ALASKA. 59 son, of thePresbp.terian board of bome.missions, the general agent of education for the Territory, a position which Rev. Mr. Jackson held until 1907. Mr. Jackson, during the summers, also established much- needed schools ,at Juneau. Sitka, Wrangell, Killisnoo, Hoonah, Gaines. and Unalaska. He also sent teachers to several more rmote places, even to an Eskimo village on the Kuskokwim RiVer, 150 miles above its mouth at Bering Sea. As yet the white population 1111111- 'wed but 1,900 in all; and lived principally in southeastern Alaska. White children at this time attended the Government schools. at Sitka, Juneau, Wrangell, and Killisnoo, but the majority of the children taught were Indians. In 1886, Gov. Swineford lamented the fad. that, although there were now 2,000 children of civilized Parentage in Alaska. the ap- propriation by Congress of .$25,000 for their education had been reduced to $15.000. The Indians. he- complained, were, on the ton-. trary, receiving not only the major kart of this $15,000, but $20,000 besides for-their industrial schools Tt" Sitka and Wrangell. .Up to this time Congress had appropriated $75.000 for th;ese two industrial schools, and but $65;000 for schools Without relereace to race. There was at this time no legislative assembly in the Territory, and the people of Alaska 'did not even hay. a. representative in Congress, so that the written iktport of the governor was practically the only medium through which the needs of the'Territory could be presented to the National Government. It is not to be wondered at,. then, that the national legislators, none of whom had ever visited Alaska .or had any 'means of studying authentic description:. of it, for there were none, should have taken so little interest in the few hundred white children of the northland who were growing up in ignorance,. However,' in 1887, through ,the intbienee of Gov. Swindford, a Territorial board of ed...:yation was appointed by the Secretary of the Interior, consisting of the governor,Ahe judge of the Uiiited States District Court, and the:general agent. Thi7-5 board was to carry out the otders of the Comiteioner of Education. In 1891, however, the.lnanagement was again changed to Wash- ington, D. C.. After that. the general agent made one trip a, year to Alaska, usually Visiting the'most conveniently located schools only, Nil. there. was not 'money ,enough to provide foi' the more -difficult t veling. In 1889 there were two schools exclusively for white .children in Alaska, one at :Juneau and one at Sitka. Two years later another was established' at Douglas. That.. year Gov. Knapp complained that,' alth.Aigh Alaska had a -school .populatioli. of _10,000, schools were provided for but 500. L 60 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1916248. F. SCHOOLS MAINTAINED ST INCORPORATED TOW NS. or As the white population steadily grew, one or kwo new schools were established each year. That the number of- schools was never adequate, however, is evidenced by the fact that each.governor kept pleading with Congress every year for larger a ppropriatioas. In 1898, for instance, the second year of "movement and stir and push," following the discovery of gold at the Klondike, :there were 9,000 more white people in the district than the year before, and the school appropriation was St-ill only $30,000. Skagway, a city at the entrance to -the 'White Pass, the most popular route to the Yukon River, had 110 school children and no school. Dyea, another mush- room town, was without a school. Juneau, Douglas, and Wrangell were demanding extra teachers, but there was no money. -, Finally, in 1899, Gov. Lrady suggested a remedy. He urged Con- gress to grunt to communities .the power of incorporating town governments 'which could levy taxes and support their own schools. Ile also advocated that eacht incorporated town be allowed a certain amount of the license money from tit ale of intoxicating liquors to spend upon its schools. The next. year (lov. 13rady's suggestion was followed out. SIN ion 28 of-Document 137 of the second session of the Fifty-fifth Congress reads: . The Secretary of the Interior shall make .necdful and proper provisions and regulatiOns for the education of the children of school age in the District of Alaska, without refereme to race, and their Compulsory attendance at school until .such time as permanent pr vision shall be made for the same. .one-half of their liquor-lie use money for school purposes under This law allow 'd communi ies to incorporate as towns and to use .the direction of a school board of three members. . Thus was instituted in Alaska the dependence of her schools upon the liquor business. It 'was, for the time being, at -least, a -remedy fir. the school-situation in she crowded Communities, since Juwati, for example, could in this way obtain $15,000 for her schoolS. . Yot long afterwrirds the incorporated towns were empowered to use all their liquor- license money for -scliools and to levy a school tax on property. us high as 2 per cent. In 1901; tinder the.