Emilio Jacinto (our nation's heroes)

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Part of The Young Citizen: The Magazine for Young People

Title: Emilio Jacinto (our nation's heroes)
Language: English
Year: 1935
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Fulltext: lhcemlwr, 1.9.!5 THE YOUNG CITIZEN 309 Our Nation's HeroesEMILIO JACINTO By EULOGIO 8. RODRIGUn' EFORE the outbreak of the Philippine B Revolution Emilio Jacinto was taking up the preparat01·y law course in the Unive1·sity of Santo Tomas. This was in 1894 and he was then 19 years old. He also joined the Katipunan in the same year. As a student Emilio Jacinto worked ha!'d in preparing his lessons. He had not been only studying his lessons thornughly but he likewise read much other books that were not included in his coUl'se of study. During the time of Emilio Jacinto, Fili: pino students especially in the higher grndes · had to meet a handicap and a responsibility in life. On the one hand, they should not be too libernl in their ideas because they might be accused of criticising the government. On the other hand a Filipino student was looked upon by the people as their adviser or community leadel'. They came to him to be enlightened on any subject from ast1·onomy to government. Jacinto took an active part in defending the common man against wrongs they suffered from the hands of some abusive officials of the government. At that comparntively early age his was a delicate responsibility. This fo1·gecl his characte1· into one of iron will. At times he would go along the sh01·e of the Luneta to read before his tl'Ustecl friend his plan or the pl'inciple that should guide his people in the contemplated rnvolution that might take, and in fact took, place at any time. The Luneta's shore was a safe place as any Spanish official who might come at any moment could be seen at once and the compromising papers could either be buried in the sand or thrown into the bay. Jacinto also believed that if a 1·evolution had to be started it must be sta1·tecl "A;;sistant Director, National Library of the Philippines. by the common man and not the wealthy or the intelligent class. But the common man must have a leader prepared to guide the revolution wisely so that it would not be a mere bloody affair rather it must be one based upon the principle of human liberty. For the guidance of the Katipunan he p1·eparecl the "Primer" and pi·omulgated rules for its ceremonies and l'ites. He also wrote propaganda articles on such subjects as light and darkness, light and glitter, liberty, equality of men, love, the people and the government, false belief, and work. In his teachings to his people he emphasized the fact that they must first strive hard to deserve liberty before winning it. "Work," he said, "is a gift to humanity, because it awakens and gives vigor to intellectual power, will, and body which are indispensable for p1·ogress in life. . . He · who toils keeps away trom a life of disorderly and bad habits and boredom, finds diver. sion in labo1", and becomes strong, prosperous, and cheerful. . . How much tl'Uth is there in what our Baltazar has sung in his verses 'Those who grow up 'midst the revelries of wealth, are devoid of judgment and kindness and lacking in counsel'. (Ang laki sa layaw karnniwa'y hubad, sa bait at muni't sa hatol ay salat.)" Again, he wrote, "The life that is not consecrated to a lofty and 1·easonablc purpose is a tree without shade, if n0c a poisonous weed . . . The honornble man prefe1·s honor to personal gain, the scoundrel, gain to honor." Of light and glitter hes.aid: "Treason and perversity seek glitter in order to conceal their falseness from the eyes of the spectat01·; but honesty and sincere love go naked and allow themselves to be seen confidently by the light of the clay." (Please turn lo page 313) Pictorial of the Celebration of the First National Girl's Week Emilio Jacinto Elementary School Presiding over the festivities: Filipinas, center; Minerva (Goddes~ of Wisdom) on !