!l!l!l.H 
 
'^t[^'3^j-.j^:Sw:, 
 
 
W:^ 
 
LIBRARY OF COHQhT^TI 
 
 IVIAR9-1921 / 
 
s^** 
 
 1% 
 
 FOREWORD. 
 
 Filipino students in the United States have frequently remarked 
 to me that they could haA^e been saved much trouble and expense 
 had they been properly advised before leavino; home. For many 
 persons experience is the best teacher, and for some it seems to be 
 the only teacher. Man^^, however, are able to profit by the ad- 
 vice of older and more experienced persons, and it is for the sake 
 of these that this little pamphlet on " What P'ilipino Students Coming 
 to the United States Ought to Know " has lieen prepared. 
 
 The suggestions of many Government pensionados and extracts 
 from previous articles and talks by the undersigned have been com- 
 piled by the Philippine educational agent and put into printed 
 form for the benefit of prospective students in the United States. 
 The quotations are all from letters received from pensionados with 
 whose sentiments the undersigned fully agrees. 
 
 These suggestions do not attempt to provide for all contingencies 
 that may arise. Many of the suggestions may seem simple and 
 trivial to the experienced traveler. Many may not be plain enough 
 to the one who has never looked after himself in foreign lands. 
 Some will undoubtedly^ not meet with universal approval. Neverthe- 
 less, they are being issued in a spirit of helpfulness, and any student 
 who follows them is not likely to go far astray. 
 
 W. W. Marquardt, 
 Philippine Educational Agent. 
 
 Washington, D. C, January 16, 1921. 
 
 (3) 
 
WHAT FILIPINO STUDENTS COMING TO THE 
 UNITED STATES OUGHT TO KNOW. 
 
 KIND OF STUDENTS THAT SHOULD COME. 
 
 Only industrious, ambitious students, possessing high ideals, good 
 health, and strong moral character, should consider coming to the 
 United iStates for study. More than one student, through lack of 
 industry, has not been able to keep up with his studies. More than 
 one, through lack of moral fiber, has disgraced himself and lowered 
 the prestige of the Filipino people. 
 
 CREDENTIALS. 
 
 Be sure to bring certified copies of your high-school and college 
 credits, letters of honorable dismissal, introduction, and recom- 
 mendation. 
 
 Many colleges require a complete transcript of subjects pursued 
 and ratings obtained in both high-school and college courses. If you 
 are a college student, bring your college catalogue with you. 
 
 If the college to which you apply should object to giving you full 
 credit for all the work you have taken, do not argue the matter. 
 Accept temporary standing. Make good during the first semester 
 and then you will undoubtedly receive all credit due you. 
 
 SCHOLASTIC PREPARATION. 
 
 . Secure your preliminary training in the islands. Do not come to 
 the United States for school work which you can secure at home. 
 Unless your parents are wealthy it costs too much. Even if they are 
 wealthy, you are probably too young to take care of yourself or to 
 know really what you are after if you have completed neither high 
 school nor college. 
 
 You should not stay in the United States too long if your home 
 and career are to be in the islands. Long absence from home will 
 tend to estrange you from your own people, their customs, and their 
 aspirations. 
 SOCIAL PREPARATION. 
 
 "A student before leaving Manila should have experience that will 
 enable him to see his way clear through the array of silver which is 
 placed before him in the first-class dining room of the ocean liner 
 that takes him across. Such a procedure will save him a great deal 
 of embarrassment and may win the respect of those to whom con- 
 
 (5) 
 
duct at the table is the test of breediiifi." If he comes from a pro- 
 vincial town and his dinin«2:-room experience is limited to Spanish 
 or Filipino customs it might be well for him to patronize the Y. M. 
 C. A. cafeteria and some good American hotel in Manila for sev- 
 eral meals so as to get experience in different schools of table 
 etiquette. 
 
 SELECTING YOUR COLLEGE. 
 
