Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-09-29
Educating the FiIipinos
An Abilene Boys Experience in the Philippines

amateur carpenter work and that
black board there on the wall is the
only one 10 the room. 1t is about
4x5 feet. Those holes you see in the
wall below it are where we keep our
chalk and the eraser. You will OBJ
serve the rough stone walls, the
heavy double doors swinging on
pivots and again that the room is
crowded with eighteen such seats and
desks in it. Sometimes there are
three sitting in one seat. Let us 60
upstairs to the other two rooms.
These you see each have blackboard
as the other one and the nails driven
in the wall are where we keep the
eraser. These desks are just like the
single desks you have in the schools
only they are small and all the same
size. This large room is the as
sembly room. There you see our
clock on the wall and that table is the
principals desk. This room is always
full during opening exercises. Now
then what have attempted to show
you are the rooms where we have our
high school. Yes high school, but
you need not BIZ surprised at this be-
cause the pupils are not as far ad'
vanced as those at home in the COM
mon school. There are enrolled
about one hundred and seventy now,
but because Of the lack Of room half
OF them come in the morning and the
other half in the afternoon. Those
coming in the forenoon are the
fartheet advanced and they have the
advantage. of an hours time each day
as we teach from 8 to IL in the morn
ing and from to 5 in the afternoon.
My duty is to lead the singing at the
opening Of the forenoon and afternoon
exercises. l also attempt to teach
arithmetic in the six Glasses and
"Health Chats" in the advanced class,
the only one that takes it. The pupils
are from twelve to thirty years old.
Mr.. Gsrbutt is the principal and bis
wife assistant. Then we have also q
native teacher helping US. The
branches taught are first steps IN
English, reading, geographical read
ing, geography and arithmetic. Mr.
Garbutt thinks Of adding music and
drawing. From this place we supply
native teachers for the barrio schools.
will tell you what they are later.
Now let Us retrace our steps. DE-
you see that stone building straight
south there with the matched grass
rooiP That is the girls school. II
has desks in it like this room and
rough hewn benches all around the
room. The enrolment there is 9
little more than q hundred and fifty
and it is in charge Of two native lady
teachers. That low building you see
over southeast there, just across the
plaza, is the boys school. 1t has ar
enrolment about the same as that Of
the girls and is in charge of two
native male teachers. These teachers
get salary Of about ten dollars pei
month, which is paid from the munic
ipal treasury.
In this country, people all live to-
gether, in the country, in small VII
lagos or hamlets, called barrios
These are governed from a centel
town, tie head Of which is called th'
presidente. The barrios have schools
as well as the town. OF these there
are fourteen, think, that are undel
the jurisdiction Of Candon. Thu
teachers Of these schools are nativeI
and are also paid from the municipa
treasury. Their pay is from sever
and q half to ten dollars. Mr.. Gar
butt does not do much teaching blu
it is his duty to look after the school
in Candon and those under its juris
diction.
So far | have been enjoying mysel
immensely in every way, in m.
rambles as we'll as in the school work
The work is extremely easy and i
what some would call "snap" il
am allowed to use the word. Tn
hardships are the food, water, AM
being isolated from the world, that
the world at large. But with prope