MARIANO PONCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HYMN

There's a saying that goes this way; "Tell me your library and I'll tell you what kind of a school you have". Without the library, a school cannot function well because the library is the heart of the school. It works cooperatively with the classrooms and suggests materials needed by teachers and pupils alike.

The library should be at least the most beautiful and attractive because it's the reflection of the whole school. It supplies all types of materials for developing and expanding interests. It stimulates new interests, and through its reference tools, indexes, and catalogs, the realms of information and knowledge may be explored. The teacher-librarians instructed pupils on how to use the libraries, how to find information, and how to study.

Last, August 3, 1964, a teacher-librarian in the person of Mrs. Flordeliza G. Tablan was assigned to Solis Primary School, when I first came to this school, the principal was Miss Purificacion Villanueva. I was first surprised because there were only 34 teachers. At first, we couldn't decide what could be a good location for the library. It was really hard to decide because there were 6 buildings then. At last, we decided to have the library at Sebastian Building because it's safer to stay there and located in the center among the different 6 buildings, if the library will be placed in Navarro Building only, the intermediate pupils will be benefited. Good enough, the Library was placed at Sebastian Building because everybody will be benefited. The library was first started with only 1 room, 4 tables, 24 chairs and 2 bulletin boards which I have asked somebody to make because there were no bookshelves, the books were first placed under the 4 old tables. Pupils were trained not to touch them.

After Miss Villanueva stay here, Mrs. Remedios Domingo took over. Miss Villanueva was transferred to Manuel L. Quezon Elementary School. Under Mrs. Domingo, 2 long-low shelves were added. This I have made into a Reference Section. After how many months 5 more shelves were again added. These shelves were made with the help of Mr. Aurelio Lopez and Mr. Francisco Cristobal, our shop teachers.

Come September 1965 when Dra. Paulina Castano visited our library. She told us that we'll be having our library lessons. To handle a library lesson, one classroom will not be enough so she thought of removing the partition of the library separating it from the classroom. This was approved by the owner of the building, Mr. Sebastian. With 2 classrooms for the library, it needs more facilities. Mrs. Domingo told us to look for a vertical file cabinet. We went out then and bought one. Six more bookcases were bought plus one electric fan. Having 2 classrooms for a library, another teacher-librarian was assigned here, she is no other than Miss Iluminada Abraham. 

After how many more months, Mrs. Domingo was assigned as Supervisor in the third district, then came Mr. Alfonso E. Capulong. He saw then that library is really in need of more facilities thinking that a library is a place not only for information but also for recreation and small group meetings, he ordered 4 Narra tables and 40 Narra chairs. Some 40 plywood chairs were bought for the conference room. Three electric fans were again added but unfortunately, one was removed.

With the increasing population of teachers and pupils in our school, additional plywood chairs were added for the conference room. During the first semester of 1969, the interns from UE and NTC, donated  Filipiniana Section. Another 4 bookcases were added again, then Miss Iluminada Abraham left for the States. She was replaced by Mrs. Ofelia Jose who is working with me up to this time. There are times when programs on PTA Meetings are being held in the library, for convenience's sake, a rostrum was made. This rostrum can also be used as a dictionary stand. 

The library is almost complete now except for some other things like the catalog tray, magazines or newspapers are still lacking then. As of now, we have a small stockroom. We have 4 shelves in all of the last 2 shelves were made only last April 26, 1971. We cannot help appreciating Mr. Cristobal every time we see our stockroom. His pupils made the shelves for us. It says there's life,  and there's still room for improvement. We still need 2 shelves for the stockroom because some pupils are still on the floor. We still wanted to get rid of some donated books for the library so our reading room will be more spacious.