The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1907-04-26

ID. G. O'Connor and family. Gorgona.
Miss Pearl Widaman, Gorgona.
DIR. and Mrs. +. G. Walters and son,
Bas Obispo.
H. G.. Balm, Culebra.
John w. Tannehill Ancon.
John w. Tannehlll postmaster at
Ancon in the canal zone but home to
| Norfolk on n leave OF absence, likes
the life that several thousand encr-
getic Americans are living beside the
| big Panama canal. lie likes the cos.
mopolltan features of the zone, the
action and movement in the little strip
of land that the United States controls
across the lsthmus.
The Norfolk colony down in the Pan
ANA country has population of four
teen Mr.. Tannehill is not alone in
being thoroughly satisfied with the
change from Nebraska to the canal
zone for he says that the other Nor
folk people like their new home
81 have seen conditions practically
revolutioni2ed In Panama In the year
or more that have been in the zone,"
says Mr.. Tannehll. "The situation
was not encouraging when | went to
take up my new work back in January,
1906. The conditions of life we're
crude. Quarters were poorly furnish
ed. Good food was hard to get. The
yellow fever has just been cleaned
out Accommodation are now n hun
dred percent better in the city of
Panama.
"The improvements making for the
comfort and convenience of canal zone
life have been constant. Shipping fa.
cilities have been increased by adding
more ships to the fleet and double
tracking the railroad. Streets in Pana.
ma have been paved while water and
sewer systems have been introduced
AS a result of changes for the health
and comfort of life Americans are
bringing their families TO the zone
Twelve or fifteen hundred American
women and children are in the cana
territory now"
Mr.. Tannehill brings word from the
Norfolk colony at Panama, all of whom
seemed satisfied with their new south
ern quarters. Men from Norfolk are
rendering efficient service in different
fields of work connected with the gov
ernments big task of canal digging.
The O'Connor Family.
| ID. G. O'COnnor, superintendent o
public instruction in the canal zone
with headquarters in the administra
tion building in the city of Panama
has done splendid work in organizing
the schools of the district. Superin
tendent O'Connor, resigning his posi-
tion at the head of the Norfolk cit!
schools, came to the zone in Novem
Der, 1905, at time when everything
was new. There are now about thirty
. five schools in the zone. These schools
which are for the most part taught b!
American girls, have on the averag,
dents.
The greater number of the pupils IL
Superintendent O'Connors schools ar
the children of the black laborer
brought from the West Indies to handl
the rough work on the canal Tn
color lines, some six of the school
being turned over to the exclusiv
instruction of the white children in tn
zone. Most Of the work in the thirt
odd schools Is along primary lines
The elements of the Spanish languag
| N N OF of In
in English.
, Mr.. O'Connor has his headquarters
Z in the administration building in tn
city of Panama. About three days ou
, of the week Is spent in Office worl
the rest of the time Mr.. O'Connor dt
votes to an active supervision of tn
work that is being carried on in tn
!. schools stretching along the canal tel
ritory. One of the black schools unde
I the supervision of Norfolk's forme
SUP erintendent stands five miles fror
+ the railroad. the only frame buildin
5 in the historic village of Cruces, ha'
/, ing some 600 people and a populatio
e entirely native.
Mr.. O'Connor and his family live q
4 Gorgona. Misses Mary and FlCrenc
/ OConnor teach in the public school
s of the zone. OF the sons, Charles ha
t position in TIE machine shops q
!, Gorgona, Emerson is the master mi
chanic's Office boy, Pearson is
d school, while Walker, who has bee
t attending school at Meadville, Penn
: has been expected to join the famil
t in Gorgona.
Miss Pearl Widaman makes he
home with the O'Connors at Gorgont
where she teaches in the schools.
l. Or. Walters.
n DR.. F. G. Walters, who resides wit
y his family at Bas Obispo, is chief {
/. the property division Of the health d
4 partment of the canal zone. DR.. Wa
}. ters has his headquarters at his mai
d store house at Colon. His duties CO.