The Thomasite Historical Notes
By Victoria A. Grageda Smith
This book is a novel and, thus, a work of fiction. It is about the journey of a fictional American teacher in U.S. colonial Philippines. The story is premised on the true history of the more than five hundred American teachers who sailed on the U.S.A.T. Thomas to the Philippine Islands, which the U.S. had acquired under the Treaty of Paris for twenty million dollars in the aftermath of Spain’s defeat in the Spanish-American War.
1. My approach as a historical fiction author
My approach to writing historical novels differs slightly from the mainstream. In the world of my characters, history itself plays a character. It isn’t just a backdrop to the story in service only of the story. Whenever relevant to the story and when it enhances the reader’s and my experience of the story, I incorporate bits and pieces of history as an essential element of my storytelling—weaving them into the plot as seamlessly as possible while trying not to sound like a technical book or a history textbook.
This, to me, is what makes historical fiction; otherwise, all stories set against particular historical periods are simply “period” stories, where the storytelling is almost indistinguishable from those that belong to other genres, such as contemporary romances, thrillers, or murder-mysteries—were it not for the occasional historical reference to remind the reader that the story is set in a time frame earlier than the present.
For me, history should saturate a historical novel in such a way as to enable the readers to imagine themselves living and breathing in the historical period in which the book’s characters live and breathe. I strive, of course, not to overdo this—by balancing historical references with the story’s plot. I acknowledge that too much history in a novel detracts from the story. Yet, how much history is too much in a historical novel could vary according to one’s personal taste. In other words, it’s subjective—which, after all, is the essence of personal style.
And in historical novel writing, my personal style is this: One could expect a lot of history. Why? Because I aim to educate about history by entertaining through fiction. Too many people are recklessly ignorant of history and, thus, as Santayana says, repeat its mistakes.
I like reading a historical novel as I like to travel to foreign places. I take my time to stop and smell the flowers, eat the local food, and experience the place as the locals do. To me, reading a historical novel should feel as though one were traveling back in time. Therefore, this is also how I try to write it. History provides the skeletal framework or shape of the story, and I supply its eyes, ears, nose, flesh, skin, and consciousness. This is what I mean by making history one of my characters.
2. My writing strategy and style for The Thomasite
Since historical events and real places and people inspired this novel, I strove to accurately portray the setting and major events in which the fictional story unfolds, particularly the world in which the characters live and some of the major historical personalities that impacted that world.
I also wrote this book in a style inspired by the tradition of great journey novels that aim to vividly describe the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures the characters would have likely experienced. To this end, I endeavored to portray the cultural, scientific, and technological highlights of the historical period, especially the cuisine, clothes, music, dance, literature, architecture, medicines, and means of transportation and communication that would have then been available.
I especially labored to authentically depict the Thomasites’ voyage on the Thomas from July 23 to August 21, 1901. This includes the Honolulu stopover, the conditions on board the ship, and some notable events during the sea passage, such as the comedic play about Neptune that the Thomasites produced and staged and the initiation rites of the green shipmen. I also thought it fun to incorporate some real personalities that included the quartermaster, Captain W. M. Coulling, and some notable Thomasites, such as Mr. Gleason and Miss Clendenin, who led the entertainment committee. I found the food and beverage offered on the ship surprisingly fancy and thus thought it fun to incorporate them into the story.
Due to my lack of access to sufficiently descriptive narratives and material from Thomasites about their Honolulu stop-over, I relied on similar experiences described by other teachers who arrived earlier in the Philippine Islands on other ships, such as the Sheridan and Buford. In this connection, one must note that the term, ‘Thomasite,’ refers not only to the American teachers who sailed on the Thomas but to all American teachers in the Philippines during the first few years of the American colonial period and, in the most liberal sense, up to the U.S. grant of Philippine independence on July 4, 1946.
3. Claiming creative liberty
The dates of the major historical events mentioned in this novel are, to my best knowledge, accurate. However, I exercised my creative prerogative as a fiction author by changing the context of minor yet relevant historical facts to enhance the plot and support the book’s themes.
I did this in two instances: first, regarding the historical period in which the Teatro National in Manila would have been open for performances; second, the premier performance date and venue of Aurelio Tolentino’s play, Kahapon, Ngayon, at Bukas (Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow).
In the novel, the main character, Eleanor, and her friend, Ida, attend the premier presentation of Tolentino’s play on New Year’s Day 1902 at the Teatro Nacional. In reality, however, this theater was then undergoing renovations and opened for performances only later that year. Moreover, contrary to what the novel creatively suggests, Tolentino’s play premiered in 1903, not 1902, and was staged at Teatro Libertad, not the Teatro Nacional.
