Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-07-20

ence what hide-and-go-seek and base
ball meant, but they never became
adopts in foot ball, for so well had
they learned the lesson of cleanliness
that they were unwilling to soil their
hands or their white linen suits. In
sentence making and word building,
gave them single letters from maya
zines. and asked them TO make words
OF them. At one end of the room l
had a large blackboard, with a space
allotted to each pupil in the school,
and as fast as any one would make
new word a DOT would be added 10
his name. The manner in which they
struggled to see the line grow was
surely gratifying. But, for a success
full teacher il means a continual
search TO find lines of least resistance.
There was one thing always certain
to appeal 10 the children,-namely
! their love for the spectacular. Ac-
cOrdingly, frequent entertainments
were given, when we allowed the
children the pleasure Of being some
body else" Parents were invited in,
and the proud youngsters would
SHOW or their accomplishments
Some of the girls had been taught 10
sew, and while do not claim to be
counted, and the study was taught.
! Others had shown a tendency TO draw
| ing, while others had utilized the
seeds which l had brought with me
! from America, and made pretty gar
dens. a few modelled in clay or mud,
and in other cases new dishes were
constructed of this same material.
In fact, my whole effort for these
people was devoted to showing them
how to live. They became more
friendly, more anxious to visit my
home, and to learn how the children
in America did this or that. The best
results were obtained, l think, through
companionship with them, through the
feeling that you were really interested
in them, whether you were or not.
Oftentimes il was necessary for me
to visit their shacks, squat down on
the floor, and eat rice with my fingers,
a la Filipino. Some one may ask, Did
they learn rapidly? To this l shall
have to say, no. We were inclined to
look upon them as bright, merely in
comparison with the conception which
we had. formed as to their savageness,
but, compared with an American child,
where there are a great number
they fall far behind, except in their
power of mimicry, and in their inabil-
| ity to tell the truth. The Filipino
child, like the whole race, is OF even
temperament, and not at all what you
would expect after years OF control by
the Spaniards. The children are
for the most part lovable and easy to
manage. although I found a strong
distinction between those of a light
and dark complexion, the former
being much more tractable.
Whether the educational system is
successful or not, depends entirely
upon the individual teacher. Ii will
take years of wedding out TO find those
adapted to such work. In case Of fall
ure, think the fault can be attributed
to the desire Of many pedagOgs TO
rule tyrannically, in a way, over the
Filipino government of the various
towns. Many of the teachers felt that
they should be the railing power. Like a
wilful child, these little boards OF
Filipinos. which exist in every town,
can be easily managed. provided you
simply allow them to think they are
having their own way. The govern
ment in these towns may not be thor
oughIy understood. Every barrio has
its presidente and board, correspond
ing to mayor and aldermen; every
province has a governor, whose duty
it is to oversee the work of the presi-
dente, and TO report to the commission
in Manila. These officials, outside
those il Manila, are all Filipinos, with
the exception that in the settlement
Chinese an almost separate govern
ment is held. But the important
factor in the smaller town is the presi-
dente. to whom the common people
bow low. His power is almost ALSO
Lutte. and seldom is he re2o~73, nev~-'
except By the governor. Ee cor
nearer to our typical Tamns u "a
politician than anything kncy c. !.
is. then, as one can readily see, G,...os-
essential for the American teacher to
be a friend OF this dictator-in-chief.