Problems in the news

Title

Language

English

Year

1947

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

PROBLEMS IN THE NEWS -· • ..... ·..: By SILVINA '. LAYA be .... q ... The study of current events should be concerned with the intelligent evaluation of events rath er than indecent enjoyment .of gossips and scandals. Much of what gets published in newspapers is not significant news for class discu!'sion during current-events lessons. In order that teachers may be guided toward a keener awareness of contemporary events and personalities and the significance of these to the Philippines and the world at large, significant news items have been annotated so as to give them background and meaning for group dil'cussion. 1. Only 120,000 out of 400,000 primary and Intermediate pupils .still out of school will be admitted when 2,000 additional classes are opened. Those who get in meet the following problems: a. Lack of desks b. Lack of blackboards c. Lack of books d. Lack of decent buildings and samtary toilets e. Lack of good and efficient teachers Many teachers have quit their jobs whicli do not give them enough salary lo make even a moderately decent living. a. Does this show lack of appreciation of the role of education in our national life? b. Is lack of funds an acceptable excuse in this case? c. What projects or activities of the government are less vital than education but receive more attention because of their vote-getting quality? 2. Dean Francisco Benitez of he College of Education, University of the \ ! \ I I I J I Philippines and .l."resident Florentino Cayco of the Arellano University arc among those who favor making the schools independent of politics by imposing a school tax. a. Would a school tax solve the yearly school crisis? Explain. b. How willing or how able are parents to pay a high tuition· fee? c. How willing or how able are parents to pay a school tax? d. If Congress is not willing to impose a school tax, what can the parents do to help secure adequate education for the.ir children? 3. The Indonesians are a colonial people striving for independence. Poorly armed, they have defied well-armed Dutrh troops. a. Why have the Dutch shown no willingness to recognize the Indonesian Republic? b. The Dutch "police action" and the Indonesian guerilla tactics are causing destruction of lives and property. What means are being employed by the other powers to remedy this situation ? 4 . F ilipino aviators volunteer to fight for the Indonesians. A pro-Indonesian movement is gaining ground. :t~Iore and more Filipinos are joining. How would you explain this spontaneous sympathyr 5. The United Nations security counctl ordered the Indonesians and the Dutch to cease hostilities. 6. As a result of UN intervention, Indo-Dutch hostilities "cease." Whether permanently or on!( temporarily, nobody can predict. 7. The white man's prestige is :;up, - . PROBLEMS IN THE NEWS 47 , posed to have suffered as a r :"u It- of the Indo-Dutch conflict. ·' a. . b. I~ this desirable or undesirable? Is the white man's, prestige essential to peace and progress in this part of the world? /, c. Would the loss of the wh'ite man's prestige in the Philippines help or handicap Filipinos in their effort to gain confidence and stature? d. What psychological effect has the Indo-Dutch conflict upon us Filipinos? 8. In the •capital of Java stands a monument of Rizal, the Great Malayan. a. What does this show reg:l.rding what Rizal means to other brown peoples? b. What did Rizal do that won for him this veneration of other Malayan peoples? 9. Lorenzo T aiiada, now candidate kr senator, has been seen on very frier.dlv terms with Jorge B. Vargas, whom he once prosecuted for treason whe'l 'l'afiada was Solicitor General a. Does this show insincerity on the part of Taiiada? b. On the contrarv, does this show that the fT!an is ;~.bove petty personal feelings when it comes to doing :vhat he considers his duty? 10 . The USAFFE backpay bill has been ;;ie-ned by President Truman a. Is the U.S. under any obligation to give this backpay to Filipino veterans? Explain. b. Should every Filipino veteran be paid? What limitations, if any, should be set? c. Are paroled USAFFE veterans more entitled to backpay than are guerillas who were not in the USAFFE in 1941? 11 . The Soviet delegate to the U . .J. Andrei Gromyko. voted against the !)ro· posed UN commission for the Balkans. The deputy American delegate, Herschel V. Johnson, charged that "Russia had frustrated the will of the majority'' and "it was a simple abuse of the vet,..." a. Why do the Balkans constitute a sore spot in Europe? b. Cite other instances in which the Balkans have been the cause of trouble or dissension in Europe. c. Is the influence of Russia in the Balkans increasing or decreasing dissension not only in the Balkans but throughout the world? Explain. · ' 12. General Dwight D. Eisen howe~ said that "it looks more and more as though the United States must accept the two-world concept when we have been working for a one-world plan.'' a. What is the "two world" concept as opposed to the "one-wc.rld" concept? b. Is this concept good for peace? c. In what ways are Russia and America in two opposite extremes in the "two world" idea? 13. J. Joseph Ackman, managing editor of the Milwaukee Journal, said that "should the Russians ·propose a simultaneous withdrawal of forces from Korea to Amenca, the odd 200,000 Russiantrained Korean troops in the Russian sector could summarily place the entir" country under Communist domination." a. How does the U.S. get affected by possible $oviet influence in Korea? b. How may the United States counteract Russian plans? 14. The Reconstruction Finance Corporation ( RFC) has floated bonds worth P5,000,000 of two denomations, PlOO and Pl,OOO. The RFC has been authorized to float bonds amounting to PlO,OOO,OOO to enable it to raise funds for economic r~' habilitation and deYelopmcnt. Anyqodv can buy any quantity of bond" FOR ~l ODER:'\ OPTICAL ·~EEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAI..,--80 Escolta

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