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A MONTHLY JOURNAL PUBLISHED BY

"THE PHILIPPINE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION”
JUSTO JULIANO, Editor.-E. PASTANO, Manager.

Business Office, 102 Alix, Sampaloc. P. O. Box 1090, Manila

Entered at the Post Office of Manila as Second Class Mail Matter.

ADDRESS all communications, regarding publications, advertisements, subscriptions and business matter to "THE FILIPINO TEACHER", Manila, P.I P. O. Box No. 1098.

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1907 has gone never to come again. Nothing is left behind but the memory, the accounts and the events that happened during its stay, Now that it has passed away, little will it matter then to us. Let us forget it then: "Let the dead Past bury its dead."

Now, 1908 is here, fresh, and young and vigorous, full of hope and promise. And dear friends, dear brethen, dear teachers, shall we (and can we) disappoint it? Shall we crown it with serrow?

O that will never be; we can not do it; we can not be so heartless, relentless, feelingless! For we have a heart that breathes love for our mother country, and countrymen; a heart that breathes love for the good of the world; we have a heart and a soul-a living soul, a noble soul which longs for freedem and worships the Godess of Liberty. In a word we have a heart and a soul. Therefore 1908, welcome! Be of good cheer; bright times await thee. The teachers scattered yesterday like the countless stars which are scattered everywhere under the great blue field of nature; but now, to-day under your eyes, the teachers gather a new strength and energy and now like the raindrops gather one by one to form a till, a brook, a river an ocean!

1907, farewell; you have gone forever but your memory shall eternally drwell in the chambers of our hearts.

1908, welcome once more! Kindle our veins with the flame of enthusiasm and charge every atom of our being with the heat of energy, so that the sun from its throne in the heavens may behold us, not as scattered stones, but as water-drops united into one compact mass.

***

Another committee is now created: the provincial committee of Bulakan. Its inauguration is a grand success which fortells that a bright future awaits the Association. Why is it a success? Because all teachers, without exception, have put their shoulders to the wheel. Because their superintendent is a great inspirer, for, as a true American, he feels, it is his duty to help the Filipinos tobe united; and, as a true teacher, to help the Phil.' ippine Teachers' Association to realize its noble aims and desires.

Fellow teachers, this is the second committee which has answered to our call, and, which is so succe ssfully inaugurated. The Philippine Teachers' Association is now greatly strengthened, and it s power to carry out its pur poses is vastly multiplied.

Our brethren of Bulakan, you have set a worthy example-an example which deserves great honor. Who will be next to Bulakan?

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In organizing the different classes of a school, two problems present themselves before the supervisor,-namely the selection of teachers and of the size of the classes. In many cases, owing to the conditions which surround the school, large classes have been formed. However, one has but to consider the principles of school admi, nistration to conclude that too much can not be said in regard to the disadvantages of having large classes

The only excuse that a government has for main taining free public schools is the education of the masses. Pupils then, go to school to receive education. Education as we all know has three phases: moral intellectual and physical. It is therefore evident that while the pupils are in the school-room, the teacher is responsible not only for their moral and intellectual conditions but for their phisical condition as well.

children to school. Although they feel no little uneasiness to see their children separated from them durin the long school-hours, they nevertheless send them to school in the hope that they shall not grow up like a fruitless tree on a barren soil. What must the teacher offer to the pupils to recompense their parents'. sacrifices? What better recompense can he offer them but his best and most willing service! He must give each pupil as much of his attention as possible and help him in every way so that when the boy goes home his parents will have no reason to complain that while they are enduring privations at home their boy is sitting in one corner of the school-room neglected by the. teacher. Now I ask, is it possible in a large class for a pupil to receive as much of the teacher's attention as he would if he is in amall class? The answer must forci

less attention as than in small classes. When pupils go to school day after day but receive little attention, sooner or later we will find them leaving our school one after another. To the school itself, this is a backward step for instead of promoting former pupils we find ourselves constantly losing them.

Now then, higiener teaches us that specially if ably be "no". In large classes therefore a pupil receives house is not well ventilated, as are many of the schoolhouses rented by the government, its occupants if too many in number, will render the air therein unfit for breathing. We all know the consequences of taking bad air into our lungs and from this we can infer that even from the view point of health, large classes are disadvantageous.

