The people of the Philippines, their religious progress and preparation for spiritual leadership in the Far East,

346 THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES
The cooking class is interesting. Clad in neat caps and
aprons the girls learn both theoretical and practical housekeeping. The aim is to improve Filipino cooking, but the
girls love to make American dishes. It is a proud day when
a plate of real cookies is taken to the teachers to sample. This
is an accomplishment, when one remembers they were baked
on a Filipino stove.
The study of physiology and first aid, supplemented by
observation and some practice at our hospital, gives them another open door of service when they go out as Bible women.
The making and filling of the "emergency bags" is done as
class work. These bags with their rolls of bandages, cotton,
vaseline, boric powder, etc., have been a blessing to scores of
people.
How they love to sing! For years the chorus has been a
source of pride to the teachers. Every girl aspires to play the
organ in her home church. She knows her music-loving people
will be attracted to the services by this when nothing else may
move them. From four to six, all the fourteen instruments are
going, all over the house; and with every pupil playing a different exercise or tune, it is easy to imagine the result. Most
of them are able to play the hymns when they graduate and
then their ambition is to have a folding organ for their church.
With so much study and work, wash day is any and every
day-just when they can get a little time. They always manage to get fun out of this as well as the rest of their work.
Singing and joking make the washing a pleasure, and soon the
yard is full of clothes laid on the grass to bleach, while here and
there stand the girls patting the thin net camisas (waists) to
get the thick rice starch out of the meshes and yet have them
stiff and filmy.
That the Filipino girls know how to play no one will doubt
after she has seen them play indoor baseball, volley ball or
basketball. They like "St. Peter," too, which is very much like
our "Pump, pump, pull away." It is a pleasure to see them
kick off their chinellas (toe slippers), and, as fleet as deer, run
bases, or with great gusto, bat, catch or pitch the ball.
The training would not be complete without the field work.