Report of the governor general of the Philippine Islands. [1908]

REPORT OF THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION.

p327,164.47, on condition that said sums should be expended for the
construction and repair of the public schools. As a result of this law,
the sum of P327,164.47, heretofore available for provincial school
construction and equipment, has been taken away, and there have been
substituted therefor such amounts as the different provincial boards
may decide to give for that purpose. To that extent, therefore, the
passage of Act No. 1815 has been a decided loss to the school system.
Act No. 1829 of the Philippine Legislature provides for " popular
civico-educational lectures" in the local dialects in the different municipalities and barrios.
Act No. 1857 of the Philippine Legislature authorizes the establishment in Manila of special classes to furnish superior instruction to
certain municipal teachers, or to insular teachers serving as such.
The teachers are to be those who are considered by the division superintendents to possess the best qualifications to receive such superior
instruction, provided that they shall have been teaching for at least
two school years. The appointees are required to sign a contract
binding themselves to serve, upon the completion of their studies, as
municipal or insular teachers for a period of time equal to that during
which they received such superior instruction. The number of these
teachers' scholarships during the first year was 100, and at least one
teacher must be chosen from each province in the islands. The sum
of P50,000 is appropriated for carrying this law into effect.
Act No. 1858 of the Philippine Legislature amends section 4 (paragraph 2) of Act No. 1791 by providing that municipal teachers, or
insular teachers of a municipality, who have held office for two consecutive years, shall be eligible for appointment as special municipal
students in the Philippine Normal School or in the Philippine School
of Agriculture.
Act No. 1866, known as the " Boiles Act," made available the sum
of P75,000 for the payment of salaries of teachers in certain barrio
schools during the present school year. A number of conditions are
prescribed for receiving the benefits of this law. As originally presented to the Assembly, this law provided the sum of 9400,000 for this
purpose, but the amount was reduced, in conference, to the abovementioned figure.
Act No. 1870 of the Philippine Legislature, known as the " University Bill," authorizes the governor-general to establish in the city
of Manila, or at'the point most convenient, the University of the Philippines. A board of regents is provided, with power to establish
the usual colleges, among which shall be the existing Philippine Medical School. The sum of f100,000 is made immediately available-for
the establishment of such college or colleges as may be determined by
the board of regents.
Act No. 1873 of the Philippine Legislature appropriated the sum
of P3,300,000 for the current expenses of the bureau of education.
In general, the school system has not fared as well in its appropriations for the current fiscal year as was expected. For example,
the current appropriation bill for the bureau of education was reduced
from p3,510,000 for the preceding to P3,300,000 for the current year,
a loss of P210,000; the usual annual appropriation of:350,000 to aid
in the construction of school buildings throughout the islands was
omitted, and the sum of P1327,164.47 in the form of provincial school
funds already established was taken away by Act No. 1815; a total