What May Be Expected from Philippine Education? Author(s): David P. Barrows Source: The Journal of Race Development, Vol.

1, No. 2 (Oct., 1910), pp. 156-168 Published by: Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/29737855 . Accessed: 04/10/2013 02:06
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 209.6.206.232 on Fri, 4 Oct 2013 02:06:11 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

WHAT MAY BE EXPECTED FROM PHILIPPINE EDUCATION?

By David P. Barrows, Ph.D., Recently Director of Education in the Philippines. The opening of American markets to their products is unquestionably bringing a new era of business prosperity
to the Philippines. The governor general has announced

recently that for the fiscal year ending June 30th, the sum of imports and exports exceeds by $17,000,000 the commerce
of the previous year. Everywhere there is increased indus?

trial activity. The present administration is laying great emphasis on the material development of the islands; many millions of pesos have been spent for roads; other millions
for permanent beautification operating. pression continues buildings, of Manila. Added of human unbroken. for harbor Newly are for the improvements, are railroads constructed sup? has of

exertions

and animal Yet

for the being made The peace which disease. is not a solution

obtained in practically all parts of the archipelago since 1906

economic the Philippine successes, problem, as of the meet real the people striking they are, expectations if unsup? will this business themselves. Neither activity, of well diffusion insure a general ported by other agencies, being. this prosperity nor do these

The Philippines have been prosperous before. There were

trade rapidly increased, long periods under Spanish rule, when when each year added new areas to productive cultivation, to the from Spain crowded when settlers and adventurers were not and yet the real social needs of the people islands, met, was the not social averted. not changed, and revolution to is adequate economic policy a as race There the of such Filipino. aspirations to supply and that is a difficult yet far more discontent No mere was

the growing is something

This content downloaded from 209.6.206.232 on Fri, 4 Oct 2013 02:06:11 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

PHILIPPINE

EDUCATION

157

legitimate outlet for the restlessness and ambition of an awakened and passionate people; something else far harder
to preserve than business prosperity, and that is under?

standing and accord between this dependent people and their

political those masters. occasioned racial contact man and a

The most pressing problems of the twentieth century are

by collision. Over large part of the earth, the white is master of the polit?

ical fortunes of the backward other races, but it is doubtful

maintain his superior position

and dependent peoples of if he can longer generally

except by generous conces?

sions. The future is full of trouble and will tax the capaci? ties of the white race as perhaps they have never been taxed
before. Toward the close of the last century there was a

general feeling that the dependent peoples were to remain indefinitely dependent, their just treatment and material well-being assured by the control of the colonial nations of Europe. The marked success of the British Empire at the end of the century had much to do with establishing this
confidence in scientific and at least terms remain was one attempt to state this expectation a made British Ben? by writer, Mr. and that be ever they would of the white man's

jamin Kidd.
races would content rule. under

It was assumed that the temper of dependent

submissive the economic advantages

That
rare but

this view was devoid of statesmanship

certain sense for future decade. of a single now change, Over great and is clear

and of that
now after where of its is an

the passage nitely, cally strength uneasy there

countries

it was thought that the natives would remain docile indefi?

prevail past discontent the menace renewed There

rebellion.

The Mohammedan
and

world which

seemed politi?

enfeebled

that seemed on a now no cer? of have success, securely planted century are few advocates tain future. There of repression. Lord recent Indian the wiser reflect attitude Morley's Speeches to concede, that seeks it sees that because is concession necessary, just and generous.

of recovery, has hopes is pregnant with great change. consciousness colonial that policies

This content downloaded from 209.6.206.232 on Fri, 4 Oct 2013 02:06:11 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

158

DAVID

P. BARROWS

It is this present shifting of policies, that makes the history of the European administration of the Philippines signifi? cant. The Spanish failure has its lesson and that lesson must
be seen by other colonial nations or the failure will be re?

peated

elsewhere.

