How should the teacher vote

Media

Part of The Philippine Educator

Title: How should the teacher vote
Language: English
Year: 1947
Rights
Fulltext: TO YOU OF LITTLE FAITH (EDITORIAL) You are as loyal as any, as starved for justice, as oppressed, as eager for amelioration. Some of you have organized provincial associations which are rendering actuai .tangible ·service to members. BUT NOT A SINGLE TEACHER IN YOUR PROVINCE HAS JOINED THE PPSTA! 1. You ask: What can the PPSTA do form; that we can not do for ourselves! 2. You say: Organizations have failed before. Th~ PPST A is going to fail too. Why should we join an association that is doomed to fail? · 3. 'You say: Until now what ha;s the PPSTA done to merit our affiliation? And, objecting, you keep aloof. You would let all others bear the burden of organifation, let others fight the holy fight now that the going is hard. Later, when the going is easier, perhaps you will join? Let us take up your objections one by one and try to resolve your doubts. Perhaps we can give YOll a little reassurance. 1.' You stay out of the PPSTA just because you assume that it can not do anything for you immediately. All that the association asks of you is one peso a year and the loyalty that goes with membership. But you give neither just because you do not get immediate material return which is worth your annual .peso. Let us talk of material returns since you insist on these. Is it not conceivable, if ali: of 57,000 teachers can get organized, that you can get an increase of one peso a month within. say, ten years? (That is ridiculously low, bvt we assume it to be all that the PPSTA can get for you.) In ten years, you wi:l have paid only ten pesos in annual dues, but that one-peso-a-month increase is equivalent to TWELVE TIMES each teacher's annual dues. In less than one year, your material contribution for ten years wiil have come back to you. Is it inconceivable that 57,000 .teachers can get for themselves hospit.alization privileges, more liberal provisions for leaves and for studying, less working hours and more pay, vacation pay for vacation service, etc.? Each one of these would be worth considerably more than the one peso annual dues being asked of you. Is it inconceivable that the Associastion can publish books and materi~ls you need and distribute them at one peso less than you would pay elsewhere? (It has done thi·s already with the PPSTA Practice Tests.) Can not the Association give you help when you become isolated .in your local struggle for recognition of your rights? Can you not get one peso's worth of satisfaction in having contri~uted something to the prestige ·and dignity of your profession? FOR MODERN OPTIC-AL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-80 Escolta 3 - 4 • I ' And yet at the very outset you and your-pessimi:>m would ;;tand on the -W;ay, -You would block {lll hope for tho~e who dream the co~on _<lream of_ am~~o'tatio~,... You would demolish with indifference what others are trymg to bmldf'#ll;h ·the1r bi"ood and sweat and tears. You are trying to sow a sense of failure in the hearts : of those who are trying to struggle for the common good. - .... _ You have mutual aid in your province. What is to keep our a:>sociation from having that jn due time? What will keep us from having a national hospital for teachers? What will keep us from having a Teachers' Home in Manila and other places where visiting teachers may go and be .assured of welcome and comfort and fellowship? What wiil keep us from building a Teachers' Town where all the ideals of citizem;hip that we build in the young may be applied in a model community of teachers and their children? Only you and your one-peso pessimism are keeping the others from -realizing these. 2. You say that many organizations have failed before. Therefore you do exactly nothing to organize now. You assume that where one association fizzled out, we shali fizzle out too. You a·ssume that our struggle is useless because hopeless. It is exactly this doubt that our association is trying to dispel. We now have almost 16,000 members, and more affiliations are coming in every day. \Ve h;)ve a certified public accountant to go through our books so · that we can be absolutely sure that no errors, intentional or unintentional, will get into the accounts. Vve have pro>ided for a bonded Executive Secretary-Treasurer who will devote fuli time to thinking and planning, and putting the full weight of the association behind :tny representation we may wish to make for better education and for better teachers. We have the Philippine Educato1·, our official organ, which is now beginning to have influence even on our national leaders because they know that most of 57,000 teachers are reading it and putting their faith in it and the cause it represent~ even if you don't. T~ e Board of Directors are there to_ see to it that the will of the majority be done. We have been deliberate in our efforts to get the services of men to take care of the association because we wish to be absolutely sure of their 'uevotion to the cause. Evel'y means possible is being mustered in order to assure the continuance of this association so that it may become more and more sure-footed, more vigorous, more influentiai' for good. We ara trying to assure you and your fellow pessimists that these our endeavors are not doomed to failure. 3. You ask: 'What has the PPSTA done so far to merit our affiliation? Tlie " PPSTA has grown to be a national organization of almost 16,000. More than one fourth of all teachers are members. That is achievement enough in organization. In a few months, we expect to have almost every teacher affiliated becam;e the pessimism and the doubt is being dispelled. This fact .alone should convince you that getting in is worthwhiie, for the time is ,coming when we can be heard, and even your little isolated voice can be supported by every teacher in the Philippines should you whh to be heard. - - · Even if we have not appointed any Executive Secretary-Treasurer to d~te because we are careful to select the right man and because we have 'Qeen waiting for more affiliations, we have already caused our Congressmen to lend their ears to us in their educational legislations. Many bills have bee~ drafted and presented before Congress through our initiative, and in the next session, wit!:! more affiliations, our voice will be louder. With the appointment of an Executive SecretaryTreasurer, we shall have more effectvie frontage and more effective vigilance over our rights. (Con't. on page 29) PRESIDENTIAL TABLE TALK ~~~ --fro; By MARCELINO BAUTISTA 1. We are definitely on the move to 'm?ke the organization of public school teachers assume importance in making its wishes recognized. The recent -"STRIKE'' of Nueya Ecija High School teachers, as well as the recent "investigation" oi the teacher in Pavia, Iloilo who allegedly did not allow her class to meet th e President have caused electric chills -in, the thou ~ht processes of people e1·erywhere. These two events have been viewed with considerable ALARM by the authorities, and justifiably so, for these have been "challenges" against constituted authority. Hundreds of teachers have been gripped by the grim possibility that the teachers concerned might' be disciplined ("dismissed" was the word used in the press releases coming from the President, in the case of Cab~natuan), and then the holocaust might have descended upon otherwise passive, placid, and uncomplaining school people everywhere. 2. But we are not going to strike in order to get what we want, and we are nor· going to be deliberately disrespectful. We shall get what we want through the usual legal processes. It is just a matter of bringing tu th e attention of authorities concerned what the schools want and what the teachers need. This is the reason for the existence of our Association. We shall make the President listen; we shall make Congress listen; we &fi.t:H-1 ~ Congtc~5 ~; we shall ma~e all other authorities concerned listen to a presentation of facts regarding the anaemi c school system that we have and the plight of the teachers. 3. There are fou r good reasons why teachers sho.uld not st rike. First, when . ~ we entered the government service and expressed our acceptance of govern· ment terms, we took an oath of o£fice which states among other things that "I will well and faith.fully discharge to the best of my ability the duties of my present position and of all others I may hereaft:!r hold under the Republic of the Philippines; that I will support and de· fend the Constitution of the Philippines; and that I will obey the laws, legal or· ders, and decrees promulgated by the duly constituted authorities of the Republic of the Philippines" ... All that this oath means is that we shall recourse only to legal and orderly processes in order to get what we want. We shail be orderly and we shall be obedient. Second, as government employees we are bound by civil service rules which require, among other things, that a procedure be followed in petitioning authorities concerned for r edress of griev• ances. The petition should be coursed properly and we should be bound by whatever decisions are promulgated by the authorities concerned. Third, if we are members of the Philippine Public School Teachers Association, we are bound by its rules and regulations not to use the strike as a means of getting what we want. ·In its cor,vention last January the Association anopted a resolution to the effect that" IV<i shall not resort tg strikes because we are not of the nature of the labor unions. The resolution, however,• does not indicate that we shall not be militant. Fourth, the teaching profession is generally regarded as a missionary work ~nd as some kind of apostleship. Those of us who have entered teaching as a career did so with eyes wide open. be·FOR MODERN. OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSA~E OPTICAL-SO Eseolta 5 • 6 PIOLIPPINE EDUCATOR ing fully aware beforehand that we _ cannot expect to be well off . financially while in the teaching " s'ervice of . the government. We cannot argue, for this very reason, that the teaching profession is underpaid and that therefore teachers should strike. Fifth, we must consider not only the teachers' welfare but also that of the students, when w~ are thinking of going on ~ strike. This matter is not a onesided affair. It does not concern the teachers' welfare only; there is the pupils and the students' welfare to consider. When teachers go on a strike, they are stopping the functioning of the classes. It must be borne in mind that education cannot be delayed. Every minute and every hour of the day, education must go on. It goes on even without teachers, because the (individual child or adult learns something whenever he goes through an experience. But it is directed learning that we want for our children. And so schooling cannot be delayed. There is one decent thing that teachers can do if they feel that they are not getting enough material rewards from teaching, and that is for them to leave the service. But when they do decide to leave the service, they should do so in the most honorable manner. They should indicate their desire to resign months ahead of the day of quitting so that the authorities concerned can look for teachers who will replace them. It is not honorable for any teacher to say, "Tomorrow, if you do not grant what I want, I leave." Give the authorities concerned a chance to make the necessary adjustments so that the education of the children will not be jeopardized. 4. I have heard this statement from teachers: What do I get by joining the PPSTA? The question should be asked in the reverse: What do I not get if I do not join the PPST A? The teacher will miss a great deal of the feeling of satisfaction derived from ~ork · well done and from having · contribpted something toward the attainment of':certain goals. A united body of teachere will have better chances of achieving something which they could not do if they W!!re not united. It seems that what should be foromost in the mind of each teacher is not what he ·expects to get from the Association; rather it should be what he should contribute to the Association so that it can get what it aims to achie\·e. If any teach'er feels that he does not need the Association to improve his lot, let me assure that teacher that the Association needs him. 5. If we understand the educational authorities right, the new policy seems to be to have the teachers help themselves, meaning that, with the limited funds of the government, there will be less and less substantial help to teachers from the government. This is the reason for the Secretary of Instruction being so much interested in the organization of the Teachers' National Cooperatives. While it may seem necessary that the government should expect the teachers to look into ways and means of helping_ themselves, that is, of improving their material well-being through their own efforts, it also seems necessary that the people themselves. be given tho chance to say whether or not any material help can be expected from them to improve the teachers' welfare. This is why we are most anxious that ii Congress is _ afraid to pass ·the proposed bill revising the Educational Act of 1940, Congress should refer it to the-people for their decision. ·We are of the opinion that the people are more than willing to give substantial aid to their schools in the form of a school tax. They are a~ually doing this now .,_ren-t" thro:Jg~ thet+lflfJIRe Teachers' Associations. ; ~ ' A ROLL OF TINSEL (Short Story) SOLEDAD L. GARCES When my seatmate, Edgardo, received h_ is card from Miss Valdez, our roll teacher, I watched him peer at it briefly and then slip it between the pages of his biology manual. "Doro," he turned to me, with a ghastly white face "It's terrible. She gave ~e 65." "Who?" I asked. "Mrs. Bernardo, in biology. So this is how it feels to get a 65 you didn't earn," he gasped, as he took a handkerchief out of his pocket to wipe his wet brow. VHow much did you get in the long test in biology, anyway?" I asked Edgar. "78,'' he said licking at his lips. 'The median was 76, ,wasn't it?" I recalled. "Yes,'' he whispered, "so why the 65 ?" "Well, it must be that incident," I reminded Edgar. "You mean the roll of tinsel last Christmas?" he said. "It can't be any other," I said, "although I'm very much surprised to know that Mrs. Bernardo can be that vindictive. You noticed that she seldom has asked you to recite since January when we came back from vacation, and she doesn't give you a second chance once you miss the first." "To hell with that incident," Edgar muttered. We were thinking of that last day of school in the preceding December when our class had been much more concerned with. decorating our room for Christmas than with anything else, hoping to win the prize for the best decoratl"d classroom. The cold air felt like the unmistakable breath of Christmas and ·we had felt as everyone else did that it was the one school day in the year when \ve could toss our assign·ments aside till the > 'following January. We had come to class without as much as seeing what the assignm11nt was about and even if we had· studied, we could hardly have kept our: thoughts on our lessons. How could we, when even our teachers could not help listening to the strains of the piano in the soci?-1 hall, where the dance participants with the rythmic tapping of their feet, were rehearsing for the Christmas program that afternoon. Red and green and tinsel decorations and lanterns had been hung up with art or artlessness which nevertheless, had given an irresistibly festive effect to the school surroundings. Somewhere from the other classrooms jubilant voices were singing Christmas tunes to the strums of guitars or ukeleles. ·whoever believed that on such a day as this we were supposed to work seriously , on our lessons? Well, Mrs. Bernardo did. Instead of giving us a pleasant time by having just superfi cial r efreshers of past lessons, she took up the assignment she had given th e day before, and with grade book and pencil in her hand, the effect was very disastrous for us. First victim was Ismael, the star player of the ch3JIIl· FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS:-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-SO Escolta 7 ,. PHILIPPINE EDUCATOR _: pion basketball team of our high school. but Mrs. Bernardo did not stop there. "If you think you can pass biology by shooting balls expertly, yours is a great mistake," she said. The next student called upon was equally disappointing; her remark ~as equally disgusting, and so with the next and the next and the next yet. There was sudden gloom in the room that contrasted with the bright Christmas colors and the gay glitter of tinsel ribbons around us. "Now, class, you can not get by without studying your lessons even on Christmas season, at least in my subject. There's no excuse for failure to recite." By this time no less than eight students had fully earned their zeros and their share of insults, and the rest of us were excited with what was coming on us. As the teacher turned to the blackboard to clarify a question she was asking, Ismael who was sitting right back of Edgar, grabbed from the latter's desk a roll of unused tinsel, the surplus kind you buy for ten centavos from sidewalk pedlers, and hurled it within a split second in a manner none but an athlete could have done. "Shoo-ot I" 'someone at the back remarked. The tinsel landed with a heavy thud on the teacher's table where apparently bmael had intended it to be, unwinding from the roll a full meter length of shining silver strip. Needless to say, Mrs. Bernardo was furious. "Who threw that?" she demanded as each of us held his breath, arguing inside whether we were sorry for her or not at all. Ismael kept to his seat placidly. He must have been thinking that that was a just due for the injury and insult that had been hurled at him by the teacher, or maybe he had wanted to display to his classmates the throwing technique that had made him famous on the school campus, or maybe still, he had wanted to have fun and let others pay for it. At any rate, he sat nonchalantly, blank faced. The class could not have dared squeal on him either, not on him with that physique and threatening nature. "Who thre'>'· had repeated Edgar as the it, I say?" the teach.er glowering at Edgar. head of the decoration committee naturally had to bear the brunt of her suspicion because the other two rolls of unused tinsel were on his desk. He took it peacefully attd in his innocent humor stood, half beaming. "Ma'31!l1, we didn't mean harm. It's Ch ristmas. anyway, so may I ask · you to forgive us for that." "Don't tell me what to do. I know just what I'll do with you, Edgardo.'' she shot back as she made a lengthy notation in her grade book. 'vVe were a sullen group that filed out of o•tr room that noon while all around us werestudents from other classes lustily singing "Peace on earth, etc." N 0\"' after receiving our cards, we figured out that this 65 in biology on Edgar's ca rd must be what Mrs. Bernardo had meant when she had said that December that she knew what she would do with Edgar after the tinsel incident. She would let Edgar's grade pay for the mischief. She would make Edgar repeat biology and give him the trouble of having a hack subject when he would he in th e Fourth Year. "Doro." Edgar nudged at me, "will you come along while T see Mrs. Ber· nardo about this grade?" "Sure, kid. Didn't I tell you, we will fix it,'' T assured him as we walked nut after dismissal. "~'hat will you say to her?" ''T'Il request her to help me pass biology. Tf J claim that this grade is unjust because my long test was above the median. J know she will feel challenged and that will make matten worse, so I'll avoid it. <iosh, what will Mother say about that 6.'i ?" as he flicked his fingers together and shook his head. ~~~~t:~~..l . ~.