In late August, 1901, 540 American teachers sent by the U.S. government arrived in Manila aboard the transport vessel Thomas.
Dubbed the "Thomasites", the pioneer teachers established a new public
school system, replacing Spanish with English as the medium of instruction, and training
Filipino teachers to handle the new curriculum.
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| "Thomasites" with their pupils |
The Bureau of Posts issued a 5c stamp on January 31, 1952, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the educational system introduced by the Americans.
The Stamp
First Day of Issue Cachet
The cachet features the US Army Transport Thomas which carried the teachers from San Francisco to Manila.
First Day Covers