 As soon as you begin to plan upon coming to the United States, 
 secure a catalogue of the school in which you are interested. This 
 may be obtained by writing to the president or the registrar of the 
 university concerned. For i)urpose of address, the title of the 
 official is sufficient, the name not being necessary. The catalogue 
 will give you valuable information concerning courses and cost of 
 living. If you are coming for a special course under a certain man. 
 be sure to learn in advance whether this work can be obtained at the 
 time you want it. In some universities certain courses are given 
 only in alternate years. 
 
 In selecting your college consider at least three things : Cost, lo- 
 cation, and standard of scholarship. The cost of living is naturally 
 very high in the large cities. The oppoitunities of i-eally getting 
 acquainted with Americans are verj'^ slight. Some so-called col- 
 leges have such low standards of scholarship that neither their in- 
 struction nor their degrees amount to nuich. Other colleges have 
 such a high standard of scholarship that only the very best prepared 
 students (;an hope to com})lete their courses. Cut your cloth in ac- 
 cordance with your purse and choose your college with a due valua- 
 tion ui)on your own mental ability and scholastic preparation. 
 
 If in doubt as to your choice, consult members of the faculty of 
 the Philippine Univer.sity, your American teachers, and Filipino 
 students who have returned from the United States. 
 
 TRANSPORTATION. 
 
 Students from distant provinces should reserve steamship trans- 
 portation before going to Manila and thus avoid both the unneces- 
 sary expense of a long stay in Manila and the chances of not getting 
 away in time. Reservations may be made through friends in Manila 
 or by writing direct to the steamship companies. 
 
 Most of the schools and universities in the United States begin 
 the year's work about October 1, and plans should be made to 
 arrive neither late nor so early as to have several months with noth- 
 ing to do but loaf, get homesick, or get into the proverbial mischief 
 that is alwa3^s found for idle hands to do. 
 
 In making your financial calculations, remember that it costs 
 roughly $100 to reach Chicago and $150 to reach New York City 
 from the Pacific coast. 
 
CLOTHING. 
 
 Avoid buvini:- any more clothes in Manila than are absolutely 
 necessary for the trip. It is Avise not to purchase unnecessary cloth- 
 ing until you reach your college and observe the prevailing mode of 
 dress. Such procedure will also lessen the tendency of becoming 
 " broke " before leaving Manila, or while en route. 
 Enough clothing for the trip should be obtained before leaving 
 _ Manila, and the following suggestions are made: 
 
 1 woolen suit, with vest, dark color preferred. 
 
 1 felt hat. (Straw hats are worn only during summer.) 
 
 1 steamer cap. 
 
 6 suits underwear. 
 
 6 shirts. 
 
 4 suits pajamas. 
 
 Bath robe or kimono. 
 
 Collars, ties, socks, handkerchiefs. 
 
 Shoes. (Low shoes not worn in cold weather.) 
 
 Palm beach suits (if you already have them). 
 
 Musical instruments (if you have them). 
 
 Chinelas. 
 
 No cane. 
 
 No white suits. (Not worn and cost too much for laundry.) 
 
 No full dress, unless you alread}^ possess one. (Not worn 
 much in college circles). 
 
 No overcoat (until you reach the United States). 
 
 Eeading matter. 
 " Do not buy anything unless there is a real need for it. Nothing 
 will satisfy youi- future needs better than money on hand." 
 
 PASSPORT. 
 
 Allow several days at least in Manila for securing your passport 
 at the Governor General's office. Remember that most consuls charge 
 more for visees in the afternoon than in the morning. Save money 
 by going before the noon hour. 
 
 Keep your passport, if possible, as it is the best possible means of 
 identification in strange cities. 
 
 FUNDS. 
 
 If you are a Government student, you will find it advisable to have 
 $100 of your own private funds in reserve for emergencies. If you 
 are a private student, you should have enough money to pay your 
 expenses for at least one semester. 
 
 Many steamers stop at Hongkong from 5 to 10 (hiys and passengers 
 must live ashore. This costs about $5 per day. depending uj)on rate 
 of exchange. Ktep this in min<l and plan accortlingly. 
 
8 
 
 Carry your money in drafts, travelers' checks, or postal money 
 orders. Travelers' checks are usually the most convenient as the 
 necessary identification for cashing them is a simple matter. 
 
