The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1904-04-21
TEACHING YOUNG FILIPINos.
Many Startling and Amusing Things
Are Done by Native Teachers
and Pupils.

One thing aside from the roosters and
mosquitoes that will make me remem-
Der my first night In Maunabo was the
sheets, writes an American teacher in
the New York Tribune. When / lay
down on my cot felt around for the
sheet to cover myself / struck some
thing that seemed like a board. / dis
covered that 1t was the sheet, starched
SO stiff that might as well have tried
to cover myself up with piece Of sheet
iron In the morning stood that sheet
up against the wall and sighed other
experiences with starching propensities
I encountered in the napkins. When
ever | tried to wipe my lips at table
didn't know whether 1t was file or a
napkin had When sent my linen
suit to be washed the first time the
trousers came back starched stiff and
creased on the sides, according to tho
custom there After | had explained
that | wanted them creased in front
they came back creased both on the
sides and in front, giving startling
boxlike effect when wore them.
Shortly after my arrival at Maunabo
made the acquaintance Of several Of
the teachers. two Of them from the rural
schools and another from town All are
men between -forty-five and fifty, the
young man before mentioned and my
self being the only young teachers in
the region. The Tuesday following my
arrival the school opened In earnest,
and the three rooms Of the dilapidated
schoolhouse we're crammed with ne
groes. mulattoes, whites and mixtures
Of all kinds. some with sense, many
without. Nearly all we're barefoot, and
with only one garment, usually ragged
and filthy, to cover their nakedness. I
was to teach nothing but English. and
began with the smallest ones by in
structing them in some of themore COM
mon expressions. such as Good morn
ing. teacher For weeks after when
ever appeared in public. whether
morning, afternoon or night, Goo
morn, techah." was hurled at me from
the streets, from the dirty shops and
from the low doors Of straw thatched
huts. Among other things taught
them that ''un polio" meant "a chicken"
and also that EN- Dios confamos' was
I'm God we trust" For some days they
remembered "a chicken" as they liked
to hear themselves pronounce 1t, but one
day asked a tiny darky girl what
"un polio" was in English Without
any hesitation she complacently as
sured me that It meant I'm God we
trust"
Perhaps the thing that struck me the |
most at first in my school work was the
frequent request Of the pupils, and more
the girls. to be allowed to
leave the room to spit More than once
have been interrupted in a recitation
by one Of the girls jumping up and rush
ing to the door to expectorate. Another
sight to which am now calloused is to
see one Of the teachers walking up and /
down between the rows Of pupils smok-
Ing huge black cigar and at the same
time conducting a class in arithmetic /
One OF the rural teachers was seen to
send boy out to cut piece Of sugar
cane. which he gnawed with nonchal-
ance behind his desk, while the young
sters were compelled to do sums and
watch him enjoy IT,
Every English teacher on the island
Is supposed to conduct class three
times a week for the benefit Of the ma
I've teachers. English is translated to
Spanish and vice versa, and some Of the
Issaults on the English language are
10 an American