Teachers and Educators

Sorry, inadvertently erased the previous posting on this file.  Re-posting.

Teachers...

From Zeno Pimentel:  “Attached is a picture (Please see previous post. E. ) that my father sent me years ago and even before he passed away in 1999. Do you recognize some of them. 

Seated: second from left is my father, Gregorio who was the Chief Administrative Officer of Baguio Benguet Department of Education, next to him is my ninong, Damaso Bangaoet,and Mr. Gregorio Ariz our BCHS Principal, next to him in dark suit is Dr. Emiliano Ramirez former President of the Philippine Normal College and husband of our Spanish teacher Encarnita Montenegro.
Squatting are third from left with glasses is my ninong, Dr. BonifacioP. Sibayan who was also the President of PNC after Dr. Ramirez;  next to him is Dr. Telesforo "Tata Pering" Boquiren, also my ninong, and far right is Mr. Herrin, again my ninong and Herson's father. Mr. and Mrs. Herrin were my parents main sponsors when they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1983.

Back Row: Fourth from left is Mr. Ignacio Lopez former Superintendent of Benguet Auto Line and father of Ignacito and Mrs. Aurea Lopez, eighth from left (gee also my ninong and ninang); next to her is Mrs. Nenita Santos-Rico, and Miss Valdez, and again my ninang Mrs. Encarnacion. You might recognize the other people. I know them but I don't remember their names. The picture was taken 1949 in Teachers' Camp in Baguio with then Secretary of Education Langcaoen and Director of Education, Dr. Pangilinan. Photo taken by Espinosa Studio, Baguio City, Philippines Circa 1949.”

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From Evelyn:  Many thanks to Zeno for posting the photo and identifying some of the faces! 

Mr. Gregorio Pimentel reminds me of Mr. Rogers with his nice comfortable cardigan, reading the Midland Courier in the lounge of their Teachers Camp cottage (next to Ms. Blancas’). 

Mr. Bangaoet survived for a long time, only succumbed to his Maker a few years ago.  He used to be the sole representative of way-back, pre-war City High graduates during the homecomings.  I believe Mrs. Rosa Bangaoet is also in the photo but am unable to see where.  The Bangaoets were our Camdas “neighbors”, and I had the good fortune of visiting Mrs. Bangaoet a year before she passed away in the nineties.  Did you think she was a strict teacher?  Angel, her daughter, thinks so – but I think she had our interests in studying harder in mind. 

Mr. Gregorio Ariz as our BCHS Principal always wore a freshly-pressede suit and tie, admonishing us to do better during school convocations.

Dr. Emiliano Ramirez had a daughter Tessie, who was my sister Alice’s friend at UP.  I also had a classmate in Business Ad in UP, another daughter Carrie who was active in UPSCA.  For some reason, I thought Ms Montenegro’s name was Maria – Encarnita – very Tisay.

Dr. Telesforo Boquiren’s wife, Pat, was our HE teacher at Lucban.  I used to see her at the Diliman campus in the summer when she came down to finish up her MA credits.  Their daughter Isabel, was in Class 60.  I remember Bel singing vocal solos in our Lucban programs. 

Mr. Florencio Herrin was our Lucban school principal, followed b Mr. Tomas Lachica.  I thought at that time that he probably has Japanese blood, having features of a samurai!

Mr. and Mrs. (Aurea) Ignacio Lopez had a daughter Mercedes and a son Ignacito who has passed away not too long ago.  Mercedes was valedictorian of class 50 majored in piano and math at UP (bordering on the genius – I think she was cum laude), married a Brazilian when she was on a scholarship at UC Berkeley and taught math at a Brazilian university.

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From Rudy, and thanks for sharing the following:

ID: Miss Elena Delmendo (last row, 2nd lady from left) - I was her 'fav' when I was in fourth grade.

Miss Dolores Valdez, our well-known HS Filipino language teacher. (Rudy, English iti insuro na, saan nga Filipino – ni Mrs. Bangaoet, Mrs. Miranda quen Miss de Leon iti Fil teachers tayo idi.E.)