 Deposit your surplus funds and valuables for safe keeping with the 
 purser or corresponding officer on the boat who looks after such 
 matters. 
 
 Don't lend an}^ money unless you are mighty well acquainted with 
 the borrower. " Neither borrower nor lender be " is still sound advice. . 
 
 Take good care of your purse. Pickpockets and sneak thieves are 
 common to all nationalities. 
 
 After you have located in the United States, open a bank account. 
 It is better to deposit your money before you lose it, and it is safer to 
 keep your money in a bank than in a pocket. 
 
 INFORMATION ABOUT THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 
 
 " Students will meet in the United States many fair-minded Ameri- 
 cans who have little knowledge of conditions existing in the Philip- 
 pines, and who are interested and eager to learn about the Philippine 
 situation. Students are frequently requested to speak in the school 
 assemblies, church congregations, public forums, and even to write 
 for local papers about the Filipinos. In justice to these inquiring 
 Americans, and for the sake of right and helpful publicity of the 
 Philippines, it is necessary that Filipino students coming to this 
 country should be able to give definite and reliable information 
 regarding the social, political, and educational status of the islands. 
 Students will find it a great help to bring with them A Brief History 
 of the Philippines, by Fernandez; Philippine Civics, by Malcolm; 
 Economic Conditions in the Philippines, by Miller; a Philippine 
 Geography ; Self-Government in the Philippines, by Kalaw ; publica- 
 tions of the Census Bureau ; and reports of Government bureaus." 
 
 In order to keep posted on Philippine affairs, a subscription to one 
 of the Manila weeklies will prove very helpful. 
 
 Post-card views and photographs will be of interest to your new 
 friends. 
 
 EN ROUTE. 
 
 " Be sociable and take your part in games, receptions, entertain- 
 ments, athletics, and other social activities. This is one way to drive 
 away the ocean blues." 
 
 Bring reading matter with you. Use the ship's librar3^ Start 
 your diary. These activities will improve your mind and ward off 
 lonesomeness. 
 
 " Seasickness is more often relieved by sitting or lying down in 
 the open air than by spending most of the time in the stateroom." 
 
 " The ship's deck being a place for social gathering, it follows that 
 no one should pick his teeth, scratch his head, or clean his nails while 
 
9 
 
 on deck. He should never wear kimona, pajamas, or slippers on 
 deck. Full street clothes should be worn, from head to foot, upon 
 leaving the cabin, except only when going for a bath." 
 
 '■'■ vStudents are apt to tr}- to make an unnecessary showing Avhich they 
 can not well afford by making expensive trips in ports of call, unwise 
 purchases, and stopping in very high-priced hotels. Worse than this 
 is the apparent weakness of many to lose their self-control and 
 gamble in the boat and literally throw awaj- their money and self- 
 respect. Quite a few get into the game as novices for the purpose of 
 whiling away their time and possibly of trying to forget the various 
 inconveniences incident to a sea trip, but of these you seldom find one 
 afterwards who does not repent that he ever gambled at all, and 
 more so if he ' got beat.' Idleness, coupled with the lack of something 
 to keep one out of mischief, may be the underlying cause." 
 
 " Just before disembarking, follow this motto : Pack up, pay up, 
 and have a clear conscience." 
 
 PORTS. 
 
 You are leaving home not only for the benefit to be derived from 
 strictl}' school work, but also for the broadening influence of travel. 
 When stops are made at foreign ports, learn as much about them as 
 possible, particularly along your own special line of work. 
 
 Beware of strange guides and of rickshaw men who tiy to entice 
 you into the red-light district. 
 
 "Avoid lavish expenditures. Remember that you are just on the 
 way to the United States ; not en route home. Necessities, the cost of 
 which is usually underestimated, should be obtained later in the 
 United States." 
 
 SPENDING MONEY ON THE TRIP. 
 