I chose the Teatro Nacional as the play's venue in the novel because I was fascinated by the fact that when it was built, it had a nipa grass roof and wooden board walls constructed in a unique, round shape—a form that must have well-served its original purpose as the H. T. Hashim National Cycle Track.
In 1890, it was converted into a theater and renamed the Teatro Nacional, where the Russian Circus and some American theater groups performed. In early 1902, the Teatro Nacional underwent extensive renovations and refurbishment by the Italian impresario, Balzofiore, and reopened later that same year as the Manila Grand Opera House in time to host a visiting Italian opera group.
Despite the potentially confusing multiple reincarnations of the Teatro Nacional, I chose it as the setting for Tolentino's play for two reasons. First, it is because it is reminiscent to me of the Shakespeare Globe Theater in London, which had, by 1902, long been burned to the ground (interestingly enough, after a church had taken over it due to moralistic objections against Shakespeare’s plays) and only drawings of it had then existed to suggest its circular design.
Second, my exercise of such creative liberty served my purpose of celebrating a particular cultural strength of Filipinos: the ability to adapt and integrate foreign influences into their culture and enhance them in a way that makes them uniquely Filipino. The recreations often become more beautiful and artistic than the originals. This, of course, could be a biased opinion, yet an opinion, nevertheless, that is equal to any commentary about any artistic work that, by its nature, is bound to be subjective.
4. Playing history detective
Despite my sincere endeavors to be true to history and the story of the Thomasites in this novel, I regret I cannot guarantee that all the historical references in the book are without imperfection. As an author of historical fiction, I often find myself being a history detective, which I thoroughly enjoy. I feel transported to the times and places relevant to my story. This makes history come alive for me. Thus, I also strive to help my readers experience the same through vivid portrayals of such times and places that, by the nature of historical fiction writing itself—ultimately comes from the author’s imagination.
While there is a myriad of scattered materials out there, not all of them always provide facts relevant to my inquiry. In the absence of on-point material, my approach is to try to deduce reasonable conclusions from research materials I can access. I connect the dots consisting of the clues provided by tangential information and make the best rational guess to arrive at the answers to my query. This may not always be the best conclusion but rather what, among a set of reasonable assumptions, best enhances the story I want to tell.
Some of the more challenging objects of my research were what and where, exactly, was the “Exposition Building” that served as the temporary dormitory of the lady Thomasites while they awaited their school area assignments. I traced its identity and location from material I found that described the routes which the Thomasites took to reach the so-called Exposition Building.
From this, I learned that the Thomasites entered old Manila from Manila Bay, where the Thomas had docked. From Manila Bay, they boarded lighter steamboats that navigated toward the old city of Manila via the Pasig River. They then disembarked at the Anda monument, which stood on the Pasig end of Malecon Drive.
To learn where Malecon Drive was located, I examined antique maps. Fortunately, a material associated with my research about the Manila Normal School provided the final clue that suggested where such “Exposition Building” was probably located. In September 1901, the Thomasites set up the Manila Normal School at the Escuela Municipal in Intramuros. In 1902, they transferred the teacher’s college to larger facilities in what the research material referred to as the “Exposition grounds” in Ermita.
I found it telling that this is also the present site of what is now the Philippine Normal University. I didn’t think that references to similar names, to wit, “Exposition Building” and “Exposition grounds,” were a mere coincidence. Thus, I concluded—or rather decided, based on reasonable assumptions—that the Exposition Building was probably located inside the Ermita “Exposition grounds.”
Since the area is proximate to the old walled city of Intramuros, this provided me with a historically and culturally rich setting within which to place the Thomasites. The location, in turn, served to give my characters a great orientation to the history and culture of the Philippine Islands before their deployments to their respective school territories.
That this book is primarily a work of fiction, albeit inspired by true history—can’t be overstated. Thus, I beg the indulgence of keen scholars of history for any inaccuracies in descriptions or deductions from my history sleuthing. What I hope for, at the least, is for readers to enjoy the journey offered by this novel. The icing on the cake is if such readers likewise learn something new and glean helpful insights from my work.
5. My inspiration for the setting
The town of Magayon where Eleanor is assigned is inspired by my father’s hometown of Daraga, Albay in the Bicol region or, as the latter is now spelled in the Philippines, “Bikol.” Likewise, Magayon’s church is inspired by the beautiful architecture of Daraga Church.
Some may wonder why I spell Bicol or Bikol as “Vicol” in the novel. I did this for two reasons. First, it is to emphasize again the fictional nature of this work. Second, it is a way to suggest what often happens to historical names and words. They evolve in their usage and spelling.
