The Magna Carta of godless education

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Part of The Carolinian

Title: The Magna Carta of godless education
Language: English
Source: The Carolinian Volume XVI (Issue No. 5) March 1953
Year: 1953
Rights
Fulltext: •‘On proper occasions if and when circumstances warrant, we must show the dangers and adverse effects of religious instruction in the public schools”. (Par. 3; Resolution of the Special Committee composed of Dr. Mauro Baradi, Secretary Cecilio Putong, Director Pangi linan and Asst. Director Trinidad.) The Magna Carta of 1 /^OW that most of the dust 1/ f has settled, the real issues // f in the religious controversy I t7 that recently touched off a nationwide uproar, are get ting into a clearer, sharper focus. More often than not, people like us, thoroughly exposed to diverse re ligious climates, leap at the chance of taking sides in religious tiffs. Our yen for doctrinal discussions is se cond only to our love for political bull sessions. We catapult from springboards of set prejudices and prefabricated notions. There is hardly time to delve into the heart of the matter. In the process, the true issues are by-passed, or mostly muddled. When the Catholics recently raised a protest against the appoint ment of a top education official who, according to documentary evidence, had pledged to go around the con stitutional provision on religious in struction, a counter-holler went up from different quarters and from some well-meaning but mis-informed Catholics. Among them a good friend of mine, visibly itching to go into a religious polemics, accosted me: "So you are going to speak in the Cath olic Rally? I would like to have my say there, too, about the Catholics' attempt to sit on the head of the gov ernment." He then went into a Godless Education C). C^Rama spiel of bigotry, intolerance, perse cution of the minority, a pious lec ture on the separation of Church and State, topped off by a sweeping statement: "Religion should be taught at home and not in the classroom." Somehow, he had summed up the stereotyped, moth-eaten arguments that pop up everytime the Catholics bat for their rights as citizens and for the enforcement of the constitu tional tenet on optional religion. I refused to warm up to his taunts. It was a waste of breath to argue beyond the issues. The con tentions were, at best, beside the point, except the one about the home being the place for religious instruction, which was no argument at all. This was, if anything, an interesting piece of opinion, without props or reasonable basis. For the fun of it, I toed his line of reasoning and threw a bait: "Bio logy should be taught at home and not in the schoolrooms." What was the reason for this? If I told him, I said, my reasoning would be as scantily-clad as his when he got to defending his Catechism-at-home Atty. Napoleon G. Rama, current Editor of the ANG LUNGSURANON, a Catholic weekly, is an immediate predecessor of current Editor Aller in the CAROLINIAN. He is one of the sons of ex Senator Vicente Rama, also an alumnus of San Carlos. Although busy editing the Cebu Catholic Weekly and his law practice, he pinch-hits for the CAROLINIAN as contributing Editor. theory. He was entitled to his private opinion, so was 1. But one must draw the line between a mat ter of opinion and logic. Oddly enough, despite its es sential nonsense, the line about home being the only suitable place for religious instruction has gained quite a currency among the group of dissenters. Probably because it has a flag-waving, catchword ring, like "Home is where the heart is," "Women's place is home." But like most catchwords, it appeals more to the ear than to the brains. What guarantee is there that the students could learn better their religion at home rather than at the classrooms? A lot of nonsense could be skipped if we took time to in quire into the issue: Is religion worth learning at all? Is it as vital as Mathemathics, as necessary as Sociology, as important as Shakes peare? Probably, the most tragic com mentary on the Philippine public school system is that it taught the students everything on the face of the earth and other planets, except the One who made them. It in formed the schoolboy everything about man from toenail to root-hair, except what man was made for, what's his business being born. Most of those who hollered, per(Continued on page 2!>) MARCH, 1953 Page 3 Zke Magna Carta of godless Education (Continued from page 2) secution, bigotry. Church interven tion and what-have-you, when the recent controversy exploded, would be eating back their words (without vanilla) if they bothered to inves tigate the issues. Up on the high perches of the education department are three men who since 1949 have been members of the masons' "Special Committee for the Elimination of Religious Instruction in the Public Schools.” The document — the lOItlC EFFICENT DEGREE WORK mg .... jillnan EE FOR THE ELIMINATION OF RELIGIOUS SUCTION IN PUBLIC SCHOOL9 s recommended to appoint a Special Committee of Religious Instruction in Public Schools, inted the following: jbmilled a complete report with the following Photostats seldom lie; if. at all Chairman Member Member Member here to the provisions of