Washington, August 10, 1901
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Strange
Matrimonial Epidemic
May Cost Teachers Positions
This is
definitely "On the Lighter Side"
and will bring a chuckle to the reader.
However, it seems that it was NOT amusing to my cousin,
Captain Marcus Bainbridge Buford, who was in command of the transport ship
'Thomas'.
Washington, August 10, 1901
It is learned here from Honolulu advices that the transport Thomas, which reached that place on August 1st, having on board 300 male and 100 female teachers en route for the Philippines to engage in educational service under the Taft Commission, developed a veritable matrimonial epidemic en route.
The young men and women on board represented almost the entire Union.
After the transport left San Francisco friendships were formed which soon ripened into love and the day prior to the arrival at Honolulu Captain Buford found that thirty couples desired the nuptial knot tied.
He refused to permit the ceremony on board the vessel and the next day a clergyman from Honolulu made the thirty pairs happy by uniting them in matrimony.
Prior to the sailing of the transport from Honolulu several other cases were reported.
Just what effect this state of affairs will have on the problem of educating the Filipinos is not known, but the question is being seriously raised as to whether or not the contract with the lady teachers will not be affected by their new relations.
Many teachers
are anxious to take service in the Philippines, and it is not unlikely that the
point being raised will be pressed to a finality to test the matter by some of
the interested parties.
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~~~Clouds by Torie~~~