It may be noted that the letter “v” is pronounced in Spanish as “b.” Thus, it is quite possible, as some Philippine history enthusiasts suggest, that the region may have been originally referred to as “Vicol” during the Spanish regime; became “Bicol” during the American colonial period; and assumed its current spelling, ‘Bikol’—as a result, I assume, of the increased nationalization or “Filipinization” of colonially-associated words and terms in the Philippines in recent decades.
In this connection, one can’t help but wonder why Filipino nationalists hadn’t pushed more to change the name of the Philippines itself. It would seem that there is no greater colonial mark on the country and its people than Ferdinand Magellan having named the archipelago after his padrón, the sixteenth-century Spanish king, Felipe II.
6. Historical footnotes
It may interest readers to know that the beautiful San Ignacio Church on Calle Arzobispo, Intramuros—which the novel mentions as having been built by the Jesuits on a steel frame designed by Gustave Eiffel—sadly, no longer exists. The World War II bombing of Manila destroyed it, thus making it the fourth structure built on, and demolished in the same spot.
History does appear to repeat itself, recalling Santayana’s warning, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” One of my first readers asked whether the scene in the novel in which a Chinese merchant’s store was burned during the 1902 cholera epidemic in U.S. colonial Philippines Islands has any basis in history or is merely my attempt to make the story relevant to the ongoing hate crimes against Asians during the current COVID pandemic. My answer is yes to the former and no to the latter.
According to my research, the U.S. colonial government in the Philippine Islands first traced the cholera to Guangzhou, China, and, a week later, found it in Hong Kong—and labeled it “Asiatic.” When it reached Manila in mid-March 1902, it wreaked havoc among the native Philippine population. This was reportedly attributed to lack of hygiene and sanitation practices, safe drinking water sources, and a particular cultural trait of Filipinos: closely-knit family ties. Fearing separation from their families, many Filipinos allegedly ignored or dodged quarantine measures that were intended to contain the contagion. Thus, the contamination spread like wildfire and grew into an epidemic.
The labeling of the cholera strain as “Asiatic” by the US colonial government, however, strikes me as particularly incendiary given, first, that diseases possess no nationality or race and, second, the Americans knew or should have known that there were already pre-existing anti-Chinese sentiments among Filipinos. The second is evident from Tolentino’s play, which aimed, among others, at criticizing China (due to its frequent historical attempts to conquer and dominate the Philippines—a process that continues to this day) through the play’s allegorical character, Haring Bata (the Child King).
It’s no steep exercise of the imagination to imagine how the so-called “Asiatic” cholera epidemic likely inspired acts of discrimination, even violence, against the Chinese in the US Philippine Islands during the 1902 cholera epidemic. Did the US government intend to fire up anti-Chinese sentiments then because it also aimed to conquer the Chinese mainland during its “expansionist” phase that included acquiring the Hawaiian Islands, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, among others?
The parallelisms between what happened then and now, especially regarding contemporary attempts of some Americans to keep calling the COVID-19 virus the “Wuhan” virus—which I believe could be reasonably connected with the current hate crimes against the Chinese and all Chinese-looking people in the US—are inescapable.
Full disclosure: I am part Chinese—as many Filipinos are. I state this to propose that many issues are never simple and that one must never generalize in complex problems.
Prejudice is a tricky thing because it is largely intractable, it being essentially an internal process in humans. I believe it could be traced to the brain’s amygdala as a reactive mode of self-defense triggered by fear of whatever looks strange or unfamiliar to a reactive, unthinking person. Such primeval human reaction, left unchecked by logic or reasonable thinking process, could manifest in unreasonable acts of violence—often when it’s too late to stop them.
On this, I have this to say regarding the current hate crimes against Asians: Is it reasonable to blame an entire race for the alleged acts or mistakes of a few? Recall how Hitler and the Nazis blamed all the Jews as a people for Germany’s economic problems. And remember what all happened after that.
7. Approach to historically authentic yet racist and sexist language
While it is true that even progressive-thinking people during the period setting of the novel used labels and terms considered today as derogatory and racist to Blacks, Asians, women, and other minorities, such that employment of such language in dialogue would be historically authentic, I decided not to spell them out or explicitly state them. And if doing away with them could be done without diminishing the essence or significance of a scene, I did so.
This is because I recognize the influencing power of the continued use of such terms to reinforce a mentality that perpetuates false narratives and concepts about, and prejudices against, minorities that are neither necessary for the story nor useful for humanity’s evolution. To me, reiterating such language, although true to history, when used today, serves to promote and perpetuate derision and prejudice for “the Other,” regardless of context—whether it be in malice or not, such as being part of music, literature, or film that aspires to realism, or simply in jest.