What

Spain

faced in the Philippines

of her the last decades during ent peoples must face also present century. with a high degree

rule, other powers with depend? of the in these early decades

For 333 years, Spaniards governed the Philippines, and in

some ways of success and a minimum of

oppression. The occupation of the Philippines came at the close of the active period of Spanish conquest and it had the
benefit Two of more than of generations and covery conquest, in America. years of experience had borne the costs of dis? Spaniards when in and they had learned much, seventy

for the Philippines. 1565, Legazpi set sail from Mexico There had been a reaction against the brutality that marked
of and occasioned of the Antilles the conquest Innumerable the Indians. passages troubled. Las Casas was still alive the extermination in the laws of the

Indies indicate that the Spanish

and

conscience was solicitous

in the convent of his

order in Valladolid. This, and the different attitude of the natives, freed the conquest of the Philippines from the vio?
lence ble and misfortune the early This witnessed treated establishment policy and made possi? a paternal and beneficent as a ward and for the native of status for him. and on The natives in were the whole the relation? who ideal to many were before inadequate. even when in America

policy. centuries increased

contemplated in numbers,

no other

in civilization

near the middle Until well-being. and the natives between ship their writers 1850. It had native a closed But immediate who Then

of the century the missionaries

governors well-nigh as they the Philippines described became suddenly Spain's policy the education hostile of the native,

seemed

neglected leadership;

admitted

to holy orders; it did not tolerate the growth of

it was to every influence coming

from the outside world.

dedicated vessel, of the the opening

It sought to keep the Philippines

to the Church. islands to foreign trade, the arrival

This content downloaded from 209.6.206.232 on Fri, 4 Oct 2013 02:06:11 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

PHILIPPINE

EDUCATION

159

of Spaniards of secular pursuits, the reverberation in the Philippines of the clamorous revolutions in Spain, then the
opening the friars, of the and Suez Canal failed as and in the the entrance of a host of

disturbing

ideas made
Spain

impossible the old paternal r?gime of

courage and will to carry

through a policy
liberal last have Public measure policy" statesmen, of her decades been

of reform.
creditable rule show,

Spain did not wholly

of reforms legislative but they were unequal

lack
the to

accomplish the complete change of policy which alone would

to preserve the sovereignty of Spain. adequate a was of natives after education 1860, provided " assimilation the of local government conceded, advocated by some, as was representation in the

was

Cort?s, but the influence of the Church was thrown heavily

and rebel? all this advance and the result was reaction against of sympathy lion. The policy and concession recommended was defeated statesmen of Spanish by by a small number

those who despised Filipino

development a menace to

capacity, and saw in its every

their own

Spain's authority. of material that no amount shows experience advantage, will hold the alle? and no sense of past benefits conferred a with liberal ideas and of permeated giance subject people

conscious
following

that it is being repressed and intimidated

the line of its natural advancement.

from

When in 1898, the government of the Philippines passed to our hand we inherited a revolution that had been in progress for many years; Filipino leaders were flushed with their
successes, end until British cedents different has been confident their that nationality could be won and reso?

lute that the period of disturbance and warfare should not

secure. The governments of the rights were no of Malaysia and Dutch colonies offered pre? in this situation, for it was entirely for us to follow or Dutch over which from anything British rule successful. Only a policy of conciliation and sincere of success.

to Filipino friendliness had any hope aspirations were in the elements of such a policy found Fortunately the plan to which the American turned?native instinctively This national education. feeling for schools was shown strik? ingly in the attitude of the army even while engaged in the

This content downloaded from 209.6.206.232 on Fri, 4 Oct 2013 02:06:11 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

160

DAVID

P. BARROWS

work of subjugation. Schools were reopened in every part of the archipelago and their work cared for with intelligence and solicitude by military men. During those dreadful and perplexing months of 1900 and the early part of 1901,
officers ciliation commanding by the garrisons support was Bureau made of towns in all parts of the

archipelago manifested
the warmest education The was

their belief in a policy of native con?

and advocacy the main of education.

With

the organization

of civil government
of Education to the

by the Taft
feature was of the organised of Fili?

Commission, administration. American

by law in January, 1901, and the engagement of a thousand

teachers in response requests

pinos who appeared before the Commission in public dis? cussion of the bill and pleaded for native enlightenment. It is its attitude toward schools and the intellectual develop?
ment of the natives the Taft Nor that actually determines established ever had the character a new stan?

of a colonial policy at the present day.

education Commission has the really government

In its emphasis on

dard in the relations of a colonial government and its subject

population. reason to

repent of its attitude toward education. When in 1903, Mr. Taft leftManila for Washington, he declared that above all other efforts that had contributed to the success of his
policy, Ten was years the work have and influence since of the American the educational teacher. policy now passed

of the United

States in the Philippines was started, and it is

some of its results and to decide to begin to estimate possible now stands can be said for its where that policy and what future. No him. been Towns schools of schools school one can deny From and have and that the Filipino has made a most magni?

