The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-11-07
NEW HAVEN MORNING JOURNAL AND COURIER THURSDAY NOVEMBER 9o7

years are seen in the weaving mills working the old fashioned hand looms which require considerable strength as we'll as skill Also, in the fur niture CT turner's shops are small boys, using, like their fathers, both hands and feet in the chiselling and turning of table and chair legs, all of which is done in the most primitive manner although the articles look like the result of skilled workman ship.
 With all their earnestness and sol emnity the young toilors are happy to a degree, and they apparently enjoy themselves as much as do the chill dren who do nothing but play In Luxor children ranging in age from seven to twelve years are employed In carrying baskets of rubbish from the temples in Karnac, which are be- ing cleared of the accumulation of sand and broken rock bufying some of the pillars, and these children sing at the top of their voices as they trudge to and fro with their burdens tilted upon their heads.
 One would be inclined to feel sor- " for them were it not for the fact that the honor of being so employed is greatly coveted by the children. These children in Luxor earn from two to three piasters (15 cents) day, anI out of this trifing amount some of them have saved up quite q sum, which they bury in sand where no one but themselves knows where to find it.
 Another thing which attracts the eye of the stranger in Egypt is the manner in which Egyptian babies are toted as a Southerner expressed it. They are not cradled in their moth CTS arms as are the babies of this country, but they are hoisted upon the shoulders of those carrying them, where they sit astride.
 Tiny youngsters scarcely old enough to sit up straight are carried about the streets in this novel manner and they maintain their seemingly peril ous position with absolute fearlessness and without a whimper. Like the children of Cuba, many of the little Egyptians are entirely naked, and only scantiest clothing Is worn by any.
 Although Egyptian parents of the poorer and middle classes believe itI their children being useful they are still extravagantly indulgent to them in every way But however much children are caressed and fon1led they feel and manifest the most profound respect for their parents.
 Disobedience to parents Is consider ed by the Moslem one of the greatest of sins and chased among the seven great sins.
 While ignorance is more In svid- ence than learning there are many schools in all of the large cities and the majority of the small ones. The most important branch of education is that of religion.
 The first lesson, that of the "wu- doc" or how to perform the ablutlons previous to prayer, and the prayers or one of them, is generally taught by ] the father to his son. The girls are seldom taught anything unless they belong to a wealthy or an unusually enlightened family, when a prayer oi two and bit of needlework is cons d cred enough education for them
 An Arab school Is one of the mos interesting places in Cairo to visit The children, with the schoolmaster sit upon the floor or the groun1 in ( semicircle and each has tablet ot
 wood, which Is painted white aut upon which the lessons are written
 When the latter are learned they ari lwashed out and replaced by othei lessons.
 During study hours the Arab schools remind one of the Chinese for tht children all study aloud, and as they lchant they rock, back and forth llkt
 trees in storm, and this rnovemen lis continued for an hour or more a
 a time. The schoolmaster rocks hacl
 and forth also, and altogether thu lschool presents a most novel appear
 ance as we'll as sound. Worshipper lin the mosques always move abou
 while reciting the Koran, as thi
 movement Is believed to assist tn
 memory.
 The desks of the Arab schools ar'
 odd contrivances of palm sticks upo;
 which is placed the Koran or one o
 the thirty sections of it. Afte" barn
 ing the alphabet the boys take up tn
 study of the Koran, memorizihg en
 tire chapters of 1t until the sacra;
 book Is entirely familiar.
 A peculiar method is followed Il
 learning the Koran. The study be Igins with the opening chapter, an, , from this it skips to the last, Th last but one Is then learned, then tn , last but two, and so on in inverted r der, ending finally with the sec)nt -s chapter.
 ; During the students progress t l customary for the schoolmaster t send on the wooden tablet s lessol
 painted in black and red and sreel , to the father who returns it aftcr in spection with couple of plaster placed upon it. The salaries o schoolnasters are very meagre Tn deed, and in some instances the on' payment made is that of clothing an food and yearly present of Q ,uTbdI and some cloth