-incorporated town law, Juneau,- Skagway, Ketchikan, and Treadwell took ,charge of their own schools. . ' - The schools for Indians within the limits of -incorporated towns, as well as those- outside these limits, remain to this day under the jurisdiction of the...Commissioner of Education at Washington, who hasappointed one superintendent and five district superinfemjents to tad 0 charge of them. .111r. W. T. Lopp, with headquarters at Seattle, . EDUCATION IN ALASKA. 61 Wash., has been superintendent of these United States Government schools since 1910.. (See Bureau of Education Bulletin, 1916, No. 47.) The progress of the incorporated town schools for white children has been remarkable. In .1903, three years after the passage of the law, 9 such schools had been established. In 1904 the act pro- viding for incorporated towns was amended to include among the eommunities which might incorporate those having a population of 300 or more. In 1908 there were 11 incorporated town schools, 13 in 1910,14 in 1916, with 3 in incorporated school districts. The status of these schools and of other educational activities is. shown by the following quotations from the report of Gov. Riggs, ,1918, pp. 75-79 :, There :nre 15 schools In incorporated towns and 3 in incorporated school districts, supported inpart by territorial appropriation. The averages for the 18 schools, as shown by the table of statistics, is as follows: Average number of teachers, 4.8, with average -yearly salary of $1,205.20 per teacher; average en- rollment., 129; average daily attendance, 94.2; average cost of maintenance, ex- clusive of teachers' salaries, $3.777.82. The average cost per mpll was $80.14, as compared with $76.84 for the pxerlOus year. Statistics of while schools for the school year 1017-I8. s . LovatIn. Num- ber at tout- CM. Total enroll- roost. Average daily at_ tendancc. Term (mos.). Grade school Rhoda "-- otos. nigh school Patdesu. Expenditures. Total. Sooalaoroleise:1 All other. In utcorporattd towns. Cordova I 4 106 71.70 4 85,220.00 87,09.59 $12, M. 59 Douglas 9 206 171.40 9 12 4 9,005.04 4,172.65 13,177.00 Eagle 1 11 B.FI 1 840.00 408.75 1,246. 75 Fairbanks 8 205 181.60 9 19 15,180. 7.1 5,640. 10 20,829.85 Gaines 2 411 31.00 9 2 1,800.00 518.28 2,315.26 Idltarod 1 8 8 00- 9 1,3.50.00 380.78 1730.75 Juneau 14 348 271. 28 21 13 1e, 490. 00 7,744.24 24,,284.24 Ketebiltan 9 254 194.70 9 13 2 .10,603.00 4,640.47 15,358.47 Nome 8 92.90 9 5 1 8, 775, 01 4,420.97 13,204.97 Petersburg 4 91 71.92 9 4 3,915.00 2,922. 75 6,407.75 Reward 4 84.00 9 6 4,726.00 2,416. 45 7,141.45 Skagway 6 122 96.30 10 4,005.00 4,241.00 5,20).03 Tanana 17 14.00 9 . 1 , 800.00 564.22 2,344.22 Valdes 6 101 64.00 10 3 2 4,950.00 4, M.45 9,223.35 Wranscii 4 102 79.20 9 . 4 3,780. 00 1,015.85 5,335. 85 Toi,41 :77 1,947 1, 440. 81 29 92,509. 79 51,704. 45 144,214, 72 =. In incogrrcded school ... Anchorage s 274 219.6 14' 10,332.50 11,054.82. 22,387.32 Ne11103 1 28 37.1 .9 3 1, 415.90 3,991.09 5,409.09 Tel keetna . 1 8 8:0 6 2 699.00 247.43 847.43 Total )0 310 254.7 19 12,347.50 16,296.34 28,613.84 Grand total...., - 87 2,157 1,695.61 112 29 101,857. 49 65,001 79 172;668.08 CETIZI:NSIIIP NIOIIT SCHOOLS. Night schools had been organized In two or the cities or A inska,prior to the 1917,18 school year. The passage of the citizenship nightschtml law as con-. tallied in chapter 33, 1917 session laws, and the npliropriutIon of $5,000 for . 62 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF 1: DUCATION,,1916-18. carrying out its ,provisions during the period mailing March 31, 1919, however, gave a new impetus to this branch of educational activity. Six communities organized under its provisions and received Territorial appropriations amount- .ing in all -to $2,918.81. In addition to undertaking work of the scope per- mitted under the law referred to. several comr4unities conducted night schools, which offered a greater variety of subjects and which attracted a larger en- rollment than would have been possible with the limited amount of money available, from the'Territory. In all, seven schools were organized, No reports :ire available from one, so that general statistics appearing below cover but live itizetishlp night schools and six general night schools. Citizcaship night schools. School. 