Of course music and manual training took only a part of Francisco's time; he was busy reading in more advanced books, and studying elementary English grammar, arithmetic, and geography. He was growing rapidly in body as well as in mind, and was learning some of the simple rules of health that he had been violating before this time because he knew no better. He was taking better care of his eyes, was more careful about the kind of water he drank and about eating overripe bananas. He knew now that it was better for him to keep the window of his sleeping room open at night instead of tightly closed as formerly, and he took some money that he had earned, by carrying a basket of fish to the market, to buy a mosquito netting for his bed.
At last he completed the course given in the town school and was ready to enter the provincial school, located in the town of Albay, several miles south of his home. A province in the Philippine Islands is similar to a county in the United States, and each one maintains a high school which any boy or girl living in the province may attend, after he has completed the work of the lower grades and has passed satisfactory examinations. Courses are offered in the history and government of the United States and the Philippine Islands, in literature, in grammar and composition, in mathematics, drawing, music, cooking, sewing, manual training, agriculture, and, when called for, Spanish and other subjects. The high school at Albay contained a very large assembly hall which was used for study when pupils were not in classes. We shall leave Francisco studying in this room, while we find out something of the history and government of these interesting islands.
WHAT FRANCISCO LEARNED OF PHILIPPINE HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT
When Francisco entered the provincial school he knew something about local government from seeing local officials and hearing older people discuss matters of politics, but his knowledge did not extend beyond his own barrio and town. As for the history of the Philippines, he knew little more than that the islands had been under the control of Spain and were transferred to the United States. Rizal (Rï-zäl') Day, which was celebrated on the thirtieth day of each December, was greatly enjoyed by him as a holiday, but he had little idea of the reason for its celebration.