Morris tribune., 1902-01-18
pEDAGodUE IN THE PHILIPPINES
Interesting Letter on Life and Work
There.

a letter has been received bv Supt
j. B. Brown of the Indian School
from Mr.. j. r. Mitchell who was
principal teacher in the school under
Mr.. Browns charge at Pine Ridge s
d. Lastly Mr.. Mitchell was one
of the famous party Of teachers 81
couples Of whom were reported to
have married at Honululu enroute to
Manila last summer While he denies
the matrimonial story few extracts
from his letter dated Nov. 16th,. may
be of interest:
was not one who got married
either, and wish to say that altho
there were many willing minds, and
hearts, there was but one wedding at
Honolulu and I have always believed
that to be a fake, as no one ever saw
the bride and groom. the editors OF
the Briny Budget, and the few news
paper men on board raised that
scheme for financial purposes. | like
the work here very we'll, though we
are not supported as in the Indian
School work, i. e. we haye to cater
too much to the people. They
have Civil Government and there
) is no way to enforce anything.
. l received $1,000 90 per annum and
\ $4,000 extra for night school three
times week.
The children as rule are very.
bright and learn readily. ] have oeen
here two months and half, and the
children speak better English than
the Indians at Pine Ridge did in two
years or more. 4,.. .a .ge ~ 5Y III
The climate is much better than
l expected: I think we have an ex.
cellent climate. The nights are plea
SAINT, the mornings bracing. The
nights are cooler now as the winter
is approaching. There is much fruit
here. As I am writing | have 25
bananas and 6 oranges, all of which
cost s cents.z-s
The principal crops here are rice,
tobacco, corn and all kinds Of vege-
tables. The rice will soon he ready
for harvest, It is heading now.
The rainy season which has been
on since I've been. here is now ended.
I hope to see some of the country
when it dries up. During the rainy
season everything is under water.
am on the Riogrande river about
IS miles north of Manila, and when
the river overfows the water runs
two or three feet deep all over cur
CITY. This does not stop the travel
in the streets. The senoritas tie
their skirts higher and wade water to
their knees and do wet not their dres-
ses. Society does not permit young
people of opposite sex to walk alone
in the streets together, but in crowds
they may get into the water as above
mentioned making fearful exhibit.
And then children of both sex from
5 to II years and boys cider, play
in the water river or pond } where
some woman is washing. Mothers as
usual thug are very careful with
their daughters. Around my place
there are Tery few cases where child
rem are born to those unmarried.
The Philippines are very religl-
GUS. They spend much time in the
church, although they have no padre
or priest.
When there is marriage or a
funeral they go to the church. AS a
usual thing the band plays. At most
of the funerals where the inferred is
in higher society, the band plays very
CAV music. They do noise to cara
of what nature, and many times have
I heard them playing in the process
ion "A Hot Time" as they marched
to the cemetery.
The people live in villages here.
No one lives out in the country as at
home. Their farms are cut there
and daily shey go back and forth.
There are two classes of Philippi-
nos perhaps more, but the higher
class lives at the expense of:te poor.
The Friars robbed the Philippines
and the Philippines in turn try to
rob one alto her. They know nothing
of a stable government. Their ideas
do not reach farther thar their ohser-
walton and how can they direct
government when they have nothing
to follow or initiate. Many of them
have a anattering idea Of Spanish |
but the Spaniards crush d all efforts