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.

224 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF THE PHILIPPINES
To improve the quality of the textbooks themselves, the Bureau of
Education should encourage teachers and supervisors to work out in
textual form such materials as they find by testing are superior to
those in the adopted texts. The Bureau should look ahead to the time
of new adoptions and be prepared to have ready for recommendation
such improved materials, either in forms which might quickly be made
into textbooks or in new texts already prepared. Under the chapter
on Administration, a recommendation is made for a textbook board
composed of educators. To such a board should be submitted desirable
materials so that they may be prepared to secure their adoption in such
form as may be most expedient.
With textbooks not fully adapted to the conditions and needs, teachers
and supervisors should be given much freedom in making such adaptations
and substitutions as they find more effective in accomplishing desired
results.
SCHOOLROOM EQUIPMENT
In considering each of the subjects, mention has already been made
of the need for more teaching equipment or materials. In geography
more maps, charts, and illustrative teaching materials are needed in
nearly all schools. In arithmetic measuring units are often needed.
In one school visited children had very erroneous conceptions of the
meter and its subdivisions. There was not a meter stick in the school.
Rulers, meter sticks, and units for the common measures of liquids and
dry materials by both volume and weight should be provided. In the
industrial work much more illustrative material is needed to provide
suggestions of variety in design and methods of construction. In many
schools the blackboard space is so small that there is room for little
more than the written assignment of lessons. More supplementary books
for both primary and intermediate schools are needed, especially in
geography, science, and history.
Bulletin boards, or boards for the placing of exhibits or materials
of general interest are found in many schools, but more space of this
kind is needed in most of them. Some schools are adequately provided
with wash basin, soap, and towels for the use of children. A larger
number are not so provided. All should be.
In general, whatever will be of essential value in helping the children
to do better and more effectively the work attempted by the schools
should be provided just as fully as conditions will permit.
THE ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL CURRICULUM
THE PRESENT STATUS OF THE CURRICULUM.-The elementary
school consists of a primary division of four years with all work common except that the industrial work for boys is different from that of