Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1914-07-16


ization and cooks prior to the Amer
lean occupation, but the civilization not OF
high standard. And after several years of close
study of the needs and possibilities of our rest
less little brown foster brothers of the far east
ern islands domestic science has been deemed
the surest foundation upon which to build.
To begin with, the home and its women has
been accepted by educators the best process
of ENGRAVING occidental civilization, education
and culture on the stunted, half-wild growth
which centuries of Spanish rule left behind. 1t
the Filipino himself who pointed out the
way for the solving of his own personal equation
Primitive as his home life had been he had been
living up to the best he knew. When something
better before him he prompt to see the
advantages of the newer way
The domestic science of the Filipino was Dot
science at all; it only crude makeshift
handed down to him from his ancestors His
home was little better than a shack, very small
and destitute of furnishings. His diet was so
restricted that the idea of such a thing as the
art of cookery had never occurred to him
His clothing little-or nothing.
With the coming of the American andl his
higher standard &c ci;iliEati,an the Filipino kspe
claliy he of the younger generation saw life
from new angie He came to the realization
that there is mdre in life than the mere basi
ness of living. He found thatsthere is work to
do; THE must do his share toward raising
Athe standards of succeeding generations; that he
had his allotted task in the bringing of the cvil
cation of his country to a higher level
The first evidence of this awakening in the
Filipino the change in his method of life.
Gone the open fires which swung a sin
gle pot on a tripod Gone is the ancient habit Of
an entire family including the pups and the rest
of the four-footed animals, eating from common
dish Gone also the primitive sleeping ar
rangements.
To be sure the change was by evolution rather
than by revolution, but its progress was sufficient
ly rapid and marked to compel the attention OF
the American educators who had gone across
seas to teach these primitive folk new things.
They had gone with a notion that the Filipino
could be taught the same things and by the same
methods that form the educational system in
California and New York Texas and the Dakotas.
They found, however, that physical environ
ment and previous social experience had bred in
the Filipino racial characteristics vastly different
from our own and made of him separate edu-
cational problem.
The Filipino was not especially interested in
whether or not he received mental training, but
he was ambitious, cleverly initiative and keenly
alert to the greater creature comforts of civili-
cation which he glimpsed for the first time when
the American came ard conquered And for all
his reputation for slothfuness he was willing and
anxious to work for these things which so sud
denly he had come to desre-these tangible and
outward signs Of higher civilization.
So it was that domestic science and vocational
training became integral part OF the educa-
Filipino young people are voluntarily In school
there is no compulsory education in the islands.
Primary English education is open to all and is
incidental to the domestic science and vocational
courses.
The Filipino knew what he wanted and he got
It, and he is quite happy as the more sophis-
ticated souls imagine would be If ever we
did get what we want
one of the most potent factors in making the
Filipino, not into an imitation good American,
but into good, patriotic and useful citizen OF
his own native archipelago has been the School
of Household Industries in Manila. Here an
nually from all the islands of the group, in ever
increasing numbers, young Filipinos are instruct
ed In domestic science and economy. Besides,
these young women taught the more impor-
tant II less remuneratve vocation Of successful
housewife and mother
The course in housekeeping and household
arts one of the most important and most widely
studied OF the several offered by the school, gives
the young women q basic education in the three
RS three full years study being devoted to
reading, writing arithmetic and grammar. In
the homemaker's course they study hygiene,
home sanitation. physiology, cooking and the
care OF infants
A short course In nursing Is given and full