Experience teaches us that in a large class there is a tendency to noise and inattention on the part of the pupils This is easily explained if we bear in mind that children are children, and that the fact that they are many together in one room is of itself a strong templation to talk to each other, thinking that the teacher can not see all at once what is taking place in every corner of the room. Inattention soon follows and the teacher finds it a hopeless task of unfolding before his pupils the knowledge they most needed and for which they are sent to school, for unless the pupils give the teacher their to school, for unless the pupils give the teacher their undivided attention, however earnest and systematic he may be, his efforts will be of no avail and the pupils instead of learning only waste their time.

I do not mean to say that when a class is noisy and inattentive the teacher has nothing to answer for, in other words, I do not want to be understood that I am shifting the responsibility of the noise and inattention to the pupils. No, indeed no. But I do mean to say that a teacher's power of control, like everything, has its limits, and when, having too many pupils to look after, he fails to keep each and every one of them quiet and inattentive, thereby rendering his work unsatisfactory, I do not think it just to claim that his failure is due to his inability to teach.

Parents suffer sacrifices in order to send their

To sum up, large classes are disadvantageous in. that first, they are dangerous to the health of the pupils, seconds, that they create a tendency to noise and inattention on the part of the pupils thereby making them lose their precious time; third, that the teacher finds too many to look after, and last but not the least, each pupil. receives less attention than in a small class.

The size of the classes of a school must therefore command the attention of both supervisor and principal. Large classes reduce the number of teachers but the result falls far below our expectation. Small classes increase the teaching force of the school but aiming at, to have the best possible school. they result in better work and that is what we are

VICENTE DIaz.

San Nicolas Primary School.

Juan Villanueva

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Fellow-teachers:

I know you will be interested in knowing a sub ject of which you have dreamed very little; but I have the hesitancy of treating any subject fearing that I might make a bid mistake. However, I will tell you about the ANTI CHILD SLAVERY LEAGUE, of which I have been a member for more that one year. In knowing the purpose of this League, we may able to break the band that binds the limbs of our little countrymen and take them out of the dark dawn of their early life history.

At first let me repeat to you the creed of the ANTI CHILD SLAVERY LEAGUE. The Creed Committee believes in the right of every child to health and education, the child bor interferes with that right; the child labor is in itself cruel and wa teful; that it is a mentally, morally, and physically injurious to the child and it is distinct menace to the nation.

Let us think for a moment and consider the creed of this League. Its magnitude is so great that I feel it is our duty here in the Philippines to apply it to our people. In so doing we will uplift the poor children oppressed and crushed down by their parents. During their childhood they must be sent to school to receive schooling. Such children must continue to study until they are sixteen years old and until they can read fluently and write legibly simple sentences in Engish or Spanish language.

I believe you remember and see many instances in your districts that there are many able-bodied parents who are content to live in idleness upon the labor of their little chidren as servants. This is a kind of slavery which must be stamped out. This case is true to a great extent. There are men who take the earnings of their little ones-gotten, it may be at the cost of an early death or life of ignorance and misery-spend them for luxury, drink cock-fight or self-indulgence.

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Last year I succeeded in getting some children to school. They were indeed in wreched conditions. Four of them were looking after some carabaos and horses out of the sunshine every day. Three of them were fishing out every day for the support of strong vigorous parents laying in idleness at their homes. I went to see their parents and explained to them the importance of having their children sent to school while they are young. I told them that it is not enough that one class of Filipinos shall be educated but it is necessary that all children shall be developed in mind and soul till the true meaning of

liberty shall become a part of the life of the whole, people. Therefore their parents realized the impo tance of the health and education of their little ones. Consequently they sent them to school and they have gone in the struggle for the almighty dollar to support their families.

If these needy parents who depend upon the la bor of their little children, can remedy their imme. diate necesities and not employ them in any work that interferes with their stud es; their children will be more helpful to them after the pursuit of their careers; because their earning capacity has already been developed. Their ability to read and write any foreign language [or their own dialect] intelligently will lead them to adopt better means of living.