~ ... , . Yi'" }'-' ···, ·- 'A ROLL OF TINSEL 9 ~r·..:;,';~-- -, tf.·· ,. "Never mind, we will set it aright ~ ;~ ,yet,'' I said. ~ .. ) We found , the biology teacher 111 the faculty room, her bead propped by her left hand as she pored over a pile of papers. - "Yes?" she said as she'' looked up from the papers in front of her. "Ma'am, it's -about the 65 you gave me in biology," Edgar began as he fingered his card clumsily. I marveled at the artist in Edgar that could put up a pleasant countenance in such ~ predicannen t. "What about it?" st.e asked sternly. "With that 65, ma'am, the chances are that between now and March I can not make it passing for the final grading period." "So what?" I thought she shrieked. "I thought I might ask you to help -me pass it. A back subject in the Senior Year will give me lots of trouble,'' Edgar pushed on sheepishly. "I help only those that help themselves," she replied. , "If you can smile about it · the way you do now I think 65 is not bad at all-for you." "I smile, maam, because I don't mean to quarrel with you," Edgar sort of apologized. "Save your grin then. Now get thi straight. I don't want ever to see you grinuirig when you recite. in class. You look like a blinking idiot grinning at me, and seeing you that way gets on m.y nerves, see? Smiling and grinning can't help your grades, I tell you." Edgar stole a bewildered glance at me. I was confused myself. "About the incident with the roll of tinsel last December, ma'am, I should like to make some explanations that-, that-" "That will do," she said. "I ha,·e no time to listen to you," the teacher concluded. Edgar evidently would have ,. taken the last resort, 'to te11 on Ismael's guilt, and save himself if possibl.e from - failing in biology, but he _ missed that last straw. "That will do,'' Mrs. Bernardo re. peated as she bent back over her work. "Isn't it strange? It's so unlike her. You remember how kind and 'Understanding she. used to be before. She bas become very proud since her recent marriage, don't you think so?'' I told Edgar as we pasesd out of her presenc.::. "What shall I do?"· said Edgar desperately. "Why does she pick on me, of all people-on my grinning, of all things ?" "Do your best and let's hope she will change her mind later, kid," comforted him. "After all it's the final grades. that count. Vve'll see if she does not make it 75 in the finals." v\lhen classes reopened the following June, Edgar caught me by the arm from behind. "Doro, let's see Mrs. ·Bernardo, first thing today. I'll see her without my grin this time. I'll te11 her she is the damnest fool of a teacher to give me a final 65 in biology." "She did, really? "Yes, and I'll tell her that she is worse than the blinking idiot that she says J am when I smile. Now that things are past helping, I'm willing to be expelled from this school if only I could get even with her for the injustice she has done me. Just ~orne and see me give her a wordy thrashing sh~ will not forget." "C'mon," I acquiesced. We inquired from the clerk in the principal's office where in the building we might see Mrs. Bernardo, the biology teacher. "Mrs. Belen Bernardo •s not m school this time. She's on maternity leave." the clerk informed us. FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-80 Escolta '' \ .. \ OBJECTIVES IN ART EDUCATION By I. V. MALLARI You cannot disregard art even if you tried. · ·Everything about yllu that has been fashi0ned by man-the clothes that you wear and the objects that you use, the house that you call home and the plc'tures upon your walls, the town in 'vhlch you live and the statues in its parks-is a form of art. It may be good, ba-d, or indiffere:-~t; but it is a form :of ·art nevertheless. Art' is : the concrete expression of man's <{od-given urge to create a little world i'n his own image, to project his soul into his environment, and to leave on everything that he touches the un· mistal<:ahle niarks of his personality. In a larger sense, art may be considered as the result of man's attempt to adavt his eJil.virolUllent to his needs, in order to . .att~.,self-fuifillment and to promote hi?. "{ell-being and happiness. T)l.e •. d;egree to ;which man ha~ a chiev17P.. t.his end is. the measure of hi~ cultu,rf!.: .The more cultur.ed a man is, the · more conscious. h,e becomes of h1~ environment. He looks .at it critically; and, if it does not satisfy him, he tries to cll'~nge it. ·rt . is' t.hro.ugh critical observation alorie ''ti1at m an can develop his ta~te. Thr(;li.lgh ~ e11dless processes of comparis·on·, ···(fed;~ction, generalization, and applicatio;;· ' his ability to judge works of art il~cbmes surer. He becomes more di~'crilliifi~ting and :less prone to compromise. One of the objectives - of art education, · fo/ '· rhis · reason, is to sharpen your abili't'y to examine works of art cr'ilitaily-or, in other words, to develop your sense of appreciation. This is bound · to result from your study of tlie ' Clements arid principles of art, and from your · intelli.gent application of the!ll .. 10 This act of appreciation is itself an act of creation. You will not be able to understand, much less appreciate, a work of art, unless you . recreat~ it in your mind and give it your own interpretation. Your interpretation ·of that, work of art, in turn, will depend upon, your training and experience as well as upon your intellectual and emotionat' make-up. You can get out of a work of art only as much as you bring to it. For this reason, the other obJective of art education is to develop your power of self-expressio n, to help you interpret the world about you, and. to foster your compelling urge to create. Nothing can give you greater satisfaction. In being able to transfer t he beauty of a landscape or of a vase of flowers on to canvas, in being able to· fashion with your hands something that delights the senses, you will feel almost like a god. You · will find that, even if you and your classmates draw the same object, your drawing will be different from any of your classmates. That slioul.d not surprise you. That is as it ~hould be. The works of an artist c.annot but be distinct from those of his fellows . .. The works on the same subj.ect produced by the same artist on various occasions may even differ from one another. For, if we compare the world of matter and experience to a ray of light and the personality of the artist to a prism, then we can compare a work of ai:t to the pattern produced by the ray of light as it passes through the prism. Since the world of matter and experience has a million facets, since no two persons have the same intellectual and .emo· tional make-up, and since every: -artists can come in contact with the world of ' . ,.. .... ..... , . l OBJECTIVES IN ART EDUCATION ll .. ~., .. -.... '• .matter and experience. in a million dif¥• fere.nt circumstances, works t of art 'can? ~ •· • ~ r .~.~ f not but be infinite in variety. One of the chief characteristics of _ a work of art, as a matter of fact, is i'ts originality-its distinctive anark of individuality. That is why it mirrors, not only the personality of the artist, but also the sot iety and 'th~ period to which he belongs. In this sense, a work of art is a social . and historital document. It is wrong, for this reason, to think that art is foreign to everyday life and that· it is the concern only of artists, critics, and . scholars. It touches the whole · of life, because it is the expression, the interpretation, and the criticism of that life. If we hope to understand life fully, therefore, we have to understand art. But art does more than this. It enriches ottr experiences, broadens ou~ knowledge, deepens our sympathies, and strengthens our conviction . that God created man in His own image. Art is the proof that man is also a creator and a god. By our original nature, man is a progressive and superior being. From a philosophical vil!wpoint, a man is just a bundle of desires. Not satisfied with a thing, be wants another no sooner than he gets the first. A teacher is human, no more no less. He desires progress. He wants to improve bi.Inself and be a little "who is who" in his small world. He is not satisfied knowing and seeing others move forwardhe wants to go further if po83ible than what others before him have attained. He believes that if one can progress and by so progressing a certain goa!" is attained, why can't he if he tries hard enough. "Social approval is one of the most powerful forces by which personality and behavior are determined." • (x) Ediu:ational Measurement and E1•a. luation,' Re~~r~ and Gage, p. 72. He believes in the full deveiopment of individuality as an instrument for· the welfare of society. On tOp of· all· these, he 'wants economic and social security for hlmself and· his family. ' Is it neoe53ary to use pressure oo teaehers 'to make them 'further their studies for profe!Sional advani:ement'! That's not ·what 7 they need and expPct. Human as they are; it's' instinctive in man to progress and improve in some way. Why don't we try the positive means rather than the negative? A teacher, because of the complexity of his nervous system is intelligent. He .observes, takE's note of things and remembers. He observes that he studies fu-rther for nothing. He goes back to where he, st?-f~ .after spending time, ef~o:t:; and money. ·~ery often he leaves hla dear ones · behind, just to get a further ' glow of what they term "modern educational trends." When he returns with his mind teeming with ideas fresh from.· schooi·s, he · finds himself downcast and disillusioned. The psychological · P.ffeet is contagious. Place the premium-that's all. That will serve as .a magic wand to all. A teacher with a salary of P60 after fin.:· ishing his bachelor's degree, gets tht' same salary as before. Of courae, there's the subjective satisfaction of being a holder of a degree, but will the degree make him live better unless accompanied by something of the objective satisfaction? At times, it's even embarrassing. You can see, can't you? Place the premium-and professional grow·th is taken care of. Given an in: centive, man, and more so far a teach- · er, will improve himself professionally. Memorandums and circular letters will not be nece83ary and time in preparing· and sending them out is saved. As said at the beginning, man is a progresstvc · a~m,a_l 1 a.nd. w~_at. is needed is incentive, not. pre~sure; encouragement, not re- · pression. · · · · · FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEED8-~EE KEEPSA.KE OPTICAL-80 Escolta ,,. , } HALL WE MEET AGAIN? · (Short Story) E. CASTRO RAMIREZ · · --- Division Superintendent of Schools W~ walked along the beach of Dewey B I d The sun about to set, lay ou evar . • wearily over- the sea. Leis.urely, I sat f the boulders facmg the sea, · on one o and she, beside me, sighed. "Fe,'' I called, "it was years that I haven't seen. you. I followed your mar. . the papers like one who craves nage tn . . , to know, even if knowmg pams me. "That was eight years ago. You were in States then. Weren't you hapPY to know the truth~" "Of course, in a way, yes. Truth is beautiful even if it hurts," I countered. "You have a right to know-but on second thought, it would be futile. Marriage, like thunder or earthquake or love, seldom comes, it just happens. I felt it was better that way for you and me. At least the suffering is short and the agony is brief." "But if I no longer deserve that love, of all things, why deprive me from knowning how it all came about? I should at least understand." "Well-perhaps, I would never kn~w how to make you believe. And if I should succeed, yon would not admit 1hat I could be a woman with so fickle a heart How could I make you understand that I got sick with typhoid fever, and that if not for his timely medication, I would have died? How could I make you believe that with those services and sacrifices given, my parents could not turn away his love? Perhaps you would only think that I am acting, making a good defense for myself," Fe explained. "At least I have the consolation of knowing the truth from you. The truth is beautiful." Zambales "Even if it hurts? Your heart would be bruised, I know. Then, perhaps, you would wish 'for death and death would not come I At least, I spared you that mental torture-the agony of -shall I say, of being brutally frank?" Fe continued. Soon silence descended upon them with brooding wings as they watched before them the sun that gradually disappeared beyond the horizon. I lit a cigarette, and in silence, curled the smoke upward trying to capture my lost thoughts. · "Well," I broke out, not knowing what to say. "Well," she sighed. "What was done cannot be undone, but we can make things a little bit better. Don't you think so, Fe?" '· "Maybe-but we cannot be boni again and start life anew." "Of course not. Surely, I do not mean that. I mean, if you excuse me for being rather personal, are you happy with the way things have turned out?" I asked. "I am and I am not. Of course, happy for giving peace and satisfaction to my parents for consenting to this marriage and thus saving me life from death. At least, I have been trying to be so these eight years. But happiness as you picture it to me now, perhaps, I cannot have it.'' "Why not?" I asked. "All you need is to desire happiness and you will have it. Happiness like love or bate, is relative." "But how? Just now, my one happiness is to forget you, to close my memory to the past. And yet, I could not be happy." 12 . .,; . SHALL WE MEET AGAIN T 13 "In which case,'' I answered, "you cannot be happy. In any formula for seeking happiness, first of all, one has to face reality. The moment you evade it, you fall off the tangent of this universe, and you cease to be a cog, a part of it. Things to embody happiness must be real, and the realities to be happiness must be true. The act of trying to forget is diffi cult. Forgetfulness has plenty of vigor and therefore harder to achieve. You may force yourself to forget what you dare not remem· her, but eventually the more you for· get, the more you remember." Fe 6miled and with eyes half closed said, "Maybe you are right. But you cannot deny that. I accepted reality in obedience to my parents who, like the rest of them, desire their daughter to be with them, forever. But fate is irra· tiona!, and we are helplessly tossed about to suit its whims. Fate is not kind to us, and maybe it is better that we were not." "But, what is fate compared to our ·will? The will is both free and not free as the fate is. If you fling a dead leaf into the air, 1 it is . carried hither and thither without vilotion. But if you toss a bird upward, the wind may hamper its flight and dash its brains against a rock, but while life presists, it will struggle hard to fly; its will modifies the wind's will. The average man is a leaf tossed hither and thither, but he who has lifted the veil from the face of life resembles the bird. He cannot dominate but, within limits, may direct his fate. "But,'' Fe replied, "although endowed with life, the bird has no conception of bQredoml she rapturously sings the same note forever. She has no purpose beyond existence. But our lives-must not one's life have a purpose?" "Yes, of course. The purpose to seek happiness, the real glory of life. When we attain that, then we live, we do not simply exist-but live." I "Some happiness are not attainable. That much I have tried only to be disappointed in the end. If happiness for one is possible or attainable, then there will be no sorrows in this world. It will be a perfect heaven for all. But such is not the case." "But,'' I returned, "happiness is relative. The difference between one'-s happiness and another's becomes finer and finer until it disappears. All things are possible in this world. That which may be found is worth the seeking. Seekand perhaps you shall find. Who would ever dream, for instance, that I shall find you here, now, after all those eight years~· But I have faith in se~king." "I thought, it was our good luck to forget." "How could I, Fe? To forget is just just to rem ember. Quite incredible but true. In truth, if I may confesr-I still love you in spite of all. Now that I have found you, I am relieved, relieved of this anxiety and despair. And upon any soul, I shall not stop seeking until I find my real happiness with you." She shook her head and gave me a sharp look, "No, no I That must not bel" "Why not~ Fe? Are you not willin~ to face reality?" "But there is a gap between us now." "Even then. We are predestined to be for each other. We have so many things in common, bound by one race and one fate-forever." "Perhaps-in the same way as two parallel lines are drawn very close to each other-so close indeed that no third line, however thin, could be drawn between them." "Will the two parallel lines ever meet?" "Yes, of course. In infinity." "But, dear me, how shall a man live when his heart is being crushed like iron upon an anvil? Here we are-I, FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-80 Escolta .. adoring you as my love-while youyou will not want to face reality and yet aU the time seeking . for that happiness ness and truth." "'Do you forget that I am married, a mother of two boys and one girl? If my love for you was blasted, shall I still crumple . tl).e love of a mother to her little on.es ?" she returned doggedly. I was silent, lost, wondering, not knowing wh;tt to say. And she continued. "Of course, you understand. You must understand!" "But, Fe" I returned, "what has life in store for me? Like the good playmates that we were, we have grown together and played together until I · left the Philippines. I have been used only to your ways. Believe me, without your care and love, I shall perish, I shall die." "We have to take life as it is. Two ships that meet but cannot hail. Two figures on the coin that are alwfiys .. ~, gether but cannot f~ce each othet-.,. What a life indeed, but still, thei'e is beauty and satisfaction in self-discipline." I was silent and she continued. "It is getting late. I must go and join my company before they look for me." I held her hand and asked, "If you must go, shall we meet again?'' "Next Sunday, perhaps, at the same time and the same place." Away she went and disappeared in the crowd at Luneta. I was left alone. I passed 'from doubt from elation to profound depressionand always at the end, I rejected everything, as if I had been pouring sand from one hand · to the other, spilling a little each time until nothing remained. ---oO<>--KAHIT AKO'Y BATA (Tulang Pambata) JOSE G. KATINDIG Kahit ako'y munting bata Ay mabait sa kapuwa; Lubos akong naaawa Sa inabot ng sakuna. . Pag may batang nagugutom, Inihahati sa baon; Ang hangad ko't }aging layon, Sa kapuwa'y makatulong. Bilang tubo't pakinabang Sa ganyan kong gawa't Mal, Darning b~tang kaibigan Na sa aki'y nagmamahal. ' . 