In lighter vein

Title

In lighter vein

Creator

R. R. A.

Language

English

Source

Farming and Cooperatives Volume 1 (Issue No. 3-4) January-February 1946

Year

1946

Subject

Short stories, Philippine (English)

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Abstract

[This article consists of two short stories which are the following: 1) Teachers and pupils and 2) Downtown]

Fulltext

In Lighter Vein (R. R. A.) TEACHERS AND PUPILS So ·many arguments have been said, published, talked about the great sacrifice of the teacher, the unjust pay they receive for their work, etc. Some teachers are for strike against the existing rate of pay, nowadays being strike boom days, so some teachers believe they are out of fashion by not striking. A few faint voices have reached the newspapers and lately a few teachers, as the papers say, have made formal bid to higher wages but so far no teacher has struck yet. One teacher the other day in her class, was so enraged by her pupils that she started expounding to them the role of the teacher in moulding the life of the nation's children, the sacrifice they are doing to serve the country and finally the humiliation they get by not being supported and paid decently by the government. "What would happen to the youth if teachers all over the country started a strike?" A youngster stood up bravely and answered, "Teacher, if you strike we would all back you up and the longer you strike the more we will cheer for you." "Sit down," the teacher ordered but she inwardly smiled. "So you could all loaf," the teacher added, -"No, you cannot have fun while we are having no fun." A faint voice from the rear seat was heard, "'Let's strike for the teacher." DOWNTOWN I was walking downtown the other day and as I passed by each bar or cafe or any drinking joint, I peeped in to satisfy my curiosity about what people say that business with the G.I.'s is over, bars are going to die a natural death. True enough there are less G.I.'s now who drink but, still they keep drinking. A lot of G.I.'s still think much about coconut wine and many Yankee boys still believe in a scrap as part of the sport of drinking. It may break up the joint or more often, a few chairs, glasses and bottles. To humor these boys bar owners paint the walls of their places with wizzy 28 girl figures or write jokes on them. In one of them I saw this writing on the wall entitled, "When You Go Drinking." "If you cannot drink with your stomach and do it with your head, my man-stay home and sleep, my son." In another joint, I saw this little twisted poem: "Why fight :n Bars, GI Joes? If you are out for a good time You are out of the firing line· Well, Joe, forget fighting ' ' And have some coc'nut wine." This is the best of the lot I saw entitled, "A Thought About Ameri~ canos.'' "Shoulder to shoulder we stand with you In love and war, business and tarIf you break-up the joint, You'll break us to the point! But surely it'll bounce back at you 'Cause, Americano, you're liberator Joe.'' RAMIE FIBER . (Continued front page 7) tors who can afford to invest a working capital of about 3,500 pesos on a four hectare land. This amount of capital enables the investor to acquire a 3-H.P. gas engine, a decorticating machine of 3/4 piculs of dry fiber capacity per day of 9 working hours and few farm implements and equipments. Such size of a plantation shall also need at least 5 permanent laborers who will do nothing, year in and year out but attend to the care of the plantation, continuous stripping of matured ramie plants and other odd jobs in the plantation. Big investors are meant those legally organized• corporations or trust companies who would go into the venture of mechanized labor and production of fiber in big scales. There shall be a need of a big decorticating central of about 1,000 to 3,000 tons capacity of dry fiber on a 24 hours working time with 3 shifts. Regions for this venture are available in the province of Isabela. CAGAYAN RAMIE REGIONS Although the northern coastal towns of Cagayan province like those of Claveria, Sanchczmira, Pamplona, Abulug Ballesteros and Allocapan had been mentioned, the extensive growing of ramie ·could not be strongly recommended in the open land of those regions becauiie of the strong northwinds which Oco!ur during the months of October, November and December. However there are fairly big valleys between ranges shielded from northwinds and are suitable for ramie fiber production, but the problem of port entries and exits and transportation facilit;es are difficult. These coastal towns take their products by trucks on the national highway or on flat bottom boats by waterways to Aparri and sent to Manila either by ships or big trucks. But countless difficulties are often encountered especially during floody months. Moreover, on excessive floody days the mouth of the Cagayan river is clugged by sandbars and big steamers are forced to wait outside the port until the sandbars is completely dredged. Eventually the farm produce is delayed and freight rates become exorbitantly high. Occasionally accidents occur when the river boats are washed away by strong currents to the sea, shattered to pieces and totally destroyed. In the ltawis region suitable idle lands are available and are located between ranges shielded from stro'1g winds, but the finished produce will involve heavy expenditures dur:ng its transportation to Tuguegarao or Aparri. By waterways the boat travels on the Chico and Cagayan rivers and partly on the national highway on badly damaged macadam roads. Moreover, there are times when the ferry is hardly available. This handicap increases handling charges and thereby reduces net profit. ISABELA RAMIE REGIONS As mentioned elsewhere in this report thousands of uncultivated fertile lands abound in Isabela. Th~se lands ue suitable for ramie growing and available for big investors. There are however idle lands in Cagayan and Eehague where small investors have opportuniti~s to produce ramie fiber. In the virgin lands of San Mariano, Palanan, Angadanan and Jones which are almost limitless, the lands are suitable for ramie ~ber production and are awaiting big investors. The exit of finished products is always Manila through the national road. But when shiploads could be produced, Port B:cobian on the Palanan Bay may be resorted to. T.he potentialities of Pa.anan town are never heard nor sung by our Filipino

pages

28

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