Permit me now to express first of all my gratitude to the Assistant
Director, Mr. Osias, who had the kindness to honor me with an
invitation to speak at this conference. Now, I wish to express to
you my thanks for your kind attention. Lastly, I desire to make one
declaration: Every time I referred to the new generation, I did not
want to mention only the youth educated in the lay schools of the
Government, but all the youth educated in modern ideas, all the men
and women of whatever age who, throwing aside the weighty burden of
the Legacy of Ignorantism (Le gado del Ignorantismo), have accepted
modern ideas, have modified their mentality, have been modernized,
thanks to the example of, and the contact with, the representatives of
American democracy. All the change, all the economic, moral, social,
and political transformation effected in the Filipino people, and which
none denies nor anyone can deny, reveals progress, and that progress is
not the result of the Legacy of Ignorantism but the natural consequence
of the regime of liberty, industry, work and logical mentality which
governs our public schools and orients our social life.
To the Department of Education, to all the teachers of both
sexes--Americans and Filipinos--I express my profound gratitude
for the splendid manner in which they are complying with the duty
entrusted to them by America and by the Philippines.