'THE -OLD:FA.SHIONED. _ TEACHER by ALVARO L. ·MARTINEZ The other day I waxed eloquent over the old-fashioned teacher while talking to a modern educator. This led her to ask the question, "What had the oldfashioned teacher got which we don't have?'' My answer to her was, "Plen' ty." The old-fashioned teacher enjoyed freedom from the tyranny of college degrees. I do not belittle nor do I want to ignore the value of college edu. cation. The trouble lies in the limitations which it imposes upon the modern teacher by narrowing her dows to the consciousness that she must apply the methods she has learned in order to be really efficient. The old-fashioned teacher, ignorant of all these methods, was forced to be practical in her teaching. She used the technique which she found would give the best results. She was after results rather than methods. ideal number so that she came to know each' and everyone of her children thoroughly. She knew their idiosyncrasies and traits and was able to treat them accordingly. She could almost individualize her dealings with them, - a pat on the cheek for this one, a pinch on the arm for another, a soft, kind word for a third, or a loud, harsh voice for a fourth, and so on. Her pupils were to her, her children. To the modern school mam, the pupils are just so many students. This is not her fault, of course, because she is asked to handle more than she can attend to. The old-fashioned teacher was nol weighed down by so anany inhibition::. under which the modern school teacher h~s to labor. As far as I can remember, tne prohibition for corporal punishment had been in existence even then. .I:Sut the theory of sparing the rod anu spoiling the child was adopted by pracThe old-fashioned teacher took teach- ucally ail the Leachers at that time. ing as an avocation instead of a vocation. To her it wa:s a mission rather than a mere profession. This is in no way derogatory to the modern teacher The question sunply hes in the fact that the old-fashioned teacher was not so much harassed by the demands of a materialistic world and could subsist happily on what she was earning then a~ a teacher. She had all the incentive to develop in herself the dedication to the ideals of education. The modern school man has to worry about bread and butter more than about how to make her profession produce the best results. The old-fashioned teacher was not burdened with so many pupils to handle every day. She always had just the '!'he existmg regulatiOn about corpora. purusnment was JUSt on paper. Tho; tunny thing about 1t, however, was thar the teachers never abused their Iibert;, of intlicting what would be termeu "corporal punishment," and the parent, who believed in the need of that kinu of discipline never complained about it. ]{esult-boys and girls of that time had to go straight and the teacher was a person to be feared but loved and res• pected. The old-fashioned teacher was not incumbered by so many subjects to teach, so many lesson plans to prepare, so many board works to write, and so many charts for exhibition to be done. Emphasis was laid on the 3 r's and the teacher's fur.ction was to show the chi!FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-SO Escolta 15 16 PHILIPPINE EDUCATOR dren how to use these tools. The rest was left to the children themselves to dig out. Result-the children had to use a lot of their own initiative to utilize these tools which the old-fashioned teacher was handing them. This system gives the old-fashioned teacher time for relaxation which re. suit in her concentration on her work. It conserved her energy so that 1 she could direct it on attending to other needs for her pupils. The old-fashioned teacher had the appreciation and regards of her community and the parents of her children. that went to school for the first time. lt was not uncommon that every child or every time that the school would open for the year, mothers would bring lheir children personally to the teacher with the request that she treat their children as her own. This was conducive to closer relation between th!! teacher and the parent and a greater understanding between them. The oldfashioned teacher had time to deal with ' the parents and become a respected part of the community. It was a great distinction then to be called a teacher. .l:'arents used to threaten their children at home when they wouldn't behave, to be reported to their teacher if they did not behave. This is an indication of the high esteem parents had for the old-fashioned teacher. It is not, of course, the fault of the modern teacher if this condition no longer exists. Out materialistic world has brought about materialistic views and consideration of even those things which are fundamentally idealistic. Most parents take for granted that it is the duty of the teacher to educate their children, and being paid for by the government which they support with their taxes, they consider it her obligation lost in this c<_>ld, factual analysis of her responsibilities which is really not doing her justice. The modern teacher has come to be taken for granted by both her government and _ her people. The old-fashioned teacher had the advantage of being able to lead a simple life, society demanding from her no more than that she be a leader and an example of good moral character. She was not expected to meet this and that expense for social representation nor this and that contribution for one thing or another. She was invited to most parties as a guest and it was always considered a privilege to have her around. Seldom did she have to give or contribute for gifts as a teacher and yet was very often the recipient. Her salary, therefore, was not taxed · by these nonessentials which the modern teacher has to meet, whether she likes it or not. I can go on enumerating a lot of thin gs the old-fashioned teacher had which the modern teacher does not have. But as a friend of mine said, "What is the use of harping into the past?" On the other hand, when that thing of the past is good and it can be revived, I do not see why the present should not take it. The modern teacher deserves as much as the old-fashioned one. All those that have been given to the teacher of yesterday can be and should be given to those of today. The initiatiYe, however, I believe must come from the teachers themselves and the parents and students likewise. to render llervice. I am harping about the old-fashioned teacher, not because of herself but be-. cause of our own children of today. Like the modern teacher, they do deserve what we of the older generation have been · able to acquire by the oldfashioned system of education in this H er sacrifices are country. MANG BALDO'S ·DEBUY (Short Story) · At forty Mang Baldo enjoyed the rove and confidence of all the children in Malinao, a beautiful lake town oi Albay. Malinao was quite a big town, but when it came to giving the children a good time, Mang Baldo had no equal. He was very fond of children and the children were very much attached to him. Children went to him just to tell him their worries and problems. Mang Baldo would listen patiently and would try to help them with their problems. He had prevented many children from running away from home, from stealing, from fighting, and from many other seemingly trivial problems which children consider very serious. , Most fathers were grateful to him, but there were others who resented this attachment. They just could not understand why Mang Baldo should enjoy more their children's confidenc~ than theirs. At times they wanted to tell him, but the fact that Mang Baldo was simply motivated by the desire to help their children constrained them from doing so. Mang Baldo was a widower and was living with ·his only son. His son although motherless did not feel so mucn the loss of- his mother. Mang Baldo not only fathered him but also mothered him in the literal sense of the word. Mang Baldo loved his child so much that his son seemed to be a part of i-; life. It was not surprising then that the death of his only child, a year later, TOMAS P. GARCIA should alter the course of his life. This loss weighed heavily upon him. He seemed to have- grown older in age. No longer was he the man with a readv smile for everybody. He was bitter about the world and this bitterness he nursed with:n him. He cursed his fate and blamed God for his sufferings, but the sight of a child-any child-seemed to erase all traces of bitterness in. him. The touch of a child seemed tO make him tender again. Now and then, some children would .visit him in his hous~. and during those m~ ments he seemed to be his old self again. His actions of late made the parents wary about their children's safety. At times his neighbors could not stand his acts. He would wake up in the middle of the night and wake them only t.> inquire if his son was staying in their houses for the night. To humour him, his neighbors would allow him to search their rooms. If he sees a child, he would stop searching and quietly. go back to his house, but if not, he would create such a rumpus that they were forced to drive him away. They knew he was harmless, but somehow they feared that their children were no longer safe in Mang Baldo's hands. As a precaution, they instructed their children to stop visiting him. They told them stories designed to make them fear him, but these stories instead of producing the desired effect just served to kindle more the children's desire to see him. They could not believe the FOR MODERN OPTICAL 1 EEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-SO Escolta 17 ·..,.. .. 18 PHILIPPINE EDUCATOR stories cir~~~t;d· ·;b~~t '·him. 'The··~hhdren in spite· of their age believe4 that it was but just and proper that they visit hin}. Children who' were afraid of their .parents managed to visit him secretly. · The parents were worped. They felt · that something shoul{l be done about it. .. ;.They ' b~came m~~e wor~ied when th.er 'learned that a boy who was sePn last ·. following Mang Bald~ had mysteriously ' disappeared. They capitalized this and , although no proofs could be found to ·.' attribute the loss of the boy to him, • still they were determined to keep him somewhere, where he would not be a menace to the safety of their children. . . ;Knowing that they could dz;ive him out of the town, they· approached Mang Ingo, Mang Baldo's rich brother, and presented the whole case before him. Mang Ingo realizing the predicament his brother was in, decided to do something about it. He furnished one of the rooms in his house and invited Mang Baldo, his brother, to live with him. Mang Baldo at first refused the invitation, but was pre;vailed uporr later on. Mang Ingo hired somebody to watch his brother and to see to it that he does not leave his room. For several months the familiar figure of Mang Baldo walking silently along the streets was missed. His house, once a haven of children, was now deserted. The parents of the town seemd to like the changP, but the children ·missed him very much. · The town was beginning to ·forget him. Then one day all the children received an invitation to attend thP birthd~y party to be given in honor of Mang lngo's youngest child. The parents of the children invited were at first hesitant to accept the invitation, but wher. Mang Ingo assured them that Mang Baldo would not be there, · they immediately accepted the invitation. · . The ' day of the party eame. r,iang Ihgo's house was filled with chjldren. Thf\ air was filled with shouting and merry making. Everybody was having a good time. In the midst of the celebra.. tion, Mang Baldo suddenly appeared in the midst of the children. He seemed tp be the same Mang Baldo again. He greeted everybody with a smile and in a very loud and clear voice he said, "My children, I have missed you so much. If you will follow me to the garden, I will give you the surprise of your lives." After so saying, he ran downstair;; and headed for the garden. The sight of Mang Baldo made the children forget the party. Surprise or no surprise they were eager to follow him. As one they scrambled for the stairs and nm after him. The parents who accompanied their children began cursing Mang Baldo. They never thought Mang Ingo would deliberately lie to them. They wer~ assured Mang Baldo would not be there, but there he was taking all the children with him. They looked out of the window. What they saw made them madder. Mang Baldo did not stop at the garden, but instead opened the gate and crossed the street. When they saw their children still following him, they ran after them. When they reached the gate, th.;)y heard shouts of "FIRE! FIRE!" coming from the house. When they looked back, they saw smoke coming out of Mang lngo's kitchen. In two minutes the whole house was on fire. The parents were dumbfounded. They just looked at each other and in that brief moment, their eyes spoke volumes of understanding. - - . . • • • • • t • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The Filipino Expert . WATCH - REPAIRER J EWE LER & ENGRAVER 1220 T uberias, Quiapo Manila ..• ~ 1 us • • • At the last meeting of the Board of --to statemanship and sees achievement Directors, PPSTA, we were asked if the beyond roads and bridges and the vote Philippine Educator is now strong they get? Nor .to the pharmacist and enough to assure life for itself for more her drugs, the doctor and his pili's and months and years of shouting the teach- scalpel and iodine, the faP!Tler and his er's shout. We assured the Board that rice, the blacksmith and. his tongs? It at the rate the magazine is widening is our ta·sk to convince teachers that its circui'ation, we now ·have both a they are the chosen ~roup that hold sostable magazine and an effective organ. ciety together in their unselfish enWe also informed the Board .that about .deavors so that the youth may hope for half the new subscriptions are paid in better days: In their hands is enfull; that the other half are pledges- trusted the shaping of a country in that is, copies are being sent on the w.hioh the adults and the leaders are promise that remittance would be made themselves badly in need of the basic on the next pay day. We have been virtues. It is our task to make teachsending these copies in advance of ers conscious of this mission, and ha'Vpayment because, l>eing a teacher our- ing convinced them, to make them beg, self. we have not the slightest doubt that ask, demand if need be, for freer and these teachers would pay their obliga- larger chances to continue working untions not only to .the PE but to all thosP. selfishly for the youth and the futur!! others out there who arc helping to that they hold. · support the magazine. And we shall Our simple mi·ssion, then, is educanot lack suporters • as long as we have tion of the Plhilippine educator so he men who realize that on the adequa~ may be a more effective instru~ent for support of education and those who sociai rehabilitation. We shall contimake it possible depends real progress. nue to give him articles of general inFor this is our paramount aim: To terest so he may broaden his mind beconvince those teachers who feel and yond the drudgery of lesson planning. behave like slaves that they are th~ We shall continue to give him aids in real masters and rulers of the land, and hi teaching so he may grow in practo convince those who hold power that tical techniques. And we shall continue that country is nothing which does not to persuade him and other teachers, as value its chii'dren and -its youth and the we are doing now, to knit themse'ves men and women who teach them to together so they can be a power for dream fairer dreams for their country. good. These seem simple enough to us teach- We believe that in the heart of every ers, for we are steeped in idealism anrl teacher is this trinity of aims, three have the larger grasp, but how can it in one, secretly giving meaning to his be clear to the dentist unless he is ::t. sacrifices, inspiraton to his successes man of broad vis·ions and ·sees value in and consolation to his despair. Thos; things other than tooth pulling? No: who believe in them al-so are flocking to the engineer unless . he sees value in now to join the brotherhood of the beyond building and road construction? Ed~tcator and the PPSTA. Nor to the politician unless he soars (Continued on page 43) FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-80 Escolta 19 ~·· ,· WHY AMBO TURNED OVER A NEW LEAF (Short Story) ·. / NATIVIDAD J. CAMARA N ovaliches Elementary School, Rizal Mr. Reyes, the principal . teacher of the school was busy in his office that afternoon. The children were out, having their recess. Cries and shouts could faintly be heard, for the playground was big and the children were playing in 9rrtall groups. Suddenly crief were heard followed by scampering of little feet. The door of the office was opened. and a teacher leading a boy with a big lump near his eyes came in. followed by inquisitive, peering children. It was clear to see that there had been a fight. "Where is the other one?" he asked the teacher, for one boy could not tight all by himself. The teacher motioned to another boy standing behind her to come forward. "You can leave them," the principal told the teacher. "I witt attend to them." And the two boys were left behind. Mr. Reyes, the principal, looked at the boys in front of him.· He knew the one crying, with a big lump in his e~es, to be Pablo, the soa of Ambo, the village tough. * * * Ambo has no job, one can see, but h e could manage to dress well and support the family. His wife always has new dresses and goes to the show regularly. His children in school are well -dressed and looked well fed. Whenever 'a carabao is lost or a load ·of vegetables going to Manila is held up, the people know that Ambo is bebind all that. But they can not do anything. They have no evidence to pin on nim. Recently, a big .pile of wood for sale in Manila the following day disappeared in the night. Several hens :and roosters, a big pig, and six ducks already tied for the market disappeared with th em. Everyone tn the barrio Ambo was behind all these. knew that But what could they do? Ambo is elusive as well as tricky. * * * "Why did you fight?" Mr. Reyes asked the two boys. "Because, sir," Pablo once, "he called me a son and a gangster." answered at of a thief "That is what his father is, sir," the boy answered. "But you should not call him that," the principal told the boy. "Those are ugly words to use." "It is true, sir. His father is that way." "Did you hear that Pablo?'' Mr. Reyes asked. ."Yes, sir, my fath er is really a gangster and a thief and I'm ashamed of him," answered Pablo. "Children talk behind my back. They laugh aRd whisper, too, and nobody cares to be friends with me," and Pablo began to cry a~ain. "Well, you two boys should be fri ends," Mr. Reyes answered. "Pablo has not done a thing to you," he told the other boy. "So you must not call his names. You must shake hands a_ nd be friends." * * * Mr. Reyes had quite forgotten the incident, when the next morning, Ambo the father of Pablo unceremoniously opened the office door, sat on the chair in front of Mr. Reyes' table, and r~ garded him, in not too friendly a way. 20 1¥ I 1•'"~~!£!; 'l: -~~-- ~-~ .. \ ~ ""? ---:-.~::: ,. ~ • f./ • ~ .· • ~ r • • .,_~.. 1- ... • J ~ ; ".. 'o '-r• ~. ~~-;;-~~!• ~~ .-·"'.r· . . -;~.·:· 1 " f • ;•• WHY AMBO TURNED .OVER' A NEW LEAF ·"' ,.· 21·~ ..:!- .• .. ·:': .. '3· ~.... ~ ':_ . .... . ~ '.l.,s. -::1· ·~ I -,. • \ ,_ ,. ._ ,. ·~ .:.-:- ' ~ o:- ' • \ :..."i> ' • 0. ~::_x "I came here to tell you;" he' began "Yo·u should - knock him . bard<;.r,"t.:'$. "that my so·n Pablo was hurt by a boy Ambo said, glaring at his son: ~ _.. ~~ . '-..: . yesterday. A,nd it seems to me that you "l:sut they are true, father," the boy ':-. did not lift a finger to -punish the cill- answered. ..You are that, I know, and · piit. I wttnt the boy to be punished in the boys and girls at school hate me - front of me," 'he continued, fin gering tor it. '!'hey talk and laugh behind my-·. t-he f'orty fi ve dangling in liis left belt. back. '!'hey whisper and giggle when'. "' "It is your duty as principal of the l pass. Nobody would like to ·be friends . school to punish him, or else it woul d W JLH .. .. e. 1 have nobody to play with. :!. be better if there would not be a prin- They say that when I grow big, l would cipal at all.'' also be like you." Mr. Reyes could not say a word. H e had heard of Ambo's exploits. Ambo could kill a ~n as one would a· chicken. What if suddenly he whipped out his -forty five and shot him? "Your boy had a fi'ght with another boy," he finally managed to say. "The boy told your boy that he was a sonof a thief and a gangster. There was a fight and your boy sustained a black eye. I should have· punished the other boy for telling such ugly words had not your son told me the words are true. I'll get him and let us talk with him." Mr. Reyes stood up and went out of . the office. When he carne back, the boy was with hi!!