For the same reason, I believe women should also stop using, tolerating, and condoning the use of names, terms, or labels that are meant or designed to deride a woman’s dignity and humanity or promote disdain and condescension toward women. The same is true for slurs against the LGBTQIA community.
Words have power, for words shape our thoughts—and thus, our actions. Therefore, I believe we have to expunge from our vocabulary language that does not serve our evolution into enlightened human beings. This is not to say I'm a prude and will not state expletives in dialogue. I simply reject explicitly stating racist and sexist slurs and language.
This is a philosophical choice on my part. I understand this may put me at odds with some historians inclined to be purists when it comes to realistically portraying the language of a particular historical era. However, I rely on the nature of historical fiction being on my side. In other words, it is fiction, after all—not a historical record.
A fiction author possesses discretionary creative liberty to choose how she or he wants to tell a story. The power inherent in such freedom lies not in evoking reality by cloning it on the page, but in interpreting it in a manner that could speak more effectively about the truth than nonfiction sometimes could.
8. Abbreviated Bibliography
The following is a partial, non-exhaustive bibliography of the research materials that informed my writing of The Thomasite, in addition to my personal knowledge and experience of Philippine and U.S. culture and history:
Thomasites Centennial Project. To Islands Far Away: The Story of the Thomasites and Their Journey to the Philippines. Manila, Philippines: Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy, Manila, 2001.
Fee, Mary Helen. A Woman’s Impression of the Philippines. Chicago: A. C. McClurg & Co, 1912.
Racelis, Mary, and Ick, Judy Celine (eds.). Bearers of Benevolence: The Thomasites and Public Education in the Philippines. Pasig City, Philippines: Anvil Publishing Inc., 2001.
Shay, Michael E. (ed.). A Civilian in Lawton’s 1899 Philippine Campaign: The Letters of Robert E. Carter. Missouri: University of Missouri Press, 2013.
Worcester, Dean C. The Philippine Islands and Their People. New York, U.S.A.: The Macmillan Company, 1901.
de Quesada, Alejandro, and Walsh, Stephen (illustrator). The Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection. Oxford, U.K.: Osprey Publishing, 2007.
Guerrero, Milagros Camayon. Luzon at War: Contradictions in Philippine Society 1898-1902. Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Anvil Publishing Inc., 2015.
Best, Jonathan. A Philippine Album: American Era Photographs 1900-1930. Makati, Philippines: Bookmark Inc., 1998.
Sta. Maria, Felice Prudente. The Governor-General’s Kitchen Philippine Culinary Vignettes and Period Recipes: 1521-1935. Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Anvil Publishing Inc., 2006.
Parco de Castro, María Eloisá G. Carlos L. Quirino’s Old Manila. Quezon City, Philippines: Vibal Foundation, Inc., 2016.
Souza, George Bryan, and Turley, Jeffrey S. The Boxer Codex: Transcription and Translation of an Illustrated Late Sixteenth-Century Spanish Manuscript Concerning the Geography, Ethnography and History of the Pacific, South-East Asia and East Asia. Leiden, The Netherlands: Koninklijke Brill NV, 2016.
Capistrano-Baker, Florina H. Multiple Originals, Original Multiples. Makati City, Philippines: Ayala Foundation, Inc., 2004.
Liliuokalani, Queen of Hawaii. Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen. Boston, U.S.A.: Lee and Shepard Publishers, 1898. https://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/liliuokalani/hawaii/hawaii.html
Mintz, Malcolm W. Bikol Dictionary. Honolulu, Hawaii: University of Hawaii Press, 1971. https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/e8cd63fb-3acc-4c23-a197-66be6865ffbd/content
Javier, Niccolo. The Rigodon de Honor. 2008. http://kulang-sa-tulog.blogspot.com/2008/03/rigodon-de-honor.html
Eugenio, Damiana L. “Asuang Steals Fire From Gugurang,” in Philippine Folk Literature. http://bicolanomythsofgodsandmonsters.blogspot.com/2016/11/asuang-deity-of-evil-and-chaos.html
SNAC (Social Networks and Archival Context). Kobbe, William A. (William August), 1840-1931. https://snaccooperative.org/ark:/99166/w65c64x6
Rydell, Robert W. Soundtracks of Empire: “The White Man’s Burden,” the war in the Philippines, the “Ideals of America,” and tin pan alley. European Journal of American Studies, 2012. https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/9712
Harris, Charles Kassel. Chas. K. Harris' Complete Songster. Harvard University, Cambridge: F. J. Drake, 1903. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Chas_K_Harris_Complete_Songster
Willard Lossinger’s Music Channel, Chas. K. Harris' "Ma Filipino Babe" Baritone Ukulele 2015 07 10, https://www.youtube.com/@willardlosingersmusicchann569
"I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen" History & Lyrics. https://www.liveabout.com/ill-take-you-home-again-kathleen-3552918
College Physicians of Philadelphia. The History of Vaccines. https://www.historyofvaccines.org/timeline#EVT_85
1. My approach as a historical fiction author
My approach to writing historical novels differs slightly from the mainstream. In the world of my characters, history itself plays a character. It isn’t just a backdrop to the story in service only of the story. Whenever relevant to the story and when it enhances the reader’s and my experience of the story, I incorporate bits and pieces of history as an essential element of my storytelling—weaving them into the plot as seamlessly as possible while trying not to sound like a technical book or a history textbook.