 " Distinguish real necessity from fancied necessity. Get only 
 those things which are absolutely necessary. Have your suit made 
 in a conservative style, such as that which the older men in Manila 
 adopt, because fancy styles are much too fickle — they change very 
 frequently — and if you buy a fancy suit in Manila in nine cases out 
 of ten it will be out of style and useless when you get to the United 
 States. Try as much as possible to get those things which are appro- 
 priate for all occasions. This will go far toward achieving much 
 needed economy." 
 
 " Travel, especially when experienced for the first time, has a 
 peculiar tendency to give one the spending mood. The traveler gets 
 into such a frame of mind that he wishes to \mj everything he se^s. 
 He wishes to get souvenirs from the country he visits, and, you 
 know, everything in a foreign country can be made into a souvenir ; 
 so he goes ahead and buys dizzily, as it were, and before he knows- 
 it all his money is gone. Such a situation should be guarded against. 
 28215—21 2 
 
10 
 
 Learn to say " No " when it comes to spending. Nothing is more 
 miserable than to be penniless in a foreign country. It is infinitely 
 better to have fewer things and some extra dollars than to have a 
 lot of junk that will do nothing beyond taking up s^pace in your 
 already overcrowded trunk, and no money. It is advisable that you 
 make your purchases after you are already settled in your destina- 
 tion. You will find everything that you jieed in whatever corner 
 of the United States you may happen to be." 
 
 " It is not advisable to buy very many things on the way for 
 use in the United States because in most cases the difference in price 
 is very little. In Japan the things look cheap and usually are 
 cheap. There is always a great temptation to buy very many things. 
 Man^'^ students spend large amounts in this way and get beyond 
 their appropriations." 
 
 " Save every penny you can ; avoid foolish expenditures. Do not 
 "buy man}^ costly things on the way to be sent home or to be taken 
 along. Understand that while 20 pesos may keep a man in the 
 Philippines for 20 days, in the United States that sum will hardly 
 last three days in a large city." 
 
 " Traveling ' Dutch,' that is to say, each individual paying his 
 own car or railroad fare, niso his own theater tickets, and his own 
 share of the expenditures while with a crowd, is a general custom. 
 I believe it is a good practice." 
 
 " I have found one effective safeguard against making extravagant 
 purchases. When I look at the price on the tags, I always figure out 
 its equivalent in pesos and ask myself if I Avould be willing to pay 
 that much for those articles in Philippine currency. Try this method 
 once and test its psychological effect, especially when you have just 
 arrived from the Philippines." 
 
 TIPS. 
 
 Tipping is an evil. Convention, however, requires that cabin 
 boys, bathroom and deck stewards, and dining-room waiters be tip- 
 ped. Tips should be given in accordance with whether you are 
 traveling first, second, or third class. If you do not tip you will 
 probably make it hard for yourself as well as for the Filipinos who 
 follow you. 
 
 In restaurants and in dining cars it is generally recognized that 
 a tip amounting to 10 per cent of the meal is sufficient. It is not 
 customary to tip in cafeterias nor when your meal is very inexpensive. 
 
 ARRIVING IN THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 " In securing information, it is necessary to be polite, but do not 
 mistake diffidence for politeness. If there is anything you want to 
 know, go ahead and ask. Do not be ashamed to ask questions. You 
 may be dazzled at first by the newness and perhaps by the glare of 
 
11 
 
 your surioundings, but don't be scared: nobody is going to eat 3'ou. 
 However, when you want inforination be sure that you get it from 
 some responsible person, as a steamship official, a policeman, a hotel 
 clerk, a car conductor, a Y. M. C. A. official, or from some informa- 
 tion window." 
 
 If you can afford Baedecker's America, you wdll find that it contains 
 a mine of valuable information about every important city in the 
 United States. Unless yon expect to travel a great deal, how^ever, 
 it will not be worth while for you to purchase it. 
 
 Cheap maps of the large cities can usually be found at Wool- 
 worth's 5 and 10 cent stores or at hotel news stands. 
 
 Secure time-tables when you get your railroad tickets and follow 
 7yOur trip on the map. 
 
 A telephone directoi}^ or city directory can be found in every 
 hotel. These may aid yon in finding some oificial or friend. 
 
