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Promote Americanization
General John Eaton, who had been Commissioner of Education in the U.S., arrived in Puerto Rico to take over educational affairs. -
The Foraker Act
A civil government was established on the island, the Department of Public Instruction was created as regent of education at al levels. -
The first Commissioner of Education
The first Commissioner of Education was Martin Brumbaugh. Many North American teachers were hired, encouraged the celebration of U.S. holidays, named schools after American patriots, instituted the raising and saluting of the American flag and the singing of the American national anthem in school. -
The Official Languages Act
English was to be regarded as co-official with Spanish, and when necessary, translations and interpretations from one language to the other would be made. -
Second Commissioner of Education
- Samuel McCune Lindsay succeeded Brumbaugh and continued the same practices.
- 540 teachers were trained at Cornell and Harvard in 1904.
- The creation of the University of Puerto Rico.
- The testing of teachers in English in order to determine hiring priorities which provoked massive protests.
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Third Commissioner of Education
Roland P. Falkner succeeded Lindsay as Commissioner of Education. His policy can best be described as out and out suppression of Spanish. -
The Philippine Plan
- Special English training programs, summer institutes, and mandatory weekly English classes for Puerto Rican teachers were prepared.
- Teachers who were qualified to teach in English were granted $10.00 per month raise.
- Teachers were forced to simplify curriculum because of their own limitations in the English language.
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Fourth Commissioner of Education
Falkner's successor, Edwin Grant Dexter, continued with the Falkner Plan and dedicated special attention to the Americanization of the rural schools. -
English as the medium of education in all Puerto Rican
Dexter claimed in his Annual Report of 1908-9 to have established English as the medium of education in all Puerto Rican schools. -
Reading in English in the first grade
Dexter mandated the teaching of reading in English in the first grade, leaving Spanish reading until the second or third grade. -
Popular reaction to the Falkner plan
Puerto Rican parents and teachers were reacting violently to what was seen as a cultural colonization of the island. -
Fifth Commissioner of Education
Edward M. Bainter, Commissioner of Education was petitioned by the newly founded Puerto Rican Teachers Association to change the policy to include Spanish as the medium of instruction in the first grade, with a division of courses between Spanish and English in succeeding grades up to the eighth grade. All high schools would continue to be in English. Rural schools would be exempt from the policy and teach exclusively in Spanish. -
The Puerto Rican House of Representatives
The Puerto Rican House of Representatives presented a bill ordering the teaching of all courses in Spanish up to the eighth grade with English as a preferred subject, a proposal generated by the Puerto Rican Teachers Association. The bill was vetoed by the Puerto Rican Senate. -
Sixth Commissioner of Education
As a result, newly-appointed Commissioner W.A. Barlow resigned due to the public discontent. -
A new language bill
A new language bill was introduced requiring the use of Spanish in all schools and judicial proceedings. This bill was vetoed, and public discontent grew. -
Seventh Commissioner of Education
Paul G. Miller took over in 1916 as Commissioner of Education. -
The goal of making children bilingual
Miller enacted a policy establishing Spanish as medium of instruction in grades 1 through 4, both languages in grade 5, and English as medium of instruction in grades 6 on with Spanish as a required subject. This new policy was not approved of by the Teachers Association, which annually petitioned for Spanish as sole medium of instruction at the primary level. -
The Jones Act
The passage of the Jones Act granting U.S. citizenship to PuertoRicans undercut the protest and made the Americanization efforts seem more plausible to many. -
Eight Commissioner of Education
The next Commissioner of Education, Juan B. Huyke, was the first Puerto Rican to occupy this post. -
Hyuke's language policy
Pro-English measures:
- Use of English in all official school documents, in extracurricular activities, and during visits by supervisors.
- A mandatory oral English test for all candidates for high school graduation.
- The ranking of schools by the students' English grades.
- The organization of English clubs and a penpal program.
- The prohibition of materials written only in Spanish.
- The mandatory testing of teachers in English with the forced resignation of those who failed. -
The famous Columbia Study
- Protests among teachers and parents mounted to such an extent that the Legislature was forced to pass a resolution requesting a study of the school system.
- The famous Columbia Study recommended that English not be used as medium of instruction until the seventh grade.
- Huyke chose to disregard this recommendation and had the support of the governor.
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Ninth Commissioner of Education
Huyke decided not to continue as Commissioner, and José Padín was appointed in 1930. -
Padín's educational policy
His policy was in effect until 1937. Spanish was the medium of
instruction through the eighth grade, and English as a special subject. In high school, English was the medium of instruction and Spanish, a special subject. -
Tenth Commissioner of Education
José M. Gallardo was named Commissioner of Instruction by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who encouraged him to make all Puerto Ricans bilingual. -
Gallardo's language policy
He instituted elementary education in both English and Spanish. -
The 6-3-3 reform
The 6-3-3 reform was passed which provided for 6 years of elementary school, 3 years of junior high, and 3 of senior high. Spanish was then made the medium of instruction in the elementary schools, and English, in the junior and senior high schools. -
U.S. Senate Chávez Committee
The U.S. Senate Chávez Committee criticized the fact that after 45 years of U.S. domination, Puerto Ricans still could not speak English. As a result, Gallardo was formally admonished. -
The English Institute was created
Lewis C. Richardson was asked to devise an English Institute for the public schools of Puerto Rico. The purpose was to study problems related to English teaching in Puerto Rico and to produce courses and books adapted to the Puerto Rican reality. -
Eleventh Commissioner of Education
Gallardo resigned, and Mariano Villaronga was named Commissioner of Education by President Harry S. Truman. -
The Puerto Rican Assembly
A bill was presented in the Puerto Rican Assembly to make Spanish the medium of instruction at all levels, with special attention to the teaching of English. This was vetoed by interim Governor Manuel A. Pérez. -
Villaronga's language policy
Villaronga declared his intent to institute Spanish as the medium of instruction at all levels with English taught as a mandatory second language. Because of his views, he was forced to resign in 1947. -
Mariano Villaronga was reinstated
Luis Muñoz Marín, the first elected Governor of Puerto Rico, reinstated Villaronga as Commissioner of Education. -
English as a special subject
Villaronga immediately instituted Spanish as the medium of instruction for all levels of education on the island, with English as a special subject, the policy still in effect today on the island. -
The English Institute was transferred
The English Institute was transferred to the Department of Education of Puerto Rico. The DEPR decided to adopt Charles Fries’ approach to English teaching and set aside the curriculum of the English Institute. -
The official ESL textbook in Puerto Rico
Charles Fries produced the 3-volume Fries American English series in conjunction with Paulina Rojas and the English Section of the DEPR. The series served as the official ESL textbook in Puerto Rico and was used until the 1960s. -
The Puerto Rican Supreme Court
The Puerto Rican Supreme Court ruled that Puerto Rican courts must use Spanish in their judicial procedures. However, under U.S. law, all federal court and Grand Jury proceedings in Puerto Rico are carried out in English, with court interpreters provided for those individuals who are not able to represent themselves in English. -
The Official Language Act
The Official Language Act of 1902 was revoked by the Partido Popular Democrático. Spanish was declared to be the sole official language, although it recognized the importance of English on the island and did not alter the language policy of the schools. -
Law No. 1
The Partido Nuevo Progresista came into power, Governor Pedro Rosselló, promptly revoked the "Spanish only" law, and signed into effect Law No. 1 which reverts back to the stipulations of the original 1902 law.