This, to me, is what makes historical fiction; otherwise, all stories set against particular historical periods are simply “period” stories, where the storytelling is almost indistinguishable from those that belong to other genres, such as contemporary romances, thrillers, or murder-mysteries—were it not for the occasional historical reference to remind the reader that the story is set in a time frame earlier than the present.
For me, history should saturate a historical novel in such a way as to enable the readers to imagine themselves living and breathing in the historical period in which the book’s characters live and breathe. I strive, of course, not to overdo this—by balancing historical references with the story’s plot. I acknowledge that too much history in a novel detracts from the story. Yet, how much history is too much in a historical novel could vary according to one’s personal taste. In other words, it’s subjective—which, after all, is the essence of personal style.
And in historical novel writing, my personal style is this: One could expect a lot of history. Why? Because I aim to educate about history by entertaining through fiction. Too many people are recklessly ignorant of history and, thus, as Santayana says, repeat its mistakes.
I like reading a historical novel as I like to travel to foreign places. I take my time to stop and smell the flowers, eat the local food, and experience the place as the locals do. To me, reading a historical novel should feel as though one were traveling back in time. Therefore, this is also how I try to write it. History provides the skeletal framework or shape of the story, and I supply its eyes, ears, nose, flesh, skin, and consciousness. This is what I mean by making history one of my characters.
2. My writing strategy and style for The Thomasite
Since historical events and real places and people inspired this novel, I strove to accurately portray the setting and major events in which the fictional story unfolds, particularly the world in which the characters live and some of the major historical personalities that impacted that world.
I also wrote this book in a style inspired by the tradition of great journey novels that aim to vividly describe the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures the characters would have likely experienced. To this end, I endeavored to portray the cultural, scientific, and technological highlights of the historical period, especially the cuisine, clothes, music, dance, literature, architecture, medicines, and means of transportation and communication that would have then been available.
I especially labored to authentically depict the Thomasites’ voyage on the Thomas from July 23 to August 21, 1901. This includes the Honolulu stopover, the conditions on board the ship, and some notable events during the sea passage, such as the comedic play about Neptune that the Thomasites produced and staged and the initiation rites of the green shipmen. I also thought it fun to incorporate some real personalities that included the quartermaster, Captain W. M. Coulling, and some notable Thomasites, such as Mr. Gleason and Miss Clendenin, who led the entertainment committee. I found the food and beverage offered on the ship surprisingly fancy and thus thought it fun to incorporate them into the story.
Due to my lack of access to sufficiently descriptive narratives and material from Thomasites about their Honolulu stop-over, I relied on similar experiences described by other teachers who arrived earlier in the Philippine Islands on other ships, such as the Sheridan and Buford. In this connection, one must note that the term, ‘Thomasite,’ refers not only to the American teachers who sailed on the Thomas but to all American teachers in the Philippines during the first few years of the American colonial period and, in the most liberal sense, up to the U.S. grant of Philippine independence on July 4, 1946.
3. Claiming creative liberty
The dates of the major historical events mentioned in this novel are, to my best knowledge, accurate. However, I exercised my creative prerogative as a fiction author by changing the context of minor yet relevant historical facts to enhance the plot and support the book’s themes.
I did this in two instances: first, regarding the historical period in which the Teatro National in Manila would have been open for performances; second, the premier performance date and venue of Aurelio Tolentino’s play, Kahapon, Ngayon, at Bukas (Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow).
In the novel, the main character, Eleanor, and her friend, Ida, attend the premier presentation of Tolentino’s play on New Year’s Day 1902 at the Teatro Nacional. In reality, however, this theater was then undergoing renovations and opened for performances only later that year. Moreover, contrary to what the novel creatively suggests, Tolentino’s play premiered in 1903, not 1902, and was staged at Teatro Libertad, not the Teatro Nacional.
I chose the Teatro Nacional as the play's venue in the novel because I was fascinated by the fact that when it was built, it had a nipa grass roof and wooden board walls constructed in a unique, round shape—a form that must have well-served its original purpose as the H. T. Hashim National Cycle Track.
