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.

BOARD OF EDUCATIONAL SURVEY REPORT

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directly chosen for this purpose. This choice may be exercised by the
people directly through the election of school officials; it may be exercised
indirectly through the appointment of educational officials by the political
authorities, who after such selection exercise no further control over them
in the performance of their professional duties. This is the plan developed and operating in the United States.
The other plan is to consider the educational system as a division of
the Government to be administered as a part of the regular political
machinery, subject to the detailed control of whatever political party
may be in power. This is the plan followed in most countries where
democratic ideals of government do not prevail.
Where educational traditions and procedure have been long formulated and the form of government is more or less autocratic, direct
government control is under such influence that changing political sentiment or administration cannot grossly interfere with educational welfare.
This is the case in the Teutonic states in Central Europe and in many
other countries. But where educational traditions are not strong, or
where the form but not the spirit of government is democratic or where
political antagonisms run high, educational affairs are often subject to
unfortunate political manipulations. This is true of some of the
countries of Latin America and of some of the smaller European states.
In either case it will be clearly recognized that the properly constituted legislative bodies of the country have a right and obligation to
formulate the great social aims and purposes of an educational system.
But when those aims and purposes are once formulated and when the
proper educational authorities are once constituted,'direct or frequent interference of Government officials in the operation of the educational
system, jeopardizes both a healthy political life and the efficient conduct
of schools. Where long experience and tradition have made the educational officials secure in the performance of their duties, such a governmental system does not constitute a serious menace to education. But
where educational traditions have not been established and where both
the governmental and the educational system are comparatively new,
frequent government interference in educational affairs makes it difficult for educational officials to develop and operate a system of schools
for the attainment of the ends established by the Government.
This difficulty occurs at times and in certain respects in the Philippine system. The situation is a unique one. The aims established in
the beginning by the American Government, which have been fully
accepted and maintained, are those of democratic America. The ideal
is a system of schools which shall educate and benefit all the people;
which shall adapt its aims and classroom procedures to the needs and
capacities of the people; which shall affect their daily lives by giving