-.er right; and Vesta (Goddr.ss of the Home) on he1· left. Filipinas Minerva l'esta Gloria Samson Remedios Ramos Pl't:!ciosa Irma Pineda Below are pdze winners in the different phnses of school work. The prites are awarded by the Jacinto Mothers' League. On the right: Corazon Hanrlog, Ideal School On the left: Fernanda Gil'I P.nd Lest cook Salonga, He.althiest Below: Libertad Donato, most lady-like in department Adelia B. Fugoso. She ex~cls in aca1h. ·1~\ ic s ubjects Teofila A velido Skilled in n~ dlework lhcemba, 1985 THE YOUNG CITIZEN 313 T~E GREAT BELL OF PEKING (Retold by Elisabeth Latsch) (Continued from the October issue) NOW Kuan-yu called upon the Emperor to receive the command to cast the Great Bell oi Peking. But he felt all the more distressed after the audience with his Celestial August. He must make the bell: there was no longer any way out. Kuan-yu began to labor day and night. From th(' wise men who were able to read the great and wonderful books, Kuan-yu learned about the art of casting bells. He trav:kd far and near to the craftsmen in the art: he must sec and hear more about engraving. about embossing and about inlaying the metals to be used for the bell. But such a large bell had never yet been cast in all China. And to Kuan-yu's dismay he realized that he could never become a master in such a great task. An immense factory was built where hundreds of workmen were busied with precious metals. Thea were silver and gold in abundanc.e: yellow brass. red copper and bright tin were piled up everywhere. Kuan-yu. too, wJs everywhere. He watched her..' and he directed there. He gave the orders for mak ing the mold: the mixing of the metals: and the drawing of the pattern. But the more work his men turned out. the heavier grew Kuan-yu's heart. .. How could he know the little and important thing> about casting bdls ~ He a cannon molder~ Min Ling, had done him no friendly turn. to recommend Kuan-yu, the cannon molder as the most skillfu! master in the art of bell making." Gradually. Kuan-yu lo::;r hope altogether. He could not sle~p He could not cat. He worried and worried throughout his work. day and night. Even the fragrant t-.'.l of China no longer brought a look of ch::er to his face. "If only my bell were finished and a5 well rounded as this small cup here before me'.'' EMILIO JACINTO !'Continued from page 309 J As we all know Jacinto was the brain of the K;itipunan. He was the son of Mariano Jacinto, a bookkeeper by profession. and Josefa Dizon. an intelligent midwife. residents of the barrio or Trozo. He was baptized at the age of three days at the Binondo church on December 18. 1875. He breathed his last on April 16. 1899. at Majayjay. Lagun.1, In the meantime. Ko-ai, the daughter of Kuan-yu sat in the garden embroidering her wedding gown She was to be married to the son of Min Ling. T!1(' design on her gown was the peach bloss~m. from the tree which brings long life and good fortune to young brides. Ko-ai was very, very happy and sensed nothing of her father's great sorrow. Softly. veqr softly she sang to herself an old, old sohg: "Peach blossom after rain Is deeper red; The willow fresher green: Twittering overhead: And fallen petals lie wind-blown, Unswept upon the courtyard stone. As she went on embroidering the branches of pin~ trees took shape upon the cloth: for the pine tr.:e - was the sign of happy marriage. And remembering that the perfume of the plum blossom was the nightingale's voice turned to music, Ko-ai carefully selected and stitched its design and colors on her robi~. Last of all. she added the King of Flowers. th2 royal peony. As she shaded its hues of white. cream and crimson. a smile spread over her face and softly she Spoke aloud. "Is he whom I am to wed. not more to me than a king~ It is for him I place the petals of the peony upon the hem of the gown." And once more her voice drifted into a song from "Th.: Book of J adc" "The earth has drunk the snow. and now the plum trees are blossoming once more. "The willow leaves arc like new gold: the lake is molten silver. "It is the hour when sulphur lad::n butterflies rest their velvet heads upon the flowers." as a result of the bullet wound in his thigh which h~ received while in command of the Northern army. Thus passed the man the keystone of whose doctrine was to work and to labor, giving rhe noblest and best that was in him for the revolution, or for a change for a better government in order to give the common man-the average Filipino-a chance to rise without interruption, through his labor and industry.