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.

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

553

It seems clear that any administrator who is competent to act on his
own judgment and is willing to take the responsibility, can do so in
many important matters without serious limitations. Furthermore, since
all promotions are made from the system itself, there is nothing to
prevent a man from starting in as a teacher and gradually working up
to a position in the central staff.
2. Does school work in the Philippines offer the administrator a life
reasonably free from unnecessary worry over personal finances? With
slight qualifications the answer to this is "no."
The salaries are not adequate and have not kept pace with the
increased cost of living. The average salary of superintendents, when
the increased cost of living is taken into account, is at least 15 per cent
less than it was in 1913. It is true that the wives, qualified for teaching, of school administrators, have abundant opportunity to teach.
Many of the wives of American administrators have been forced to this
for by no other means could the family get a financial start. They
cannot, however, do this and give their children a mother's personal
care nor, except as they have exceptional managerial ability, maintain
a home in the most efficient manner. There is a nominal governmental
medical attendance for teachers at reduced rates, but it is not always
satisfactory. The transfers from province to province are a financial
hardship on superintendents. They have an allowance for moving
their household goods and their own transportation expenses are paid.
But they cannot move many things safely. Such things have to be
given away or sold at a loss. They must pay the transportation of
other members of the family. In any case, they cannot move without
considerable financial sacrifice. The lack of a permanent residence for
the division superintendent, furnished by the Bureau of Education, frequently causes great financial hardship on a new superintendent. A
residence such as is furnished the Constabulary officers (possibly in
some cases a rent allowance such as these officers sometimes have),
would add much to the real salary of the division superintendent and
more to his peace of mind, with comparatively little outlay by the
Government. The need is so obvious that it seems strange that the
recent recommendations of the division superintendents to this effect
have not been followed by the Legislature.
The American administrative personnel in particular is constantly
worried over personal finances. The salaries for Americans are too
low and the travel allowances for the return trips to the States necessary
to keep them effective and professionally growing, are too low. It
takes practically all they can save in five years to make the trip to the
States in the sixth year, according to the official policy of the Department of Public Instruction. They are harassed by the uncertainty