ficent response to the opportunities

continues vied in the one end of the archipelago to be a passionate with one another of school erection

of schooling held out to

to the other, there has desire for education. in their buildings. sacrifices Advocacy for

public tion to schools

indispensable is the basis of many support usefulness. The application has more than once

is an almost

and pre-election pledge, a town officials claim of of the proceeds of taxa? saved the government's

This content downloaded from 209.6.206.232 on Fri, 4 Oct 2013 02:06:11 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

PHILIPPINE

EDUCATION

161

in one financial legislation from complete unpopularity; year over 265,000 pesos was voluntarily contributed to sup? plement the public revenue of the schools. The Philippine Assembly inaugurated in 1907 has further expressed the wide popular support of education. Of the 75 bills passed at the first sessions of the first Legislature, 9 had for their object
the aid and encouragement of education. One of these was acts one

established
act to be

the University
passed or

of the Philippines,
by the Assembly

and the first

considered school houses.

appropriating
"barrio"

1,000,000 pesos to aid in the construction of

or hamlet

It is this fine spirit and eager desire for schools that has made the work of the American educator in the Philippines a
comparatively simple problem. The work has grown under

his hands with great rapidity and its extension has been limited by only one thing, the inadequacy of the revenue
provided first, was complete object, attained. by to government. reach the entire the The Christian and 1200 a distant aim almost from with This nearly the a population industrial schools. goal, has or been

of primary system at first seemed which Of the nearly

"pueblos"

townships

of the Spanish r?gime, probably not one is now without a well organized and carefully supervised system of public
schools. than Of the more cent than at 12,000 barrios time or villages are without in which

the great mass of the population

thirty per the present

lives, probably not more

school

privileges. Practically reached by instruction

elements 000, of literacy. 600,000 teachers Out are and nearly

the entire population is being in the English language and the

of a population of perhaps in attendance upon public 7,000, schools.

The number of Filipino

American is shown

teachers, all of them trained by

their instruction in English giving for the last year to be 8210. All pri? by reports is done The creation mary teaching by these Filipinos. and training of this great native men and corps of young as a them in instructors women, qualifying foreign language, them preparing by schools and assemblies not only the common vacation courses, institutes, and by daily training classes to teach, but industrial work, primary branches, normal

This content downloaded from 209.6.206.232 on Fri, 4 Oct 2013 02:06:11 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

162

DAVID

P. BARROWS

hygiene,

simple

domestic

science,

local

government

and

village improvement, gardening and agriculture is the most All of notable achievement of the Bureau of Education.
the above branches are taught in the primary tasks and schools and the to

teaching is done by Filipino young men and women who have

to their themselves proven equal of their profession. the obligations responsive

Nearly
specialized the primary

200

intermediate
of three

schools with
years carry school

vocational
the work

and
of

courses schools

further system

and the public

is completed

by some 40 high schools, one in each province, and by the

established university. newly one goes now in the Philippines, Wherever even in remote

provinces and isolated hamlets he will find a troop of children

streets or plaza, who can engage with him the narrow filling and and whose in ordinary thoughts conversation, English and raised far above the mental ideas have been quickened

level of the illiterate and ignorant class from which

children Such results are cumulative. A

these

spring. in favor of general tell immensely years may enlightenment, of ten years, the the progress and to one who has watched seems will be the entire archipelago united close when day and by a native tongue journalism by a common an active of public factor in the formation opinion) (already express?

few more

ing itself in English

every body The social last hundred

and intelligible
of this public remarkable advantages

to every class and to

instruction advances have promise

of population. consequences years some but class Now

to be very striking.
tion and confined in culture, to a small town. controls civil and

The Filipino people have made

these hitherto

in the
been It in

in civiliza? a few fami?

lies in each already

of the population?only a great middle class through class families. the of the

education service The new

is forming. teachers who

large part trol of the examinations. telegraphs ness?all public

are from middle

through forms mail

con? It is gaining of competitive system

telephones, are filled by the class of young people schools since the American occupation.

railroading, industry, busi? commercial service, educated The types in of

This content downloaded from 209.6.206.232 on Fri, 4 Oct 2013 02:06:11 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

PHILIPPINE man

EDUCATION

163 and nurse

professional from schools. fected. barrio are years no the

and woman,

physician,

engineer

are all being changed by the young force pressing upward

masses and unlettered the poor through are Nor the agricultural peasantry remaining The institutions of "bonded and debt" public unaf? "caci?