 The Philippine Educational Agent, care Bureau of Insular Af- 
 fairs. Washington, D. C, will alwaj'S be pleased to give you such 
 information as he may possess. 
 
 BAGGAGE. 
 
 Baggage of trans-Pacific passengers, to the amount of 350 pounds, 
 may be checked to destination at the railroad station upon presenta- 
 tion of railroad ticket ; for other passengers, only 150 pounds may be 
 checked without extra charge. 
 
 Try to arrange your baggage so that you will not need to take 
 more than one suit case into the sleeping car with you, by placing 
 your toilet articles, change of linen, pajamas, and other necessities 
 in one grip. 
 
 Avoid carrying laundry bags, boxes, parcels, and other packages 
 into the train. They not only discommode others but immediately 
 announce to all of the passengers that you are an inexperienced 
 traveler. 
 
 UPON ARRIVING AT DESTINATION. 
 
 By careful planning you can usually take a train that will bring 
 you to your destination in the morning so that you will have day- 
 light in which to find your way about a strange city. 
 
 If you have a friend at your destination, telegraph him to meet 
 you, giving him the name of the railroad over which you will travel 
 and the scheduled time of your arrival. This information is neces- 
 sary as there are often more than one station in a city and unless 
 you specify the railroad, your friend wall not know where to meet 
 you. 
 
 Upon arriving at your destination, unless j'^ou know exactly 
 where you are going, either go to some reliable hotel for the first 
 night or until you get located, or check your baggage at the station 
 
12 
 
 and proceed to the Y. M. C. A. or college registrar, so as to get 
 help in securing suitable board and lodging. Inquire for old Filipino- 
 students who will always be glad to advise you in regard to rooms, 
 board, studies, etc. 
 
 BUY FROM RELIABLE STORES. 
 
 " Buy your clothes and other supplies from reliable dealers only. 
 Do not go by the big advertising displays in the newspapers; but 
 ask the advice of your professors or some reliable friends. This 
 piece of advice may save you some disappointment and a great deal 
 of hard cash." 
 
 YOUR STUDIES. 
 
 " Keep yourself sane. Go to decent places of amusement, like 
 theaters, art museums, concerts, church affairs, and public lectures. 
 Being devoted exclusively to one's studies is detrimental to one's 
 all round mental development." 
 
 " Be well acquainted with the books and other materials dealing 
 with the line of work for which you are sent, and keep permanent 
 notes on them. Do not leave the university without knowing where 
 the library of the university is or without acquiring a loiowledge 
 of the best literature in your special field." 
 
 SOCIAL. 
 
 " Be a social being, but not too much." 
 
 " Get acquainted with as many American families as possible in 
 order to learn the American home life." 
 
 " Try to get close to the professors and instructors and get from 
 them exemplary modes of actions, ideas, and manner of living. Visit 
 them at their homes." 
 
 " Make as many real friends as possible of the Americans and 
 other nationalities in order to establish a beginning of a friendly 
 relation between the Philippines and those countries." 
 
 RACE DISTINCTIONS. 
 
 *' Do not be deluded with stories brought home of the royal treat- 
 ment Filipinos receive once outside of the islands. Common sense, 
 observation, and adaptability to surroundings will help you more 
 than anything else." 
 
 " Try to avoid being prejudiced against any foreign land which 
 you may happen to visit. Let reason and careful observation govern 
 the course of your thought. Take into account that nations like 
 individuals have their peculiarities; they have bright as well as 
 dark points." 
 
 " Broad-mindedness is one of the chief instruments for avoiding 
 trouble. It is the best remedy for the pains caused by misunder- 
 standing, and in a foreign country where language and customs are 
 
13 
 
 not familiar to tiie traveler, broad-mindedness is a <?ood antidote 
 for acts which may lead to hatred." 
 
 " Eemember the saying, ' When you are in Rome do as the Komans 
 do.' Of course there are certain exceptions to this rule, and discre- 
 tion should be your guide." 
 
 "In the United States a P'ilipino's nationality is often mistaken. 
 This mistake should not make anyone feel bad. Whenever you 
 are mistaken in this manner and you are given a chance to speak, 
 politely say that the gentleman or lady is mistaken and let him know 
 where you are from." 
 