In 1890, it was converted into a theater and renamed the Teatro Nacional, where the Russian Circus and some American theater groups performed. In early 1902, the Teatro Nacional underwent extensive renovations and refurbishment by the Italian impresario, Balzofiore, and reopened later that same year as the Manila Grand Opera House in time to host a visiting Italian opera group.
Despite the potentially confusing multiple reincarnations of the Teatro Nacional, I chose it as the setting for Tolentino's play for two reasons. First, it is because it is reminiscent to me of the Shakespeare Globe Theater in London, which had, by 1902, long been burned to the ground (interestingly enough, after a church had taken over it due to moralistic objections against Shakespeare’s plays) and only drawings of it had then existed to suggest its circular design.
Second, my exercise of such creative liberty served my purpose of celebrating a particular cultural strength of Filipinos: the ability to adapt and integrate foreign influences into their culture and enhance them in a way that makes them uniquely Filipino. The recreations often become more beautiful and artistic than the originals. This, of course, could be a biased opinion, yet an opinion, nevertheless, that is equal to any commentary about any artistic work that, by its nature, is bound to be subjective.
4. Playing history detective
Despite my sincere endeavors to be true to history and the story of the Thomasites in this novel, I regret I cannot guarantee that all the historical references in the book are without imperfection. As an author of historical fiction, I often find myself being a history detective, which I thoroughly enjoy. I feel transported to the times and places relevant to my story. This makes history come alive for me. Thus, I also strive to help my readers experience the same through vivid portrayals of such times and places that, by the nature of historical fiction writing itself—ultimately comes from the author’s imagination.
While there is a myriad of scattered materials out there, not all of them always provide facts relevant to my inquiry. In the absence of on-point material, my approach is to try to deduce reasonable conclusions from research materials I can access. I connect the dots consisting of the clues provided by tangential information and make the best rational guess to arrive at the answers to my query. This may not always be the best conclusion but rather what, among a set of reasonable assumptions, best enhances the story I want to tell.
Some of the more challenging objects of my research were what and where, exactly, was the “Exposition Building” that served as the temporary dormitory of the lady Thomasites while they awaited their school area assignments. I traced its identity and location from material I found that described the routes which the Thomasites took to reach the so-called Exposition Building.
From this, I learned that the Thomasites entered old Manila from Manila Bay, where the Thomas had docked. From Manila Bay, they boarded lighter steamboats that navigated toward the old city of Manila via the Pasig River. They then disembarked at the Anda monument, which stood on the Pasig end of Malecon Drive.
To learn where Malecon Drive was located, I examined antique maps. Fortunately, a material associated with my research about the Manila Normal School provided the final clue that suggested where such “Exposition Building” was probably located. In September 1901, the Thomasites set up the Manila Normal School at the Escuela Municipal in Intramuros. In 1902, they transferred the teacher’s college to larger facilities in what the research material referred to as the “Exposition grounds” in Ermita.
I found it telling that this is also the present site of what is now the Philippine Normal University. I didn’t think that references to similar names, to wit, “Exposition Building” and “Exposition grounds,” were a mere coincidence. Thus, I concluded—or rather decided, based on reasonable assumptions—that the Exposition Building was probably located inside the Ermita “Exposition grounds.”
Since the area is proximate to the old walled city of Intramuros, this provided me with a historically and culturally rich setting within which to place the Thomasites. The location, in turn, served to give my characters a great orientation to the history and culture of the Philippine Islands before their deployments to their respective school territories.
That this book is primarily a work of fiction, albeit inspired by true history—can’t be overstated. Thus, I beg the indulgence of keen scholars of history for any inaccuracies in descriptions or deductions from my history sleuthing. What I hope for, at the least, is for readers to enjoy the journey offered by this novel. The icing on the cake is if such readers likewise learn something new and glean helpful insights from my work.
5. My inspiration for the setting
The town of Magayon where Eleanor is assigned is inspired by my father’s hometown of Daraga, Albay in the Bicol region or, as the latter is now spelled in the Philippines, “Bikol.” Likewise, Magayon’s church is inspired by the beautiful architecture of Daraga Church.
Some may wonder why I spell Bicol or Bikol as “Vicol” in the novel. I did this for two reasons. First, it is to emphasize again the fictional nature of this work. Second, it is a way to suggest what often happens to historical names and words. They evolve in their usage and spelling.
It may be noted that the letter “v” is pronounced in Spanish as “b.” Thus, it is quite possible, as some Philippine history enthusiasts suggest, that the region may have been originally referred to as “Vicol” during the Spanish regime; became “Bicol” during the American colonial period; and assumed its current spelling, ‘Bikol’—as a result, I assume, of the increased nationalization or “Filipinization” of colonially-associated words and terms in the Philippines in recent decades.
