The newspaper., 1909-04-30
A Letter on the Home Life Of Mexico.

IN HE Mexican people an Inferior race, in blood
education and religion. In education they
have the antiquated and distressing
55HS systems While of their religious OBJ
W servances most APPALLING. In my visiting
the schools in Matamoras, Mex. noticed the
OF imparting knowledge was just reversed to
inasmuch we lead the child from the known to the
unknown, they work from the unknown and In n
most difficult try let the child discover the
idea. He is required to commit stacks OF rules to
memory and can get and repeat IL about as par
rot would. Thinking and reasoning for themselves is
entirely ignored by the teacher. being necessary
way OF the chd's mental development. 1t IL "A gen.
eral rule among the children that they have good
memories. but II often the they retain very
poorly. Missionary teachers from the United States
doing great deal to establish the American edu-
cationa system among them well as reform their
religious beliefs. The majority OF them Catholics
and very crude 1t was painful to me to witness
their Easter ceremonies On Friday there
eral priests took turn about to read to worn and
weary congregation page after page of Latin stun,
that wondered II the priest himself knew what the
words were that he was pronouncing During all
this time papier mache image. life size with red
paint running from an imitation nail print in the
hands and feet OF Christ was suspended from rough
board At the foot of this cross was the Bibl
cal number Mary the mother being nearest the cross
and from real fatigue (for she had stood statue
five six hours) looked sad and sorrowful indeed
with her long black hair falling about her face.
told that sometimes she tainted and would have to be
revived before they could go 1t is beastly hot
and she not move fan. oh II IL awful.
wept for them, not with them. At about $50 D. III.
bier placed in the aisle of the church and
with proper ceremony and bowling the body was
lowered from the cross and with much scattering OF
holy and burning OF incense, the body
placed the bier and the priests part was finished
Then the people filed by the bier and by one
babies included, they kissed and cried the body
and passed of the church. The air I'm the building
s say the least nauseatng. and the body II lies
there Ii terrific piece OF work from artistic stand
point and the whole thing is pitful The beanty OF II
all is lost to their poor benighted selves Saturday
following is also a day Of mourning but Sunday
breaks forth with joy and gladness.
Caste prevails and one would almost think they
In oriental country strong IL the feeling OF
the superior and servant. one who is born to the
better things would rather starve than lower his
dignity to do menial things. II financial troubles
arise the clothes and food supply IL reduced, but
they cling their servants from sheer necessity
and the servants in their turn seem to have higher
ambition than to his master. They dress dif-
ierenty SO that recognition OF the class easy The
lower caste always a plain black shawl. while
those OF the higher order. wear lace mantia
is often the case go bareheaded.
In cities OF any Importance plaza is found which
occupies one block in the center OF which is the
band stand and around walks promenades
Two three nights week they have music and
every body turns out, women walk in one direction
while walk In the opposite, and as each inter-
ested party pass each other in the promenade they
look as hard possible, for this is OF the chief
ways of courting. Their walk is slow they can
have quite lot OF mute visiting they pass each
other time after time.
Owing to the heat OF the south everything prac-
tcaly closed the first few hours Of the afternoon
but evening approaches the young people begin to
appear in their best light and bright colOred
Clothes they sit in windows behind iron bars and
should she have "a lover, he passes and repasses the
building and when the opportunity they speak
to each other In proper time the man takes his case
his parents and they take 1t to her parents and