~. "Now, Pablo, tell your father what happened," he urged the boy. "He called me a son of a thief and gangster," he said softly. "What did you do?" his father asked. "I hit him, father, but he too hit me in the eye and so I cried.'' Ambo's difiant attitude sudden!~ crumbled. His shoulaers sagged and ~ his face lost its color. __ "So my own son is ashamed of me • • •-:-.. ashamed of me •. • they would not .:ven play with him ... " Ambo suddenly stood up, and without a word lt;ft the office, * * * A week later, Mr. Reyes was standing in a corner in Blumentritt waiting for the bus to carry him to school: A man hailed him. It was Ambo. He was carrying two baskets, balanced on his shoulders by a stout bamboo. One basket contained milk bottles and the other was filled to o:yerflowing with ripe "atis." "Hello, Maestro," h~ said, "See, I am now a businesSIITian," he shouted point, ing at his two baskets. It was clear to Mr. Reyes that Amb() had turned a ·new leaf. ' FIREARMS * Will help you secure your license. * Pamphlet mailed free. Special attention given to Gov't. officials and employee applicants. AMERICAN GOODS CO. 178 David (10 meters from Escolta) Manila • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 4 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • JUAN LUNA I r r, ~~ j ~ ....... :· (A Historical Playlet) by CEFERINO JOVEN V/ ~'- ~ .;.· ·~ .. ,_ I '· Time: 1847. Place: The deck of a ship in Manila Bay. CHARACTERS~ Juan Luna, as a sailor Sr. Guerrero, teacher-painter of Juan Captain of the ship Sailors (As the curtains rise, the saHors are bumming a sailor's tune as they work. Some are scrubbing the deck others are folding the sails, while LUNA and two sailors are rigging a brace to a spar of the ship. Once in a while LUNA looks towards the shore as if expecting someone.) SAILOR 1. What is the matter, Juan? You are not yourself today. Expecting someone? · SAILOR 2. Probably the mailman, eh, Juan? LUNA. Oh, no! You're wrong, boYs". I'm expecting Senor Guerrero. SAILOR 1. The painter? LUNA. Yes, he may have some good news for me. (The CAPTAIN enters. The sailors .stand at attention and salute.) CAPTAIN (backoning Luna). Juan! LUNA (approaching). Ayl ay! sir! CAPTAIN. This is for you. (hands Luna a roll scroll.) You have been appointed Pilot of the High Seas. You deserve it. (He shakes LUNA'S hand.) Congratulations ! LUNA. Thank you, sir! (The CAPTAIN exits. The sailors gather around LUNA and congratulate him warmly. They sing a lively sailor's song. About the end of the tune, Senor Guerrero enters.) GUERRERO (excitedly) . Juan, Juan, you made it! The government will help you. LUNA (anxiously). Real!y? How? GUERRERO. You will be sent to Europe to continue your studies in an art school. The_ government will pay your expenses. LUNA (gratefulily). I have you to thank for all this, Senor Guerrero. GUERRERO. But one thing more. You have to send a historical pic~ ture to the Philippine Government each year-you know, just to show improvement in your studies. LUNA (firmly). I wi!! do that. Perhaps some day I shall be able to paint great pictures! SAILOR 2. But you are now a pilot, Juan. There is no use giving up the life of the sea. SAILOR 3. Stay with us, and we shall see the world! SAILOR 1. Painting is difficult. It requires a great deal of patience and effort. Let's forget a!! about it. What do you say, Juan. LUNA (determinedly). No, my friendS'. If the eagle can fly to the top of the mountain, the snail after some patience and effort wil! reach him there in due time. (Luna and Guerrero walk slowly to the Captain's cabin as the sailors hum "Auld Lang Syne." LUNA looks back at the sailors and exits into the cabin with Guerrero.) Scene 2 Time: 1879. Rlace: The Luna Studio m France. Paris, 22 .... · .. 1 ...:. '.~~~,.,~.~~1· /~·~.)~~.-:-·-~ ... "~ v~~;_<iuAii-L1JNA '"' .~~,~ -"< / .--,.: .. ·:--:· .. ~.~~· ~::.•·.~ .. :~c::,-;; .. 1'"'·~~··23 · · .!,.If. - '· " ··-- .• . : . . • . ·-:"" : - .••i\t.'R • . "t.f~ ' ,. CHARAC~_kRS: Juan Luna, the painter Jose Rizal, T. H. Pardo de Tavera, his friends (After the musical interlude, the curtain is drawn. LUNA is seated at his table sketching and humming a kundiman. RIZAL and TAVERA enter.) TAVERA. ·Hala, amigo! RIZAL. What are you up to now, Juan! LUNA (surprised, stands). Nothing in particular, Pepe. Have your seats, gentlemen. . , "'~ .... t.i . (LUNA hustles his friends to' wear·'.~; some costumes. Tavera dons a coat of ==~"i' mail while Rizal takes off his coat and .,.·,: rolls his shirt sleeves.) -"' RIZAL (curiously). What am I sup· posed to be? , TAVERA (uncomfortably). Y yo, que -~ parte tengo? My, but this is warm! LUNA. Senor Tavera here is. Legaspi and will sit there. (Tavera takes the seat indicated.) And you, Pepe, will be Sikatuna. That will be your seat there. (He points to the chair oppo. site Tavera.) Well, gentlemen, you saved the day for me. That calls for a drink! (Rizal takes a seat, while Tavera goes around the studio looking at the sketches on the- walls.) (LUNA gets three glasses and a bot. tle of wine. He pours wine into tho We saw glasses and they toast.) RIZAL. You cannot fool us. you busy at your desk. LUNA. Well, if you must know, I am n:taking a sketch of the historical picture I shall send home to the government. This is my first, and it is due soon. RIZAL. Oh, I see. TAVERA (turning around). And what , is it about? LUNA. The blood compact, Seii.or Tavera. TAVERA. Que blood compact? RIZAL. El pacto de sangre. TAVERA. Hm ... Hm ... De Legaspi y Sikatuna? LUNA. Exactly 1 Here, see my sketch. (He shows the sketch.) But I have difficulties ahead of me. I simply can't find the right model. (He stares at the two.) Wait • RIZAL (noticing the stare). Well? LUl'fA (excitedly). I have it! I have it! You are just the anen I need. You will be my models 1 TAVERA (baffled). Models? Que es models? LUNA (eagerly). Here, here, put these on! RIZAL. To your success! TAVERA. Success 1 (All empty their ·-glasses.) (Musical interlude) Scene 3 Time: 1884. Place: A social hall in Madrid, Spain. CHARACTERS: Juan Luna Jose Rizal Graciano Lopez Jaena Other Filipinos in Spain Spanish sympathizers and friends. (As the last notes of the musical in· terlude is heard, the curtains open to a banquet scene where JUAN LUNA, jOSE RIZAL, GRACIANO LOPEZ JAENA, and ANTONIO LUNA may be seen at the head of the table. .OQ the center wall is a big curtained pic· ture. The crowd is merry and is almost through with the banquet.) GUEST 1. (shouting). A song, a a song ••. 1 GUEST 2. Yes, a song •• I There is enthusiastic clapping of hands as one of the guests stands and sings a kundiman. After the song thero is a salvo of applause. Then Riza:l stands to speak) FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-80 Escolta .·!; ., ';";(~Z4.,.~~ ;t.~ ""-.--~· :"f .;' P~lPPIN'E _ EDUOaTott· .. \ • r ~ - ~ t ,., t -~, ' ~· .<:.·"' .... , ' . •' %'.-. RIZAL. . ' Fellow - countrymen' and speak louder t~an ~o~ds the truths · friends!· For the second time we in our hearts . .;,;, ·. are gathe.re<l to do honor to a com- Therefore, my friends, let us <!rink .., patriot who has placed our beloved to the health of. Luna. The Filipino ;_ Philippines. on the map of the world youth of Europe, always enthusiastic, of art. For the second time he has tender Luna a crown, a "humble trishown that genius springs from any bute which is small indeed compared race. Genius is like light and air- to our enthusiasm, but the most the patrimony of all: cosmopolitan spontaneous and freest of all the tri· as space, as life~ and· as God.. butes yet paid him. (He points at c~rtained picture on center wall) On that canvass, which is not mute is heard the tumult of the throng, the' cry of slaves, the metallic r;.ttle of the armors on the corpses, the sobs of orphans, and the hum of prayers, with as much force and realism as is heard in the fearful and frightful rumble of the earthquake. This shows the characteristics of the painter, and it portrays the pre· sent conditions in our native land. Yes, pictures and paintings do not merely entertain our eyes; they often Letters. . . (Con't. from page 36) Sir: Kindly explain why no Philippine Educator is sent to me. The last issuo . I received was dated April and May, 1947. Yours truly, ROMAN B. GONZALES Sir: .We did not come out in June. If V ' (; failed to send you the July issue oilfore, we are sending it now--'right now. Please forgive us. We have not enough clerical help to check up on our failures and shortcomings. Also, we are trying to economize members' money. Very respectfully, - o - · Dear Mr. Laya: -ED. I sincerely! appreciate the efforts you are exerting for the PE and the PPSTA which in the last analysis are for "US", and I wish you inexhaust. (Rizal raises his glass a,nd the rest of the guests, excep,t Luna, stand and follow suit.) Gentlemen, to Juan Luna! (All drink to Luna's health. Then the pianist plays a kundiman as the guests begin to leave, bidding Luna good-by. Soon Luna is left alone on the stage. The humming of the kundiman by the guests can be faintly heard in the distance. Luna walks to the painting and pulls the curtain revealing "The Spoliarium." ible strength and unbeatable spirit to carry on the fight for "this cause of ours." We are eager to help but we ate hard-pressed for cash. You know these hard times. But if it's . agreeable to you, you may send me 10 subscriptions for my teachers beginning with the July or August issue, payable in two "easier" payments-half from the September salary and the other half from the October pay. I~ that o. k.? Sincerely yours, RUSTICO FERNANDEZ Principal Central Elementary School, Bohol Dea1· Jlih. Fernandez : 0. K. by "US." We'll send you teta-ED. --<>-Dear Sir: I have the honor to request inform&· tion regarding the subscription rate to your magazine. (Continued on page 39) ~~ ·· THE ' BLACKBOARD AS A '·TEACHING DEVICE_ ,. • (."'4 I ,,-:"'"' ~ ~ ... '-I ,;.). .. :1'· . MIGU~L DE GUZMAN I ~· ' Supervisor of Mathematics, Manila Below are stated the different ways in which the blackboard may be used profitably: 1. After d~veloping a process, the· teacher gives the class a clear exposition in which she loves an exercise involving the process stating and writing on the board the steps of the process. 2. After the teacher has given an exposition of the process, she sends to the blackboard as many students as it can accomodate. Then the teacher dictates to the students at the board and to those at the seats a number of exercises involving the process with the aim in view to determining if it has understood by the whole class. 3. At the beginning of th~ directed study the teacher sends to the blackboard as many students it can accomodate to write the solutions of the exercises assigned for homework. With the written work before her, she can easily identify those students who have difficulty and need further teaching. Passing from one student to another, she gives whatev~r help is needed. She identifies also the students at the seats who have trouble and gtve them the necessary assistance. 4. The blackboard may be used also in conducting rapid-fire drill. S,he sends to the blackboard as many students it can accomodate. As the teacher reads the exercises, one at a time, the students both at the blackboard and those at the seats solve them as rapidly as they can. 5 During the directed study or seatwork students may be sent to the board to write out solutions of problems which the class as a whole has been unable to solve. Sometimes several students may write their solution.s on the board to illustrate different ways of solving the same problem. While these students are writing on the board, class study should not be interrupted, and it is not always necessary to have the solutions explained. The other students may examine them when they find it convenient to do so. The following are the uneconomical blackboard procedures very often used by a number of mathematics teacbers·: 1. One often sees some of the students of a class working at the board while the others are waiting idly for them to finish because the teacher failed to give them something definite to do. 2. Another wasteful blackboard procedure which is very ·common is the sending of many st • dents at one time to the board to solve problems which they explain later. This procedure is ineffective fo~ the following reasons: a. A student's explanation of a diffi cult problem is rarely satisfa-ctory for th ose who failed to do it. Hence, the teach er, not the student, should be the the one to explain the solu tion of the problem. b. \ Vhen the solution of a problem writ ten on the board by a student is \HOn g another one:: is usually sent there to \nitc his solution. This procedure in\·olYcS much waste of time. FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-80 Escolta 25 RE-CREATION EMILIO EDUALINO Curriculum Division .. One of the fundamental objectives of education set forth ·by the N. E. A . and adopted in our schools, is avocationa! efficiency, or the worthy use of leisure. In com;onance with this objective, our courses of study, textbooks, and other teaching aids and materials, have provided means, by which varied sorts or activities which may be engaged in at leisure time, are taught H.•.• rectly o:· indirectly to the pupils. The.:;e .;; are further supplemented by the intro,. -duction of more vocational subjects in both the elementary and high school ~ curricu:um. We are a member of the social group in which we I:ve, and as such, we should contribute to the weifare of our community, so that every one, including ou:r ., own selves, will be happy. Even 0'1r leisure time activities should contribute .. to the welfare of society. We therefore need to interpret these leisure time . activities in terms of social welfare. Let :" us see what _qualities these activities should have in order to be "worthy." Leisure time must be spent in real play activities, or recreation, where everyone is "re-created" or created _ afresh. The activity must refresh strt:ngth and spirits after toil. The ;-ecreation must be a pleasurable activity. Every one shoui'd be able to derive pleasur~e from the activity. Many kinds of enterta~~ent do not reach up to thi.:; standard o1 true recreation, especially those whereil~ the individual does not participate. This means that, to be able to derive pleasure, one mu!it take part in the activity itself. This may raise a question regarding the following activities: listening to radio pr"~· grams, mU'i;ical programs, etc. These activities may become · pleasurable ones for one who has helped put up the radio programs, or for one who has helped arrange or initiate a musical pL·ogram . for the community. The recreation must be a stimulating activity. A good exampie of a stimulating activity is gardening. This activity stimulates one physically, it creates beauty, it renders a great servicE; to all. Then, the activity must be wholesome. This means Lhat it does not harm any one: nature, the lower forms of animals, the individual, and the community. Collecting would not be wholesome if in its pursuit, one deprives other<~ of the beauty of nature, or of their belongings. Singing would not be wholesome if it is done at unholy hours. Horse riding woui'd be very wholesome provided it stimulates the rider physically, it refreshes him, the rider does not harm the horse, and the community does not cultivate unwholesome habits. We can therefore analyze our recreational activities in tE;rms of these criteria: 1. Is it a refreshing activity? 2. Is it a pleasurable activity? 3. Is it a stimulating activity? 4. Is it a wholesome acth·ity? Aside from the above, we need to draw a line between recreation and work, because there are many times when an activity which starts as ra. creation ends as work. In recreation, one engages in an activity without any thought of physical exertion, or any remuneration afterwards. When one is in a game just for fun or for love of it, the activity is recreation; whe_reas, when he aims at winning a prize, then FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-80 Escolta 26 How Should the Teacher Vote? By MARCELINO BAUTISTA While teachers are not aliowed to take part in politics, we believe that it is the duty of every teacher to take part in the election of their representatives in the councils of the natiqn. November 11 is. the day when all of u·3 should exercise our duty and our privilege to choose our officials. V\1ham shall we vote for? It is hardly necessary to tell teachers, who are inteitigel'llt voters, how to cast their- votes. Being intelligent voters, they will vote for the men and women who have the following characteristic;;;: a. Fearfessness to teli the truth no matter who gets hurt, if the truth must be told .for the purpose of improving the life of rthe people. Beware of reactionaries who are bent on sup,pressing the free expression of public opinion. b. lntellectu·al acumen and perspicacity sharpened, ripened, and seasoned by experience in seifless public service. Let us scrutinize the public record of each candidate. Be sure we can distinguish between the "deep" and the' "shallow" mind. Moreover, let us find out how each candid;J.te fits rn in the set-up of the country. lr> what particular way can he or she be of service to this country ans;l to our , •• "~ff people. Is that service A now. c. A reputation for disregarding the material rewards that accrue as a result of one's elevation to public office and public trust. Does the candidatt. have the reputation of having served the -?,E~le regardless of the material rewarC!.,..might be reaped from the rendering of public service? d. Genuine interest in the welfare of tthe people, especiai1y the down.. trodden and the neglected ma·.:;ses. Is the solicitude for these people's wei~ fare genuine, or is it done to enhanct> one's own prestige or the opportunity to profit in a material way? e. Real interest in the prin.ciplE'$ and the app!ioation of democracy as a political doctrine and as a way of life. Is the candidate practising what he preaches regarding democracy, or is he paying mere lip-service to it? f. How good is tlle candidate's promise? Is it as good as his bond? Are the promises realizable? Beware of the man with many promises! All other things being equal, the teachers will of course select the candidate who can and will represent the teachers and work for the improvement of their welfare and of the welfare of the ;;;chool system. Organ of 59,000 Teachers Entered as Second Class Mail Matter in the Manila Posk Office Subscription rate, P7.00 a year. Editor: MARCELINO BAUTISTA 26A WHY TEACHERS SHOULD READ -. By BLAS ABELLA Curiculum Division .. - Reading is an intellectualizing agenC)! of the world today. Teacher or no teacher, one reads to know the world around him. Like it or not, reading matter in the form of books, magazines, pamphlets, outlines, and periodicals abound touching on the many-sided inten;sts of man from the smallest particle of dust to the sun. It has increased both in number and kind. Man should measure up with the ever-changing conditions of life and society. While one may be sitting in a corner of his house, yet he may acquaint himself with the happe~ings faking place at the other side of the globe through reading. Without going away from his habitation, through vicarious reading, he gain_ s access into the lives of people of different countries near and far. He learns to interpret and reason out things for himself. In. fact, through extensiYe reading, one travels much faster, and more economically that through some of the modern means of communication. And is it not more pleasurable, too? To one who is and wants to be considered an intellectual, reading is an indispensable adjunct to complete living. Reading provides for continuous extension and enrichment of experience, through reading. One increases his enjoyment and appreciation of life through reading ,newspapers .and magazines. He learns of customs, \Jeologies and sc.cial conventions of differ~nt !1ationalities. Wide reading i .s an index of man's progress. After reading, he compares and weighs thus becomes democratic and tolerant,!, instead of being narrow-minded and ·a'· monomaniac. Hardly will you find a man successful well-read man. him in a better ciety. in life unless he is a Wide reading places light in all levels of so~, As Opportunity for Growth Especially to the teachers, reading affords a great opportunity _for growth. Reading plac_ es the teacher always on the level. He im~roves in the use of the language itself and keeps_ him pu-to-date. He keeps pace with the world changes and has a ready source of information for any eventuality. As teachers, in fairness to the pupils he comes in contact with everyday, and to the profession, he must read to supplement whatever knowledge he has. A teacher who doesn't read may be termed unfaithful, to put it m ildly, both to the pupils and the calling to which h ~ has dedicated himself at least while m active service. I t is doubted how far a teacher goes in teaching if he does not have a reading program for himself. To a progressive teacher, reading must be recognized as essential and sign ificant. The teacher m ust take . stock of th e varied reading matter in all subject fields. That he is not teaching a certai n subject is no reason he should not read on that subject. A w ell-read teacher can better elaborate on the substance the merits of various ideas gained. Read- of the subject in question through sysing broadens everybody's \·iews and tematic correlation an d integration. 