You will be interested to know that Roosevelt, Pre-, sident of the United States is now a member of the ANTI CHILD SLAVERY LEAGUE and many prominen Americans are members They carry forward to, the best of their ability the aim of the League-the, ar using of public sentiment in the cause of the. children.

Some of the States in America have child labor law. Let us hope that the Insulur Government will enact a law in the matter of child protection, that is to prohibit the employment of any child under sixteen years old at any time when the public schools are in session.

It the last meeting of the Zambales Teachers Association, the President said em hatically that the Tae hers' Association shall do all in its sphere to promote the interest and education of the community, The spirit of the Association is the great force in the. social uplift of a people and the mighty power that shall nerye the Filipinos to do what the civilized people have accomplished

Fellow-Teachers, you know now the purpose and the aim of the ANTI CHILD SLAVERY LEAGUE and you can realize its importance. Let us put our shoulder to the wheel and work steadily for the welfare of the Filipino children. Let us try to get the information in our communities which involves all matters connected with child labor, we all must help them to reach the height of enlightened life. In helping the poor children in this way, we shall be the key that would oper to our people the poor of liberty and success, and he who helps a child helps humanity.

BERNARDO ELAYDA,
Normal Institute, Iba, Zambales, P. L.,
July 5th., 1907.

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THE FILIPINO TEACHER

OBEDIENCE IS THE PUREST SOURCE OF STRENGTH

Almost every person looks upon the word obedience as the name of an enemy, because perchance very few people understand it and particularly of its importance and usefulness to any sort of organization It is observed that it is detested at present by many people and especially repugnant to the ears of the youth. In fact it seems that no person wishes to obey neither in the family, in the school, in the society nor in the army. Why? What makes us appear rebellious to obedience? Do we confound obedience with slavery? No. Do we degrade ourselves if we do obey? No. Why do hot the members of any society conform to the word obedience knowing that it is one of the most immutable laws which serves not only for the advancement of the association where they belong but also for the development of human life? It may be that a certain indocility or caprice makes us appear rebellious to obedience. Ah! Let us conquer it courageously. Let us then meditate for a moment; we understand that in every thing there is an eternal law that hould be discovered and to which it is necessary to conform. Why should we not be within the sphere of that law? There are laws for the development of human life, law which presides the gravitation of tha planets. and the law of nature which controls the natural courses of all things. In reality of truth, outside of any one of these laws there is only anomalies, accidents and destruction. It is comprehensible that He who does not conform to it is often exposed to fall into the deepest and dangerous precipice of the darkat error. Therefore we may deduce that obedience is the purest sourse of strength, the base of union and of order. It is one of the most indespensable conditions of the righteous life and of liberty.

We can also say that obedience is the proclamation, by the individual, of the great fact of union. To repuse obedience, is to break off the chains which

tnite the mankind and proclaming the individual saperior to the erganization. That powerful virtue of obedience unites the members of a society as the mortar or cement unites the stones of a wall and makes of it a substantial and compact mass. By experience is clearly demonstrared that the highest manifestation of life has always consisted in an association governed by rules and principles and founded on voluntary obedience. So I hope that there will be some days on which trough reason and conscience, people should consent to be as a spoke [ray] in the wheel and follow orders. I do not mean to reduce man to the condition of a machine, but to practice union through conviction and not blindfolded.

I shall try to explain to our roaders the nature of obedience we recormmend. We recommend obedience through conviction; because blind obedience consigns your intelligence and conscience to the control of another thus becoming a merely passive instrument or apparratus. Blind obedience is pernicious, because it destroys character, deforms conscience and also makes the man incapable of guiding himself. Such obedience is the mother of slavery, but obedience through conviction is liberty because liberty consists in bending his will to the law which is at the foundation of all things..

We call therefore the attention of our readers especially of those who are members of some society that we must practice obedience for it is the only means. to escape from slavery and to progress any society as well as to advance human life to its lofty culture. Before closing this item I should repit and request you to be obedient through conviction because those who are blindly obedient are mere bars which serve as great embarrasments that hinder the unity and the perfection of man.

GAT ARAW

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