SAN JUAN HARBOR, PORTO RICO.
Were there no discouragements? Hosts of them. But the encouragements were so much greater. It was hard to get them to study. Sometimes it seemed that they would never learn to think. The noises of the street, the curious crowds about the doors, the dogs which would insist on making themselves at home in the schoolroom, were trying. It was warm all winter—how odd that word sounded to us!—between 85 and 90 degrees on Christmas day. But most trying and discouraging of all was the irregular attendance, day after day, one-fifth, one-quarter, even one-third absent. There was much sickness. During February and March grip and "catarros" or colds kept many away. But much of the absence was due to carelessness, the almost weekly "fiestas" or church feasts or holidays, the errands to San Juan, the lack of clothing, the fear of rain, anything, everything and nothing. And yet they were deeply interested in the school, and parents had sacrificed much to send their boys and girls to school and were anxious for them to get an education. But the lower classes have not learned to do anything regularly or in order. They attend school as they eat, work and sleep—as they live. This condition calls for another lesson, outside of the books, a hard, slow lesson which the schools must teach.
Did the American Missionary Association schools pay? Did we feel rewarded for some sacrifices and privations? At Santurce a colored mother came in just before we left the house for the boat to the States to thank us for what we had done for her three girls. Her face and eyes told more than her Spanish tongue could convey to us. At Lares the whole afternoon and evening before our teachers left there was a constant stream of children and mothers and sisters and fathers, Spanish, many or most of them, coming to say good-bye, to thank the teachers, the Misses Blowers, Blinka and French, for what they had done; to beg them, many with tears running down their cheeks, to come back to them in the fall.
And yet we have only begun to plow the ground and to sow the seed. What will the harvest be? Only He can tell for whom the sowing is done and who alone giveth the increase.
As this magazine goes to press our missionaries are leaving for the work of the new year in Porto Rico. During the summer they have been busy among churches, Sunday-schools and Endeavor Societies seeking to stimulate a larger interest for the wonderful work opening in this island territory. An extensive campaign has been carried on throughout Ohio and Michigan by Prof. Scott and Rev. Mr. Edwards. In the East, Miss Blowers has told the story of the needs and possibilities of the Porto Rican children. We appreciate the cordial interest manifested in this work. These missions need reinforcement by the increase of the number in teachers and evangelists. There should be buildings erected for the schools and chapels at different points. New fields should be occupied in the near future. The work demands a large place in the interest and contributions of our Sunday-schools and Endeavor Societies as well as our churches.