New-York tribune., 1919-09-05
Filipino Girls, Here
To Study, Gasp in
Swirl Of New York
Native Costumes of Trailine
Gowns and Filigree Orna.
ments Seem Quaint, but
Maidens Like to Shimmv

From the land where fashions nevs,
change three olives skinned, dark-eved
girls have come to New York and s,s
still gasping with the swirl of life aoou.
them. They belong to party of 100
young people sent by the government
of the Philippine Islands to tax.
courses in medicine, nursing, teachin,
executive, administrative and SOCIAL
work.
Teresa Soils. Josefa Jara and Ra-
mona Trona are staying at the Students,
Club. il Gramercy Place, under the
wing of Miss Margaret X Berry, and
will study at the School of Social
Science, Twenty-second Street and
Fourth Avenue. Yesterday they an.
peared all done up in native costume,
with Filipino pearls and tiligree orna.
ments. Their bodices were OF trans
parent pineapple fibre with wide Medici
Each one had sweeping train and this
must dress in the Philippines.
THE short skirts-they are very
shocking at home,' explained little
Miss Jara. "Our fashions never
change We wear the same style Of
dress for all occasions, the only varia-
tion being in material. We don't have
TO think about hats or gloves. for we
don't wear them. The Filipino women
are modest and not at all aggressive.
They are not keen to go out into pub
lie life"
But in spite of their quaint Co.'S
tunes they dance the shimmy and all
the other popular steps.
They explained that the entire dele.
cation had been picked by the Fili-
pino government for some special quail
lfications. and that a large appropria-
ton had been set aside TO cover their
expenses while in America. One o.
them. young princess. is the daugh-
force among the MoroS She is a
Mahometan and has come here to
take UP teaching, so that she may 60
back among the mont Christian tribe 10
which she belongs. The Princess Tara
hata and Miss Carmen Aguinaldo. the
daughter of General Aguinaldo. Presi-
dent of the first Filipino Republic, are
studying in Urbana. III.
Miss Tirona, who IS principal of the
University High School in Manila and
dean OF the women's section Of the
university, pointed out that Filipino
women were not by any means as back
ward as they were usually pictured
in magazines. On the contrary, some
OF them have been elected to public
office, there are four or five women
lawyers in the Philippines, she said,
as well as wonicn physicians, phar-
macists, agriculturists and business
women. The womcn's clubs are all
concentrating or suffrage at present,
she declared.
Sport IS in favor among the Filipino
girls and trey arc keen tennis and
basketball players According to the
three visitors, Americans are immense
y popular among them. and women
have gone forward under the rule OF
,he Stars and Stripes.
Miss lara, who mas been a teacher
for seven years. said she believed only
about 20 per cent Of the FilipinoS were
being educated, because OF the short
ago Of schools and teachers
Even IN the Pacific Isles the high
cost of living is making itself felt anc
the government had 20 control the rice
supply so that people could obtain
their staple food at cost. Transports
ton strikes were disturbing the har-
mony OF living. too. said Miss Jara.