In this connection, one can’t help but wonder why Filipino nationalists hadn’t pushed more to change the name of the Philippines itself. It would seem that there is no greater colonial mark on the country and its people than Ferdinand Magellan having named the archipelago after his padrón, the sixteenth-century Spanish king, Felipe II.
6. Historical footnotes
It may interest readers to know that the beautiful San Ignacio Church on Calle Arzobispo, Intramuros—which the novel mentions as having been built by the Jesuits on a steel frame designed by Gustave Eiffel—sadly, no longer exists. The World War II bombing of Manila destroyed it, thus making it the fourth structure built on, and demolished in the same spot.
History does appear to repeat itself, recalling Santayana’s warning, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” One of my first readers asked whether the scene in the novel in which a Chinese merchant’s store was burned during the 1902 cholera epidemic in U.S. colonial Philippines Islands has any basis in history or is merely my attempt to make the story relevant to the ongoing hate crimes against Asians during the current COVID pandemic. My answer is yes to the former and no to the latter.
According to my research, the U.S. colonial government in the Philippine Islands first traced the cholera to Guangzhou, China, and, a week later, found it in Hong Kong—and labeled it “Asiatic.” When it reached Manila in mid-March 1902, it wreaked havoc among the native Philippine population. This was reportedly attributed to lack of hygiene and sanitation practices, safe drinking water sources, and a particular cultural trait of Filipinos: closely-knit family ties. Fearing separation from their families, many Filipinos allegedly ignored or dodged quarantine measures that were intended to contain the contagion. Thus, the contamination spread like wildfire and grew into an epidemic.
The labeling of the cholera strain as “Asiatic” by the US colonial government, however, strikes me as particularly incendiary given, first, that diseases possess no nationality or race and, second, the Americans knew or should have known that there were already pre-existing anti-Chinese sentiments among Filipinos. The second is evident from Tolentino’s play, which aimed, among others, at criticizing China (due to its frequent historical attempts to conquer and dominate the Philippines—a process that continues to this day) through the play’s allegorical character, Haring Bata (the Child King).
It’s no steep exercise of the imagination to imagine how the so-called “Asiatic” cholera epidemic likely inspired acts of discrimination, even violence, against the Chinese in the US Philippine Islands during the 1902 cholera epidemic. Did the US government intend to fire up anti-Chinese sentiments then because it also aimed to conquer the Chinese mainland during its “expansionist” phase that included acquiring the Hawaiian Islands, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, among others?
The parallelisms between what happened then and now, especially regarding contemporary attempts of some Americans to keep calling the COVID-19 virus the “Wuhan” virus—which I believe could be reasonably connected with the current hate crimes against the Chinese and all Chinese-looking people in the US—are inescapable.
Full disclosure: I am part Chinese—as many Filipinos are. I state this to propose that many issues are never simple and that one must never generalize in complex problems.
Prejudice is a tricky thing because it is largely intractable, it being essentially an internal process in humans. I believe it could be traced to the brain’s amygdala as a reactive mode of self-defense triggered by fear of whatever looks strange or unfamiliar to a reactive, unthinking person. Such primeval human reaction, left unchecked by logic or reasonable thinking process, could manifest in unreasonable acts of violence—often when it’s too late to stop them.
On this, I have this to say regarding the current hate crimes against Asians: Is it reasonable to blame an entire race for the alleged acts or mistakes of a few? Recall how Hitler and the Nazis blamed all the Jews as a people for Germany’s economic problems. And remember what all happened after that.
7. Approach to historically authentic yet racist and sexist language
While it is true that even progressive-thinking people during the period setting of the novel used labels and terms considered today as derogatory and racist to Blacks, Asians, women, and other minorities, such that employment of such language in dialogue would be historically authentic, I decided not to spell them out or explicitly state them. And if doing away with them could be done without diminishing the essence or significance of a scene, I did so.
This is because I recognize the influencing power of the continued use of such terms to reinforce a mentality that perpetuates false narratives and concepts about, and prejudices against, minorities that are neither necessary for the story nor useful for humanity’s evolution. To me, reiterating such language, although true to history, when used today, serves to promote and perpetuate derision and prejudice for “the Other,” regardless of context—whether it be in malice or not, such as being part of music, literature, or film that aspires to realism, or simply in jest.
For the same reason, I believe women should also stop using, tolerating, and condoning the use of names, terms, or labels that are meant or designed to deride a woman’s dignity and humanity or promote disdain and condescension toward women. The same is true for slurs against the LGBTQIA community.
