Sunday, July 21, 1912

We certainly are in the midst of rainy season for it has poured in torrents by the hour and drizzled all the time between for the past four days. All last night the rain drops pattered on our roof, and this morning there is no cessation. I actually had a blanket over me most of the night and it is delightfully cool this morning. 

Last evening our lady who was to call to take us to a school sent word that she could not go out in the rain, and in numerous ways we are finding that progress will be slow in sightseeing during this season. Last evening we dined with Mr. Linnell at the Elks Club, which is a creditable, comfortable building. We dined on the roof and there were about 20 people all desirable to know. The dinner was so much better cooked than those in this hotel, which I had thought excellent, that I realize what good American cooking may be. I had forgotten. Most of the guests left early and the rest of us went to the ball of the "Club Nacionalista" composed of Filipinos. It was held in a nice hall, prettily lighted and decorated with green, and there was good music. There were  too many people and the floor was crowded, but it was a pretty sight. The men were in European dress; the ladies in their native costume, which must be a modification of a Spanish fashion long ago. There are skirts with a wide bias flounce, sewn on the skirt without gathers, and these have very long trains. A sort of waist of very thin material (which the ladies weave) with large open sleeves, and very low neck, come next. Then a handkerchief of the same material is folded several times at the back, the point coming to the waist line in the back, the two corners coming to the waist in front. It is so stiff it stands out from the neck, and the combination, with the exception of the long skirts, is very good for a hot climate, and is very pretty. The costumes were elaborate last night, many hued and elegantly embroidered. Had I been a young man, I should have gone home bewildered as to which girl I was in love with - they were so pretty and sweet and had I been a white young man, I should certainly have dreamed of brown beauties. We were home again and in bed by ten o'clock 

This morning, I have been reading school reports, and there are things to be remembered. 

Athletics. 

I think no European nation makes so much of athletics as do we in the public schools. The people of the tropics never move without a reason and to work just for exercise has always been considered a sign of lunacy. The soldiers played baseball and the natives looked on with interest, but they made no effort to imitate until through the schools they were urged to try the games.  A man was sent around to the schools to teach games.  Now each school has its Athletic club, many districts an  athletic union, many provinces an athletic league, and some  athletic associations are organized between provinces, as  inter-provincial.  All have constitutions, officers and rules.  They play many games, but baseball seems the favorite.  They  have meets and contests between schools, the winning one keeping  the trophy for a year.  There are many silver cups going  the rounds for this purpose.  Mr. Cameron Hughes, the Governor  General, has offered a good many prizes.  Now the boys like the  games and they interest the public perhaps as much as cock fighting,  but betting is strictly forbidden, and a rule for practice is "Don't Smoke."  Since the Dutch men teachers were usually smoking in their schools, I was glad to see this.  The girls  have basketball, and they have their contests too, but not to  the same extent.  The sewing classes make the uniforms for  both boys and girls, and this one hand washes the other.  This  training will undoubtedly make the Filipino larger and stronger.  

LACE MAKING AND EMBROIDERY.  

On opposite page I append some paragraphs cut from the report  on this subject.  No other colony had such an art as that  which these women had learned in the Spanish convents, and this  art the schools are turning to commercial purposes, but it will  never be a very lucrative employment. 

extending the opportunities for instruction along these lines, courses in lace making and embroidery were offered at the Philippine Normal School about the beginning of 1910. During the remaining months of the school year some sixty students (most of them pensionados) received training in these arts. 

During the vacation of 1910, classes in lace making and embroidery were conducted at the Teachers' Assembly at Baguio and at the vacation assemblies for Filipino teachers held at Manila and other places. In the assembly at Manila there were enrolled 125 students students in the embroidery classes with three instructors, and 225 students in the lace-making classes with six instructors. During the four weeks' term  those taking embroidery completed on an average three or four pieces of work, while many of them made a beginning on several other pieces, which they were no doubt able to complete along the lines indicated. In lace making, from six to eight different pieces of work were completed by each member of the class, and some were able to begin several other more difficult designs. 

WHERE TEACHERS MAY BE SECURED 

Young women who have obtained a knowledge of these arts from instruction received in the convents are widely scattered throughout the provinces. There should be no great difficulty in securing some of these as teachers; and although they may be found lacking in modern ideas and  methods and may need some direction, especially in the matter of designs, they will in most cases be able to begin the work in the municipal schools. If in any locality there is no one available for the position, provision should be made for sending an intelligent teacher to Manila for six weeks, where she will be given training sufficient to enable her to make a beginning. In any case, the teacher in charge  of this work should attend the next vacation assembly in one of the large centers, where she will secure valuable additional instruction from experts, will learn what is being accomplished in other parts of the Islands, and will receive new inspiration which will enable her to conduct her classes along systematic lines.