Sharmane Salve T.

Lim Hi 166 O

January 16, 2014 Short paper no. 1

Russell Trace, an American soldier from Portland, Oregon, belonged to the 39th U.S.V., a regiment or a military unit presumably under the command of Col. Bullard since Trace mentions in page 85 that it was well known as Col. Bullards Indians. This particular regiment, Trace claims, helped in cleaning up the provinces of Laguna, Batangas, and Cavite from December 14, 1899 to March 15, 1901 (p. 85). He began teaching English in the town of Balayan in Batangas Province when Capt. Hilton Jr. asked him to give the women of the Lopez family private lessons (p. 85). He had no prior experience in teaching English to foreigners, yet he became in demand when the Filipinos wanted to learn English to enter the Civil Government that was soon to be established at that time (p. 86). From his report, it can be said that he was one of the Americans who built the foundation of the public school education system in Balayan. Trace said that the first public school established in the municipality grew so rapidly that I [he] needed someone to assist in the management of affairs as well as to help teach (p. 89). Based from this statement, it is supposed that he was in charge of the overall management of the school. Other evidences that support this claim would be his authority to appoint committees, employ teachers or dismiss them, and assign the hired teachers to classes. He encountered numerous difficulties. The surroundings being new, the customs of the people so widely different from our own [the Americans], the peculiarity of teaching a people our language [English] when they could neither understand us [Americans] nor be understood by us [Americans], and the fact that every teacher was practically put on his own resources to accomplish a common end were some of the obstacles Trace experienced as a teacher (p. 91). Nevertheless, he enjoyed his work so much that he decided to continue working here. He went home to the United States to take his girlfriend (or wifeit was not specified) back with him in the Philippines (p. 90). In 1903 he became the principal of the

intermediate school in Balayan, and later on, he became the principal of an institute in Lipa, one of the first two held in Batangas Province (p. 91). Trace reported that the attitude of the people toward our government was simply passive (p. 88). In terms of education, Trace observed that unlike the conservative foreign priests, the Filipino priests favoured the American educational system and encouraged the people to go to school (p. 88). As per the attitude of the Filipino residents in Balayan towards the Americans themselves, Trace did not go into detail. However, he did mention that the Filipinos considered it a grand favour to the Americans in general and to the teacher in particular to permit their children to attend school (p. 89). In addition, Juana, one of the Lopez ladies, told him that her family was kindly disposed toward Americans personally, but are anti-American as to government (p. 86). Also, he stated that there were three factions led by the three most powerful families (Ramos, Martinez, and Lopez) in the town, and these three considered one another as enemies (p. 86). In fact, Trace felt the Ramos ladies whom he also gave a private lesson to wanted to learn more about the Lopez family than English (p. 86). Furthermore, the rest of the people were under the control or influence of these families (p. 88). For example, there were some officers of the insurgent army in town over whom the Lopez girls exercised considerable influence, and they were soon enrolled in school. Many young people came to school because of the example set by these young officers. (p. 88). The factions kept quiet and did not resist the American government, even the Lopez family who openly expressed their opposition to the government (p. 88). Trace reported, Everything ran smoothly as far as outward appearances were concerned, but there was an undercurrent of unrest and misconception that could plainly be felt (p. 88). Regarding the relationship of the people with one another, Trace mentioned that they found it hard to understand each other mainly because of the great variety of construction in the Tagalog dialect and the difference in certain terms in different localities (p. 87).

Prior to the introduction of the public school system, Trace said that the town paid little attention to schools and education, and consequently, the condition of the peoples culture was at its poorest (p. 87). With the arrival of the Americans, this rapidly changed. Trace stated, it is with considerable pride that I say in five months and ten days I was able to turn over a well regulated school of 326 pupils in regular attendance, with two municipal teachers [who were Filipino], two soldier assistants and seventeen of the brightest Filipino boys as monitors (p. 90). Opportunities for work opened up to Filipinos such as teaching and civil service. Education became a priority to Filipinos, and the schools became an avenue for equality since they were open to anyonerich or poor, young or old, man or woman (coeducation provided equal treatment of both sexes). Even those like Pantaleon, Traces student who was more than 50 years of age and was poor, attended school (p. 92). In addition, Trace said, Fully one half of the pupils did not know their real names and still more who did not know how to spell them, while there were but few who knew their ages (p. 89). Most probably, this is issue was eventually resolved since Trace stated that this statement would seem untrue to those who came to the Islands later (p. 89). Lastly, Filipinos also learned in school the value of hygiene. Trace reported that before the pupils were taught to use dry earth closets, they used the streets for excretory purposes (p. 90). While changes or improvements in the Filipino community came with the Americans, some things remained. The Filipinos were still superstitious even to the point that they would not cooperate with the Americans to fight cholera despite the large number of deaths during the epidemic because of their beliefs and misconceptions (p. 91). They also continued to believe in urban legends and supernatural creatures such as the giant who smoked cigar and haunted the old house where Trace and others moved in during the cholera epidemic (p. 90). Reference Cited: Trace, Russell. 2001. Experiences and educational progress in the islands. In Bearers of Benevolence: The Thomasites and public education in the Philippines, ed. Mary Racelis and Judy Celine Ick, 85-92. Pasig: Anvil Publishing, Inc. 3