1.:nrollment. Average attendance. Sessione weekly. v Number weeks. Expels Mures. Men. Women. Men. Women. Anchorage 100 50 50" 35 5 24 $1,246.10 roods; 0 19 5 Ii 2 24 375.00 Juneau 20 11' 8 5 3 20 378.04 Kotchlkan 27 17 I1 10 2 15 397.00 Nenena 40 3 39 3 5 16. Ott OC Nome (no report) 400.00 Total 599 100 113 V 3,277.54 The difference between the total expenditure, $3,277.56, and the amount received from the Territory, $2.1113.31, represents money collected from tuition fees, etc., for-the support of these schools. Different subjects offered: Reading, writing, . spelling, arithmetic, English, United StateS history, United States civics, public speaking. Different nationalities 1241 reprt4tented: American, Alaska native, Austrian, Bohemian, Bulgarian, Canadian. Danish, Dutch. Finnish, French, German, Greek. Irish, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Montenegrin, Negro, Norwegian, Hui- elan, Scotch, $erhinn, Swedish, Swiss. General night schools, including .c(tizenship night schools. . 4. school. . - . Enrollment. Aroragesttondonoe. ns 8444io weekly. Number weeks. Expend- Kum. Men. y Women. Men. Women. .1trhOrVe 150. 83 ISO SO 6 35 31,741.40 ror. lora 20 19 5 . 19 350. ou I butehts 11/ 53 8 50 2 24 577.75 Joupau 24 33 11 23 a' 20 787.41 1:c.c. ilea 22 17 11 1(1 2 15 397.191 :".., torn 40 3 39 3 5 16 480.110 \ ome i on report) ,.. -30' 400.00 'tot al 252 214 169 155. 4,734 (41 Nationalities represented, the same as above. subjects the same as above with the addition of French, Spanish, shorthand; tYPot riling, business English, and mineralogy; 0. 1'1IE gEttION SCHOOL(9. Until 1905 the children of white or mixed blond outside of incor- porated towns were compelled to attend the United States Schools, EDUCATION IN ALASKA., 63 . without reference to race, which had been provided for 20 years be .. fore, and which were attended chiefly by Indians. But on January 27, 1905, Congress passed what is known as 'the Nelson bill, pro- vidiug for the establishment of a school exclusively for children of white or mixed blood in any community applying for it'which had at least 20 such children of school age. The governor was made ex- officio superintendent of these so- called Nelson schools, and they were to be supported by 25 per cent of the taxitinoney colleetei outside' of incorporated towns by the linked States Govermyent: This law has proved a boon to many communities in Alaska, al- though each year until 1917 the governor has without avail sought to -have the minimum number of children required for the establish- - men) of a Nelsons school reduced from 20 to 15. Following is a table giving all the available statistics regarding the progress of these Nelson schools: . Statistics of the Nelson schools. Dale. e. Number of Nelson schools. Number of leachers. Number of pupils. Total rose of maintenance. 1907 le 468 319,980.00 19119 17 672 36, 118.49) 1909 , 21 664 40, 782.00 1910 1 21 691 36,4741.00 1911 ' I 22 1912 50,000 00 1913 29 47 943 1914 27 39 941 1915 31 41 961 65,563.53 loll 87 20 1,470 74,241.49 1918 4' 46 58 1,1 100,044.84 v. MARRA An11CULTURA6 COLLYAM AND SCHOOL OF MINKS.' Chapter 34 of the Session laws of 1017 provides for the acceptance of grants .of land anti money for the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines In ". accordance with the provision of the acts orCongreas approyed August 30,..1390. and March 4, 1915.' Under . chapter 62 of the session laws of 1517, provtillaK for the establishment of such college, the Bunt of $00,000 Is appropriated for ;- construction of buildings and the purchase of equipment. The Wilding,. me a site near Fairbanks, set aside for. the purpose by Congress, is ;veil under way. . . if. 'NATIONAL LEOISLATION IN 1017 REOARDINO TILE N Alaska was without a representati`ve in Congress until .1906, vvlum her first Delegate was elected: Froin that time on the needs of Alaska have been -set forth before the National Government more iMsceftilly than.ever before. Although the Delegate has no vote, he has a right to speak in the House of RepresentAtives, is a 11161113er, of Variouscominittees, and can bring the affairs of Alaska to4,the- attention of the various. officials at the capital in person. slam the report of 0ov. Riggs, 1918. 