New-York tribune., 1905-07-29
FILIPINO STUDENTS
Bright Young Girls at PhiIanthronic
School Which Closed Yesterdau

''Oh. no. our parents did not wish -. a..
~ ALL We were obliged TO convince then, W.
we're obliged to make them see we shopld h. .s
safe in America as in the Philippines"
The speaker was bright eyed, smiling cir,
OF sixteen IN white gown and hat. one OF the
hrst Two 70 win government scholarships and
come 10 America 70 study at the sovernr,a,+,a
expense Both are guests OF Mrs n = c,,t., :.
this city. with whom they have been attana,r1
the Summer School ot Philanthropy. yyb,cb
closed yesterday.
one OF them is Miss Honoria Acosta. ans ON.
Miss Luisa n. Sison, and they come from I'm
Eayen, Pangasiman Province Idzon rslana
The ambition and intelligence OF these si,+Aan-
year-old girls are most interesting. ana tt an
pears from their experience that Philippine girls
are ready to beat the records of even Arneri-
can college girls in winning prizes from the
men Out Of 310 competitors for the scholar
ships. Miss Acosta ranked first and Miss sIson
third on the list, the highest Of the sos boys
having 10 be contented with second place.
The highest ten, eight boys and the two eirEs
came to America last far 10 spend five years
n study. After that they are pledged TO spend
I've years In the government service
For the last year the two girls have been IN
the Drexel Institute, OF Philadelphia Miss
sson continues there 20 complete the cos,r-sa ,n
her chosen profession-domestic scienca Miss
Aoosta, however, enters the Woman's Medical
College. Of Philadelphia, this fan, and will he
the first native woman doctor of The PhiIin-
pines.
The government Scholarships were established
II 1913. only boys entering the competitive ex-
ainlnatlons that year. The next year appeared
ne FLlPlao new woman. in the persons of these
Two niteen-year-old girls with the result de-
sosloec. A few minutes talk with them is
polRo 70 prove staggering revelation to a1lv
one who has formed his opinion of the FiIipiros
aEOlI l4le villages Of the Midway
our parents were very much opposed 10 our
coming. said Miss Acosta, but only because
Inty reared 10 have US go such 4 great distance
nom home and among strangers There is no
opposition 10 the higher education Of wonnen
all-ohs s tne f1lplnos Our women are educated
JUST as much as the men. They had no objec-
non 10 my becoming a Doctor
II is so cruel" said Mrs. Smith TO give the
pubAc the idea that the people to be seen in
amusement villages are Fflipinos They are No
more Elipinos than Indians are Americans
Ihey are just as strange and novel TO these girls
IS they are to And yet the average Ameri-
has seen Filipinos."
The summer school closed with a kind OF love
3east yesterday. The Rev. George II. Bottome,
Of Grace Church Settlement, described the work
q that institution in paper called The Social
Church" Then the chairman called on one after
another TO speak on whatever phase Of work or
experience Of the summer most appealed TO
them. Miss Esther Eaton 1905 graduate of
Nassar, who is now worker in the Little Italy
Settlement in Brooklyn, said that in view OF the
fact that the Italians there are going to form a
component part Of American citizenship II was
interesting to know what kinds Of Americans
they were coming in contact with.
Most OF them are dock laborers," said she:
they know their bosses. They come in contact
with the police force. with streetcar conductors
ana motormen, and with certain small tradesmen
Of the quarter. That is the extent Of their con-
tact, generally speaking, with Americans or
American life. II is interesting 10 know Just
what kind Of Arnericanisrn they viii absorb The
Italians are not initiative. They are very clan
fnsh- They do not seek obtrude on
americans, or seek to initiate them They care
into American life. If they to be Influenced
they must be sought out"
Mrs. O. c. Smith, being called on, responded
with the sentiment that the most dangerous
women in the community are the chronic board
and the married women in comfortable cir
cunastsnces without children"
They have nothing TO do,' said she; they
don't work for a living; they create false stand
ards and offer corrupting example OF the real
lady,"