 SOCIAL CUSTOMS. 
 
 If you are a working student, you must learn that everj^ country 
 has its own social customs and different parts of the same country 
 have different customs. So do not ascribe it to racial discrimina- 
 tion if, in America, you do not receive social recognition because of 
 the fact that you must perform menial labor in order to earn your 
 way. To secure an education by means of menial labor is far from 
 being a disgrace. It is really an honor of which one may well be 
 proud, but it may be at the same time a temporary barrier to whole- 
 some social life and a self-supporting student must not let social cus- 
 toms common to all parts of the world be a cause of bitterness of 
 spirit or lonesomeness of heart. 
 
 HEALTH. 
 
 No student should come to the Ignited States without a thorough 
 physical examination by a competent physician. Waiving aside the 
 matter of useless expense in case of being compelled to return home 
 on account of illness, unless one is in tiptop physical condition, 
 there remains the danger of a general breakdown due to severe change 
 of climate and distinct change of diet. 
 
 Above all things, keep your health. In fact, you should leave this 
 country in better condition than in which you arrive. Take ex- 
 ercise each day. If you do not take gymnasium work, exercise daily 
 in your room and take vigorous walks in the open air. Get plenty 
 of fresh air at night even though it may be cold air. 
 
 If you are taking too much work, see about reducing the number 
 of hours to normal. Better return to Manila in good health and with 
 a normal amount of information than to return with many degrees 
 and an impaired constitution. Self-supporting students particularly 
 should not carry heavy school programs. 
 
 If your college or university has arrangements by which you will 
 be assured medical and hospital treatment by the payment of a small 
 fee, be sure to secure the benefit of such a provision, otherwise you 
 will have to pay your own private medical bills. 
 
14 
 
 " Before engaging professional services, particularly dental and 
 medical, seek the advice of your professors or the more experienced 
 friends. Be especially careful with professionals that publish showy 
 advertisements in the newspapers or that locate themselves in the 
 heart of commercial districts where their gorgeous display signs may 
 attract the attention of large crowds of people. The best and most 
 reliable professionals in this country usually have their offices in 
 out-of-the-way and quiet places; not in the Escolta of American 
 cities. Likewise, they do not advertise themselves — they do not 
 need to." 
 MORALITY. 
 
 " Many students, due to their eagerness and desire to complete their 
 stvidies within a short time, forget one of their fudamental duties — 
 that is, their duty to God and to themselves. They should at least 
 go to the church of their own choice. I think this is a thing many of 
 the students fail to recognize." 
 
 " It should be impressed in the minds of the students that what- 
 ever their lines of intellectual pursuits they should never for a minute 
 lose sight of the fact that they are here pursuing a coui'se either for 
 the public or for private corporations: that their test is the spirit 
 of service the^y have when they go out t(^ work not for their own 
 selfish motives but for their country's welfare, the world and 
 humanity." 
 
 " So-called ' good times ' and high ambitions are not compatible. 
 The former demand consumption of your present assets: the latter 
 simply a saving for future need." 
 
 Filipino students come to this country primarily to acquire scholar- 
 ship. When one neglects his studies he not only loses his own time 
 and money and that of the Philippine Government as well, in case 
 of pensionado students, but, what is worse, he gives his university 
 associates a mighty poor idea of Filipino mental capacity. 
 
 Of equal importance and perhaps of greater ultimate value than 
 scholarship is the development of the spiritual side. Call it morality, 
 spirituality, culture, or what you will. Without a character basis 
 scholarship is apt to prove a two-edged sword. 
 
 A student in a foreign country needs lay particular stress upon 
 this phase of his development. Distance from parents, relatives, 
 friends, and one's own church tends to make one relax in matters 
 that are of vital importance. Such relaxation weakens, if it does 
 not totally destroy, the moral fiber. Such relaxation means dimin- 
 ished usefulness to society upon return to the homeland. Such re- 
 laxation means the lowering of respect for the Filipino people in the 
 eyes of American and foreign students. 
 
