The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-10
TIRE CUBAN EDUCATORS
A Good Impression Made by The
Visitors at Cambridge.
Women Inclined TO Adapt Them
ing-Men's Appearance Improved
PIain Hnts md Shirt Waists in
Evidence AT the summer school.


4 grand shopping tour. and to the men =;
| delightful voyage of discovery. 1t is II
the Americans themselves that the visi
has been a matter of especial enlighteu'
ment. because they are observing 10 theii
bewilderment that the Cubans are not quite
barbarians Even the woman who spoke
! with contempt of thin Cubians'' or theII
| arrival has been silenced, out of self-re-
spect, and the tradesmen. who anticipated
the visit as that of so many "dagoes'' are
| now dancing slavish attendance.
Cuban flags and the Spanish signs APP
pear on every turn and in the shop win
dows. until you could wonder if it is the
same old town, and these strangers them
selves so full of activity and enthusiasm
are everywhere. with a new and healthy
influence for the cantabrigian type. The
iciness of the average New Englander has
surely been thawed to welcome the visitors.
and it is hoped that the delightful enthu-
siasm of the guests may not suffer the
embarrassment of cold storage before the
end of their pilgrimage.
a Favorable Impression.
But the impression of the Cubans, if it
was good at first, has improved upon ac-
quaintance, and also upon adaptation. az
in the case Of the women who Immediate
ly sought an opportunity to adjust an in
clination to appear dowdy. This appear
ance was not general. for the women from
Havana were more citified, but as the
teachers are from all parts of the island.
some OF them quite remote. their hats and
things were shoddy stocks, and they recog-
nized the fact Immediately. and as result
of their shopping fever during the past
week. an array CT plain hats and latest pat
tern shirtwaists has worked wonders. Ac-
cording 10 an American standard, better
looking audience than that of Sanders The
atre is not assembled in any summer
school,
The men have also improved upon ac-
quaintance. for many of them are highly
cultivated; but they have not been at such
trouble to adopt American fashions, and
hence they are somewhat outlandish in
their huge hats. which are several sizes
too lal se: their tight sack coats, and bal
loon trousers Most of the men are IN
sized, and that only makes their cos
tune the more droll; and most of the
young men wear tiny mustachios. which
give an inspid expression. but it IS when
they talk that their faces brighten up. aud
they are most interesting. The! are all
we'll hammered. and some of them who
have been educated in this country are
thoroughly Americanized The professional
men are very well educated. There are
five Of them surgeons. who accompany the
expedition. three priests. and besides there
were two young men who came up on one
of the transports for the sake of making
tour of the reform schools in this part of
the country.
The Women Attractive.
The women are certainly attractive in
appearance. They are not tall. but rather
OF the petite type in every way. They have
dark skins some of them very dark. others
almost fair, but their hair Is nearly al
ways jet black, and all but a few have
brown eyes, which are large and ex-
prcssive. Their figures are not as well set
up as those of the average American
woman, but they have pretty hands, which
they use gracefully in talking, like all the
Latin peoples. They have loud, harsh
voices. which make great din when they
chatter in chorus as they often do. But
the Cuban women's superficial defect is
their fondness for powder. which they use
with no discretion on their dark faces, and
which occasions no end Of comment among
the American men. 1t is only by their
guiIeless. pretty ways that they can estab-
fish their innocence.
With the older people of the expedition
the greatest impression has been made in
the fact that the people of Cuba should
have consented to allow their daughters.
who had most of them never been away
from home before. come W here as they
have with Mr.. Frye. They hold Mr.. Frye
in the deepest regard. but this thing
ok oil h.
American people. Many of the women
and the number in all is over 659--have
never until recently earned their living.
They had never had to. because before the
war their people were wealthy. or at
least well-to-do and there are girls in
the number who have been educated in
New York or Paris. They have lived
happy -go-lucky'' lives. but since the war
things are different and thousands OF
women are left to support themselves, and
often others who are dependent on them.
Nearly All Teachers.
The entire band of Cubans, loo strong,
with the exception of a few well-to- do |
all teachers. They are also of all hges, |
and there is one among the men who |
has taught school for forty years. But |
they are mostly young men and women.
According to the fashion of things in their
the men teach the boys and the
women the girls and little children. and |
here are several married couples in the
Jarty, with both the husbands and the
wives teachers.
The men and the women are both bright
ind eager TO learn. II was only last !
that lessons begun but before
hat they had started TO pick up the Ian
,uage. Some who knew nothing of ii be-
ore have already made progress by per-
istent effort. and those who have read
,ut not spoken the language have amazed
cme of the Harvard stuGents with their
of good English.
II was not expected that the studies
would be the principal object of the ex-
branch by appearing on the pro-
,ramme every day with instruction to
mall sections. The other courses are
Mostly by lectures In Spanish before the
ihole body assembled in Sanders Thea
re, and the topics are geography from the
hysicai standpoint or physio- geography as
resident Eliot called it. the history OF the :
panish colcries, and the history OF the
nited States.
This part Of the programme, with the
objects OF the lecture to alternate, occupy
ne forenoon, and In the afternoon there
re excursion 5. which serve as object les '
lng. geology, or history, or other matter I
he main purpose of the visit, is, how
yer, to AFFORD an insight into the nature
+ our republican civilization. and for the
omen 1T was especially intended that they
1ould idea of American home life