26B ··J ,, .. ,... ·,_... ... ..~... ~~hcling t';a~h:e~-.~ seems to a modern program instruction. As such, a teacher is expected to give effective training to his pupils on the various· skills in reading. With the little time people have due t~ the mul,tifarious things they attend to keep pace with the fast te~po of present_ -day life, it is imperative t~t the young minds be directed carefully in their study. The school is expected to produce iildividuals who can direct. themselves as learners. Pupils should be trained to locate, select, 'read economically with purpo_ se, interpret and evaluate given facts in the light of their experiences.· In any community, a teacher occupies a relatively high social position. People look up to him in most matters requiring further elucidation. They take it for granted that the teacher is one of the best, if not the best, edu~ated man in the community. Such a 'confidence should be maintained by the teacher who should at all times be kept post!!d on wod~ events. To a common question, . \.. EDUCATOR j-• • ~ ~ .,. ~ . (' ,. i . Is'' ir ·t;ue ther~ wilt ~be . another war? a teacher can do much to keep the minds of the people in peace if he can give ' ~ broad and intelligent interpretation 'of daily events. Finally, the teacher should keep himself professionally alive. Stop read_ing and mental deterioration begins. Learning is a continuous process, from birth, some claim even before it, to senility. He lives most who reads ~ost. Not all education is obtained in schools. · Ho-.v many have been self-made men through reading vicariously ? And may we not say, too, that reading makes the man? · BIBLIOGRAPHY Betts, . Foundations of ·Reading Instruction The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 28, p. 242 ff. 34th Yearbook, p. 102 ff. 36th Yearbook, pp. pp. 6-9; pp. 25-27, National Society for the Study o( Education. NOTICE Since 1932 ACEBEDO OPTICAL COMPANY· 428 Rizal Ave. (front Ideal Theatre) has been supplying eye glasses to school children of poor parents, paid by different charitable institutions thru th e Bureau of Health until 1946. Now cames the Acebedo Optical Co. to offer the children and students of Manila and provinces minimum charges intended to rehabilitate the children's eyes. 90Rd m. m. Lens with Rd Metal Fmme or 38Rd Oxford celluloid., spherical & cylindrical FOR ONLY P12.90 all U.S.A. materials To Teachers: Nominal & Time payment plan 26C ~. ' I '• NEW WRINKLE IN DEMONSTRATION TEACHING - by MAURICIO C. MADRONA District Supervisor .Banate, Iloilo When extension classes were opened last year, my chief worry was how to train the many new high school graduates to become good teachers. It has been our sad experience in the field to observe emergency teachers do unsatisfactory work in the classrooms. In the majority of ca.ses we find these new hopefuls very awkward in introducing and motivating new lessons, in conduct.ing drill and review lessons, and in handling routine activities. We have partly solved this problem of in-service training by holding regular demonstration classes in connection with district Conferences. But in such formal demonstration teaching, we have observed that the .purpose for which it is intended has been defeated. Emergency teachers for whom such demostrations are exclusively held do not usually get the maximum benefit. They only observe, take notes, and after the demonstration discuss the merits and demerits of the demonstrations with the Principals or the District Supervisor. The only time to check the emergency teachers on how much they have benefited irom such demonstrations is whe·n the District Supervisor or the Principal visits them in their rooms. In order 'to improve this traditional way of holding demonstration classes, I tried to experiment by introducing an innovation in which during such demonstrations, emergency teachers are called to handle the classes in order to demonstrate certain steps or principles. This improved demonstration may now be called the supervised demonstration practice teaching. The supervised demonstration practice teaching was experimented in my district on Saturday, August 9, 1947 in connection with the scheduled District Conference. One or two weeks before the /; holding of th e demonstrations · for 1 Grades II and IV, demonstration teachers and critics (Principals) were designated so as to make advanced preparations. Lesson plans were made for Arithmetic, Language, and Reading. Devices, charts, pictures, books, and other materials were made ready ~for the occasion. On the ·day of the demonstrations at 8:00 o'clock in the morning, a pre-conference was held by each critic teacher in which the aims, subject matter, and procedures of each lesson were announced to the observing teachers so that all emergency teachers would be prepared to handle the class during any stage of the recitation. As soon as the pupils were in, the demonstration teacher of each class simply prepared the class for the day's work by haYing them seated properly and by having all necessary materials available anytime. Then started the random calling of emergency teachers who were made to demonstrate certain steps or principles. The emergency teacher thus demonstrating was being coached by either the demonstration teacher or the critic teacher. Since the purpose of the demonstrations was to help the new teache"rs, every possible help was given. During the conference that followed, the emergency teachers expressed their preference of this new kind of demonstration over the traditional one. During the. demonstrations about twenty-f.our emergency teachers"' had a chance to handle the classes. One advantage of this new type of demonstration teaching is th;lt the emergency teachers learn how to teach, not merely by observing but also by actually teaching. 26D ' J •' . ~-:·~ .-: ~~-:~ ~ ;.". :~~ :~' .: ~'i.:# ~~~ ~ ~ ;. .. , ~ ~RECREATION . .. . (Con't. from ·p. 26) ·'· 1t might be well to study. the aids to, the activity loses its recreational vaiue. or opportunities for, these wholesome re. When one plays to show a feat or spec~ crellltions which a.re within the teach o! tacle and with the idea of popular ae- the pupils. Are there parks, librariea. cl~ afterwards, his activity is not re~ playgrounds, community centers, organ.. 'creation. izations and clubs, museums, and other Below are a few suggestions on how ~to ~e leisure time wisely. In guiding the pupils to pursue these activities, t::\e teacher should remember the points just • discussed. The classification of these activitie-;; is based on the participation which the individual makes in each. -A. Recr~.ations in which one does things: . l. gl'oup games 2. - sports 3. outdoor activities aids in the community? How could the school lead in the establi'shment-of sucli aids where there are none? Our working hours are decreasing in contrast to our hours of leisure. It ia very important tha.t we t~ach our pupils the \vise use of their leisure time if we are to help them to become efficient citizens and not social liabilities and misfits . END 4. artistic activities Ref. Hannon, Using Leisure Time. -5: other games H. Recreations in which one makes thing;;: 1 . the crafts (making articles by hand or machines) 2. the arts (making dra~gs, po~ ry, stories, music, etc.) 3. others C. Recreations in which one collects things: 1. stamp·;; 2. pictures 4. etc. l.J. Recreations in which one learns thmgs: 1. fin~ arts 2. social studies 3. science and mathematics 4. practical arts PERMA_NE~r ,( ... [..;,}.._ FOR : ALL -~·. ~"fJ · ·'WRITING. WHICH M_ UST ... BE PRESERVED. When ·you wont records to be· lasting, lnlht Some of these activitie;; may be en- on Permanent SKRIP ... withstands time, _;, gaged in in groups; others, individual- even boiling water. Get SKRIP and tak• • ly; or in both ways, depending upon the_ chances. You'n be more then satisfied. individual. It is said that the best E xclusicc Di"tributora recreations are those which are engaged Atkins Kroll & Co. Inc. in by very few people,. 124 Myer's Bldg. , Port Area, Manila FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-80 Escolta .. ... I , .. _ ....... ,.:·t..C ... ~~ .. t~ .... · ~~ THE NEW ROLE OF TEACHERS · ' : IN THE REPUBLIC ~ ' . By CAMILO OSIAS ' ' Busily engaged in a nation-wide campaign, it is not to be expected that I can write exhaustively on the subject I am asked to discusS/: Yet my known devotion to education and· to the teache1·s preclude my refusal to comply with the request because education is the first and foremost ·business of the Republic. The Philippines has again become a Republic, free and independent. The teachers owe it to themselves and the country that gave them birth to help make our national independence -real, effective, and enduring. Independence means transfer of gravity from without the Philippines to within the Philippines. It means that the voice of authority must come from the Filipino people. It is the task of teachers1 in the Republic to implement such ideas and principles. The Constitution under which the Republic operates provides that the Philippines be a republican state; that sovereignty resides in the people and that government authority emanates from them. It is the privilege of teachers to instrument the ideals of republicanism and 'tiemocracy which inform the supreme law of the land. World War II was fought in the defense of four essential freedoms, to wit, freedom of thought and speech, !reedom of relitrion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. The teachers have an unrivalled opportunity to assist in the preservation of these fundamental freedoms in the pursuit of their noble mission. The two World Wars that were fought in our generation were fought to make the world safe for democracy and to make democracy safe for the world. All the sacrifice in property and ·life can be partly justified by some such lofty principles. The teachers of the Republic have to labor to make democracy work and work successfully in the new Philippines. It was difficult and costly to win the war. It is going to be long and arduous to win the peace. All live elements, th~achers included, have to bear their full share to win the peace and make it real and lasting. Teachers in the Republic have to educate for peace. The Philippines is once again a Republic. This is a great and challenging contemporary event. The Republic of the Philippines is a full-fledged member of the United Nations Organization. This is another great and challenging fact of contemporary history. What do these require of men and women engaged in the sacred profession of 28 ~, ... :-~~.-.: . . ~ j-:."'.~!;'~;,¢ .~;:~ ... ~-.,-.....:~~:..~.~~ ~#)"''!• - . ~ l!'A"n·"'"' i-~ "" * .,·~ •• ... !,.~..,.: ... ' .. , • ~29 ~ .. ·~ "i ! -~-, -.-·· .~{: .. _ -'( - - . . . . • . ·:-~~~ ·· - At;le;st lhis: that they be thoroughly imbued with the twin·- \~ '):>rinciples· of ·independence and .interdepend~:r:ce .. Teache~s of th~ Re- · ,...;\~r: publiC have to be guided by the Ideals Of nationalism ana mternabonal- • -~~ ism. In the prosecution of educational work in the Republic of the Philippines it is imperative that teache'rs labor with an eye single to the general aim of securing for the citizen, for the nation, and for humanity the highest and fullest measure of efficiency, self-direction, and hap' piness. They have to keep in mind always the specific objectives en~ joined by the makers of ·the Constitution namely, moral character, personal discipline, civic conscience, vocational efficiency, and good citizenship. As a friend of education I earnestly commend these few thoughts to the . serious consideration of teachers and ·prospective teachers. If the rank and file of teachers observe these ideas and ideals society will more readily respond to the appeal that the loyal men and women who are teaching the boys and girls, the young men and young women be assured of a living wage, saving wage, and security for old age. To You of Little Faith ... <continued £rom page 4) We admit the PPSTA has not done a tremendous lot to date, but Ji it has done nothing but form an effective national organization, it will have done enough. You read the Presidential Table Talk in this and in previous issues for more details. Perhaps you wili be convinced. There should be no need for all these arguments and explanations, for the facts and the necessity for a national organization are obvious to most teachers, but we should like t_o have every teacher do right by his colleagues. If we can support the Red Cross, the Anti-tuberculosis Society, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scout.;;, and similar civic organizations, can we not also support our ·association which is dedicated to our own welfare? Can we not put in one peso as insurance of our group happiness? Are we not willing to pay one-third centavo a day just to be sure that intelligent and active people are day and night thinking, planning, fighting for us? If you al·e receiving a salary which satisfies you, you should give eight and a half centavos of it every month ·so your less privileged colleagues may have people to work for salaries that wftl satisfy them, too. If you receive _ starvation wages now, you should be able to give one centavo every three days just for the right to hope that you will be fed adequately by the leaders of the nation. Whatever your status is, the right of every teachers to happiness and the responsibility of every teacher to help insure that happiness is your rsponsibility to I_Jrotect and assure. Keeping away from the association is a shirking of a duty. We believe no teacher would fail to support the cause of the neglected and the downtrodden once he realizes what the issues are. You sureiy would not wish to be a party to the eternal neglect of teaching and the opportunities it should receive from the nation. You surely would lift a fi~ger at least ·so your colleagues may have -a better chance to depend their right to live and be free and happy. This cause of ours is yours, too. Do not excuse yourself. FO~ MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-80 Escol~a ·.::~-·::· l •• : .. SPEECH SKILLS ESSENTIAL-TO TEACHING By JOSE FELICIANO Acting Division Superintendent of Sc)wols for Bukidnon Every genuinely successful and dearly, beloved teacher I have found anywhere, be it in the grades or in high school, possesses and possesses in a great measure what I term in this article speech skills essenital to teaching. These skills are no other than effective voice control, pleasing expression, distinct pronunciation and enunciation, absence of irritating mannerisms, good diCtion, and expertiies~ in eliminating pupils' language errors. More than any other profession, with' the possible exception of dramatics or the ministry perhaps, teaching requires unceasing and arduous efforts on the part of the practitioner to perfect his mastery of the speech arts. A teacher who talks too loudly, has a monotonous expression, mumbles his words, exhibits odd little habits of speech, uses bad grammar and unidiomatic expressions, and is unskilled in correcting errors, can never expect to win out in the exacting task of educating young people. In order, therefore, that a teacher may be better equipped for her job, especially if she has had little or no professional training, she must endeavor through selfeducation and doggE'd determination to improyed her command of English, our principal medium as well as subject of instruction. V oice Control Recently I observed two beginning teachers on their toes, a young man and a young woman, and to tell the truth I was much impressed with the1r teaching ability and their classroom work-they were intelligent, resourceful, active, and stimulating, they ad satisfactory lesson plans, good board work, enough instructional materials and devices, and what is more, they ~ 30 had fine personality - but I r !ould not help regretting the one thing in which they both failed utterly, that is, the inability of either of them to control his voice as he talked to the class. One or the other simply allowed his voice to run a\Yay with him in reckless abandon: the young man, who was once an army lieutenant, spoke to his children as if he were commanding a platoon of privates; and the young woman, who graduate as salutatorian of l1er class from the Bukidnon Secondary Normal School, just talked as though she was afraid she might not be heard by her sixty odd pupils. At a conference I had subsequentfy with these teachers I politely and goodnaturedly called their attention to this particular shortcoming of theirs, and it surely is most provocativ~ to make note of their replies - so interesting and revealing were they indeed 1 Said the young man, "Pardon me, Mr. Feliciano, if I have to thinK about my voice while I teach, I am sure I can't teach very well because then I wont be able to ~oncentrate o~ my teaching. ~u aay I disturb my neighbors by talking with a loud voice-so why not put me in a building all by myself?" (Words of wisdom or of artlessness from the lips of a teacher who never had any professional preparation 1) Said the young woman, "Mr. Feliciano, I know that my lack of control over my voice is one of my weaknesses-my supervisor in the Training Department kept telling me about it when I was a student teacher. The truth is that I forget myself once I am absorbed in my teaching, and consequently I can't tell any more how my_ voice sounds. Frc,m now on I'll try my best to bring my ; r3 1" -x~-.i-~'(': ;;<::i'-.. ~~ ·t.