 It becomes the duty of every Filipino student to maintain his own 
 scholarship and moral conduct at the highest possible standard. 
 
It is better, cheaper, and safer to prevent venereal disease by 
 staying awa}' from fast women than by depending upon prophylaxis. 
 If you are a sanitary enoineer you do not crawl through a sewer 
 •to learn about it. Neither is it necessary to defile your body in a 
 red-light district on the pretense of " broadening your knowledge." 
 
 MAIL. 
 
 One of the unpleasant things that usually adds to the difficulties 
 of the first few months is the lack of mail from home. Your friends 
 do not write because they have no address. This is unnecessary. If 
 you are not sure of your destination, your mail can be sent to the 
 Bureau of Insular Affairs, Washington, D, C, marked " Hold." 
 Immediately upon getting located, you should send your mail ad- 
 dress to the Bureau of Insular Affairs, requesting that all your mail 
 be forwarded to you. Unless you make some such arrangement you 
 will be away from home at least three months before you hear from 
 your relatives or friends. 
 
 HOME LETTERS. 
 
 Don't neglect the home folks, even though letters from home may 
 be few and far between. Write often. Set aside a definite time each 
 week for letter writing. Get the habit and keep it. Give your rela- 
 tives details of your new experiences. No matter how discouraged 
 you may feel, keep your letters cheerful so that your people will not 
 worry about you. 
 
 Do not worrj' when you receive news of illness in a letter. Remem- 
 ber that the Philippine letter is written at least a month before you 
 receive it and that the patient has in all probability recovered before 
 the letter arrives. Moreover, in case of anything very serious a 
 cablegram is usualh^ sent. So if you do not receive a cablegram do 
 not worry. 
 
 The best cure for homesickness lies in keeping so busy that you 
 do not have time to " get the blues." 
 
 SNAP JUDGMENTS. 
 
 "■ Before j^ou write to the papers or to the folks at home of your 
 impressions of America, wait till you have resided in this country 
 for a reasonably long time. There is danger of too hasty judgment 
 if opinions are formed from a few random observations, especially 
 when you are new and unaccustomed to local conditions. Caution : 
 Do not judge the American people by the rough necks you meet in 
 railroad stations or loafers on street corners who call you Charley 
 or John. The best representatives of the people here, or anywhere 
 else, do not greet strangers in this manner." 
 
 Many an American has gone to the Philippines who knew more 
 about the islands and their people at the end of his first six months 
 than at the end of his first six years. 
 
16 
 
 WORKING STUDENTS. 
 
 " Upon arrival in the United States the student, especially if he 
 intends to do some work, should have enough funds for at least three 
 months so that he can secure a good rooming place and l)e with goof] 
 people and avoid disappointment and dissatisfaction while he is 
 familiarizing himself with his new surroundings. An entirely or 
 partially self-supporting student should never come here unless he 
 is prepared to work even in what many consider a menial occupa- 
 tion — I refer to dish-washing, scrubbing, and the like. Work for 
 students is not as plentiful as manj' have pictured, and one has to 
 be a hustler to be able to land a good job. Pay, as in almost all other 
 places, is in proportion to living expenses.'- 
 
 " A private Filipino student intending to come to this country 
 should be made to understand not to expect too much in the way of 
 obtaining education and working his way through school at the 
 same time, nor of the ready help extended by the American people. 
 There are, of course, cases where Filipino students are kindly assisted 
 by generous Americans during their stay in this country, but these 
 are exceptional. These points are especially important to young 
 students Avho have barely completed the work in a grade school be- 
 fore coming to this country. Students of low standing should be 
 discouraged from coming to this country rather than encouraged." 
 
 RESIDENT COMMISSIONERS NOT ROCKEFELLERS. 
 
