The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-06-27
TEACHING IN PORTO RICO
Experiences Of an American Gifa
Schoolmistress.
NATIVE home LIFE UNuLEANLY.

Their Table Manners and the Spit
flnR Habit Are Most Disgusting,
According 90 the s4atements Made
by Miss O'Brien-Method of Teach
inK the Little Ones.
The life of an American girl as a
teacher in Porto Rico is not all sun
shine. She is required to endure many
hardships from which most teachers in
the United States would shrink.
Miss Mary n. aO'Brien, who until last
fall taught in Stafford, Genesee county,
Ia now teaching at Patillas, Porto Rico
In writing home she relates many In
terestlng incidents, says the New York
Journals correspondent at lie Roy, n.
Y. Following are extracts from her
recent letters:
81 am trying hard to teach the little
ones English Some of them grasp II
readily, while others do not. ! expect
to have q class of young men who also
wish TO learn English. What l shall do
with them l don't know.
MY school, as well as other build
ings, is right on the curbstone in the
midst of the business portion. 1t is not
unusual to have people come along cry
ing their wares or have the children
buy candy, bread and cakes of them.
Beggars are also common sight in the
school door asking for aims.
Il keep right on with my work and
the children tell them | do not under
stand Spanish, for / am an American
That seems TO satisfy them, and they
go away with long faces and empty
purses.
mo matter how poor these people
are, they seem to be able to keep 8
cigar in their mouths, women as well
as men. Before l came here / heard
that all women smoked, but this is not
SO. 1t Is only the women Of the lower
class who have contracted the habit
''The men, women and children al
spit. 1t doesn't seem TO make any diff
ference where, when or how, in church
school or at home, and, worse than all
while at the table. Indeed, it takes 6
strong stomach to witness these things
AS to teaching, there Is not much Of
that done. WHAT would you think t
have an audience oe natives ourinI
school hours? The American teachel
10 as capable OF drawing a crowd O.
men, women and children as a dol
9Ght, runaway or Are would In th,
United States. There is no school sys
tenn. neither 10 there any discipline.
u wish ] might hy up TO New Yorl
state tor my meals. Some like the cot
fee here. and perhaps ! shall In time
II would be all right II they had tn
means of roasting 1t as the American
do. The coffee is placed In an irol
kettle over fire and roasted until it 4
black, SO that it has a very burned
taste. They always boil the milk IL
the coffee, and the truth of it is on
cannot use the milk here unless it i
boiled, as it has such a disagreeabl
taste.
THE natives do not know what clean
| Nness Is. | have been In this hous
| eight weeks, and not a floor or door ha
been washed. just think of hens, pigs
| chickens, bugs and eight people travel
| Ing over these fioors not to mention
house full of company.
"My school hours are from S:15 +
11:30 and from 1:30 to 4:3O. l excus
my children, 60 of them, at II and
o'clock, and the rest of the time l an
teaching English in the other tw
| rooms.
Il teach the little ones by objects an
a little ruler used on their legs.
have to use the ruler quite often, a
they will not understand or mind i
any ether way. often think of dunn
animal and it's master who is trying t
teach 1t tricks.
II do not understand their speech
nor do they mine. They are anxious t
tell me their little troubles. There ar
eight teachers in my class on Saturda,
and for this I receive no extra compeI
sation, but l am glad to do this, as
keeps me away from my boardin
house, which do not like.
Uncle Sam pays the teachers c
Porto Rico this year, and | am glad b
does, for If we had to depend on til
Spaniards we would not get very mucl
They cheat the Americans when the
can and would like to kill them if the
dared"