Mrs. Encarnacion was our principal at Old Baguio Central School. I dreaded the day when I get called to her office.  (I remember her daughter with the very unusual name of Axa Jane).

Mr. Gregorio Pimentel, Marlo and Zeno's dad, who accommodated me on my first job - a summer employment at Teachers Camp.

Mr.Damaso Bangaoet, Superintendent of Schools, Angelica's (clss '62)dad, husband of our 4th yr HS homeroom and Filipino language teacher.

Mr. Gregorio Ariz (our BCHS principal), who had given me a private audience as a frequent visitor in his exclusive enclave. (Ni, apay, ania iti naaramid mo kadi?  Share met ah! E.)

. . . All of whom, in their own personal way, molded me to respect authority.

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And does anyone recall the names of our two janitors?  I thought one was Mr. Ulalan but that could be in elementary school.

Pa-share, your own stories and recollections!

BORN in Baguio, grown in Baguio.

BORN in Baguio, grown in Baguio. That's how many residents are, but today, many more are from places outside this city, now living here, enjoying too, like the pioneer residents, the good and cool climate while suffering the strong rains and typhoons that the rainy season brings, not to mention the assault of tremors once in a while.

Being born and grown in Baguio has its pluses. One knows the city by heart and if you're lucky to grow in the central business district, your playground becomes the main streets of the city and the nearby Burnham Park. As children, we used to call Burnham Park, Borham or from our friends from Manila then, Boorham. Later, the correct name stuck through English lessons where names were spelled and pronounced, thus, we know it's Burnham Park, named after the American architect who designed it. The name is pronounced like how you say " burn the ham" or better still, the "h" is silent and comes out like Burnam.

Growing up in Baguio, I've always known Burnham Park as a child's delight, with the wide open spaces to run through, a lake where a boat can take children and adults to another point imagined to be another kingdom or country, the biking lanes, the skating rink, the diesel cars that students then got drawn to because they taught them how to drive! The fountain with the rainbow colors at night was a new addition many years past that delighted people no end. Then and now, the plants and the flowers blooming all around, the trees, the grass, the open spaces...what a release from the hectic pace of speedily advancing technology and work that never ends! From the sidewalks of Harrison Rd., one could view the park then. So too could it be viewed from the roads surrounding the area. Burnham Park was and still is a relief from everyday drudgery; it's an antidote to the tiredness of the mind and the soul, a sanctuary for refugees of depression, sadness and loneliness or even brokenness. No wonder we see around this area, children, adults, people who walk alone or in company, hoboes, the mentally impaired but harmless ones looking so neglected but without any care in the world. People of all kinds come here and make this place a portal for their inner peace and refreshment.

Today I drive around the park, but I can't seem to see the open spaces where I used to run free with other children. There are now black fences all around with prettily painted slats carrying names and symbols. I wish in my heart and in the depth of my soul that the fences were lower, showing the shrubs and the grasses, the flowers and the trees in full view. I wish the fences were low enough one could jump over them and still be unharmed. I wish they're there only to delineate the parameters of a public park, a place for people to refresh their minds for free, and to make their bodies fit, not to hide from view the beauty of nature, nor to prevent people from enjoying a green space for free. I wish the black fences were really lower to protect people from possible stampedes while getting caged within. I wish the fences were lower only to protect the shrubs that stand as the real fences of nature. I wish the open Burnham Park would come back and be the green space every beautiful city must have and every person could rightfully enjoy.

I'd like to see the Burnham Park of my childhood growing better and greener each year, more open to people who seek a relaxing break from the rigors of daily life. I love Baguio so, and I love my Burnham Park, the seat of a child's hopes and dreams, a child's kingdom... come. I wish...

By Evangeline Murillo

Tea For Two

Thursday, July 4, 2013

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/opinion/2013/07/04/murillo-baguio-born-baguio-crown-and-burnham-park-290782