FRANCISCO AT SCHOOL
It was an important day for Francisco when he became old enough to go to the American school just as Maria and his two brothers had done. In the Philippines the hottest season of the year extends through March, April, May, and June; because of this, school begins about the tenth of June and closes the latter part of the following March. So it came about that on a certain sunshiny June morning Francisco put on his cleanest white trousers and his best pink sinamay shirt (which, like other boys of his age, he wore outside of his trousers), and started to school. His first teacher was Gregorio Nipas (Grĕ-gō′-rĭō Ne͞e′-päs), a Filipino boy who had been attending American schools for six or seven years, and could read, write, and speak English very well.
Schoolhouse
Francisco began his work in what is known as a barrio (băr′-rĭō) school. A Philippine town includes all the outlying villages for a distance of several miles around, and each of these villages is called a barrio. Every barrio has its own little bamboo schoolhouse where the elementary subjects are taught. As the boys and girls become farther advanced in their work, they go in to the central town, where there is a school doing work of a higher grade and having several teachers. All the barrio and town teachers of one district are under the charge of an older and more experienced supervisor,—in most cases an American,—who directs the work of the schools in his territory and visits the various barrios regularly. From time to time he meets with the town officials to discuss the needs of the schools, and as frequently as possible he calls all his teachers together to consult with them, and give them instructions regarding their work.
Philippine School Children
Filipino boys and girls do not buy their own books; the government furnishes the required texts and the pupils are allowed the use of them while they are attending school. Each child gives a receipt for all the books that are issued to him, and when school is over he returns them to his teacher and the receipt is destroyed. In case he has lost a book or has badly used it, he is required to pay for it.
When Francisco entered school he knew a few English words and sentences that he had learned from soldiers and from older boys who went to school. Such expressions as “Good morning,” “How are you?” and “Good-bye,” were familiar to him, but of course he could neither read nor write, and there were many children of his age who knew no English at all.
For the first lesson with these beginners the teacher called them up to his desk, and holding up a book so that all could see it, said very distinctly the word “book.” The children repeated it after him, and in a few minutes they could call the word as soon as he held up the book. Then he did the same thing with other articles such as pen, pencil, and paper, until in a little while they knew thoroughly several English words.