First preparatory. 1. English.. Until able to write a letter reasonably correct. 2. Reading. Arnold's Third. 3. Arithmetic. As far as division of fractions. 4. Geography. One-half year oral, then Frye's Geography. 5. Music and drawing. 1. English. Second preparatory. Complete Mother Tongue, Book II. 2. Geography. An advanced political, completed. 3. Reading. Friends and helpers. 4. Arithmetic. Fractions and percentage and their applications. 5. Spelling. 6. Drawing and music. In addition to this regular course special instruction is offered along business and commercial lines. These schools reach a class of students formerly not administered to by the public schools of the city. Grammar schools as formerly existing were not entirely satisfactory, because conducted as advanced features in elementary schools. The secondary school conducted as a separate and complete institution reaches a class not otherwise available. At least one more secondary school is a present necessity. The lack of American teachers makes its immediate establishment impossible. NIGHT SCHOOLS. The condition of night schools is most gratifying. The interest of adult natives in the work offered is all that can be desired. These schools, 23 in number, are filled to their utmost capacity. New classes are being opened almost weekly. Present accommodations are far from adequate, and hundreds of students have been turned away because of this fact. This condition is being rapidly overcome, and we shall soon be able to accommodate all available candidates. The students in these schools range from 14 years of age upward. Almost every profession, trade, line of business, and condition of life is represented. The standards of these schools are being raised and many teachers have been discontinued because of inadaptability. Many of the night-school teachers are employees in various bureaus of the Government and have had no normal training or experience. Only the best are retained. NORMAL SCHOOLS. These schools, two in number, located in Paco and Sampaloc, are established for the purpose of furnishing regular normal training to native teachers employed in the city schools. The course of study covers a period of three years and includes branches taught in regular normals. In order to make this course a possibility it has been found necessary to confine the instruction of pupils to a long session in the morning and to devote the afternoon to instruction for teachers. A definite course of study has been prepared and will be closely followed. Each normal is in charge of a principal, who directs the work. The work of instruction in these normals is performed by the regular American teachers, each teaching for a period of two months. TEACHERS. The work of American teachers is, in general, very satisfactory. That of many of them is extremely so. Defects existing in the city schools are almost entirely due to conditions over which the teacher has no proper control. The conditions in a very few schools would indicate that the teachers have not done all that might be reasonably expected. I am not at all certain, however, that even in the few cases included the teacher is to blame. So arduous have been my office duties that I have not been able to give nearly proper time and attention to the work of inspection. As a result I am at present unable to severely criticize the work of any teacher. It is my impression that a great many of the city teachers are overworked. Forced by circumstances to live in districts far distant from their schools and to work in buildings the sanitary condition of which is bad, the health of these teachers is subjected to a severe test. The salaries of these teachers are, with a few exceptions, too low. The general average, directors and secondary principals excluded, is $90. So great is the expense of house rent, subsistence, and transportation to schools that simple necessity forces many to teach in night schools at a sacrifice of health and effort in the regular day schools. NATIVE TEACHERS. The native teachers of Manila may be divided upon a basis of ability into seven classes. The work of the lowest class is only fair, due in some cases to an imperfect knowledge of English, in others to a lack of training, and in others to defects inherent in the individual. The work of the highest class is splendid. This class includes about 20 teachers. I see no reason why, with proper training, these teachers may not be brought to a reasonably high standard of proficiency. They work faithfully. Their efforts are well directed and productive of proper results. Their interest in the work is all that could be wished. They are tactful and agreeable. Their desire to advance is strong. The slightest suggestion offered by the American teacher is carried to its limit. In general, the efforts of these teachers as far as they presume to go place them in a fairly high class. Several of these teachers have been promoted to positions ordinarily supposed to require qualities confined to American teachers. In this experiment we are meeting with success. Guillermo Santos has been placed in full charge of the Calle Lemery school containing more than 500 pupils and 19 teachers. Ramon Ochoa and Andrea Vitan have been placed in charge of classes in the Sampaloc secondary school. Other teachers will be promoted as rapidly as conditions will permit. The salaries of native teachers average $35, gold. As at present constituted the native teaching force of the city is divided into fourteen classes, represented by as many different grades of salaries. It is my intention to reduce this number to seven. With the increases which accompany the change in classification indicated a satisfactory basis will have been established. The salary schedule under proposed classification is as follows: Six teachers, at $60; 6 teachers, at $55; 6 teachers, at $50; 8 teachers, at $45; 29 teachers, at $40; 63 teachers, at $35; 30 teachers, at $30; average salary, $37, United States currency. IMPROVEMENTS EFFECTED DURING PRESENT SCHOOL YEAR. Secondary schools: Secondary schools established in Sampaloc and Tondo. Kindergartens: Kindergartens established in San Nicolas, Sampaloc, and Intramuros for Filipino children, and in Ermita for American children. Drawing: A full course in drawing, compulsory in all grades, with an American director and 6 native assistants. Music: A course in vocal music, compulsory in all grades, with an American director and 2 assistants. Teachers: An appropriation for 50 additional day-school teachers and 35 additional night-school teachers. Principals: An appropriation for 6 additional night-school principals. Night schools: New night schools opened in Tondo, Trozo, Santa Cruz, Quiapo, Sampaloc, Concepción, Malate, and Santa Ana. In progress.