I'm currently on a Linux machine (my regular computer has Windows XP
but is stuck  in my dorm at Tulane). I've tried installing Banshee and
other programs that claim to support the iPod, but alas, I cannot get
any of them to work.

Instead of dealing with all of the various things I need to download
and install on the machine, is there a way I can manually put music on
the iPod that will be recognized by the iPod's interface (i.e.
writing the database/playlist files that the iPod recognizes)?
I'm only planning on putting a handful of songs on it from this
machine. My main machine has lots of songs and iTunes, but this
machine only has a few.
Before you ask if I can just go to my computer, I'm in Missouri
because of Katrina, so unable to do that. Thanks.

I'm afraid to say there is no easy way to manually transfer songs to
an iPod in Linux (or in fact any OS). Why? Well even though you can
mount the iPod drive easily enough the files need to be deposited in a
special database, an act which iTunes takes care of for you. Unless
you really want to get your hands dirty on this I'd suggest using
GNUPod (link below) or similiar.

http://blinkenlights.ch/cgi-bin/fm.pl?get=ipode#downloading

I've tried to install that along with gtkpod and banshee, and for some
reason, they won't install properly (I have something wrong with my
kernel, and I can't afford to reinstall Debian on this computer since
it's my only computer here).

I'm only looking to put about 20 songs from this computer onto the iPod.

I would like to stress that the easiest and quickest way to get this
done is to get gtkpod or similar application working. However if this
is not possible, there are several alternatives.

1). 
iPod Linux is a GNU\Linux distribution designed specifically to run on
Apple iPods. It features a customized uClinux kernel, and several user
environments, the most popular of which has been dubbed ?podzilla?.

If you install iPod Linux on to your iPod, you will be able to browse
all files that are on your iPod, and play songs directly off the hard
disc ? without having to check them in at all.

While not all iPod models are officially supported by the iPod Linux
project, it will work on the great majority of them. I have personally
installed iPod Linux on an iPod photo, and an iPod mini.

For more information about iPod Linux, check out: http://ipodlinux.org/


2).
If iPod Linux does not suit your needs, you may still be able to
achieve the desired functionality. The only reason I mention this
approach is because I noticed that this question was in the
programming section.

When songs are checked into the iPod, the details are stored in a
database, called the iTunesDB. This database has a specific format. If
you are capable of writing a program that can manipulate this
database, then you need only to copy the songs onto the hard drive,
and update the database.

The iTunesDB file has been reverse engineered, and information about
it?s file format is available freely on the internet. For more
information, refer to: http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6334