When they were young: Teodoro R. Yangco

Title

Creator

Martinez, Alvaro L.

Language

English

Source

Volume 1 (Issue no. 8) September 1935

Year

1935

Subject

Philanthropists

Yangco, Teodoro R.

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

200 THE YOUNG CITIZEN September, 19$5 WHEN , THEY WERE YOUNG/ TEODORO R. YANGCO By Alvaro L. Mortinez DON TEODORO R. YANGCO, millionaire and philanthropist, sat reclining in his roomy armchair. His venerable aged head was comfortably resting against the back of the seat when he told me this little incident in his boyhood life. As I looked at him I could not but feel the greatness of his heart which has made him the greatest of philanthropists in the Philippines. His face showed a kind smile which made one feel at home with him. "I was a rich man's son," he began, "but I was brought up as a poor man's child." A look of pleasant recollection beamed in his eyes. "I was educated in Lundon," he went on. "When the time for my return to th.e Philippines came, the employees of my father ·hired an orchestra to meet me at the boat. They wanted to give me a royal welcome for I was a rich man's son. This was done without the knowledge of my father." Again there was the smile of recollection on his face: He seemed happy as he thought of his boyhood. I kept silent and allowed him to continue talking. "When my father found out about th~ orchestra, he became angry and drove the ·men away, saying, 'Do you want to spoil my son?'" "You see, he did not believe in noisy welcomes. He believed in simplicity. He tool{ me home and we had our meals together." "That night, being very tired from the voyage, I slept very soundly. The next morning I was awakened by my father. H~ shook me out of my be"d, saying, 'Teodoro, Teodoro, wake up-it's already six o'clock. Is this what you learned in London-to sleep until six o'clock in the morning? Dress up and sweep the floor and dust the fables in the office.' " "I said to myself-'is this what you sent me to London for, to become a janitor ir·. your office?' Of course I did not say this cut loud." "Do you mean to tell me, Mr. Yangco," I asked, "that you were the one who was made to clean the offices of your father?'' "Yes," he answered proudly. "This was · my work for sometime. My father believed that if we must order men to work and do things for us, we must be able to do them · ourselves.'' There was a brief pause during which I merely gazed at him, admiring the gent!~ personality that was expressed on his face. "I had very little time to study. I used to read my lessons on my way to school and at night before going to bed. My father, however, never allowed me to study late because he said it was bad for my eyes. I did not enjoy the games and the pleasures that you are enjoying now.'' "But I am not sorry "for that," he went on," because if my father had not trained me like that, perhaps I would not be what I am now. You see, now that I am old, I do not need to work if I do not want to. I only go to my office once in a while because I have my manager to take care of everything." (Pleci~e t.urn to pa,ge £15) SPptember, 19.15 THE YOUNG CITIZEN 21 lj l:Tl-llOPIA A COUNTRY Tl-IAT MAY LOSE l-IER INDEPENDENCE IN the. ea~tern part of Africa lies Eth1op1a. ·it used to be known to most people by the name ot Abyssinia. Ethiopia is the onlv independent state in Africa. It is lo:.ated · almost entirely on a high plateau. The countries around Ethiopia are all colonial possessions of Eilropean states. There is AngloEpyptian Sudan on the west; Italian Somaliland on the south-east: promised that France would always have the right to run trains into Ethiopia. Now Italy wants to build a railroad through Ethiopia in order to connect her two colonies. Eritrea on the north and Italian Somaliland on the south. But the present Er_npe•·or of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, does not want. Italy to build a railroad in his country. In spite of this, !vlussolini, the Italian Dictator, is British and French Somaliland on determined to get into Ethiopia. Ip the east: and Eritrea, also Italian, fact, during the last five years a part on the north. of Ethiopia, about 6 miles long, has Unfortunately, Ethiopia has no b·~m occupied by Italians. Mussosea-coast a~d. therefore. no ·sea-port. lini is sending thousands of Italian '1 he things she buys from other soldiers to fight their way into that countries arc first shipped to Djibuti. country. Many of them have alDjibuti is a French port in French re,1dy landed in Africa. But th1?y S_omaliland pn the Red" Sea. From have been unable to start fighting. this port all cargo for Ethiopia i~ The heavy African ~ains (ailing day st:rl.t by the only train that runs to ar~d night are very harmful to the Addi~ Adaba, the capital city. This h~alth of the Italians. This month ratlroad is run by the French. of September, when the rainy seaso•1 Ethiopia's former Emperor, will be o.ver, the war might start. whose name was Mcnelik, allowed Emperor Haile Selassie is a very France to build this railroad. To educated man. He always keeps h~!p France in building it, Ethiopil himself well informed about the contributed some money and fur- m.:any important thin°gs that happm nished workmen. Menelik also throughout the world. He does not want his country to lose her independence. If Italy does manage to get her soldiers ·into Ethiopia, she might make the Ethiopian people her subjects. The emperor is very fond of his people. He ha~ allowed them to keep their old customs and traditicns. He did not want to force them into the many modern ways of living. "Not so quickly," he said, "my people wili understand the n':'w wz.ys better if they get used to them slowly." Ethiopia was one of the first of Christian countries. When St. Mark fh:d from Egypt, he went to Ethiopia. That happened thirty y·ears after the deatli of Jesus Christ. f\t that. time the Ethiopians accepted Christianity. The Emperor of the Ethiopians claims to be a direct descendant of the great wise King Solomon aad thC' beautiful Queen Sheba of whom stc)ries are told in the Bible. This ml'ans that the people belo"ng to a vny old race. The Ethiopian emperor is also known among his people as the King of Kings and the Conquering Lion of Juda. .~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (he place by inserting a pencil or 3 ru:er, or by turning down a cornu ::>f the leaf. No matter how wet 01 dirty his hands were, he would not wipe or clean them before handling nie. He drew figures on some of my pages and sPilled ink on two o:· three other pages. What a relief it was, when he handed me back to the librarian. Dear Children: I understand that soon I shall be turned to ashes. I have no regret~. knowing I have served you well. I have only one request to make of y(,U before I take my final leave. I wish you would treat the coming generations ·of books more considerately than you have ever treat!!d us before. I need not tell you how t:::> handle us, because your teachers have repeatedly told you how to DON TEODORO R. Y ANGCO (Continued f1·om vage 200) Before I went to see Don Teodoro Yangco to talk about his boyhood days, I was wishing I had had a boyhood like his. I thought that he. being the son of Don Luis, th.! millionaire, had a wonderfully plecisanc life. a life without work, a boyhood with all the desires healing in a boy'.s heart, fulfilled. Ho\\'ever. I now realize that after all, the hcirdships during our boyhood arc what make us great men when as we grow older. Don Teodoro R. Yangco taught me a lesson. .:an. for books. But if I must say a parting word, I wish you would carry this with you: Treat books as you treat your best friends. THE CARE OF THE TEETH (Continiwd ,from page 214) pear among the permanent teeth are tht• first ( 6-year) molars. Their appearance takes place at the age of six years located just behind. the two te01porary molars on both Sides of the mouth. They are four-two upper and two lower. In most cases these teeth are neglected because thi!y a1c taken for temporary molars. They are extremely important in the. mouth as they are the mOst usefrJ ones in chewing and serve JS gl1 !de in che growth and position of the rest. Teeth need exercise as muscles do. Food which requires much chewing help make the teeth strong and healthy. People who fred exclusively on soft diet gener;.1ly have the poorest teeth. "A man is known· by the ter:th he keeps."

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