64. BIENNW., SVEVEY OF EDUCATION, 1916-18.. . It was not until Congress authorized the building of a Govern- ment-Owned railroad in Alaska from Anchorage to Fairbanks in March, 1917, that the people of Washington could be made to take much interest in Alaskan affairs. The beginning of the European war in the same year, too, and the opening of the Panama Exposi- tion at:San Francisco in 1915, caused thousands of American tourists to xisit Alaska, and thus made reference to Alaska on the floor of Congress more frequent and intelligible. The first national legislation directly influencing Alaskan schools for ivhite children was passed in 1917. The reader wiy.recall that the schools of Alaska, and especially those of incorporat&I towns de- pended for their support. largely upon the liquor traffic license Money. In November, 1916, the people of Alaska by referendum .voted in favor of Territorial prohibition. It had been the intention of the members of the second session of the Territorial legislature who provided for thisfireferendum vote that, in the event of a vic- tory for prohibition, a law restricting the sale of intokiating liquor should be framed by the next legislature -to go into effect on January 1918. Social workers of various organizations, however, realized how precarious the passage .of. such a bill would be so long as the legislature had as little power for making up the deficit in school .money' as it then had. .Accordingly. largely through their effints a " bone-dry " law was passed by Congress on the last. day of its sixty-fourth session, March 3, 1917. The news of the passage of this bill was at first received with indifference even by the prohibi: tionists of Alaska, and with disgust by the people of incorporated towns, the newspapers of which attacked its advocates very bitterly. But these feelings were soon changed to patriotic rejoicing when it was learned that Congress had also granted to' the Territory the right to cant nil her own Schools for white and -native children, and to useTerritorial funds for their support. This latteN provision-d Once.gave to Alaska.-about $30000,0 to spend upon hei:.schools. L TERRITORIAL LE( I SI. AVON - MARDI NO SC 11049 FOR Wl1rrE CHILDREN. On March 4,0191:i, the first Territorial logi lature. convened in Juneau, the capital. This..baly was composed of two louses, the house of representathes.with four members from each of the four judicial divisions of Alaska, and the senate with two members from each of these judicial divisions. Its powers were very limited, :but. it passed many necessary and progressive la*s, 84 in all, the most .notable of which Was the granting of the suffrage to women. 'this 14islature did two noteworthy things for education. One was to pass a law compelling children between the ages ofs'8 and 16, living outside of incorporated towns, and within 2 miles of a school, AmmimmomimmommermAriLmaddill question was deeided by House bill No. 84. This till reads: EDUCATION 0:ALASKA. 65' to attend that school. Although -this law was not enforced, because there was no appropriation made by Congress for truant officers, it at least established a good precedent for future legislation. The other noteworthy act was to memorialize Congress for a board of education, a board of examiners, and two school superintendents for the white schools of the Territory. That same year Gm'. J. F. A. Strong recommended an appropria- tion by Congress for the Working out of a uniform_ school system, with uniform textbooks and a uniform course of study. ThiS recent- mendation Gov. Strong repeated each year until 1917. At the second session of the :Alaska Legislature a bill for a uniform school system was actually framed and passed. This bill made pro- vision for an appointive school board. of three members, namely, the giwernor (ex officio president and superintendent of public instruc- tion), the Territorial treasurer, and the assistant-stiperintendent of public instruction, who was to be at first appointed by the governor, ,but later elected 'every four years. The assistant superintendent, who was to have charge ortnstituting and administering a uniform school systemovas.to be a citizen of the 'United States, a graduate.of a State northal school, a graduate of a standard