the Constitution of that "Optional religious instruction in the public 11 be maintained as now autho V, Section 5); ever vigilant and fight any and all schemes the Constitution of the Philippines on 'ious instruction in the public schools; oper occuMoiis anil if und when circt * must show the dangers and adverse effect! ^ruction in the public school?, ill the recommend;! its apnnival. Said Magna Carta of Godless education — is still found in the fiies of the Grand Lodge (see cut). In the third paragraph, the officials, Sec. Cecilio Putong, Director Pangilinan and Asst. Director Trinidad pledged that, "on proper occasion and when cir cumstances. warrant, we must show the dangers and adverse effects of religious instruction in public schools. " These same men, upon taking their oath of office, swore solemnly and publicly to defend the Constitution, abide by the laws and work for the general welfare. Despite the extensive publicity whipped up by the Manila papers on the expose, the three officials never dared to categorically deny the story. When the heat became unbearable, Dr. Putong, after two weeks of hemming and hawing, turned up with a lame statement that "he did not recall having signed the special committee's resolution. But he fooled no one. The loophole he cut thru his denial (he was rely ing on recollection)—a sort of escape route — was much in evidence. However, Dr. Baradi, head of the special committee, was man enough to disclose that he had conferred with Dr. Putong before the commit tee was formed, thus scuttling what ever was left standing ol Mr. Putong's denial. The wave of indignation hit a new high when Pres. Quirino after having been apprised of the whole situation by Mons. Madriaga, took the remarkable faus paux of pro moting Mr. Pangilinan, another com mittee member, to the undersecre taryship of Education. Obviously he underestimated the overwhelming Catholic population, by a long shot When the investigations went underway, the Grand Lodge (so ciety of masons) rushed to the aid of the officials under fire In paid newspaper spaces, it made known its stand: 1) belief in God, 2) in brotherhood of men, 3) in civil liber ties, and set up the defenses: 1) it meant merely to combat the "con certed move in 1947 to implement compulsory religious instruction.” 2) a hierarchy owing allegiance to a foreign state should not dictate the Philippine government on ap pointment and removal of officers, 3) the Lodge is really for religious instruction, 4) we should unite in fighting the common enemy Com munism, instead of engaging in minor bickerings The Grand Lodge had no al ternative than to evade the issue. The defenses could be knocked off, one by one, by its own special com mittee resolution. The title and the third paragraph of said resolution had said a mouthful and had made the Lodge's position in the present controversy, hopelessly untenable. It would be mightily interesting to learn just what are the "dangers and adverse effects of religious instruction." The masons' devout protestation as to belief in God and the Constitution would look ridicu lous and bizarre alongside the re solution's third paragraph. It was not against compulsory instruction merely, but against religious in struction itself. Was the famous resolution (dated 1949) really meant to put a halt to the "concerted move in 1947 to im plement compulsory instruction or is the Grand Lodge kidding? They have built a reputation for alertness. The line about the hierarchy's alle giance to a foreign state is too silly for comment. Everyone knows that our affairs with the Vatican relate merely to Faith and Morals. Catho lics in all countries have such rela tions with the Vatican and no state had kicked about it except the communists-run states. The Church-State separation doc trine is grotesquely irrelevant to invoke here. Apart from its true legal concept and application, the matters involved relate to and affect directly the vital interests of the Church. In the light of the uncover ed policy of the education depart ment to obstruct religious instruction, in the schools — a violation of a constitutional provision -- it is sounder to say that the State had meddled in the affairs of the Church rather than the Church having got ten in the way of the government. Senator Esteban Abada arosslv (Continued on page .12) MARCH, 1953 Page 29 ROTCHATTER (Continued from, page 17) KOZC femmes Personalities By Cosmirabueno Corps of Cadets Participate in USC Day Parade Adding more color and martial animation to the USC Day parade, the Corps ol Cadets marched with the participating elements. In fulldress uniforms, they showed their wares to the impressed public. The artillery units presented a specta cular sight as they were mounted on trucks (weapon carriers) which dragged ponderous howitzers be hind. The Infantry sweated it out on foot. But their reward however was satisfying beyond measure as "A" company (an infantry unit) ob tained the acclamation as the "Best Marching Unit" of the whole corps. Not to be outdone, though, were the Corps Sponsors. While sitted demurely in their respective cars in their white uniforms, they were re cipients of applause and ovation from the public. 