PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.

On the opening of the school year, June 17, 1901, the public schools of Manila were under the supervision of Dr. David P. Barrows, as city superintendent. Dr. Barrows resigned on October 4, 1901, and the vacancy was filled by the transfer of Mr. Mason S. Stone from the Negros division on October 25. On December 6 Mr. Eugene H. Douglass was appointed deputy superintendent. He resigned June 2, 1902, when Mr. S. P. R. Thomas was appointed to the vacancy resulting.

The local school board of the city of Manila, created by virtue of section 10, act No. 74, Philippine Commission, is composed of Dr. José Albert, president; Judge Arthur F. Odlin, Dr. Manuel Xerez-Burgos, Dr. W. S. Washburn, Chaplain W. D. McKinnon, a Mr. Catalino Sevilla, and Hon. Arsenio Cruz Herrera.

A detailed report of the operations of the department of city schools follows:

ATTENDANCE.

The schools of the past year opened on June 17, 1901. The enrollment was light at first, but the numbers increased so that at the end of July there was an enrollment of 5,123. Thereafter the enrollment gradually decreased so that at the end of the year, March 21, 1902, only 3,395 were registered. The schools of the present year opened July 16, 1902, with a very slight enrollment. An investigation into the causes of this showed that in most cases fear of the prevailing epidemic of cholera led the parents to keep their children out of school, while in several districts of the city the entire influence of the friars was arrayed against the public-school system. The enrollment for the present year has been: July, 2,974; August, 3,084; September, 3,059, and is divided as follows:

The following statement shows percentage of attendance and enrollment, by months, for the past school year:

The office force of the department comprises 7 persons, as follows: One superintendent of city schools, 1 deputy superintendent, 1 clerk class 7, 2 clerks class 9, 1 clerk class "G," 1 messenger; total, 7.

NIGHT SCHOOLS.

The night schools were opened on June 3, 1901, with a personnel as follows:

Principals

Teachers.
Clerks.

Total.

Enrollment, no figures available.

On March 21, 1902, the close of the last school year, the figures were these:

6

47

0

53

On June 16, 1902, when the present school year opened, these were the figures:

The department is heavily handicapped by having to depend almost entirely on rented dwelling houses for its quarters. Most of them are entirely unsuited to school work. The city schools at present occupy 31 buildings, divided as follows:

Of these 31 buildings, 4, located at Calle San Pedro 41, Calle Crespo (Tribunal Building), Calle Novaliches 58, and in Gagalanging, are in such bad sanitary condition and are so totally unsuited to school work that they should be abandoned at the first opportunity. The buildings at Calle Madrid 177, Calle Jan José 160 and 149, Calle San Marcelino 45 (interior), Calle Sagunto 316, and Calle Lemery 525 are so defective in arrangement as to be a handicap to the schools held in them. The only building which is really suited to school work is the Escuela Municipal, Calle Victoria 172.