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.

394 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF THE PHILIPPINES

bulletin board the high-jump record made by a high-school boy, to
repair athletic equipment, to invite a certain party to make the commencement address, etc., etc. Had this principal been a young man
without experience, there would have been some slight justification for
this procedure; but he was a man who had had years of successful
experience as high-school principal. While such a situation is not
typical, it occurs with sufficient frequency to cause serious discontent
among the high-school principals in the Islands. The basic criticism
is that this is permitted and even suggested by certain of the regulations
emanating from the central office. If a high-school principal is not
to be entrusted with the management of his school, he should be asked
to make room for a better man.
If the initiative of the principal escapes the division superintendent,
it is in danger of being destroyed by the regulations of the central office.
As we have observed, rather detailed instructions governing the conduct
of the school have been issued by the Bureau. In the general instructions
covering high-school programs, from which the previous quotation was
taken, this admonition is found: "At the beginning of the school year
all high-school programs should be made in strict accordance with the
instructions contained herein. If local conditions seem to warrant
making exceptions to these regulations, the matter may be taken up
with this Office by letter. Pending the decision of this Office, no change
that violates any of these instructions should be made." In this statement, which is representative of the Bureau's regulative measures, there
seems to be nothing unreasonable; but, when put into execution by a
bureaucratic form of administration, it is found to place a high premium
on uniformity and a spirit of acquiescence in things as they are. To
be sure, according to the provisions of the law, exceptions to the regulations are not prohibited. It is suggested that by writing to the central
office the men in the field may receive permission to adjust the program
to local conditions. But often the letter fails to reach an individual
who is really competent to pass judgment. It is more likely to fall into
the hands of a clerk who applies the regulations to the case in a
mechanical fashion and returns the letter without approval. If the
division superintendent, speaking for the high-school principal, has sufficient patience, he may in time break through the clerical guard and
reach the man who is able to give the proposal intelligent consideration.
In some instances, rather than carry on a seemingly hopeless fight with
pen and paper, he deliberately violates the regulations and submits a
false report to the central office; more frequently he succumbs to the
system and pays homage to the principle of uniformity.
That secondary education has sacrificed much to this practice of
regulating all procedures from the central office is obvious to the most