quismo," which have blighted

people, are being longer completely ago, to a dominant

the social progress

These as rural they class which

of the
classes ten

undermined. subservient, proprietary

were

exploited

and economy will come with knowledge of accounts, savings banks andindependent production taught them. Thrift
in the primary tem of education schools. the great

It is still too early to observe the direct effects of this sys?

upon experiment of representative

This government which is being tried in the Philippines. modern principle (not yet fully established among Euro? pean peoples) now runs through all the political institutions of the Philippines. The municipal councils and presidents
are elective, cial boards, so are including two of the three members governor, the provincial of the provin? and so is the

Philippine Assembly which now, with the Philippine Commis? sion, is the supreme legislative body in the islands. Suffrage is still restricted, only about 150,000 electors in a population of 7,000,000. But one of the qualifications by which the franchise is obtainable is a knowledge of the English lan? guage, and while the voting age is high (twenty-three), in
less than a decade the majority of electors will be young will

men who have qualified for political activity through their

education hold ment the future in the primary and these young schools, of democracy and representative power. men govern?

in their

or fail? that are involved The consequences in the success ure of America's in native great experiment government, alone justify all the emphasis would that can be placed upon the education of the Filipino. from the attitude Judging men of those young who have already attained the franchise the schools, it may be supposed that the coming more electorate is to far be criti? Filipino going alert, more cal of mistakes, and more of restrictions and of impatient through

This content downloaded from 209.6.206.232 on Fri, 4 Oct 2013 02:06:11 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

164

DAVID

P. BARROWS

arbitrary government than the generation of Filipinos who first opposed and at last cooperated in the establishment of
American government. These young men are going to make

the task of future governors general of the Philippines in? creasingly difficult, unless these officials be men fully in sympathy with native development and resolute to guard its every privilege and opportunity. Their appearance in political life will mean the final passing of the standards of political conduct inherited from the Spanish r?gime, the end of those vestiges of arbitrary and irresponsible authority that still tempt the American official from the straight path of his legal powers; it will mean the disuse of Spanish in
courts and legislature, in schools and popular journalism.

It will mean the actual extension to the soil of Malaysia, of the principles of American government and civil liberty.
In view of all the circumstances The They the greatest schools have them have task before a and

the American

educator in the Philippines

revived in the

is the training of
undertaken native primary arts

for leadership. Filipinos wide scope of activities. industries and are

teaching

schools;

they have provided shops, laboratories and facilities for industrial training that probably cannot be paralleled in any
state disease tation in America; and and taken up the campaign against a knowledge are of sani? epidemic diffusing are the archipelago. These nursing throughout they and have

important practical ends, but they are less important than to give to the Filipino people leaders who will be equal to the
tasks and trials which over plague, lie before general them. Industrial these progress, (though triumph but moral well-being?all

with immense difficulty ) might be realized without

and kind

education,

never. man? Civilized political leadership, has always been controlled and directed by his scholarly can hope to class; he always will be and no backward people own in the control of their or to make destinies participate their and their until progress truly own, fundamentally and disciplined trained leaders of their own race and kind exist in sufficient to make numbers them of self capable direction. schools It is this that makes of the Philippines such the forty important or more factors secondary in the edu

This content downloaded from 209.6.206.232 on Fri, 4 Oct 2013 02:06:11 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

PHILIPPINE

EDUCATION

165

cation of the islands and justifies the comparatively large expenditures for their equipment and conduct. This justifies also the liberal and humanistic courses which are offered in
these tional schools branches in science and voca? the training together with to the option of the student. that are allowed

Anyone who has considered deeply the needs of the Filipino people will see that the greatest need is for an upright and broadly educated leadership. The responsibilities which our liberal policy has trusted to them are enormous; they may be productive of an influence and benefit that will far surpass or they the boundaries of the Philippines or of Malaysia,
may ress end in complete and retard the prog? disappointment, of the races toward a better understanding and a higher one for another. At and social present respect political

leadership is in the hands of a small class, really a few individ?

uals in each Spanish element who had the advantages of higher province, education. These men have been an indispensable in the inauguration of the present of government

their country and future generations will regard them with gratitude, but at its best their education was superficial and illiberal and wholly inadequate for the generation of men to whom must be entrusted the future of the Philippines. This
generation cannot have too liberal a culture. It cannot

know too much of the history of the race, of the spirit of the western civilization which it participates in but imper?
fectly The higher tical" leaders not be understands. rather character common criticism education of the Filipino and would still probably people less the against so called "unprac? agree that the present are not an over-informed and its and less mentally dis? that is directed

of the Filipino less cultivated,

over-disciplined
ciplined. Perhaps of public

class, and that the future leadership should

informed

has been said to indicate the importance enough in the American instruction ideal of colonial gov? as that ideal was expressed laid the ernment, by those who of our policy foundations in the Orient. This is the original in America's has not been to do for a dependent attempt done before. It is its distinctive people feature

element what

This content downloaded from 209.6.206.232 on Fri, 4 Oct 2013 02:06:11 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