college or university, .and a teacher of at least five years' experience. He was to. rec,eivd a salary .. of $3,000 annually and a maximum of $2,000 for traveling expenses. The legislature of 1915 passed one other important .school law. This was a bill making it possible for Nelson schools to be .estab- lished in communities having but.0 children of school Age instead of 20, as required in"the original Nelson bill of 1905. Botk these heweyer, when transmitted to Congress, to accounted to be out athe scope of power granted* to the legislature in 1912 (PUblic Act 334) and wefelherefore void of no'elfect.. The third session of the legislature in 1917. was held immediately after the passing by Congress of the "hVe-dry law " for Alaska and of the law ..granting the Territory, both mo/yiey and power for school legislation.. It was therefore with grey. interest that the people awaited its acts relating to schools. NO- were they disappointed in their expectations.. The senate and the house of representatives, as soon as their organization had been,accomplished,..apPOinted a .joint committee-on education consisting of five representatives and two senators. It was unanimously ugreedethat a uniform school bill -Must' be pasSed and that some provision Must. be made, for replacing in incorporated towns, the school.revenue to be lost through prohibition. There were many 'other important School- questions to be settled., The Nelson school bill must be changed,.in effect so that communities having fewer than '20 school children mightostablish schools. This 66 PIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1916-18. The clerk bf the district court shall have the power, and it shall be his duty, in the division to which he Is appointed and In -which he resides, upon petition as hereinafter specified, to establish by order In 'writing a school district at any camp, village, or settlement outside of the limits of any Incorporated town, but such school district shall not embrace more theft 40 square miles of territory, nor contain less than /0 resident white children between the ages of 6 and 20 years. And further that= The qualified voters °Will school district shall choose by a plurality vote. a school hoard of three members who shall have the power tobuild.or rent the necessary schoolhouse, or schoolrooms, to equip the saute with the necessary furniture 'and fixtures, to provide fuel and light, to hi and employ leachers-, and in general to do and perform everything that may ry for the maintenance of the piddle seim,. The members of gild board shal old cave!" for thVterm of one year ?Rid until their SIWITSSOS are elected and unlined. An annutilhelection shall besheld each year, after the first electron, for the elec- tion of members of said board. The bill alsorprovisks more money for school buildings than the original Nelson bill. Quoting from Gov. Strong's report of 1916, the inadequacy of this former fund is clearly set forth' As a matter of feat while the teachers employed are without doubt far sm. parlor to the school teachers of 25 or 50 years ago, the schoolhouses and grounds tar no .better, and in some saw's lint sot goed as those found a half century ago in many of the States of the Union. The cost of construction and equipment of schoolhouses In rural communities is Iinihed to $1,000, a sum SO manifestly Inadequate that comment mould seem to be superfluous. The demand for,funds a, to maintain the'schools already established has so increased that the strictest economy must be practiced in order to milintain *schools In all of the organized districts. Therefore, the school huirditles are inferior and lack almost every modern appliance and comfort, except desks and seats. The school grounds are for the most part unsightly and repellluk Instead of being inviting and at- tractive, although as a rule the teachers do the best with the limited means at their command to make their surroundings es pleasant as possible. This 'condition is met by the following. provision in House bill No. 84: s' The governor shall assign and set apart to each sehool district established. ' and orgUnized under the provisions of this section a sum not leas than 0.800 nor more than $1,800, In pfoportion to the number of pupils In the dIstrIk for the , eonstruction and equipment of a sehoOlhotate, which Fami shall be paid by the Secretary of the Treasury to the treasurer of the sctfool district, upon the order and voucher of the governor, out of Mat pArtion of said .Aletalca fund set apart for the establIshmenrand maintenance of public schools. second .linportiott schoorbill was Houk,. bill No. 35; framed and introduced by the joint committee on education. This, bill Was kuned espeCially to meet the pechliar situation in.Anchoragst. chorage is a new town which has grown up since the, choice of that point on' Cook Inlet in 1915 as fhe terminal' from 'which to begin work on the. Government railroad- opening up the Matftnuska coal EDUCATION IN ALASKA. 