The approach [editorial]

Title

Creator

Uy, Lily C.

Language

English

Year

1966

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

CDITORIAl THE CAROLINIAN is the official student Publication of the University of San Carlo*: its contents do not necessarily reflect the thinking of the University Administration in issues involving purely student mailer. It has been reentered as second chiss mail matter at the Cebu City Post Office on June 22. 1962. Its editorial offices are on the main campus, Cebu Cily. PhilipAUGUST-SEPTEMBER, 1966 Vol. XXX No. 1 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Eirah Gorre ASSOCIATE EDITOR Richard Paradies LITERARY EDITOR Nilda Mildred M. Castro Carmen T. Fernandez Melinda Bacol STAFF Virginia A. Flordelis Zenda Garcia WRITERS PILIPINO SOCIETY L Rodolfo Kintanar | ROTC EDITOR Manuel Ramos Ochoa SPORTS EDITOR ' Rodolfo Cemine Medardo Gabiana ARTISTS l Virginia I. Patindol .. EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Mr. Jess P. Vestil ADVISER Rev, Luis E. Schonfeld, SVD . MODERATOR The Approach July marked the beginning of a new school year. We einbarked on a new course, a new vision. We joined the flow of the enrollment tide and were thereupon swept among the crowd, the multitude. We encountered difficulties, we were exasperated after a few rounds of getting topsy-turvy schedule, of missing the right classrooms, and feeling lost in the big new world of the university. After a while, we felt more at ease, we relaxed, we greeted, we chatted, we laughed. This is where we belong, we thought, this is our world. But before we sink deep into a feeling of smug selfcomplacency, let us spare a moment to ponder on our aim in coining to the university, more particularly, to the University of San Carlos. Was it parental wishes that made us come, or was it monetary considerations, sheer boredom or conformity with what the rest are doing? What is, after all, the most basic aspiration of every man, the fundamental aim of every student in struggling for a university education? Jacques Maritain tells us — “The chief aspirations of a person are aspirations to freedom — I do not mean that freedom which is free will and which is a gift of nature in each of us, I mean that freedom which is spontaneity, expansion, autonomy, and which we have to gain through constant effort and struggle.” We aim, therefore, to conquer our internal and spiritual freedom, to liberate ourselves from political, social, religious bondage and to find self-determination. We came to become free, spontaneous, outgoing individuals, willing to commit ourselves freely and intelligently. However, we must realize how slender the thread that divides true freedom from a false superficial one. Freedom of the individual does not mean avoiding baths or going around in sloppy clothes and with disheveled appearance, nor docs it mean rejecting authority, society and everything else just for the sake of rejection. Freedom is not an aimless movement, like a piece of paper floating around without purpose or goal. On the contrary, we, as intelligent students, see something worthy of our dignity as man, and that thing we make the fire to light our life. This is the internal discipline of a goal to be achieved, a job to be done. We see our studies, our lessons, our extra-curricular activities as good and worthy of us, so we commit ourselves to them freely. This is freedom — our free commitment to work, to play, to study, to love — not because we are forced to do so or because we want to conform to the normal trend, but because we see it as worthy of our efforts. As Carolinians, we must attend classes not because the teacher checks our absences, we must do our homeworks not because we fear a failing mark, we must use the library facilities not because we have no other choice. External discipline of teachers, advisers, deans or the registrar can be disposed of, if we knew the meaning of true freedom. Our major discipline factor is ourselves. We, with internal discipline of a work to be done that must be done well, see that university work is worthy of us. Hence we commit ourselves freely, and achieve self-determination in the process. Responsible Carolinians must develop the internal discipline of hard work, not because everybody expects us to nor because we are forced to do so, but rather because we chose to do so. Only then would we see the joy in study, the pleasure in hard work, the satisfaction in struggle. As Jacques Maritain says — “No one is freer, or more independent than the one who gives himself for a cause or a real being worthy of the gift.” — Lily C. Uy THE CAROLINIAN Page Three

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