~ _, ·...;.i4 · { - I • I ".,:..-;~ ii "·~~:}. :~:J--... •• !4.. ~· .. 1 • ~. _,. ~ ~ "'.. .~ ·:..~1;1 ;;-:_f'·-· • <•1 .;,.::· • • c SPEECH -~KILLS. ESS._~~Tl~~ TO ,'I.'EACHING 31 t .? ·~ . ~oice unde; my cont~ol.". · (An honest. faction in the defere~ce t~~ir pupils ·~ · ' confession 'from ·a professionally trained show them. Why can't certain teachers ~r ;:· ~L teacher.) unloosen or unleash themselves once in , -~ a learned man. 'j Well, since these two greenhorns expected me to make some comments, I did say something to this effect, not with nose turned up but with a lot of fellow feeling: _ You are very young teachers, and so you still have many things to learn and master before you become really proficient in the practice of your calling, and one of those things is voice control. Learn to breathe properly, for you make your voice with your breath. _Learn to listen to your own voica so that you may be able to tell its sound. Learn to speak neither too loudly nor too softly, but be sure to make your voice carry as far as the -most removed chiid in your schoolroom. Don't speak to the pupils in the front row alone, nor to those in the back row alone; · speak to all the pupils in the room . .~ Don't shout to call anybody's attention, because even a whisper, if made properly, will carry to the back of the room. Open your mouth wide and speak naturally and distinctly. Expression By expression as a speech skill I mean both the look on one's face and the manner in which the meaning o1· beauty of something spoken is brough: out by the speaker. A good many teachers, both male and female, bore their pupils to distraction with their deadpan expression: their faces show no evidence whatenr of changing thoughts and emotions - their facial expression simply does not change no matter how happy or sad they may be. Teachers there are who do not even smile, much less laugh; perhaps they take pride in their solemn expression and find satisA question ¥OU may now wish to ask is: How shall I therefore express myself? Above all, express yourself clearly and well. Speak sincerely, that is, from the bottom of your heart, from your inmost soul. Know what you are talking about, mean what you say and say it with earnestness. In order to be f~ to speak with more expression, with ~ore warmth and feeling, remember what the Bible says and put it into practice: "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.'' P1·onunciation and Ewunciation In the minds of most Filipinos, teachers not excluded, while the meaning of the term pronunciation is clear and wellunderstood, the significance of the term enunciation is but vaguely comprehended. While the two terms are closely related in meaning and, consequently, in function, they can hardly be used i.nterchangeably because they are not one and the same thing. Pronunciation has to do with the sounding of the syllable or syliables making up a word and the accenting of such syllable or syllabies, while enunciation has to do "·ith the force and manner in which words are uttered or spoken. Good pronunciation implies correct sounding of every v:owel and every consonant in a syllable or word as well as correct accentuation of the syllable. In careful speech, syllables and words are not slurred, mumbled, or run together, and they are hastily uttered either, and so good enunciation results from such a precise practice. Filipinos must not try so hard to ape Americans in matters of pronunciati"n FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-SO Escolta ' l ·• .. .32 ~HlLIPP~~ EDOCATOR and enunciation, because they don't have to, in the first place, and, in tha second place, English . has such high adaptability and flexibility that it comes .out beautiful and arresting from anybody's tongue, regardless of race or nationality, provided it is well spoken. There is absolutely nothing wrong with speaking English with a Filipino accent. What else is to be expected of us? To be sure, English is by no means a lazy tongue or a tongue for lazy persons, and this is what I mean by that: if you want your pronunciation and enunciation :~ ~. as nearly prefect or fa~ltless as yo~n possibly make them,' then you must set to hard work all your speech organs and instruments of articulation-tongue, lips, palate, teeth, and voice-whenever you give utterance to your thoughts and feelings. There ~s no other way for anyone, even an American or a Britisher, to speak English felicitously and with telling effect, but undeniably the reward of mastery is immeasurable. Some of the common mistakes in pronunciation that I have noted amorag teachers are: bad short vowel sounds, particularly short a, short i, and ~hort e; inability to sound th (both hard and soft) correctly; failure to make the sound of z in such words as is, was, has, used, does, goes, exact, example; mispronouncing of (correctly pronounced 011) ; not putting sufficient stress on such final consonants as t, d, p, k; misplacing the accent; and not knowing the use of the rising and the falling inflection. While teachers are not in the habit of running their words together--seldom io you hear a teacher say didya for did you, gotta for got to, doncha for don't you, gimme for give me, hafta for Jyr-ve to, and the like-still it is very important that they avoid hasty and car~ less speech. Correct pronunciation and distinct enunciation are essential to successful teaching. Mannerisms of Speech A mannerism of speech i~ a particular manner of speaking wl1 tch is used too much by a person and thereby becomes a peculiarity of his. i:xamples of undesirable mannerisms of speech I have observed among teachers are: thf', use of a false or artificial voice ; using too many exclamations or certain exclamations too frE'quently; punctuating sentences with "no?", "isn't?", "isn't that so?"' etc. in an effort to become emphatic; verbosity or wordiness; the use of insipid or colorless language; ungrammaticalness or speaking out of the idiom; disconnected speech; and rare cases of stammering. There is not a shadow of doubt that a mannerism of speech, particularly when it is too pronounced, is· a handicap to a teacher, because it attracts too much attentidh to its peculiarity and because it sometimes causes uneasiness 1 or irritation on the· part of the listeners. 1£ a teacher is aware that she has an unpleasant mannerism of speech, she must do · every. thing withir# her power to break herself of that mannerism. There is nothing more satisfying and pleasing to give attention to than a natural and unpretentious manner of speaking. Diction Good diction, I'll venture to say, is one of the most important elements of the equipment of a proficient teacher. Good diction implies, among other things, a wide vocabulary, grammatical correct. ness, and skill in the choice and arrangement of words. Teaching, especially the type employed in progressive schools, is practically synonymous with the stimmulation and expression of ideas, ·ideas on a thousand and one topics, and so a teacher with a poor command of lang. uage is almost certain 1 o fail in her pedagogical work. How i;1 this wide world ' ~ :; can· an instructor who talks incoherentlY', who is vague and confused, who violates the rules of grammar, and wh<> tautologizes, guide his · young students effectively in their study of the manifold affairs about them-! repeat, how indeed? It is a fairly well-established fact in educational circles that there is a high degree. of correlation between teaching success and the extent or size of a teacher's vocabulary. I have noted that among the most ineffective and uninteresting teachers in the classrooms are those whose vocabulary is limited and unvaried: they have at their command no more than a handful of words and phrases which they use over and over again to express their thoughts and ideas· indifferently or to echo the thoughts and ideas of others imperfectly. Sometimes it is truly pathetic to watch the feeble attempts of such teachers at making their pupils \talk, think, answer questiomr, or follow directions, because the whole thing is, to say the least, a case of "the blind leading the blind." Since a wide vocabulary is a vital factor of success in teaching, it behooves every teacher from grade one through college to do all in his power to enlarge his vocabulary. It is inexcusable for a teacher, since a teacher is supposed to be interested in self-improvement, not to own a good and upto-date dictionary which he can consult readily, for no other book is more helpful to an individual in the enlargement of his vocabulary and in the acquisition of knowledge than a dictionary. Then a teacher must read constantly and widely, and must read purposely for English and not just for pleasure or information, so that he may enrich hh vocabulary thereby. Even a dictionary and wide reading cannot help a person considerably to increase his power over words tmless he uses as often as he can in speech and m writing the words that he learns. The use of grammar .for propriety or gracefulness of speech is' incontrovertible, for grammar is the study of the correct forms · and uses of words, and yet many a teacher does not take pains to learn grammar to a nicety . Anyon~ who is really desirous to improve his command of English must know his own weaknesses or difficulties in the use of grammar, must be bent upon eradicating his weaknesses, must learn the solu~ tion to his grammatical problems, and must be careful not to )apse into th~ old incorrect habits ~'J>eaking. Teachers' grammatical errors are mostly .in the number of verbs (failure~of subject to agree with predicate) ;-{n th~ use of the different verb tenses (confusing the past tense with the present perfect, and the past tense with the past perfect); in the use of the wrong cas~ forms of pronouns; in faulty sentence construction; in deviation from tha idiom; and in obscurity of meaning. Correcting Pupils' Sf)eech Errors The most important thing to remem· her and to do in connection with the correction of speech errors committed by · thEI pupils is that the teacher mast not only correct the errors by supplying or eliciting their right forms, but also give the children opportunity to use by themselves the proper language forma thus provided. It is a mistake for a teacher who is dissatisfied with a pu. pil's incorrect answer to snatch it from him and explain or finish it hersEilf; what she should do instead is to help the pupil repeat or give the answer correctly so that the right form may be im· pressed upon his mind. It is the pupil who needs supremely the practice in correct speech, and so it is he who should get that practice, and not the teacher. FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-SO Escolta f 'y ' I '1~ .. ·' SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE IN "ONE WORLD" FABIAN V. ABITONA Curriculum Division '· The recent global war has brought about profound changes in the field of education especially in the realm of the Social Studies. The necessity for preserving world peace and of educating people into thinking, doing, and feeliJ1g the need for ~i>~eserving it leads us directly into {he.G·problems inherent i'l the Social Studies. We have begun to f~~at there is a need for revising our fiotions, methods, and materials in the teaching of the ·subject. Hitherto we have been much concerned with the teaching of a multitude of geographical and historical facts and of developing a strong nationalistic spirit. We taught our children to think of what were strictly ours as paramount. We insisted on the idea that our country is the only place God has given us, that we ought to love and adore her, nay, die for her when callt>d upon to do the supreme sacrifice. We taught them love and admiration for our .heroes and unconsciously taught them also to think none-too-well on those who were responsible for the past miseries of our people. That the +.eachlng of these things are vital to our national survival can not be gainsaid. But with the passing of the great war, we have realized the futility of teaching exclusively on such a philosophy. The world is beginning to realize that peace can only be attained if peop!e are educated in the ways of peace, the ways of love, the spirit of goodwill, of neighborliness, and tolerance. In other words, our concept of nationalism must be made to expand, must 'transcend the barriers of race, creed, or political ideology. Nationalism must give way to the development of sound internationalism. How must we proceed in the teaching of the new philosophy? What should we teach and how? These arethe very problems that the UNESCO is trying to figure out. These are the same problems that we are faced in the schools today. We are a democratic country. ·We ' believe in the idea that man is endowed \\·ith certain inalienable rights. We believe that man is meant to be freefree to think, to love, and live with each other as brothers under the same sky. Our first task, therefor&;'is the teaching of what we mean b~ freedom. For freedom has been very much misunderstood, maligned, abused, and ;c()Orrupted. Under the guise of freedom, men often become intolerant and licentious. It is our duty to teach our children that we live in a group and are bound to it by ties of loyalty. That as members of a group, we are free to think and do what we honestly believe to be g"ood and righteous. 34 To little children, freedom does not mean anvthing. It would of course be futile, if not fatal to our purpose, to teach them the finer implications of this elusiYe tei"!Tl, limited as they are in their concepts and experience. It Is enough that they be given an atmosphere of freedom; that they live, work, and play in an atmosphere with the least possible compulsion and regimentation. Notice that the word ''least possible" is ~vf'n here. This does not preclude the po ;sibility of using com~rK-~~'!f~t~'~'-);"; ., -~~~j·~· '.'tt""'"•' ;;, ~ .... · ....... ,~... .. -.. ... ..... - ,ri , . '1;J. ~J.::.-:.~~r,/ s... , , " • ; ~ SOCIAL INTE~'LIGENCE IN "ONE WORLD" 35 .... ~~ :-<.'' .... ~~ ~- .\ . ) - :~! :<- -,)>tilsion ' at ~rta~:t~es., when there is ~En~fish··"ctil<tt~n: ~'His~"gaiii~s·''iil~y.,;e '~~! a.n· ac~ual need for it. There certainly found similar' to those ·played ·by the are ,times when stern necessity is the Mexican, the Eskimo, or the lgorpt ~' only· way and remedy. _ But in so far children. That all are dressed against .~ as. the nonnal course of life is co~- the same heat and the same cold; that• cern~d, there should be the freest pos- all live on the same earth and under ->' ~jbl~ ~!a~ionship within the grou.p con- the 'same sky and that whatever difsistent with the ability, experience, and ferences there are, anay be due to the homogeneity of that group. differences in local conditions, train • . ;· S~bject matter must concern itself ing, or necessity. In this way, children with "human relationship.''(l) The could be led to understand or apprechild should know that he lives with ciate the universality of childhood's inhis father, mother, sister, neighbors, terests or the unity of all peoples of• 'classmates, friends, etc. That his milk, all places .and climes. sugar cakes, and chocolate COJDe fro!ll As we said, it is not the mastery of '" many people in many places. That information that ~ cpunts, but rather his shoes, clothes, and even his toyR the attitudes that matter. The teach. were made by others. That all men ing of a one-world idea cannot of the world over, in one way or anothE>r course be taught at once ~one sit- · . 1 ~re ~reely helping ~ach other for the ting. Neither could it be tmfght succorilplon good. "Children's in tel-est, cessfully unless the children grow . concepts and ideas shoul!l . be broadened. gradually in their knowledge and- apThe slogan of . the school must be: preciation of their expanding exper.. Know your neighbors! Learn to know ience. the peoples of the world'' (2) To do this, we have to change our point of view in the teaching of the subject. Instead of the usual mastery ' of unrelated geographical and histo. rical facts, we have to stress the human side of the subject. We should stress more on the study of "man's motives, attitudes, and emotional adjustments"(3) in a fast changing world. Humanizing the historical account means the interpretation of facts and events as they affect people past and present. It means the appreciation of .the causes that motivated man in his dealings with others as well as an understanding of the sources of con. flicts arising from the clash of interests and the most adequate methods of harmonizing them. New sources of children's interests should be used. A child's toy may be looked 1 upon as a gift from other people's children. His books may be books of American, Chinese, Indian, or thought of as having like stories as the REFERENCES 1 Wesley, Bruce Edgar, and Adams, Mary A.: Teaching Social Studies - in Elementary Sclwols, p. 17. 2 Kazdan, C. S.: Postwar Problema in Education; The Journal of Educational Sociology, February, 1946, pp. 351-358. 3 Nosofsky, William: The Elementwry Social Studies Textbook in b~t tercultural Education, The Social Studies for Teachers and Administrators, VoL XXXVII, November, 1946, No. 7, pp. 297-299 . D•·a. T. F. Halili Central WOMEN'S 1430 Hotel, Room No. 217, Manila DISEASES & CHILDBIRTH Residence: Was~, Sampaloc Manila FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-SO Escolta LETTERS from the Field Dear Mr. Laya, Orchids for your last number of the "Philippine Educator." It is very encouraging to note the large number of new names among thP. contributors. There is a lot of hidden materi~l on creative writing if we only give them the encouragement to express themselves. In short stories, drama and 'just articles" a new-comer sometimes brings in a new note, a new viewpoint and a new technique that is oftentimes very refreshing. ~ t • .