Albuquerque Morning Journal

NEW EDUCATIONAL METHODS IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

No High Schools, Although Residents Made Numerous Petitions for Them to the Danish Government,

(BY MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED WIRE)

San Juan, Porto Rico, July 7.-An educational innovation will be made by the United States, beginning July 1, in the Virgin Islands, recently purchased from Denmark, when the European system of education will be used with American textbooks.

The former commissioner of education of the islands, O. Rubner, still has charge of the schools. At his request two American teachers have been sent to take charge of the schools at St. Thomas and St. Croix.

The Danish system of education as used in the Virgin Islands differed from the American plan in that the schools were in session virtually the year round, religious training was required, the teachers had longer hours and less pay and stress was laid on those subjects that pertained to Europe.

The form of religion was that of the Moravian church. This will not be continued, now that the United States owns the islands. European history and geography will not be emphasized as they once were and more emphasis will be laid on reading, writing and arithmetic.

There are no high schools on the islands, although the residents made numerous petitions to the Danish government for them. This lack of secondary education was responsible for a great deal of dissatisfaction with the government of Denmark. Between 80 and 90 per cent of the Virgin Islands are said to be black. The rest are white.