16 Cadets to Graduate from Advance Course Sixteen cadets are to graduate this year from the advanced course of the R.O.T.C. it was disclosed by the D.M.S.T. (Department of Military Science and Tactics). Eleven are graduating from the Infantry while the rest will graduate as cannoneers. They are Cdt. Col. Cosme T. Mirabueno, Cdt. Lt. Col. Cirilo Sario, Cdt. Lt. Col. Eleno Ybanez, Cdt. Lt. Col. Pedro R. Patalinghug, Cdt. Major Honorio Aranas, Cdt. Major Jose Villanueva, Cdt. Major Eutiquio Colon, Cdt. Major Dionisio Capuy, Cdt. Capt. Uswaldo Cayongcong, Cdt. Capt. Amancio Cuaresma, and Cdt. Capt. Bienvenido Revilla. They all belong to the Infantry Unit. Artillery men are Cdt. Lt. Col. David Dulanas, Cdt. Major Eutiquio Valmoria, Cdt. Capt. Modesto Pal mares, Cdt. Capt. Diamelo Borromeo, and Cdt. Capt. Restituto A. Bacalso. For these cadets graduation means the termination of four solid years of gruelling work. It will effect the change from silver discs to golden bars and from swords to 45 cal. pistols. At present these cadets are wait ing for the approval of their applica tions for commission to officership in the Armed Forces. FELLOW CADETS! -To amuse you once again, here I'm gonna introduce to you the line of addi tions that grace the upper bracket of the ROTC feminina. Certainly the College of Educa tion is not far beaten in filling up the gaps in the ROTC reel of beau ties. Modesty aside, our lone de partment accepts only about ten to fifteen coeds, who, of course, must meet all the necessary qualifications, or shall we say, could make shabby-dead cadets move like birds on the wing. First on the roll, we have here an American-Filipino cutie, born a Cebuana but tentatively residing in that wonderful city of Panguil Bay. It's worthwhile mentioning that the position she occupies now is not new to her, for during her high school days she held the apex po sition of her institution's garden of beauties. That's why when the unprecedented resignation of our former Corps Sponsor surprised us it came to my mind to approach this assiduous church-goer with beauty and brains rolled into one. When we requested her to accept the position, she declared, "I am willing to do my best in order to foster the morale of the cadets." So, my fellow cadets, wipe off that sweat on your brow. Let those frayed nerves rest for a moment. There's no use getting excited, for our Corps Sponsor is friendly. Miss Isobel Martin is the name. Cdt. Lt. Col. Eleno Ybanez, pro bably the handsomest guy in our staff, became a little hopeless when his sponsor left him a while ago in order to represent Cebu City in International Fair in Manila. All his hopes vanished but he found another. The search is history. G-2 agents stood fast but ready before i launching actual operations. We ! posted all combat operatives (talk1 atives) on all corners of the Univer sity. Finally, at exactly ten hundred : hours one of the rangers sighted and encountered her. She regisi tered heavy resistance (objection). A pre-arranged signal initiated enj velopment. At eleven hundred I thirty hours, the enemy surrendered ! (the chosen sponsor agreed). She hails from the place of the terror | Tawantawan — CARCOM, beside ! Panguil Bay, facing that famous Malindang Mountain. She is Miss Leah Lacuna of the College of Liberal Arts, who now holds the second highest position in the corps. For the Red Stripers (FA) they have that girl with dreamy eyes whose sigh is, for me, as deep as the ocean. Her refined ways and manners have won admiration and respect among the Field Artillery Battalion cadets and friends. She is no other than Cadette Lt. Col. Rosario P. Reyes daughter of Dr. Valeriano Reyes and Josefa Pelaez of Medina, Mis. Or. Here's a mighty sweet gal from the Eastern Visayas. Keeping you in suspense is not just. But I tell you, she's cute. She is shy, yet admirable. ANNIE RATCLIFFE. Annie first got into the pages of the CAROLINIAN sometime ago when she won first place in a declama tion contest sponsored by the Uni versity. Then, her name hit the pages again when she was appoint ed assistant news editor of the same organ; and the third time, by being unanimously elected as SWEET HEART of the Officers' Fraternity. By virtue of this, she serves as the inspiration of the "USC ROTC CA DET OFFICERS' CLUB." She is as young as her face portrays, a maid en of sixteen summers. Academi cally speaking, Annie rates number one among Secretarial sludents. MAGNA CARTA. . . (Continued from, page 29) distorted the issue when he assessed the situation as that of the majority persecuting the minority. Framed correctly, the question would be: Must the will of the majority be frustrated by a handful of people? Should the minority be allowed to impose upon the wishes and will of the overhelming majority (Catholics represent 85 per cent of our popula tion) without their consent and against their interests? Are we under a democratic or a dictatorial regime? Let's not kid ourselves. No mountain is being made out of a molehill. The case against the edu cation officials is real, tight and tremendous. The task of molding the lives and characters of millions of school children and generations of Filipinos have been thrust into the hands of those who had secretly pledged to expel God out of the classrooms. Page 32 THE CAROLINIAN