The sun., 1900-07-30
OCR CUBAN VISITORS.
One or Two Incidents Embarrassing to Their
Entertainers at Cambridge.

CAMBRIDGE, July 2s-The visiting Cuban
teachers are not at this stage so absorbing a
study as Is the American fashion OF treating
them. Several things have occurred during
this week which would have shaken the trust
Of less ingenious body of visitors in the good
faith Of their greatly protesting hosts. A con-
cert was given last Saturday In Memorial Hall
by the Baptist societies OF Cambridge TO the
whole 500 teachers Mayor Champlln was
the special guest OF this occasion and in his
speech he congratulated his hearers that they
we're so soon to have the draft Of a consttu-
ton submitted 10 them for their approval
Cambrdge's Mayor does not speak Spanish and
was therefore obliged TO rely on the good
offices Of an interpreter, As it happened. the
gentleman who officated In this capacity last
Saturday was not lngust Of the first order
and was once or twice 80 unfortunate as to say
things in Spanish quite differently from the
way in which they had been said in English.
One was the clause about this constitution.
What the Spaniards heard and applauded was:
within a few weeks you are 10 have a con-
stiution." Rather different. but not OF such
importance either If it had been allowed 10
sink at once into oblivion. The bother Of it was
that one or two keen persons perceived the
difference and remarked upon it, with the re-
SUIT that quite a few OF the teachers felt that
they were being jug led with This isn't y
pleasant feeling, OF course.
Then on the heels of this episode came what
promised To be- really crushing blow. on
Monday there we're rumOrs that all except the
lowest grade OF teachers were To have their
salaries reduced $40 a month. and Tues
day morning these rumors were confirmed,
In addition 10 the reduction there was quoted
n clause in this edict which announced that
In order TO receive the appointments which
had already been orally assured TO them, all
the teachers must be reexamlned M nm lmpos-
siblv early date. Well Cambridge wasn't an
altogether pleasant place 10 be in for few
hours after this news became generally known.
Weeping and gnashing of teeth was only
mart Of the programme. In addition, there
we're howls Of imprecation and in some quarters
unpleasant remarks about trckery and kindred
Then suddenly the sun shone once more On
Tuesday afternoon a Spanish notice to the
effect that the first announcement had all been
bonrd Gen Wood has explained that
the wrong draft went TO the printer and Supt.
FRYE says that the very notion that such action
should have been taken IN the absence OF the
teachers Is and was absurd. But Mr.. Frye
was visibly disturbed when tho first edict came
TO his notice and he was not ut all disposed
then to pooh-pOoh tho matter. so, although
these various complications have blown over,
IL seems great pity that they should ever
have arisen. They cannot have failed TO create
in the breasts Of some OF the more thoughtful
Cubans a suspicion that after all Americans
But tive we have given the women the club
idea" That should make up for much. On
Thursday n select body Of women teachers
from all the provinces OF Cuba went down
To one OF the beach hotels and listened to a lot
OF speeches about the great good that has
been wrought in this country BY the dissent.
nation of this same idea. They were told
that men used 10 laugh at the womens clubs,
but that now they laugh no longer, that the
hand that rocks the cradle is in these days
moving the world between whies and that
there IA nothing too small or too great TO get
up a club about A model Of bylaws was
presented TO tho women for discussion and
these were talked over in Spanish and In Eng
lish with Il freedom that would have seemed
almost sacrilegious 10 many club sisters The
Cubans were particularly anxious 10 know II
a club had to be educational" its familiar
question TO American scoffers. Int II WAS anus
new point of view. They paered at II on Thurs
day from every possible side, the presiding
officer finally dismissing the subject with an
means OF dsvelopment whether club work.
philanthropy or social life"
The really comic thing. though, was the
earnest little speech made by one Of the Cuban
women, a speech so bristling with sincerity as
TO be almost pathetic in its unconscious irony
This woman, thanked the federation for its
idea" and remarked that she had frequently
noticed that this same club lie was the means
In this country Of eliminating from the social
intercourse Of women all those petty jealousies
supposed 10 be nm Inherent part Of the sey's
makeup. And at this those club women act
ually looked rnp r2npproylngly at each other and
might hive had the effect of making some Of
the fools who had come to scof remain TO rray
had il not been announced at thls point that
the Cubans would sing Cuba I.ibre." before
going ont of doors to get some cool things
10 eat and drink as an antidotn to the warming
exertons OF the afternoon. The Cubans are
turn ai to " their native i-le and this club $ has m
already been invited tn join the Massachu-