-School buildings: Modern school buildings in Tondo, Trozo, and Malate. Drill: Introduction of military drill (foot movements and setting-up exercise) into all schools. (This Normal course: A full course of normal instruction for native teachers. course will lead up to a form of certification similar to that of a regular normal school.) Course of study: A complete course of study and a thorough grading of schools. School districts: Definite establishment of district boundaries and a system of transfer whereby pupils may be transferred from one district to another. Classification of native teachers: A proper classification of native teachers, whereby the fourteen classes now represented by as many different salaries may be reduced to seven. Kindergartens: Establishment of 4 additional kindergartens. Chinese school: Establishment of second Chinese school. Proposed buildings: New school buildings to be erected in the following districts: San Nicolas, Santa Cruz, Quiapo, Santa Mesa, San Miguel, Concepción, Ermita, Malate, Paco, and Sampaloc. Transportation: City transportation for directors of special subjects. Office quarters: Proper office quarters for city superintendent. This includes accommodations for directors of music, drawing, and kindergarten. Office force: The services of a stenographer are absolutely indispensable. CITY OF MANILA, MUNICIPAL BOARD, The EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, Manila, P. I. SIR: The municipal board desires to amend its report on the proposed continuation of the present tax rate of 14 per cent for 1904, by increasing the estimated public improvements, January 1 to June 30, 1904. The amount submitted by the board was $200,000, but after a careful consideration of the needed improvements in detail, and after consultation with the new city engineer, Major Case, it is found that a Estimated; paid from insular revenue. Paid by engineer department. $118,000 additional will be needed for such improvements. This money is proposed to be expended in the following manner: New bridge to replace present Ayala Bridge... $60,000 Extension of Calle Concepción over the moats and through the walls to 25, 000 10,000 Foundations and placing of 600,000 paving blocks on the Escolta and vicinity, including curbing.... Total.. 23,000 118,000 In addition to these much-needed improvements, heads of departments have presented a deficiency estimate, which is now in the hands of the board, amounting to $108,330, making a total sum to be expended between the present date and June 30, 1904, of $226,330, which should be added to the $200,000 estimated public improvements in the above-cited opinion of the board concerning the reduction in taxation, which would reduce the estimated balance to the credit of the city at the end of the fiscal year, without any reductions for a change of the revenue laws or a decrease in the revenues, to $307,406, and with the reduction proposed, to 1 per cent, would probably leave the city with a debit balance at the close of the year. In estimating for these increased sums, the city has carefully kept within the bounds of necessary work, and work which it is believed can be accomplished within the period for which the money is desired. Attention is invited to the report of the engineer on the dangerous condition of the Ayala Bridge, which makes the need of a new bridge very evident. The paving blocks should be laid with all possible speed, in order that the work may be done before, or at least at the same time that the street railroad is establishing its lines on the Escolta. Very respectfully, JNO. M. TUTHER, Secretary. CITY OF MANILA, DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS, SECRETARY MUNICIPAL BOARD, Manila, P. I. As this matter is decidedly urgent, I would respectfully request its early consideration. J. F. CASE, City Engineer. Respectfully, CITY OF MANILA, DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS, Manila, P. I., October 15, 1903. Maj. J. F. CASE, City Engineer, Manila, P. I. SIR: I have the honor to make the following report upon the condition of the Ayala Bridge over the Pasig River. This bridge was built in 1881, and owing to the metal not having been properly protected by paint the same has corroded and is in a dangerous condition, The abutments and the main pier are in very good condition, but the intermediate piers are in a very dangerous condition. These intermediate piers consist of cast-iron screw piles, of eight long and two short columns to a pier, and are held in position by cross bracing of horizontal and diagonal angle irons. There are three of these piers between the main center pier and each abutment. One pier is placed in the center of the stream and the other two are spaced 59.4 feet on either side. The metal work in these piers has become very badly corroded, especially at the collars where the columns are spliced, and also at the water line. That portion of the bridge between the island Convalecencia and the Germinal Cigar Factory is in the worst condition, owing to the trusses of this portion having been badly racked by the numerous collisions which have occurred to this portion of the bridge. The floor system of the whole bridge is in a dangerous condition, especially the floor beams at their junction with the piers. The lateral bracing of the floor system is entirely gone and some of the wooden stringers are so badly rotted that it is impossible to drive a nail in them and have it hold. Something should be done to remedy the condition at the earliest possible time, and I am of the opinion that the city would save money in the end if a new bridge were put in, rather than try to repair the old one. The span from the island to the Germinal Cigar Factory side is 195 feet, and it would seem that the three piers between the main pier and the abutment should be done away with, and one span designed to cover this portion. Respectfully, L. F. PATSTONE, Superintendent Street Construction and Bridges. WAR 1903-VOL 5 43 |