~ Very sincerely, GILBERT S. PEREZ Dea;r MT. PeT"ez: Thank you. OuT Octo beT" ( cTeative writing) issue contains th'Y'ee stories and one play. · They are not the best in the woTld, but they a;re by creative-minded teacheTs. -Ed. - o - The Philippine E4ucator is certainly meeting the sincere desire of teachers to know what is being done and what is to be done for them. I congratulate the authors of the second issue of the magazine and I sincerely appreciate the contents of the PRESIDENTIAL TALK by Mr. Marcelino Bautista; BIG MEN'S PROBLEMS, by our beloved Director of Education; US by Mr. Juan C. Laya, and ART EDUCATION by Mr. Sancho Enriquez, our Supervise!' of Art. The above titles in the second issue of the magazine have greatly influenced my desire to be one of the subscribers this year. This is a mag.azine exceedingly excellent for t~achers who are teaching in a remote barrio school like the Nangalisan Elementary School, Bacnotan, La Union. • I ; I Congratulations and good luck to the present management. I feel tliat if the Philippine Educator. will o~y contain sufficient samples of teaching aids and devices, like those found in other educational papers, certainly, it will be sold like hnt cakes to teachexs, supervisors and sl.iUdent teachers. How abo.t inco~porating some in the next issue, Mr. Elitor? ELISEO L. CARBONELL Principal Dea;r MT. Carbonell: We try haTd. We a;re ever trying ~ meet the needs of our 57,000 strong. -ED. Sir: In the name of the Allen Sub-Chapter, Samar Teachers' League, may I be privileged to acknowledge receipt of the two sample copies of the PB that you sent to our teachers. Our teachers enjoyed reading Mr. Bautista's "Presidential Table T~ and Mrs. Laya's "Problems in the News." Of course, they read with equal interest, every article in the magazine. The PE is really "topsr'-very instructive as it is informative. Incidentally, we are for our beloved director's being groomed for a sena:· torial berth in the liberal party. We are ready to give him our undivided support. Very truly yours, CON. F. MANOOK PTesident Allen Sub-Chapter, STL Dear Allen Sub-Chapter : "Beloved Boss" did not choose to run, after all. We'll wait and see. -Eo. 36 --o(Continned on page 24) i. ' . ·' '. MGA SUtiRANIN"· NG PAG-AARAL NG WIKANG PAMBANSA AYON SA ILANG NAG-AARAL I. Tungkol Sa Pa·gsulat Ng Mga Sulating Pansanay At Pangwakas Ni RAFAEL IGNACIO, III-A-1 (Tagalog) Mayroon r.kong suliranin, at iyan ay bunga ng di--pagkakaunawaan ng mga nag-aaral at mga guro. Sa aming pagsulat ng mga pagpapaliwanag o kasaysayan, nakaga.wian na namin ang magpata:inghaga upang magkaroon naman ng kulay ang aming sinusul at. D atapwa't sa kasamaang-palad ng mga akda, ay hindi agad natutuklasan ng guro aPg kahulugan ng malalalim na salitang na .. gamit kaya't ang kalalabasan ay m abab.aan ang kanyang antas, hindi lamang dito knndi doon pa sa kanyanl< pangwakas na nota! Ano po kaya an g masasabi ng aming mga guro sa bagay na iyan? Mayi-oon kaya silang maimumungkahi upang sa !along madali:ng panahon ay masaksihan natin ang isang masigasig m. pagsulat ng kabataan, maging patalinghaga man o hindi? Sa pagsasE..ma-sama rin ng mg?.. pariraJa at tambalan o hugnayang pangungu.:;ap, kadalasan ay nasasaksihan ko ang isang Tagalog na bubulung-bulong. Diumano'y hindi tama ang pagkakaputu! ng guro Sli. kanyang pangungusap na nauwi tuloy sa maraming pagwawasto. Sukat daw lagyan ng tuidik sa hal.ip na kuwit, at saglitan ng tuldok-kuwit. A no pa nga naman-ang kalalabasan ng diwa? N akatatawang pag)!akamali, nguni't mapait naman sa panif.i.-:,Pg nagli.aral. May magagawa kaya•'ang ating mga guro upang maiwasan ang ganitong pangyayari? Sa palagay ko ay nararapat luwagluwagan ng mga guro sa wikang pambansa ang mga paksa o kaayusan ng mga katha ng mga taal na Tagalog. Maali.ring ·.:;a pagsulat natin sa wikar.g Ingles ay sundin natin ang mga ilang tuntuni n. l yan ay di tinututulan sapagka't nalalaman kong waia pa tayong sa.pat na dunong upang gumawa ng isang kathang malaya a ng diwa. Datapuwa't sa ating sariling wika ay pagkalooban naman sana t ayo :~ g isang kalayaan sa. rpagsulat ng kung ~!lC pa mang nais ipahayag na siyang tinitibok ng ating damdamin. Ano pa ng-a't kahit na sino ay maka·.:;usulat ng madidiwang mga akda ayon sa kanyang paniwala at nasa.. NOTE: These little pieces are excerpts from speeches delivered by highschool student~ in an open forum under the auspices of the Kapulungan ng !nang Wika, a National Language organization in the Arellano High School. The open forum was held for the benefit of National Language teachers, who heard "everything" in another room to which a loudspeaker was connected. Teachers exchanged comments freely in their "sanctum" while the students aired themselves. The experiment proved beneficial to teachers as well as students. The adviser of the KIW is Mrs. M. S. A. Gonzales. 37 ..... .. ......... ' PRTI:IPPINE'·EDUCATOR .·· ., II . . : Tungkol· Sa, Balarila Ni DONALD S. FERRER, IV-A-1 (Hindi Tagalog) 1. Ang pagtuturo ng mga saligang ''"tuntunin sa wikang pambansa ay dapat gawin sa m~ ... daling panahon. Kaya lamang mukhang madaling natututo ang nag-aaral ng mga tuntunin sa balarila -ay dahil sa hinahalintulad ang mga nasabing tuntnnin sa mga nahahawig na tunt.unin sa English gramar. Ito'y di -dapat mangyari kung talagang magsa-sarili ang ating wik'a. At ang bunga ng gawaing ito ay ang pagkawala ng -diwang katut:ubo sa rnga nag-aaral duhil sa Ingles na rnuna niia iniisip ang kanilang sasabibin at pagkapos ay sinasalin ito sa Tagalog. 2. Lubhang napak>abilis ang pagtuturo ng Tagalog. '•Ang paksa ng mga susulating pansan~y at pangwakas na pina.. susulat sa mt,a nag-aaral ay di para sa mga .baguhan na natuturuan pa 'lamang ng rnga pinakamahalagang tuntunin sa balarila. 3. Walang "sistema" sa pagtuturo ng balarila. Halimbawa, ang itinuro sa isang baytang tungkol sa isang bahagi ng pangungusap ay ith1uturong muli 'sa mga baytang na sumusunod. Napaka.. kaunti ba ang mga tuntunin · tungkol ·aa bawa't ba.hagi ng pangungusap na maaaring ituro lahat ito sa isang taon? III. Tungkol Sa Panitikan By EMMANUEL YABUT, III-B-5 (Hindi Tagalog) · Sa pagbasa, may mga salita at titik . na hindi mabigkas nang tumpak. Halimbawa ang salitang pera, na karaniwang binibigkas ng pira. Kapag ang titik h ay napahalo sa isang salita ay kinahillirapan nang bigkasin. Tulad ng salitang hipon, kung binibigkas ay nagiging ipon. Ang rnga diin, tulad ng malumay, maragsa, malumi, at mabilis ay malimit pagkamalian. Tulad ng salitang dapit. Ito'y madalas maging dapit. Ang g ay nagiging h. Ang salitang hul:og ay tuloy nagiging hulok. At madalas ding pinagpapalit ang unlaping kina at pina. Tulad ng salitang kinagalitan na binibigkas ng pinagalitan. Ang saiitaug isda ay nagiging ista, at sum.usunod na rin ang sulat sa bigkas . Sa aming pagbabasa ng pahayagan, aklat, o babasahing Tagalog,· may mglL salita kaming kinahihirapang bigkasin, unawain, at hasahin, lalo na ang sah. tang may maraming pantig. Ang ka.. tagang nga, pag ito'y nasa-gitna ng isang salita, ay binibigkas naming ga. Tulad ng salitang tangan, na madal~ bigkasin ng tanggan., na tuloy ~giging sanhi ng halakhakan ng buong klase. Upang ma!wasan ang mga ito, isina• samo ko sa aking mga kamag-aaral, lalo na sa mga katulad kong hindi Tagalog, na hanggang maaga'y lunasan ang ga.. niring mga kamalian. IV. Tungkol Sa Pagpapalawak Ng Talasalita~n Ni A. A. REYES, IV -B-3 (Tagalog) Ang layunin ng sino mang nag-aaral llg isang wika ay ang makapagpahayag ng kaniyang isipan, damdanrin o diwa sa pamamagitan ng pagsa,salita at pagsulat. Sa paanong maipabahayag ane diwang ito kung salat sa mga salitapg kailangan upang masabi ' ang ibig sabihin ng walang kalabisan o kakulangan? Isa sa mga makatutui'ong sa pagpapalawak ng taiilsalitaan ay ang pagbabasa. Datap·va't saan .naroroon ang mga babasabin sa wikang pambansa? ~ - . ,. "" ·. ·- "~ - -.·. _..,....._,_ . ..,, _"!'"'"'G ·· · su · .L,..,"'""". · · • • · -· • ' · ' ·Y 3"' · · w ~-· ~ - - - ~~ .·._~ --~-~-.· --. ;,:··v. '-~-; .. ::.·- ,~J.: .. ~~ ~l ...... - ,aklatan ng mga paaralan ay t sal.at sa . mga bagong E-alitang nabasa, na di niy~ mga aklat, magasiri,_ p~hay~gan .at ib:!; na~~wata~im ang kahulugan? pang mga bab.asahing · Tagal~g · na maaa- Walang ibang lunas sa ganiyang suaring sumakamay ' ng mga nag-aara:. liranin kundi ang magkaroon ng isang Marahil · ay sasabihin ninyong marami talatinigan, na naglalaman ng lahat na tayong aklat na nalimbag na sa wi- ng salitang rnatatagpuan sa wikang lnkang sarili. Nguni't ang halaga ng gles. Nasub>Jkan na ba ninyong ipa- ·. hayag ang inyong damdamin, isipan o mga aklat na ito'y hindi maabot ng ka- • diwa, sa pamamagitan ng paggamit D<". raq:Uhan ,sa, mga nag-aaral. Ito ay isa e. pa . ring maituturing na suliranin.' tumpak na H.lita na wala.ng kahalong , salitang banyaga? Tunay at tila kaTangi sa rito, ipagpalagay na nating hiya-hiyang sabihin na kung nais nasa aklatan ng ating Pa-aralan a.y mara- ting magpahayag ng ating diwa ay u.mb. mi ng aklat, magasin at pahayagang isip muna tayo sa wikang Ingles bagG Tagalog, at ipagpalagay na rin nating natin isatagalqg. ang mga n:;g-aaral ay nakabibili ng Kailangan natin ang isang talatinibabasahing T:tg~log nguni't anong buti gang naglalaman ng malalim na salie.ng magagawa nito kung wala naman ta, nguni't ang kahui'ugan ay abot sa siyang mapagsasanggunian tungkol sa pagkaunawa ng lahat ng babasa. LETTERS . .. (Con't. from page 24) Also may I be informed if there is a reduction for group subscriptions. SomP. of . my teachers are interested in your magazine and if you can send us this information very soon, we may send some subscription to your magazine. Very sincerely, FERNANDO C. GUIANG Acting Principal Bangui, llocos Norte Dea;r Mr. Guiang: It is P7 a year, 12 issues. Club rate for ten or more subscriptions sent all together is P6 each. The diffe,rence goes to the club or to whoever bothered to get ten subscribers together. Than.'c yqu for your interest. -Eo. Dear Sir: I wish to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the complimentary copy of your publication which was sent_ t'J me. In this connection, allow me to express too my sincerest thanks and gratitude for the kind opptrtunity you have given me to voice the pent-up disgust within me for the seeming snob- · bish attitude of some brother prof~ sionals towards us-the teachers. In full cognizance of your kindness in allowing a voice from Marinduque to be heard, I wish to assure you that whatever efforts we may have as a body of teachers from this province will be canalized towards a common objective--that of promoting the succes~ .; of the "PPSTA". As it is, all teachers in our Division have paid their membership fees to the "PPSTA" and . if I am not mistaken, the Marindnque_ . Teachers' Association is already,. aff1hated with the former association. With hopes for further success cf .. the PHILIPPINE EDUCATOR as the real echo of our voice, the 57,000 ~ach ers all over the Philippines, and another assurance that we in Marinduq1,1e are with you, I am Very truly yours, ERNESTO R. BARBOSA Head Teacher Torrijos Elementary School (First Vice President, M. T. A.) (Con't. on page 47) FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-SO Escolta ,,, HOW TO ENLAJtGE STUDE TS'. VOCAEU,LARY · · ADELAIDA PATERNO Asst. Supervisor of Secondary English, Manila "English is so rich a language that if one '"'ere to learn ten new words each day for the next hundred years, there would still be words enough to keep one busy for more than a quarter of a century." Such a statement is not meant to discourage but to make one realize the need to increase one's vocabulary if one hopes to speak the English language adequately well. " early everyone wishes for a larger vocabulary" the dullest of our students not excepted. The latter exhibit such a wish by the frequency with which the} pepper their written work with big words designed to impress the reader with the learning of the writer. That these students succeed only in producing flowery or bombastic expressions termed "fine WTiting" or "tall writing" is evidence of lack of reading and of a system for enlarging a vocabulary. Wl:tile it is true that students show a wish to parade new and big words, it is equally true that they exhibit a laziness to learn- really learn- unfamiliar words. It has always been a teacher's problem to get the students to use the dictionary, be will go to it for help a teacher of English to the brink of despair. The knowledge, however, that students are essentially interested m making new word acquisitions is heartening. The problem hinges cnly in making the process an agreeable one and as painless as possible. To make the process a painless one, first teach dictionary skills.l Once the student has mastered the use of the dictionary, and this sloth has led many as he would to a friend and with none of the reluctance that characterized him when this friend was nothing but a ;tranger. 1 These skills are taught in library lessons. There are ways and ways of making the work of vocabulary building an enticing one. . I A VOCABL'}JARY GAME 2 One of these is a vocabulary game which may be played by the class. T he class keep a record of these "finds," the new words met in reading ·lessons. These words are written on card slips. O n one side of the slip, the word is written with pronunciation and a ph rase or a brief sentence containing the word. On the reverse side is written a definition, or one or more synonyms and antonyms. The game is begun by drawing out slips from the slit · on the cover of the vocabulary box in which the slips are filed. The game is to read the side that happens to come uppermost, and without looking, to give the information that appears on the other side. This game can be made a contest between teams into which the class bas been divided. Each student will wish to keep an individual record of these new words and play the game alone. Playing this vocabulary game frequently will result in (1) an increased accuracy of definitions and explanations, (2) a rapid increase of a supply of synonyms, and (3) ease and naturalness in the use of the new words. The last is insured to a certain e..xtent by the practice of rec- ' ording the new word in the contexttu.l setting in, which it was found. HOARDING NEW WORDS s Another device makes use of the child's hoarding instinct. Pupils hoard words just as they do objects, stamps, movie stars pictures, etc. F rom their reading assignments, they pick out "strangers." T hey copy the sentence 2 F rom Wade, et al. Er.prearing Youredf 3 F rom Clark and Eaton. Modern Techn~ for Im proving Secondar11 School Enuli.h. '· in which the word occurs and guess at . tb~ meaning of_ the word frOIJ;! the way . it is used in the sentence. If they (;an't guess, they put a question mark after the word. The next day, the best guessers go to the board to write their lists and the meanings. Then the Dictionary Squad _look up the words and write their findings after the guesses. If the guess is correct, a D. S. member checks it and doesn't copy out the meaning. Otherwise, he suplies the correct definition. Students exchange papers aAd score each correct guess. Then each student copies all the correct meanings in his notebook. Under each word, he writes a sentence which someone in the class has suggested and which the teacher has checked. He leaves a line for a sentence of his own. A WORD LIST FOR EVERY CLASSS Students pick out five unfamiliar words from their home reading and bring to class the sentences in which the words occur. In class the student reads the words in context and the class write definitions basing their guesses on the way the words are used in the sentences read. Discussion follows. If the majority of the class is not familiar with the word, it is added to the vocabulary list for study. A source of new words is the assembly speaker. Students pay close attention to the speaker to hear the un-familiar words and to remember or jot down the sentence or at least a part of the sentence in which each word is used. Incidentally, this aids proper behavior in assembly. Boys and girls inclined to be restless and inattentive find a reason for paying close attention knowing that in the English class the next day a lively discussion of the words thus collected will ensue. A WORD A DAY FOR BUILD:[NG VOCABULARY& Each day a different student puts a new word on the board for word study. He then gives its pronunciation, derivation, meaning, and use in a sentence . If the class fin'ds the word useful or suitable, the class accepts it. If it is declared reputable, it is used several times in a sentence. The student who gives the word for the • day may vary his procedure by giving a word biography, or the history of a word. Or he may impersonate the word and give an autobiography like . the following: I AM JEALOUSY I "I am sorry to say that I have a somewhat sordid history. I have always been an unhappy, sinister fellow, but rather intriguing for all my unpleasantness. Gossipers have had much to do with me, and they have always connected my name with a plot-an unsavory mysterious plot. "The color I traditionally wear is g~een, and my reputation, you may have guessed, has been shady. Yes, literally shady, as my case history will explain. Here is my story. My grandfather was French-jalousie was his exact name; and ja!lousie is the French word for window shade. A Frenchman who insisted that his wife draw her window curtain so that no one else might see her beauty or her smile was said to be suffering from jalousie, or as we k~ow the word, jealousy. "My nearest relatives are cousins named Envy, Mistrust, · and Suspicion. We are an interesting enough family, but have brought more than our share of heartache in the world. We go in the best social cliques and occasionally get into otherwise happy homes, working our mischievous pranks on guests. Sometimes we go without invitation, too. My autobiography is really shady!" A DICTIONARY RACES A set of dictionaries is available for· use in class. The class is divided into competing teams. The teacher gives the entire class one new word and FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-fSEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-80 Escolta makes sure that it is introduced in a ~- sentence which will give a clue to the meaning of the word and to its part of speech. The pupil who finds the word first and explains it scores a point for his team. PLAYING WORD DETECTIVES 4 Students play at being detectives figuring out word meanings. The word is the mystery they have to solve. The little word pieces are the clues. (The word pieces are actually prefixes, roots, and suffixes.) Following is an example: Word Clues 1. Trans means "across," "over," "beyond," or through" 2. Re means "again" or "back" 3. Auto means "self" 4. Graph means "write" 5. Mobile means "moving" 6. Photo means "light" 7. Port means "carry" Find the meaning of trans-Atlantic, transplant, transport, transparent, return, reproduce, automobile, autograph. A variation of this game is a wordclue race. Stuaents skim paragraphs to find the word or words containing gi,ve!} word clues. As soon as they find the word, they jot it down and go on looking for the next one. The object of the n~ce is to see who. can find all the words first. Word detectives then set to work to unravel the word mysteries. A variation of this device is keeping a word-clue file. To put the clues in alphabetical order, students use 3" x 5" cards. Each card will become the record card for one word-clue. Below is a sample (made out for dis): dis-means "not," "apart," "away frol'T)."-Often Nsed to make opposites disprove-The coral snake disproves the belief tpat gaudy snakes are harmless. & From Hovious, Carol. li'lving tM PrintU7GIIe disloc;Jg~-:-Tbe sl}ooti~g fish._of .' Siam can dislodge a> small lizard. Students use the dictionary to . help. find new words contammg the the word-clu f studied. I A VOCABULARY GAME OF TRUE AND FALSE To know the answers to each question in this vocabulary game of true · and false, it is necessary to know the ' meaning of the key word- the unfamiliar word being studied. The quiz is based on the words picked out of ' the assigned reading matter. After the test, the papers are collected. Discus:.: sion then follows. Students consult their dictionaries in class whenever a disagreement arises as to the a'nswer. '· Sample of a True-False Vocabulary Quiz: 1. An ostracized person is popular. 2. An affluent banker is bankrupt. 3. An dilapitated house is an uncomfortable dwelling. 4. Avaricious pe~sons are charitable. 5. People who laugh with derision are unkind. 6. A sick person is usually comforted by the discovery of a panacea. 7. An intercepted message is a received message. 8. We should remove children from . per~cious influence. 9. On,e feels drawn to a person with an _ inimical manner. · 10. Ephemeral fame is temporary. A GAME OF VOCABULARY VARIETY 5 Students ·are urged to make their written work more interesting by the use of synonyms. The following is an illustration. From the list at the right, choose other words which would be more ir;ate~estii,!g than the underlined words in the sentences below: ... ,,.. - ,t:H PII'T.!IJ"'-'!-1<, , ;,. ,t.-~..- -r--'fl f • (, ~-..~.- ... - ,_. " ·~) '"~""'/ ~~ · -r-·, ~·.