Buying industrial materials for a province

Title

Creator

Atkins, H. H.

Language

English

Year

1916

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

THE PHILIPPINE CRAFTSMAN The pupil or pupils who did the poor work should be required to repeat it, and if the old material is not fit it can be used for exercise work and enough new material expended on trade-school operation to cover the defective pieces. This procedure will soon put an end to careless work. By such methods cooperation can be made to reach its limit with the district engineer as well as with the treasurer. Bl'YlNG INIHSTRIAL MATERIALS FOR A PROVINCE. By H. H. At k ins, Division Industrial Supervisor. Municipal appropriations for industrial work in Pangasinan have been liberal. Most of the 28 intermediate schools are supported by subscription. Certain fixed sums for operating expenses for the industrial classes must be supplied either by subscription or by transfer from general to school funds. This requirement has invariably been met by transfer from the general funds. Knowing exactly what to buy, where to buy it, and how much to pay has always been a serious and difficult problem, and the partial solution that was reached in Pangasinan in a single experiment was reached through a willingness on the part of teachers, superiors, and merchants to cooperate for the welfare of the schools. All orders for equipment, materials, and supplies made by supervising teachers are first submitted to the division office for approval. This requirement is for the purpose of controlling municipal expenditures and for the purpose of checking orders with standard requirements. Supervising teachers are supplied with order blanks containing the statement that sufficient money is available to cover the order. This statement is signed by the municipal treasurer. The order is then sent in triplicate to the division office for approval, where the items are checked and needed corrections are made. One copy is retained for file and the other two are returned to the supervising teacher who may make the purchase anywhere. Two years ago, in order to meet the need for materials to be used in the division normal institute, and in order to supply the towns with most of the materials required for the year’s work, a local firm was furnished with lists of materials needed and given all information available as to the kinds of materials wanted and where purchases should be made. Goods were bought, of course, in wholesale lots and distribution made at the store according to orders previously given. Prompt payment by municOTHER ASPECTS OF COOPERATION ipal treasurers was insisted upon. The store added from 10 to 15 per cent to cost prices, yet it was possible for the schools to purchase materials at Manila prices and lower. Slightly higher prices had to be asked for stock which moved slowly. The supplies purchased locally ranged from garden and shop tools, pumps, cement, fencing, roofing, and reinforcing iron to cloth, thread, thimbles, and needles. This initial venture in supplying the schools with proper materials at reasonable prices opened the way to a permanent and regular trade with the schools. Since then there has been a tendency on the part of local dealers to increase prices. The stores were expected to keep on hand stock enough to meet the needs of the schools. As these needs varied from time to time there was some stock that turned very slowly. Owing to the large amount of capital necessary to carry materials sufficient to meet all requirements, the stock was allowed to go down to where individual orders from schools were ordered by the merchants from Manila with the increased cost price and transportation added to the bill. In time the same profits were demanded on school purchases as were received on other sales. Such a development as here recounted might not have occured at a time when all business was normal. The chief advantage in securing industrial materials through local firms is that of payment. The local firm receives the order from the municipal treasurer, approved by the supervising teacher and the division superintendent, and knows that there will be no question as to payment. The arrangement is more satisfactory to the supervising teacher because he does not have to advance money on school purchases. From the experience in local buying here related, it will be seen that for it to be satisfactory orders should be submitted before the materials are actually needed, so that the items can be combined, and the orders should be sufficiently large so that their frequent repetition will not be necessary. THE TEACHER’S OPPORTUNITY IN COMMUNITY COOPERATION. By J. H. Tibbs, Principal, Central Luzon Agricultural School. The teacher’s interest in community life is too often confined to social affairs and to activities which directly affect school work. He feels on safe ground when aiding in a literary program or a fiesta, or in organizing the community for the construction or repair of the schoolhouse. He is usually willing to aid in any beneficial activity already under way, but he

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