67 fields. This town, the site of which is owned 'by the Government, is under the administration of the Alaska .Efigineering Comthissiom The commission has constructed can ideal municipality with graded streets, sidewalks, telephonelines, watei service, FeUral jail, and 4iffie, A sehold for whites, tinder the Nelson system. has been 'built there, seating 150 pupils and haviifg in 10,16 four teachers. But the town is steadily growing, and -the school needs are much larger than the Nelson chool system canfulfill: . Since the, town by its nature can not be incorporated, it was incumbent upon the legislature of 1917 to devise some mmins of establishing a better school at An. chorage. House bill No. 35 therefore. makes provision= That any tca, village, or settleMent In the Territory of Alaska outside of the limits of any Incorporated town, having a population of 100 or more and- SO.children between the ages of 0 and 20 years, Maly incorporate as a school district in the manner', hereinafter provided,' but such school district shall not embrace more than 40 square talks of territory. That each school IllstrICt organized under the provisions of this chapter shall hate aboard of.director.sof. five members to be elected amhereinufter provided, who shall htive the exclusive nualiti4l1141441 awl oilitol of all s4.1tool matters iu the school 'district subject to such general laws governing the grading and super; intendenc% of schools as may. be now or hereafter enacted by the Territorial 'legislature. That said boards.of directors shall have the power to levy and taxes Mon all real and-persouttl property within the. limits of their respective dis- tricts not exempt therefrom by existing law, not to exce0 1 per cent of the assessed. value of such property In any one tear and ail Moneys collected by such taxation shalllie expended In payment of the cost of levying ond colketing such taxes, in payment of the cost of conducting school:elections, and for the construction find maintenance of schools only. ' Section 13,,of the act also states that " an'emergeney is. hereby . 'declared to exiSt, and this' act shall be in ctieerfrom and after its , passage and approvbi." . But the editchtional bill in which the people of the Territory felt most intere* was that .intended. to furnish a substitute to t,Lie schools' of incorporated towns for 'the revenue' toreviously deriVed from saloon licenses. Two such bills were introduced in the house of repr6sentitives, and.the other the "75 per Bent" bill. The first of, those, the so- called "fiftytfifty" bill, proposed to give to in corperated towns .Ono-half of the money needed to meet their. ex- pense budget for the ensuing year. The other,.the ` is pe &Id 1011,' proposed to grant to-incorporated towns three- .fourths of, the money needed to maintain their schools dja:ng the. preceding'year.13.1.1th Bills included a clause Makin t $15,^ the Maxitnimi amount to be granted to any one school. 4(fter many weeks of debate and hit ruse activity on the part of champions opponents alike; near the close of the session the "fifty- fifty." bill, now changed to a sixty -forty compromik bill, was passed',;. The senate then amended into giitnt 68 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1910-18. to incorporated towns'not 60 per cent but 75 per cent of their school.. maintenance fun& The house concurred in this amendMent. and the bill was signed by the governor, causing; 9f course, great re- joicing in all incorporated towns. . The Territorial .money available for the maintenance of these schools and the Nelson schools for the next fiscal year will bepas . follows; Twenty -five per cent of the Alaska fund, which comprises all mitmys derived by the Federal Government from business and trade licenses outside of incorporated towns and which are passed to the credit of the Treasurer of the United States." This Money 'as ap- propriated by Congress in 1913 for the maintenance of white schools outside of incorporated towns, and in 1916 amounted approximately to $82,500. Twenty-five per cent of the Territory's 25 per ceni of receipts from the National Forests in Alaska, in. accordance with act of Congress, 'June '30, 1906alitcrded March 4,1907, and May 23,-1908, respectively, which approprMes this money-for the benefit of public schools and public roads. For the year, December 31. 