166

DAVID

P. BARROWS

and if our example is to have value for other colonial peoples, it will be in the complete success of the system of schools.
Commercial the advan? development, a of free hand tage capitalized having undertakings among things have been demonstrated subject people?these success may be measured in a vast number Their elsewhere. exploitation, industrial to large in the will and up and down Western tropics of receive no new ideas, the problems our own and other races will not be economic success of An erica in the

of undertakings Asia. The world relationship clarified by

between any mere

Philippines, because it will be but a repetition of what has been equally well done elsewhere. It will be but following
a European and quacy cause leading disaster. which This trend to end in inade? already promises view needs fresh realization be? in the Philip? on education by An erican offi? those who have succeeded by

of the recent

of the administration

The early emphasis pines. cials has not been sustained Taft But nor was

to the task of helping on the progress of the Filipincs.

exceedingly his retirement was concerned the about the educational never had

Mr.
plan;

he placed
since

it first and gave it his confidence and support.

islands have a gover? or in education

interested especially its large plans. Education has si; cceeded in the Philippines as a moral because of its strength force ?it has been advocated the insistently by Filipinos?not of any marked because of the Commission. What support has been done financial since equate to add

who general to maintain willing

to make the educational organiza? for the Archipelago. At the present time the complete revenues of the government a to have promise great augn en tation through the rapid growth of foreign commerce and in? ternal production. Now to be the time to appropriate ought for schools, to raise the n eagre con pensaticn generously tion of the native every great struggled teachers, settlement and which to place a scheel afford the means the enlightenn within the reach of to acccx ent the push has consistently of a whole people,

30 per for the failure responsible

1903, has been done in spite of very inad? and the refusal of the government means, cent to the revenues for education is alone

objects

the Bureau

of Education

for, namely,

This content downloaded from 209.6.206.232 on Fri, 4 Oct 2013 02:06:11 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

PHILIPPINE

EDUCATION

167

the elimination of illiteracy, ignorance, credulity and help? lessness, and the complete diffusion of the English tongue.
All term this could of years. success be done, now, with But unfortunately in a short proper support, for the prospects of com? administration the present is

of the attitude plete an In his inaugural achievement. not sympathetic to such General after last November, Governor Forbes, address, of material the every practically importance emphasizing

effort of the administration and promising it his support, spoke as follows of public instruction: "The thought is grievous that any boy or girl in the Philippine Islands want?
ing to get resources an education should be unable to do so because to a point of

failure of the government

of the islands

to provide facilities?and
not developed

yet the
where

have

I feel that we are justified in largely increasing the appro?

of education The amount for education. which we priation shall be able to accomplish in ten years will be very much we our if first devote towards the money greater increasing use and later the of wealth the people of increase resulting revenue fallacy. is there our for extending It is paternalism. an example educational It facilities." upon grown This doing great is for in is insisting which has

a people instead of fitting them to do for themselves. Where

of a nation and must

spiritual achievement,
life and make rial people concerns? must be it generous, Ideals

in the accomplishments
in the self-control have than

that dignify
and wisdom

that make states just and effective, by placing first its mate?
set higher general a place. The aims of a this. No state can be estab? which must

lished by bread alone.

Practically come that well-being everyone

regard as the object of our efforts in the Philippines

cannot

economic effort. is not by purely production Enlarged so difficult, but the problem of distribution will not arrange the operation of natural itself under laws. For the peasant to profit and to share in that widening of prosperity which all hope be made able to keep literate, in his This is the work accounts, rights?freed. of the schools, and it will not be accomplished until the schools reach the entire population. To postpone that day to is at hand, instructed he must

This content downloaded from 209.6.206.232 on Fri, 4 Oct 2013 02:06:11 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

168

DAVID

P. BARROWS

some future time when the coffers of the government shall overflow, is to postpone the chances of the great majority
of natives until their opportunities are gone.

This content downloaded from 209.6.206.232 on Fri, 4 Oct 2013 02:06:11 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions