University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1912-11-12

her nation. This is the opinion of w.
X. Weaver, who spent four years in
the islands teaching the natives. but
who is now doing special work at the
University of Missouri. Mr.. Weaver
went to the Philippines in the em-
ployment of the government as a
teacher of the sciences, but during
the last three years of his stay there
he was principal of high school in
Vigan, in one of the northern pro-
yinces of LuzOn.
Not only are the native women bet
ter students than the men, says Mr..
Weaver, but they are as rule pos
sessed of a stronger physique. The
Filipino children are good students.
They are Industrious, for that eli
mate, and make rapid progress in
school. The young Filipino has
wonderful memory and this gift
serves him to a good purpose in his
school work, for he is a very poor
reasoner and lacks initiative. Like
most other Oriental peoples the Fill
p:Eos are languid and more or less
slOthful In penmanship the Filipino
children have a peculiar knack which
enables them to become even more
proficient in writing than their teach
ers, the Americans.
Practically all the American sports
have been introduced into the Philip
pine schools. OF these baseball and
basket ball have proved the most pop
ular with the natives. The introduc-
ton of these sports has meant the
beginning of a new era in the devel-
opment of the people. They have sup
planted the wilder and more barbar-
GUS pastimes and are furnishing the
growing Filipino with the exercise so
much neede for physical develop
ment The FilipinOs probably can
never become as skillful in the sports
as the Americans are because they
lack energy and do not enter into
/ tilt SdlHtS WltIl thC LCSt tIuI <hiiCii
cans do.
The Americans have divided the is
lands into numerous provinces with
a superintendent over each. In the
capital city of each of these provinces
is located a high school. In LuZOn,
the largest island of the group, there
are more than forty of these high
schools. The teachers, who are en-
ployed by the government, are taken
| largely from the colleges and uni
versities of this country though some
are natives. The salary is $1,000 a
year at the beginning with pOssibili-
! ties for a 500 raise each year for
seven years. The teachers are under
the direct supervision of the board of
education.
| Corporal punishment is not allowed
in the Philippine schools; neither is
, it needed, for the Filipino children
| lack the spirit of the American youths
and are easily managed. The moral
ity of the Filipinos is very low, how
ever
! In the islands the school term be-
gins the second week in June and
closes near the end of March. A tru-
ancy officer is unnecessary in the
Philippines.
! The Filipinos have fallen into many
| of the American ways. The Filipino
girl is very proud; she is very care
| full of her complexion and has already
learned the uses of face powder and
other American cosmetics. She is
also an admirer of fine clothes and
nothing pleases her better than to
excel her companions in dress. The
men, too, are somewhat vain; in fact,
this seems to be one of the charac-
teristic traits of the Filipinos as a
race. The men are extremely courte-
GUS, raising their hats when they
meet an American on the street.
The Filipino has no marked sense
of humor, yet he keenly enjoys joke
and at such a time gives vent to
his feelings with loud guffaw which
in this country would be termed a
horse laugh" Ordinarily he is a
very grave individual and extremely
ceremonious. The race is musical.
Almost any of them can play the vio-
lin or the guitar, which are their
favorite musical instruments.
Independence is the one theme
which occupies the Filipino mind,
MIR. Weaver says. They are constant