1016, this fund amounteno $21,851.75.- . . Abbut $210,000 was derived from the Territorial Revenue Act passed by the Alaska Legislature, 1915, which imposes a graduated schedule of taxatiiat upon fisheries and upon cold-storage fish plants. Last of all was passed the educational hill; constituting the uniform ichoorlaw, of the Territory had most need in order to reach the, standard sett by other progressive States and cotintries. . This 'law has prodecil n marked change in the status of the white .schools ofAlaska. . Before.this-time the governor of Alaska was the es officiO suPerin- tenclent of public, instruction7lut because of his nranifold-duties, he had far too little time to devote to the schools. Under Gov.- Strong ' excellent results were obtained in the compilhig-of statisticsof white schOols and in the spreading ttf information and creation of 'public opinion which brought about the progressive legislation- of 1917. Co-v. Strong instituted the issuing of two-year certificates' to teach in . Alaska to all.teriehees actively- engaged in teaching thnTerritory, upon presentation of Such Certificates, diplomas, or other credentials as woulOpropeuly qualify them for such-a perinit, . Until 1917,- however, ." there was no siipervision of schools and them were no courses of study in the rural*hools with -any degree. of 44formity. Lacking systematic inspection, there was no coopers- lion; itimong theschools." Where were no jeachers'iorkiinizations, and the only 'School publictitions, trees high School Annuals pub- lished by such schools as Juneau and Douglas. The courses of study were not standardized, and they, as well as the textbooks, were EDUCATION IN ALASKA. 69 changed with the aRent of every new teacher, who chose both. course of study and-text books from those 'heor she vas most familiar with, usually those of Washington. Oregon, or California. Offsetting these disadvantages, ho*ever, is the fact that The vast majority of the teachers in Alaska have two qualification's which make for successful school work in this country where direct supervision of ,schools is necessarily limitedthese are professional training and experi- ence. Two-thirds of the teachers of Alaska are normal school or college graduates; SS per cent of the high-school teachers are college graduates who have la addition had advance study. The average teaching experience of Alaska teachers is seven and one-half years, exclusive of the school year for which the report it fhade. - Commendable work has. therefore been accomplished even under trying circumstances. This is true of incorporated towns especially. . The following quotation,from Gov. Strong's report 'of 1916 well stun- marizes the progress made: The graded schools maintained in incorporated communities are doing good work under efficient superintendents, and with excellent courses of study. Graduates of sonic of the high schools of Alaska are matriculated at the University of Washington, located at Seattle, without examination, and each year there is a substantial enrollment of students from Alaska.- Graded schools are maintained in 14 incorporated townS.of the Territory, and In 01 of these towns high schools are established. In April, 1916, the high schools of Douglas and Juneau were ac- . credited by the University of Washington after an inspection tour by Dr. F. W. Meistiest, of the -university% who pronounced them on a par with the accredited high schools of corresponding size in the State of Washington. In these incorporated town schools, many of the most progressive theories of education have been worked out to successful conclusions. For instance, in Douglas, during the year 1916-17; the following projects have been successfully carried on: The Six and Six Plan, whereby a jtflilor high school consisting of the seventh and eighth grades has been established, milking the !meek between grade and high school at Abe end of tite sixth year, and giving these pupils the advantage of the departmental plan. -. Manual tillining and dtimestic science In high school. A school library cofiducted