The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1901-10-18
A TEACHER
IN PANAY
What a Honolulu
Educator
Writes.
Pototan. Panay Island.
Philippines. Sept. IA, 1901


Philippines. Sept. IA, 1901
Mr. G. f.. True Honolulu, II. r.
My Dear Mr.. True-I arrived at this |
place-my station-two days ago, after |
Il voyage without unpleasant events, |
and a stay of two weeks in Manila.
have looked over the ground here, and
expect to commence work next Mon
day, with day and evening classes. We
have no schoolhouse. but shall begin
work with any rude accommodations
that may be secured. A stable or
building used for that purpose by
American soldiers-a house having
stone walls, thatch or grass roof, no
floor at all, and rude benches-will
probably be chosen. The worst of it
H. that on this island the municipali-
ties are so poor, having been thor
oughly punished by the soldiers. their
carabaos killed and lands devastated,
that it Is really difficult to provide the
simple bamboo house and seats that
we wish A company of soldiers is
stationed here. and they have appro-
priated the best buildings of the town
the convent and a half dozen of the
best resdenceS--for headquarters, nos
/ pital, etc. The three Filipino teachers,
two male and one female, are at pres
mt conducting their work In rooms NJ
for pigs, more than half of their 200
scholars being seated on the floor. The
best buildings of this town are of fine
/ hardwood boards whip-sawed with
floors of some beautiful wood, plenty
good enough for piano boxes If ponsh-
ed. with wide window spaces closed by
shutters unly--no glass-with corrugat-
Z ed iron roofs or sometimes grass. me
families nearly always live on the up
per floor. and often turn the lower
floor over to the pig and the caribao
for "a wallow
The church is a fine stone building,
bigger and finer than any of the old
missions of California, and the convent
by it is IA beautiful structure of wood
and stone, with wide halls large
rooms, veranda, etc. There is no
drainage in the town, no sewer system,
of course: no earth closets or vaults,
all refuse being left on the surface
of the ground in the rear of the house
for pigs and chickens to clean up. Ana
still there is no pestilence, and this Is
called one of the best towns on the
island of Panay for health. In fact,
Iloilo has no better system of caring
for waste matters than We have, and
Manila has no sewer system. In all
this country the water stands within
four to eight feet of the surface. at
least during the rainy season (Which
/, is now on hand), and people avoid
water poisoning by drinking rain water
and boiled water l have not drunk a
drop of unsterlized water, to my
knowledge since | struck the country,
and hope | shall not have to, though
the soldiers on the march are obliged
to, and many never have a sick day.
Every military post has a plant for
either distilling or boiling water, and
furnishes the product gratis to Ameri-
can residents Natives are proof
against water germs.
My town is said to contain 5000 peo-
pie within the town proper and with
it's outlying districts, called barrios,
! considered part of the pueblo, about
10000 people. You would not think it
to look around but investigation
would show that each house swarms
with people, Pototan is eighteen miles
, from lloilo, almost due north connect
, ed by good road in the dry season but
almost impossible at present. SOL
dicrS' wagon train brought us out from
Iloio, and we rely on them to carry
out our supplies. say we, for II young
man was assigned here with me, and
we are going to keep house together;
I have already engaged n house at SO
I per month, and are looking for a good
servant whom We shall probably get
for IS or so gold. You are aware, no
doubt, that the army authorities have
deprived all civilians Of the commits
\ sary privilege. thus increasing the cost
1 of living by nearly 100 per cent. This
\ country produces, in prosperous time,
when war and locusts come not.
abundance of rice. cocOanuts, bananas,
sugar, considerable tobacco, maize.
abaca or hemp. and some cacao. 1t l.
n rich country in possibilities and in
! prospects, but at present very poor.
4 The events incident to the change of
sovereignty have invalidatcd or render
4 ed insecure most land titles, so that
4 no property can be sold at present, and
when ask the price of good land, no
n body knows.
The country is Just rising from fiat
4 into rolling hills at this point 1--WE are
eight miles from the seal, SO We have
a fine breeze; We miss the heat OF
q lower levels, and we can have drainage
when the municipality is sufficiently
/ intelligent, and the people are IA little
Il restored to prosperity. Many soldiers
& stationed here declare ii is one of the
n most healthful places they know of,
I aud the most desirable for residence.
q actually believe that l would rather
; live near lloilu than near Manila. Ilo-
J lilo has the best harbor on the islands
! perhaps and is destined to become a
great port, is now fiat on its back
4 )haNng been burned to the ground by
the insurgents when they lost it,, and
d consequently destined to see a larg,
81 development. Some action by Congress,
n permitting sale of public lands, or en-
N IarElnE the powers of the TAFT gov
81 eminent to the same end. and clearl,
q defining the relations to exist between
" these islands and the United State
Y would very likely bring on Il large de
IN velopmeDt of this country.
N Al present Iloio is not nearly 81
is large "A city as Honolulu; not half $,
n big. think, with many old stone wall
a marking the spot where three year
n ago stood fine buildings-kerosene oi
81 and "A match did the damage.
d In Manila | sat at banquet witt
8 Or. Atkinson and Professor Moses
n We like DR. Atkinson very much. Tn
II assignment of teachers was made b.
y him and his division superintendents II
- aS careful manner as possible undc
the circumstances. We We're encour
aged To express a preference for sue
localities as we chose, with reasons
"a but | knew So little of the country
ne could only state my circumstance