honorroll

NEWS

Rogelio Garcia Leads 695 Graduates

Fernando Rivera is Salutatorian

Rogelio Garcia was chosen valedictorian

Of the 1955 graduating class of 695 seniors,

After a conference of senior and junior tea-

chers on March seven. Fernando Rivera was

declared salutatorian. Twelve other honor u

students were selected. The complete list

of the honor students is as follows: e

1. Herminio Miranda 7. Amelia Sitson

2. Antolin David 8. Leandro Gomez

3. Artaserxes Sampang 9. Pericles Meneses

4. Rosie Macapinlac 10. Conrado Dizon

5. Pedro Estacio 11. Diosdado Dizon

6. Orlando Santiago 12. Erlinda Cunan

These honor students will be awarded cash prizes as follows:

• Valedictorian – P100 donated by Governor and Mrs. Rafael Lazatin.
• Salutatorian – P50.00 donated by the Twaño Studio.
• First Honorable Mention – P30.00 donated by Mr. Yap Kim Yan.
• Third Honorable Mention – P15.00 donated by Mr. Jose Ongtioco.
• From the Sixth to the Twelfth Honorable Mention – P5.00 each donated by Mr. And Mrs. Candido Twaño.

They will be presented with these prizes during the commencement exervices.

The High School Graduate and the Community

(Valedictory Address)

by Rogelio Garcia

When we, the graduates of 1955 leave the portals of our beloved Alma Mater, we step into a world morally wrecked, economically dislocated, socially in revolt, and politically in turmoil. Before us looms a grave and an uncertain tomorrow. Around us lurk the numerous malevolent forces of this world. The scene is very confusing and deceiving. But because our school has anticipated such state of affairs and accordingly equipped us with some tools with which to clear the way, we can not stand on the sidelines with indifference. The knowledge and skills which the former speaker presented, strengthen our courage to cast away our fears and hesitations to meet the challenge of a new life. Yes, friends, the preparation which our school has given us makes us the answer to that call for men and women who will lead in any movement intended to improve community living.

The different vocational courses which we pursued give us all the changes and opportunities to earn our living and lead a happy and useful life. Our vocational efficiency will enable us to increase our earning capacity and when our earning power is increased, we can reach out for the better things in life. Any improvement in the lives of the teeming thousands of our kind all over the islands, will enhance the improvement and progress in Philippine communities.

Taught to be up-right and honest and useful during our eleven years of school life, we carry the seed of good moral character which in our contacts and dealings with our neighbors, friends and fellow men may find growth. Thus, through us high school graduates, our national strength which according to the late President Manuel L. Quezon is measured in terms of moral character, becomes strong and invulnerable.

With civic mindedness deeply and firmly planted into our hearts and mind, through the supervised community service we have undertaken, we are in a better position to sell the idea of improving community living – inspire the people to more healthful ways of life, encourage them to engage in productive pursuits and lead them toward wholesome leisure activities. Once these proper attitudes and sense of values are embraced by them, they will support any movement which will redound to their welfare.

Well-taught and well-trained in our duties as citizens, we are prepared to assume our role as community leaders, competent to push through the work of community improvement in the true spirit of democratic processes.

Because our teachers have been over zealous in inculcating in us love of country, we are now coming forth as men who will not hesitate to do our duties to take up arms if necessary to defend our Motherland.

In this connection, allow me, fellow graduates, to warn you that it is not alone in defending our country against invaders and in dying for her that we can be good citizens. Such duties as paying our taxes regularly, casting the ballot intelligently, obeying the laws of the land and a score of them can be mentioned as belonging to this phase of man’s efficiency. Nor should we be deceived by the thought that high school education is a sure guarantee for effective citizenship. In the final reckoning, our usefulness is not measured by the amount of knowledge and training we have acquired but rather it is gauged by how fully and effectively we have lived. It is not enough that we have the talents that we have developed. We have to use them above and beyond our personal advancement. Beyond our self-fulfillment lies an illimitable field where we can employ our talents for others. Our less fortunate brothers need our ideas and leadership to meet the exigencies of life. Let us share with them whatever our high school education has given us.

Fellow graduates, let us leave this school imbued with a zeal for further knowledge, with a passion for truth, but above all with the cooperative attitude toward others and with the willingness to assume a measure of personal responsibility to make this world better than we found it.

Is High School Education a Failure?

(Salutatory Address)

Fernando Rivera

Current criticisms coming from outside the school system charged that high school education today has failed to accomplish its purpose. While the duty of refuting the accusation belongs to more mature and competent minds, we, the product of the present educational system can throw some light on this issue. On the basis of the knowledge, skills and training which our four long years of high school life has equipped us, we would be less than fair if we were to admit that education has failed in its mission. Purported to develop us into individuals fit to live a democratic society, our school has been careful to carry out the educational mandate ordained in our constitution – development of moral character, personal discipline, vocational efficiency, civic consciousness and the duties of citizenship.

Thus formal instruction on such virtues as honesty, fairness, obedience, courtesy, etc. has been given to us from time to time. Although no definite period is provided for it in the school program lessons for their development are incorporated in the different subjects, especially English and the social studies. Incidental teaching of moral virtues is also done during vocational courses and the extra curricula activities.

As an important corollary of moral character, personal discipline is greatly emphasized. Functional teaching and learning is employed. To prepare us for actual life situations, information and activities are related to our interests, needs, purposes and experiences. Through experimental and laboratory processes, we are trained to take scientific and critical views on persons and events.

To give us training in the different vocations, a vocational program geared to producing agricultural workers and factory artisans is followed by our school. Book learning is gradually giving way to functional education which emphasizes work experience. We are required to participate in the healthful and gainful experience in crop and animal productions, handicraft, household chores, etc., to the end that we may not only acquire some technical knowledge about the different life callings but also develop skills and abilities in the performance of gainful occupations.

The community service program which our school has launched has inspired us to be civic conscious. The different activities we undertook together and the problems we tried to solve conscientiously have made us realize that no person, no community and no country no matter how rich and powerful can live alone. All mankind is a single family under the Fatherhood of the Divine Providence. Yes, it has taught us that the rich need the poor as the poor need the rich and all of us, young and old, weak and strong have both the obligation and the right to be our brother’s keepers.

Our Philippine Social Life. Government and History have taught us our duties and responsibilities as good citizens of our country. The different school organizations like, the student Government, the Junior Police, the class organizations and the Scout organizations have given us much training in self-government and in talking freely and intelligently. The different clubs like the vocational clubs, the oratorical and debating club, have inculcated in us the great need for grouping, working and sharing together to realize an objective.

This simple but sincere assessment of our secondary education is our answer to the denunciation of our critics. While I honestly believe that they might have only been inspired by their honest concern over the well being of the Filipino Youth against the danger posed by idleness, vice and moral decadence that surround us today, may they not be so narrow-minded as to refuse to see the positive accomplishments of our schools which are dedicated to the monumental training for service and leadership. Let us bear in mind that the school is not the sole agent to develop the individual; there are the home and the church. While the school might be doing its job, without the cooperation of the home and the church they youth can not emerge a full man. Le us not also lose sight of the fact that no undertaking, no matter how nearly it approached the ideal can be spared of faults, especially one o the magnitude as our high school education. So fellow graduates, as grateful pronouncement for all that our beloved Alma Mater has given us and for the unselfish devotion and sacrifices of our dear teachers to make us what we are now, let us in our words and deeds show that our high school education is not a failure.