by high - school pupil librarians. . A high-school annual paper, With 75 'pekes of 'reading matter and 15 photo- graphs. f "*A high-school dramatic club which produced the first pageant In AlasIni,'n'tul earned for the school last-year about $350. A high-school orchestra. jnteradtolastic debating.. High school athletleS,**0 several Interclass and intersch01 athletic teem, The applicatIon.of Thoropsoni tnininiutWesr:ential tests. Music, drawing, physicil culture, Etgnti t arta, and gardening throughout the.grades. -. Medlcal And ctioat, Inspection, 70 BIENNIAL SURVEY OF EDUCATION, 1918 -18. A 'parent-teacher association of over 100 members, Which purchased a $290 victrola, a set of dishes, and Indian clutis and dumb bells for the school. It is evident, however, that the schools of the incorporated towns as well as those of the Nelson system suffered from lack of coopera- tion and systematization. As remedying these grave defects the im- portance of the uniform school act of 1917, described above, can not be overestimated. As finally adopted, this act provided for a Ter- ritorial board of education to consist of four elected menabers,. namely, one senator from each judicial division, and the governor, who should be ex officio president of the board. The first board, however, was elected- by the legislature from the members of the senate then in session, and the school board which is now in office and will be until the. next session- in 1919 is composed of the following members: Gov. Thomas Rings, Jr., ex ofliclo president. Hon. 0. P. Hubbard, of Valdez, president of senate, 1015. Hon. James Robert Heckman, of Ketchlkan. Hon. 0. I'. Gnustad. of Fairbanks. Hon. F. A. T. Aldrich, of Nome. The act further provides for the appointment by the school board, of a Territorial commissioner of education, at a salaryof not more than $3,600 per annum, who shall have an office in Juneau with an alloWance of not more than $2,000 per annum for clerical help and office expenses. He is to be chosen upon merit, and the oily limita- tion put ifpon his qualifications is that'he shall be a citizen of the ,United States. A maximum sum is appropriated. for. his traveling expenses also, and three niontlis' leave of absence from the Territory is granted him each year for the purpose of study and attendance upon educational conventions. The commissioner's duties as set forth in the act include: The supervision of all matters pertaining to the public schools of the Territory of Alaska, to include all schools both within and without incorporated towns; the obtaining of annual reports from the president, superintendent, or principal of all public educational institutions and private schools; the keeping in his office of words, books, and papers pertaining to thaeducational interests of the Territory; the preparing of a minimum course of study and a' uniform, textboqk system for the public schools of the Territory; the pliWishing and 'distributing to school boards of the Territory bulletihS or paniphlets relating to educationaL work; the prescribing of riles and regulations for the-gov.ernment of the public schools, including rules of attendance, punctuality,truandy, etc.; the minis- .inL of sellools throughout the Territory, and accrediting of -those reaching a certain standard; and the examining of and granting of certificates to applicants desiring to teach in Alaska: . EDUCATION IN ALASKA. 71 t Immediately after the close of the session of the legislature, on May .4, 1917, the Territorial school board met, organized, and con- . sidered applications for the position of Territorial commissioner of. education. Mr. D. Henderson, then superintendent of schools at June,au, was chosen to be the first Territorial commissioner. He has alreadyestablished an office in Juneau, and has begun the arduous . task of standardizing the white schools of Alaska. , CON CLUSION. It will he seen that the public schools for the white children o Alaska had to pass through three distinct phases: First, they had to be separated from the influence of religious denominations, in 1894. Secondly they had to be distinguished front schools for Indian children in 1900 and in 1905. Lastly, they had to be brought out of the jurisdiction of a remote and apathetic National Congress into the control of the people of Alaska themselves. Now that this last. step i'been attained, it is hoped that the white schools of Alaska rank among the most progressive schools in the world.