Words have power, for words shape our thoughts—and thus, our actions. Therefore, I believe we have to expunge from our vocabulary language that does not serve our evolution into enlightened human beings. This is not to say I'm a prude and will not state expletives in dialogue. I simply reject explicitly stating racist and sexist slurs and language.
This is a philosophical choice on my part. I understand this may put me at odds with some historians inclined to be purists when it comes to realistically portraying the language of a particular historical era. However, I rely on the nature of historical fiction being on my side. In other words, it is fiction, after all—not a historical record.
A fiction author possesses discretionary creative liberty to choose how she or he wants to tell a story. The power inherent in such freedom lies not in evoking reality by cloning it on the page, but in interpreting it in a manner that could speak more effectively about the truth than nonfiction sometimes could.
8. Abbreviated Bibliography
The following is a partial, non-exhaustive bibliography of the research materials that informed my writing of The Thomasite, in addition to my personal knowledge and experience of Philippine and U.S. culture and history:
Thomasites Centennial Project. To Islands Far Away: The Story of the Thomasites and Their Journey to the Philippines. Manila, Philippines: Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy, Manila, 2001.
Fee, Mary Helen. A Woman’s Impression of the Philippines. Chicago: A. C. McClurg & Co, 1912.
Racelis, Mary, and Ick, Judy Celine (eds.). Bearers of Benevolence: The Thomasites and Public Education in the Philippines. Pasig City, Philippines: Anvil Publishing Inc., 2001.
Shay, Michael E. (ed.). A Civilian in Lawton’s 1899 Philippine Campaign: The Letters of Robert E. Carter. Missouri: University of Missouri Press, 2013.
Worcester, Dean C. The Philippine Islands and Their People. New York, U.S.A.: The Macmillan Company, 1901.
de Quesada, Alejandro, and Walsh, Stephen (illustrator). The Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection. Oxford, U.K.: Osprey Publishing, 2007.
Guerrero, Milagros Camayon. Luzon at War: Contradictions in Philippine Society 1898-1902. Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Anvil Publishing Inc., 2015.
Best, Jonathan. A Philippine Album: American Era Photographs 1900-1930. Makati, Philippines: Bookmark Inc., 1998.
Sta. Maria, Felice Prudente. The Governor-General’s Kitchen Philippine Culinary Vignettes and Period Recipes: 1521-1935. Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Anvil Publishing Inc., 2006.
Parco de Castro, María Eloisá G. Carlos L. Quirino’s Old Manila. Quezon City, Philippines: Vibal Foundation, Inc., 2016.
Souza, George Bryan, and Turley, Jeffrey S. The Boxer Codex: Transcription and Translation of an Illustrated Late Sixteenth-Century Spanish Manuscript Concerning the Geography, Ethnography and History of the Pacific, South-East Asia and East Asia. Leiden, The Netherlands: Koninklijke Brill NV, 2016.
Capistrano-Baker, Florina H. Multiple Originals, Original Multiples. Makati City, Philippines: Ayala Foundation, Inc., 2004.
Liliuokalani, Queen of Hawaii. Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen. Boston, U.S.A.: Lee and Shepard Publishers, 1898. https://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/liliuokalani/hawaii/hawaii.html
Mintz, Malcolm W. Bikol Dictionary. Honolulu, Hawaii: University of Hawaii Press, 1971. https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/e8cd63fb-3acc-4c23-a197-66be6865ffbd/content
Javier, Niccolo. The Rigodon de Honor. 2008. http://kulang-sa-tulog.blogspot.com/2008/03/rigodon-de-honor.html
Eugenio, Damiana L. “Asuang Steals Fire From Gugurang,” in Philippine Folk Literature. http://bicolanomythsofgodsandmonsters.blogspot.com/2016/11/asuang-deity-of-evil-and-chaos.html
SNAC (Social Networks and Archival Context). Kobbe, William A. (William August), 1840-1931. https://snaccooperative.org/ark:/99166/w65c64x6
Rydell, Robert W. Soundtracks of Empire: “The White Man’s Burden,” the war in the Philippines, the “Ideals of America,” and tin pan alley. European Journal of American Studies, 2012. https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/9712
Harris, Charles Kassel. Chas. K. Harris' Complete Songster. Harvard University, Cambridge: F. J. Drake, 1903. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Chas_K_Harris_Complete_Songster
Willard Lossinger’s Music Channel, Chas. K. Harris' "Ma Filipino Babe" Baritone Ukulele 2015 07 10, https://www.youtube.com/@willardlosingersmusicchann569
"I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen" History & Lyrics. https://www.liveabout.com/ill-take-you-home-again-kathleen-3552918
College Physicians of Philadelphia. The History of Vaccines. https://www.historyofvaccines.org/timeline#EVT_85