This high school textbook was published in 1932, a pivotal year during the American colonial administration of the Philippines. It was co-authored by two prominent Filipino educators, Paz Policarpio Mendez and Mauro Mendez, alongside Merrill S. Potts, the Chief of the Publications Division of the American Bureau of Education. This authorship reflects the complex educational and cultural agenda of the time. The book’s primary purpose was to serve as a comprehensive reader to improve the English language proficiency and command of words among Filipino students. The text served a dual cultural and political function within the public school system introduced by the Americans. It explicitly sought to "arouse national pride and to foster patriotism" by dedicating a major section, "Our Country," to Philippine history, local heroes like José Rizal and Emilio Jacinto, and descriptions of the nation's "Beauty Spots," such as the Ifugao Rice Terraces and Taal Volcano. Simultaneously, the curriculum ensured exposure to global perspectives, featuring sections on world geography and classic Western literature, including works by Edgar Allan Poe, Alfred Tennyson, and Charles Dickens. The Philippine High School Reader: Book Two is a significant artifact of colonial-era education, illustrating the delicate balance of instilling English and democratic ideals while nurturing a burgeoning Filipino national consciousness through its literature and subject matter.
Philippine high school readers, Book Two