Bureau of Public Works and the Bureau of Education

Title

Creator

Henry, D. E.

Language

English

Year

1916

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

10 THE PHILIPPINE CRAFTSMAN Certain financial problems had to be met in providing a fund for the purchase of the materials to be used in the work. It was found that the Bureau of Education appropriation had not contemplated the expenditure of funds for supplies other than the regular requirements of the Bureau, but as these materials had to be acquired, recourse was had to the “purchase of supplies” fund of the Bureau of Supply for temporary financing, it being understood between the two Bureaus that the materials requisitioned should be paid for after a fixed number of months instead of immediately upon receipt. By this plan the Bureau of Education is enabled to use the materials in making up the various articles, place them on sale, and then, after the proceeds are received, reimburse the Bureau of Supply for the original outlay. The latter Bureau acts in a sense as a banking institution, extending credit to its brother organization. Without such cooperation the prosecution of this very valuable work might have been greatly hampered or delayed, and while the Bureau of Suppply does not desire to extend credit in this manner indiscriminately, this may be cited as an interesting experiment in interbureau cooperation. In general, cooperation with the Bureau of Supply on the part of the different organizations of the Government may be fostered by reducing to a minimum demands which are difficult to satisfy, and by specifying clearly just what is desired in the way of materials and equipment. In addition, the Bureau of Supply, by familiarizing itself with the needs of the various departments which it serves, can materially assist in their efficient operation by anticipating the demands which may be made and by providing adequate stocks of the staple items. It is confidently expected that the policy of cooperation which has been in vogue between the Bureaus of Education and Supply will be continued and, if anything, will develop along even broader lines. The results will be beneficial to the Filipino people as a whole, because anything which affects the welfare of such a great work as the Bureau of Education is conducting extends necessarily to the entire people. lU IillAV OF l’VBI.IC WORKS AND THE BUREAU OF EDUCATION. By D. E. Henr y. Bureau of Public Works. Cooperation is as necessary between bureaus or offices as it is among the several divisions of one bureau, or among the employees of one division of a bureau.. Cooperation between the Bureau of Public Works and the Bureau of Education has COOPERATION BETWEEN BUREAUS 11 become very close. The central office of the Bureau of Education plans the buildings to be erected and the grounds to be laid out—high schools, trade schools, central schools, barrio schools, athletic fields, and gardens. It secures official approval and the necessary funds, after which the Bureau of Public Works does the constructing work. A standard school building designed on the unit system has been adopted for use throughout the Islands. It has proved to be permanent, convenient, and economical, and has received much favorable comment from sources outside the Philippines. The design in the beginning was far from perfect. Many improvements were possible and these have been worked out not by any one individual, but through cooperation between the Bureaus concerned. Batangas High School athletic field. '■ Before the present design for school buildings was adopted, a great deal of schoolhouse construction was of a temporary nature, and hard, indeed, was the lot of the teacher who undertook to create enough enthusiasm among presidentes, concejales, and patrons to secure the materials with which he could begin construction. Funds were scarce in those days and, as a result, many such buildings were begun only to be left in an uncompleted state upon the discovery that the appropriation had been overdrawn. But through the cooperation of the provincial treasurer, the division superintendent of schools, and the district engineer, these overdrafts were usually met and the building completed. Today, through just such cooperation, an overdraft is practically unknown. The appropriation is based on the estimate of the district engineer, hence the latter is always sure of sufficient funds to enable him to complete the work. 12 THE PHILIPPINE CRAFTSMAN Again, there have been projects for which it was impossible to secure enough money to complete the building under ordinary conditions, and it was necessary to secure voluntary contributions of money and labor. Such work is accomplished through the efforts of the men in the field. Further economy is at times secured through an agreement between the central offices, whereby an official of the Bureau of Education is selected as the representative of the Director of Public Works to carry, out the construction with student labor, the district engineer giving only such time as may be at his disposal for general supervision. Baseball field. Teaohers Camp, Baouio. These instances are mentioned as typifying what has been done in the larger activities of the two Bureaus. Whenever the division superintendent and the district engineer work in harmony, there are results. Examples are to be seen in the many athletic fields admirably laid out for tennis, baseball, basket ball, indoor baseball, and field meets. In these the district engineer takes as much pride as does the division superintendent of schools. Much can be said in favor of extending this cooperation. The annual conference of division superintendents and district engineers should be held at the same time and at the same place. Not only should this conference be considered a business proposition, but a social one as well. Every division superintendent and every district engineer should be encouraged COOPERATION BETWEEN BUREAUS 13 to bring ideas along and to have them in presentable shape. In this way the men in the field will acquire a closer interest than ever before. Student work could be extended in many ways. Arrangements might be made for the district engineer to lecture on some phase of his work three or four times during the' school year, to inspect at stated times all buildings, grounds, and work in the trade schools; and to supervise all work done by students outside their regular school duties. Students might be required to inspect public works once or twice each year and could be employed during vacation periods by the district engineer. It should be understood, however, that students applying for work during vacation, whether they were to receive a salary or not, would have to work under the same conditions as the regular force of the district engineer, and that no favoritism could be shown. The work of every individual in each Bureau brings him more or less into contact with the work of individuals of the other Bureau. If the word “cooperation” is properly understood, incompetent work will be eliminated, the work accomplished by one Bureau will be appreciated by the other, and antagonism and criticism will disappear. The cooperation at present existing between the central offices of the two Bureaus leaves little to be desired, and it remains for the division superintendents and the district engineers to bring cooperative conditions in the field up to the same high standard. BUREAU OF FORESTRY AND THE BUREAU OF EDUCATION. Director of Forestry. By Ar t hur F. Fisc her , Acting The Bureau of Forestry has one important function in common with the Bureau of Education, namely, that of educating the people; for, beside the administrative work of the former Bureau, it also does a great deal of work in the way of instructing the people in the care of forests and in the use of forest products. The practices of caingin making and other illegal uses—or rather, abuses—of the forests are due as frequently to ignorance as to other causes. The educative work of the Bureau of Forestry is aimed not only at combating such abuses; it is constructive also, not only endeavoring to teach the people to preserve and improve the existing forests, but also encouraging them to extend the forested areas of the country, in order to improve soil conditions and water supply, and to augment the sources of valuable forest products.

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