 Even in good times, many a Filipino self-supporting student gets 
 only five hours' sleep per night, thus undermining his system and pav- 
 ing the way for a later physical breakdown that may prevent his 
 ever putting into use the lessons which he has acquired here at a 
 tremendous sacrifice. Even in good times, more than one student 
 has found the struggle so hard that he has given up and entered a 
 life which can spell only shameful failure in the end. Even in good 
 times, scores of Filipino students think that the resident commis- 
 sioners have untold wealth with which to succor the unfortunate, and 
 make requests for aid that it is impossible to give. If this is the con- 
 dition in abnormally prosperous times, what will it be during hard 
 times 'I 
 
 ONE THOUSAND PESOS CAPITAL. 
 
 A Filipino student contemplating study in the United States 
 should realize the economic conditions, and I advise none of them to 
 arrive in the United States with less than 1,000 pesos as a working 
 capital. The average cost last year for students in the larger uni- 
 versities Avho paid all their expenses was 3,000 pesos. This includes 
 vacation expenses, clothing, and medical and dental bills, which 
 seldom appear in the printed college announcements of students' ex- 
 penses. Students who expect their parents to help them through 
 college should bear these fijcures in mind. 
 
17 
 
 AMERICA. 
 
 "It is not sufficient that a Filipino student should learn only the 
 actual class work given in his college or school. He should also make 
 an effort to study American life and conditions by association with 
 the natives themselves. I do not believe one should be bound too 
 much by patriotic sentimentalities. I believe that Filipino students 
 in this country should not room together. They should rather stay 
 with American boys or good American families. There are usually 
 organizations, like the Y. M. C. A., or offices maintained by the insti- 
 tution w^hich you are attending, that can help you locate such a room- 
 ing place. Of course, this does not mean to imply that Filipino 
 students should avoid each other's companionship." 
 
 "America has done a lot for the educational uplift of our people. 
 She has throAvn her doors wide open to us and we Filipino students, 
 by doing our task well, can demonstrate with better eloquence our 
 appreciation of her beneficent labors in cementing the solid founda- 
 tions of the educational future of ten million people." 
 
 " Efforts should be made by everj^ student to come into contact 
 with the farm life in America. The life on the farm is very interest- 
 ing, and one can learn many things which will be of great value for 
 the people at home." 
 
 Great cities do not represent the real America. Forty-seven per 
 cent of the American people are farmers. Not to know something of 
 their life is not to know America. 
 
 YOUR INFLUENCE. 
 
 " Be careful about talking of the Philippines and the conditions 
 at home, particularly those relating to political matters — and espe- 
 cially if such talk is unsolicited. We do not want to be regarded as 
 cheap political propagandists, invading this country under the cloak 
 of pensionados, for we might in this way do our cause more harm 
 tlian good. Perhaps carrying honors in our classes, living an 
 exemplary life, and making friends of the American people in our 
 association with them will do more to help the campaign for inde- 
 pendence than any direct propaganda which we might conduct per- 
 sonally toward this end." 
 
 " Recognition of the scholastic and social standing of the Filipino 
 students who will come to the United States in after years will de- 
 pend largely on the impressions that our professors and the Ameri- 
 cans in our respective localities form of us. It therefore behooves 
 us to do the best Ave can to maintain the highest possible standards 
 both in our studies and in our life in the community." 
 
 " Does every Filipino know that when he does, acts, and lives 
 right he makes it easier for each succeeding fellow countryman com- 
 ing to his place?" 
 
18 
 
 EACH STUDENT A FILIPINO REPRESENTATIVE. 
 
 Eemember at all times that you are representing the Filipino peo- 
 ple and that thousands of Americans will judge the whole Filipino 
 race by the waj' you live. You have been sent here primarily to 
 acquire scholarship, but the development of your moral fiber and 
 the maintaining of high moral standards are essential for your 
 future usefulness in life as well as for the instilling of a high con- 
 ception of Filipino character into the minds of the American peo- 
 ple. For patriotic motives alone, if for no other reason, you are 
 duty bound not only to live an exemplary life yourself, but also to 
 encourage other Filipino students to live the same. 
 
 SUGGESTIONS REQUESTED. 
 
 After you have been in the United States several months, the 
 Philippine educational agent will appreciate any suggestions which 
 you may have for revising this pamphlet so as to increase its useful- 
 ness to future new Filipino students in the United States. 
 
 o 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 022 165 296