A survey of the educational system of the Philippine islands by the Board of educational survey, created under acts 3162 and 3196 of the Philippine Legislature.

74 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF THE PHILIPPINES

In regard to the initial selection of the American teachers the
Board makes the following suggestions: Insofar as possible the personnel should be selected for specific types of work. Graduates of
normal or agricultural schools rather than college graduates should be
sought. This recommendation is made not only because of the type of
teaching required but because most of the high-school pupils in the
Philippines should return to rural life and should be trained to this end,
This is also desirable because it is recommended that hereafter the American teachers be concentrated in teacher-training institutions, rather than
in academic high schools. The further suggestion is offered that experiment be tried of obtaining the services of a number of teachers retired
on pension from some of the American school systems. If such teachers
are in good physical health, have some spirit of service, and some desire
to broaden their experience they should give splendid satisfaction. Being
in receipt of pensions they are not permitted to teach in the United States;
but because of this fact, they would be in a position to accept the lower
salary rate of the Philippine system.
The development of a better morale among the American teachers is
greatly needed, both for the benefit of the service and for what they
represent. Most of the conditions and suggestions mentioned above are
essential in obtaining these results.
Finally the Board is of the opinion that the number of American
teachers should be increased to the extent necessary to staff the teachertraining institutions.
SCHOOL BUILDINGS
Certain influences that are not found in other school systems determine the character of school buildings in the Philippines. First of
all is climate. No other tropical country has attempted to build up
a complete school system with a distinctive type of architecture. While
there is no wide range of temperature, yet the dry and rainy seasons
occasion problems of lighting, ventilation, and protection from inclement weather which are not found in other countries possessing developed
school plants. Then the quality of the available building material
and the customary use of materials peculiar to tropical countries is
another factor. In most regions of the Islands, building materials used
in ordinary houses are both abundant and cheap.
Another factor of significance is that there were comparatively few
buildings constructed or suitable for school buildings at the time the
Philippine system was being developed. The fact that there is little
congestion of population in many parts of the Islands and that land is
available in suitable quantity in almost every locality has been an advantage not enjoyed by many countries. The relative absence of