Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-10-12
cAapENrER OF The ORIENT,
His Skill In Using the BoIo-How In,
Filipino Has Adopted Forsisn Tools

His Skill IN Using the Bolo-f1cw thS
Filipino Has Adopted Foreign Tools,
Throughout the Oriental countrie /,
generally the superiority of the car !,
penter in the skilled labor class Is
marked and the rule has been good
in the Philippines, certainly until
very recently. The untutored Filipi-
no carpenter knows but one tool. the
bolo. 1t is simply knife with a
blade about fifteen inches long three
inches wide and one-eighth Of an inch
thick. single edged. 1t serves as a
plane, hatchet, chiseL and hammer.
and with It the native carpenter, left
to himself, will build an entire house.
not Of the native variety merely, but
In accordance with the design char
acteristic of foreign houses in the
Philippines, which are frequently
quite elaborate in construction and
finish.
The Filipino carpenter has been
compelled to adopt the nall first
among modern auxiliaries Of the
trade, and, unless otherwise proyid-
ed, the blunt back of his bolo. one
eighth of an inch wide, Is made to
serve as a hammer face with much
better success than would be sup
posed. In his original cult the nail
plays no part at all and all attach
ments between members Of q struct-
ure are made with bamboo strips or
rattan. Nearly all the native houses,
and many foreign, are even now built
In this way, and apparently the only
serious defect as compared with nall
Ing Is the time consumed in the con-
struction. The native carpenter has
much difficulty in mastering the op-
Grafton of foreign tools at first, and II
is necessary always to guard against
return to his beloved bolo.
1t is rarely more difficult, and Is
generally less so, to teach an absolute
novice, Ii he be Of the same natural
intelligence, the use Of modern tools
of carpentry than an artisan welded
to the use of the bolo. This probably
accounts for the rapidity with which
other craftsmen, such as machinists.
masons, etc., have overcome the early
lead of the carpenters. They were
unhandicapped by prediction Of any
binding sort unless we except earth
and rock excavation.
Tho native method Of rock excava-
ton is to build fire to heat the rock.
Then cold water Is thrown on and the
cracked stone removed, when the
process is repeated. This process, as
It does not imply practice in the use
of a certain tool, Is readily discarded
by the native for the drilling and
blasting method. They quickly learn
the use Of the mining hammer and
bar drill and the best Of the natives
will get as much out Of II as the aver
age white workman. On earth exca-
yation there is reluctance In adopt
ing one of the white mans tools. his
shovel, chiefly because Of injurious
effects on the soles Of bare brown
feet.
AS a machinist the native shows
decided aptitude, but fails in steadi-
ness as a general rule. Otherwise he
displays, as do also the carpenter and
the mason, the deep rooted fault Of
wastefulness of materials. So great
is this fault now that the saving to
the employer in cheap wages as COM
pared with those paid to white work
men Is oftentimes swallowed up In
waste of materials. This Is but an
other manifestation of immaturity,
which may perhaps be rectined
manual training at an early age
Railroad Gazette.