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.

66 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF THE PHILIPPINES

LOCAL ADMINISTRATION.-The above discussion has dealt indirectly
with the question whether local administrators, division superintendents,
high-school principals, principals, supervisors, supervising teachers, have
enough freedom effectively to carry out their professional obligations.
Those who have had long experience and have grown up with the system
know the regulations, how to adapt and apply them, and how to use
their own authority to the widest extent. The general office probably
depends so much upon the experience of such men that the enforcement
of regulations lies in their own hands. For the less experienced this
freedom is not given. The only assurance the central office has that
its plans and purposes are being carried out is by requiring rigid adherence to regulations. The fact that so large a body of teachers is
inadequately trained furnishes another reason. Nevertheless, this situation causes a feeling of dissatisfaction and lack of freedom upon the
part of many administrators. It tends to destroy initiative and to prevent personal growth. The substitution of personal helpful supervision
for inspectorial enforcement of rigid adherence to complicated regulations
would tend towards the avoidance of these evils.
In some respects apparently the general freedom of the staff is curtailed unnecessarily. The limitation of the freedom of speech, particularly of the freedom of publication, which is imposed upon all in the
system, seems quite unnecessary. Certainly nothing gives a more general impression of an autocratic, unreasoned power than this. There
are, no doubt, reasons for this prohibition, some of which may not appear on the surface. The reason for curtailing unreasonable exercise
of the freedom of public criticism is an obvious one. But the complete
prohibition of publication does not seem to be a satisfactory solution.
There is no one thing that lends more color to the charge of denial of
all freedom by the established authority.
The custom of an annual meeting of the division superintendents,
high-school principals, supervisors, and other administrative authorities
at Baguio, is admirable. Certainly these deliberations facilitate greatly
the interchange of ideas, the development of progressive policies, and
the growth of professional spirit. The reports of many of these meetings are interesting and contain valuable suggestions. However, the
criticism cannot be ignored that these deliberations are so definitely controlled by the Central Bureau that freedom of discussion is not encouraged., The degree to which this situation exists cannot be accurately
determined; but the very existence of such a belief among many of the
subordinate staff is certainly an unhealthy sign.
GOVERNMENT CONTROL VERSUS PROFESSIONAL EDUCATIONAL
CONTROL OF THE SCHOOLS.-There are two distinct types of school
control. One is the control by the people through educational officials