~, r._. ·; ,"' .... ~'Q •P':: '·•':-_' -: :·;· •'' H~W - TO ENLARGE STUDENTS' VOCABULARY · .. ~ ... ~.. ~' ..... •. ~·t. . .... ' "1. Ho~ .~oon · will you get through .,' I · ;· • with.. that book? 2. ·we got · ~ere about noon. 3. When did you get the/ letter? 4. Ra~on could not get - off the jar. the cover 5. The story tells us how Robin got out of many difficulties. 6.She boys .got in through the window. 7. Jerry got better slowly. 8. The boys got in before we ~ailed. 9. He got on the horse easily. )0. I ·got another swimming suit at hqme. 11. The president askoo • where he get the money. 12; Did you get his meaning? 13. Got out of here immediately. ' US. :. . (Con't. from page 19) All this needs sacrifice. The act of affiliation needs a centavo every three days from each member. The &.ct of subscribing for 1Jhe Philippine Educator needs to centavos a day. And the leaders of the association should go on giving tb,emselves up to the higher, more satisfying call of service. . For example, we need an Executive Secretary-Treasurer. The Board of Directors has asked if the following would consider a P600-a-month job as Executi've Secretary-Treasurer: Mr. Esteban· R. Abada, Dr. Cecilia Putong, Mr. Martin Aguilar, Mr. Marcelino Bautista, Mr. Gregorio Lardizabal, Mr. Antonio Maceda, and a few others who have been nominated. Everyone of these men are capable. The Association wiil live if borne along by their enthusia:>m, experience, and integrity. But would they accept the position? They are men whose careers in th Bureau of Education are assured. They have struggled from the bottom -and gone up the pinnacles. Would they of their own J , 14. I don't ~nderstand· why you did not •: got the mon~y . 1S. The cat got away from the d'ogs. 16. Do you get the breeze there? 17. We got to the top of the hill easily. arise arrive understand escape have remove · mount receive enter recover climb feel obtain leave finish The wise teacher reminds her students repeatedly that any program of vocabulary building they adopt . must be accompanied by much reading if they hope to acquire that "feel" for words so necessary for the effective use of a language. 6 Tressler ~t al. Elementar11 English. in Actioft accord topple themsel~es from their pedestals and walk the path of sacrifice for the teachers whom they love and about whose welfare they are ever vigilant? Would they, to say it bluntly, give up secure jobs and high prestige in order t.o assume insecurity and heartache and uphill fighting, hoping for nothing but misunderstanding from teachers who selfishly think only of themselves and expect immediate material returns for their peso, meeting disappointments 'Mcause of indifference of some teachers to the welfare of others less fortunate than they, hounded by the spectre of failure to ·swing 57,000 to a successful rally, being maligned by the skeptical and the unbelievers, but also-at the end of the bloody trail-gaining the gratitude of a future generation, prestig where service gains prestige, power where power to do good is power, success where satisfaction of opirit is success. Th1se are the offerings of 57,000 teachers who are in need of a leader. Would someone who can do that leadership justice pick up the challenge? FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-80 Escolta il . ...••••.•.. 1:. . .... " 1. The main issues confronting the J]N General Assembly are: a. \Vhether to partition· Palestine into Arab and Jewish states and terminate British control b. The halting of all eged Balkan threat against. Greece. c. Soviet-American deadlock over Korea d. The fight to eliminate or weaken the veto privilege. e. vVorld atomic energy control f. UN relation s with the Franco die- • tatorship g. Softening o f Italian peace terms h. Refusal of South Africa to settle the trouble between South Africa and India on racial discrimination. (1). In what way a;re these potential sources of trouble for the wo1·ld? (2) How may these problems affect the life of th~ UN? '2. The U .S. Ambassador to Teheran pledged the support of the U.S. to Persia in defending her oil resources against Russia. Coincidentatly, the Persian Parliament (Mailis) refused to ratify the agreement between Persia and Russia for the establishment of ~ joint SovietPersian oil company. a. Why has Ame1-ica "put her finger'' in the Persian "pie"? b. Would this mean another clash between communism and de?nocracy? Explain. 3. Melvin M. Johnson Jr., president of Johnson Automatics, Inc., stated that there are negotiations for the purchase of war weapons, that Russia's agression 44 can be prevented only through military preparedness. a. Should the Munitions Control Board permit these negotiations to go tkrough1 b. Wo,u.ld a?--nting the nations prevent wa;rs? Reason out. c. Doesn't this tend defeat this idea of disarma?nent from the very beginning? 4. Radio ~.foscow Commentat~r Y. Makarov charged that American inter· vention in Greece has not brought i~ ternal pacification but has instead fanned civil war; that America is "faced with the dispatch of troops to Greece in order to saye its monarchist friends and eliminate Greek independence by force of arms. a. In what ways has the United States aided the Greeks? b. Are women all over the ~t~or£.4 orher foreign aid on Greece? c. Would it be rgiht to sa11 tha.t tM struggle between Communism and de?nocracy? d. Can yott d·raw nay pO!ralldism between the present situation in Gr~ and that in Spain during the civil wa;r? .'i. The International Council of Women. whose delegates come from 26 nations, ·adopted a declaration of principles in which it pledges support of the UN and condemns war. a. How may women help discourage wa;r? b. Why has Ame1ica c~nte1·ed much of ganized enough to affect internatiotUI! policy materially? c. In the Philippines are the wome7t now in a position to influence national issnes and elections? Now proof. ' ' •,· ;glW't,/1~<t$;'3;'~~7j,'l'~~·i•f...7 "W"'•PROBLEMS"'rn~'·mE: "'N'Ews · -""·"•-'· "\" "·• .· .. ·. ·. ·;-·. ~ ~~:--"'t' ~~: ·~~-::.~· ' .... . ~.: ''. ~~~ ~-"' . . : ,. , ·' ~ ·:·:...-.~,. .t'~~~~~\ • . , '6. France . off ere.:! Indo~hina h~r in-, f.or its ob.)ective the strengthening. of'·~; dependence if she would remain within the trade-union movement in t~e Phil~-::~;. the French union and give ·military con- ippines, India, Malaya, Indonesia and ;;.~ cessions. Another condition was to give other Asiatic countries. " - France control of her foreign policy. This proposed conference was support- ~~: a. Why did the Viet1Ullm Government ed by the receni Congress of Australian refuse to consider the last condition be- Trade Unions. This was because the rest fore the outbreak of histilities? of the world might be affected by probb. Is the independence being offered lems of over-production unless the real independence? standard of living of Asian and Pacific c. Compared to the offers of France, peoples be raised. does Philippine independence look the a. How may the standard of living be ' real thing? improved with the establishment of 7. The Arabs hail the British decisio!l trade unions among Asiatic counbries? to surrender her mandate over Palestine and ~ withdraw her military administrative personnel as soon as possible. The Arabs, however, will resist any attempt at control by the United Nations. They also would have Palestine returned to Arabs oni'y. a. Why do you think has Great Britain vo.lunt~rily offered to withdmw from Palestine? b. Would the arrangement desired lJy Arabs insure peace? Why? 8. Prominent Dutch industrialist-3 and culturists and Indonesian leaders !n Holland made the following recommendations for the solution of the Indonesian problem: "1. The formation of a joint DutchIndonesian policy force to replace the Dutch army in Indonesia "2. Free elections throughout Indone: sia "3. Each separate state to decide on the status of its own government "4. A round->tab"te conference to decidP. <In !he formation of federated Indonesian .~tates." -a. Would these recommendations the approval of the Indonesians? Dutch? Why? m.eet The b. Why do the Dutch' consider foreign intervention as shatmeful? 9. Thl' propO".>ed Far Eastern Trado ·-Union conference next year will have b. Why is Asiatic and Pacific labor a factor to be reckoned with? 10. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek be-fore the Kuomintang executive COIJl.mittee said "blind dependency" on loans have delayed his plan for currency reforms. a. Have ou1· leaders learn'ed this le~son as clear as Chiang Kai-shek? Prove your answer. b." How may our Governrl¥lnt increase its income so as to avoid loans. 11. General C. P. Romulo, permanent delegate of the Philippines to the UNO· proposed that the veto privilege 9f the Big Five be amended to aHow the Security Council to come to a decision by a vote of seven members on non-procedural matters, including at least three of the permanent members. General Romulo proposed not the "inequitable one nation one vote rule" but "a syi!tem of weighted representation whereby each member state would be accorded voting strength proportionate to population, cultural progress, military power, and industrial resources." a. Isn't it more equitable to base decisions on the "one nation, one vote rule?" Reason out. b. How has the veto previlege of the Big Five delayed the work of the UN Security Council? FOR MnDER"\' OPTTCAL NF.P.DS-SEF. KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-80 Escolta ., *· ~.·..,,, <'. : ... ...,_ ~;..• '<. -. ,, '• . ';, .. .. '· PHILIPPINE EDUCATOR .· -12.' Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek in a directive to the Kuomintang warned against anti-democratic activities. Chang-Kai-shek ordered the Kuqmintang to "avoid any appearance in power po!itics during the election for members of the National Assembly on October 21, 22 and 23. a. What is the Generalissimo's aim in keeping the Kuomintang from appearing in power politics? b. How may the people help keep elections clean? c. Why should elections be clean? d. What have pMty in power in the Philippines have to learn yet? 13. Tulsidas Kilachand, head of the Indi~ trade delegation in Japan, accused American vested interests of preventing free flow of trade in Japan and of maintaining a high price level for Japa:nese textiles as they want to sell cotton at a very high price. a. What is the aim of the capitalists in restricting the free flow of trade in Japan? b. Why is the U. S. willing to throw Japan open to foreign trade? c. Should Japan be thrown open to foreign trade, would Filipinos buy Japanmade goods? 14. Japanese looted gold and jewelry amounting to millions . of dollars will be used by Allied authorities to help finance a revival of Japanese peacetime economy. Part of the loot will be set aside for reparation purposes; part to help reviveJapanese foreign trade. a. Should the Japanese be allowed to stand on their own feet again? Why? b. How may local business be affected s.hould Japanese competitive trade be resumed? 15. President Roxas and Spanish minister Teodomiro de Aguilar y Salas signed a treaty of amity and general re:. lations between Spain and the Philippines. a. What ties bind us to. Spain? b. What mutual benefits may be reap. ep bi; both countries who signed the trea.. ty? c. In what way may the 3igning of the treaty be a test case for Spain a.nd h..er rela,fions with other countries? 1~. Vicente Villamin,· Filipino econo. mist. in America, bei"ieves that the Philippines is allowing herself to be dragged into another war because of the presence of American military forces in her territory. a. How may the existence of U.S. military bases in the Philippines involve us in another war? b. How can we avoid this situatU:m? c. What commitments of ours mak6 this situation inevitable? 17. President Roxas overhauled the national government and government own corporations. · Under this reorganization, basic pay by 1950 will be rso of those receiving now less than that amount. . J Severa: units in the government were aboiished but 10 new entities were created and 12 others were raised in rank. No go ernment personnel will ·be dismissed; they will be absorbed in other units. a. What Me the aims of the gove-rnment reorganization? b. How was economy attained if no government em:ployee is to be dropped nor salary reduced? 18. President Roxas has gone South on an inspection trip. a. Do you believe the Roxas trip &. well timed? Why? b. As head of the state, should t'M president take active pMt in political campaigns? 19. Presid,ent Roxas promised the women of Zamboanga woman participation in the city council if they vote for a straight Libera! tfcket. He promised ,1lso the redemption of guerrilla notes. , a. Are these mere election promises? ,•-J.. ·~---. ;,;:- ~ ":'·- \-H lift· ·... "'< \,.... ' ' · r . ~ ·- ~. ·~. . • ,...1 ) · -- ·:-:.. . · ' PIDLIPPINE EDUCATOR .-· ' l: .'-.47 :..-~, nu.tn"Jr•w.u. ?WteB can reaUy .be reafte-r the elections, why has no · taken to have them redeemed Living bonuses have been grant-tO city, provincial, and municipal employees- by President Roxas, September 25, 19 7, under his emergency powers. a. In what ways may this benefit government employees? ' · b. If the Government has the money all the while, why has it just been extended when R. A. No. 29 (grant of liv- J ing bonus) expired last June 30 yet? 21. Miss Maria Ortaliz of Capiz, public school principal teacher, is being investigated for allegedly saying: "We have nothing to do with the President" and refusing to dismiss classes in order to go to the railroad station when President Roxas was supposed to pass. a. Granted that the report is true, is the President's presence so important" educationally as to warrant dismissal of classes? b. Granting again that the principal teacher said what she said, is that enough basis for having her investigated? 22. The NCA (National Cooperatives Administration) lost PlSO,OOO worth of Letters . . · (Con't. from page 39) Sir: Having been authorized to negotiate with the national authorities of the Philippine Public School Teachers' Association for the affiliation of our Division's teachers' league, the Bukidnon Teachers' League, I have the honor to request that we be furnished the following: , 1. Steps and procedure for the affilia · tion of our league. Please furnisl: us necessary papers for our accomplishment. 2. A copy of the PPST A's new and complete Constitution and By-Laws. ' ''• '"·1~ . ... .... ~ .. . . . r canned milk, cookies, canned foodstuff, .$t1 etc., and may lose- more unless itS 'stock -~"f( . ...,~ gets ·sold out. The reason for this coa• t§f dition is that the NCA cannot compete ,~ with the already overstocked market. !; a. Is this situation another proof of • :;, inefficiency of the Government in business? Or is it the inefficiency of tlw ~ management of this particular unit? ··• b. Why cannot the Government com- ': pete with private dealers? Do these dealers get goods at cheaper priees? If . so, why? 23. The Philippines, which does not ""'• produce enough rice for local consump. .1 tion, has given its IFC rice quo~a of -" 10,000 tons to the Netherlands' and- .Jagreed to sell .another 10,000 to it. ,: The Government too allowed the re. 1;: lease of only 25 per cent of sugar pro- •.' duction for sale in the domestic mar- ' ~ kets; the rest for foreign markets. .·. a. If we do not have enough supply .,., of 1-ice and sugar for local consump- .' tion, why has the Government decide Ul export these needed commodities? b. Is there a reason for sacrificing im- , mediate necessities for a remote benefit? c. What remote benefit can possiblycome as a result of this? 3. Any other data or information you would like to send us. DIONISIO D. YBA:&EZ _ President, The Bukidnon Teachers' League Dear M. Y bafiez: If you write us a letter together with your remittance corresponding to the number of members you wish to propose, you will have done all there is to do to get affiliated. We send member- . ship cards to each teacher who becomes a member. Our Constitution and By-Laws were printed in the July and August issues, copies of which w~ are sending you. -Eo. FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-SO Escolta .• .... ';~,. ' · , .. ~~~~ ._ ·T~~~~~ .. I By J OSE G. KATINDI G ,: I l pagpatuloy natin ang pag-aaral sa kaantasan ng mga pang-uri. (Let us continue studying the degree of adjectives.) 1- PANUK DULAN-(SUPERLATIVE DEGREE): Basahin at pag-aralan ang mga sumusunod na pangungu~ap na ginamitan ng mga J)Qng-uri na nasa-anyong panukdulan. (Read and "tudy th e following sentences 111 which adj ectives in the superlative degree arc used.) l-Si Paz ang pinakamabait na bata ·sa aking klase. 2-Si Lino ang pinakamasipag sa mga anak ni Ginang Rivera. 3-Ang mangga ang pinakamasarap na bun gangkahoy sa Pilipinas. 4-Si Rizal ang pinakadakilang bayani ng Lahirig Filipino. 5-Si Mina ang pinakamatalinong guro sa aming paaralan. 6-Si Don Pablo ang pinakamatinong mamamayan sa aming lalawigan. 7-Si Paning ang pinakamatapat sa aking mga kaibigan. 8-Si Lou rdes ang · pinakamatulungin sa lahat ng aking kamag-aral. 9-Si Chita ang pinakamasunurin sa lahat ng aming mga bata. 10-Si Tes ang may pinakamagandang bistido sa lahat ng mga batang babae sa silid .na ito. -Paz is the most virtuous child in my class. -Lino is the most indus trious of Mrs. Rivera's children. -The mango is the most delicious fruit in the Philippines. -Rizal is the greatest hero of the Filipino Race. -Mina is the most intelligent teacher in our school. -Don Pablo is the most sensible citizen in our province. -Paning is the most loyaJ of my friends. -Lourdes is the most helpj<fi of all my schoolmates. -Chita is the most obedient of all our children. - Tes has the prettiest dress of all the girls in this rooq~.. I I-Tinatanggap din na mga pang-uring nasa-anyong panukdulan (sang-ayon sa Balarila ng Wikang Pambansa) ang mga pang-uring ginamit sa mga pangungusap na sumusunod: (According to the Balarila ng W ikang Pambansa, the adjectives used in the follow- ing sentences are also adjectiv~s ·in the superlative degree.) : ·l-Ang aming guro ay mabait na rnabait. 2-Malinaw na malinaw ang tubig sa dagat. 3-Ang aming ama ay masipag na masipag . . , - 48 -Our teacher is very virtuous. -The water in the sea ts very clear. -Our father is very industrious. Lu z. ay mababaw na bulaklak na iyan ay rnaFe sa akin. bait-bait ng lola mo sa amin. ganda-ganda ng iyong payong, 9-Kay lakas-lakas ng hangin sa bukid. !O-Kay tamis-tamis ng mga manggang ilo. 11-Si Maria ang kabuti-butihan sa !ahat. 12-Si Antonio ang kasipag-sipagan sa kanila~g !~hat. 13-Sa mga 'magkakapatid, si Betty ang · kaganda-gandahan sa lahat. \ 14--Si Lucia ang karunung-dunungan sa mga babaing manananggol sa aming lalawigan. 15-Si Don Ramon ang kayaman-yamanan sa aming bayan. 16--Napakabuti ninyo sa amin. 17-Ang bagyo ay napakalakas. 18--Ang kapatid mong babae ay napakahinhin. 19-Ang iyong ina ay napakasipag. 20-Napakatalino ang batang ito. 21-Ang bagong baro ni Trining ay pagkaganda-ganda. ' -· p ~y.·..-1 ~ .... .. _: .. ~~~· ~ < .. ~ \. :.,. shallow. - . r :-::.1~ ' ··~~* .-This river is- very .··~ -Those flowers are very fragrant. ~~;:~ ~.-·, .. ~. =~·~~: ·:,,;:&: -Fe is very good to me. - y-our grandmother is most kind to us. '-.:·,·.~ - ·.four umbrella is very beautiful, Luz. ok? -The wind IS very strong 111 the field. -These mangos a re very sweet. -Maria is the best of all. -Antonio is the most industriqus of all of them. -Among the sisters, Beth is the most beautiful of all. -Lucia is the wisest of all the woman lav.."yers in our province. .#:.\ .':.~ ·"'t'• '.:-4: ~ . -~, .. ,\""..» ~\t, :-!~ ·-·~ ~-~ .< "' -Don Ramon is town. the richest 111 - ~-·'l our -You are very good to us. -The typhoon is very strong. -Your sister is very modest. -Your mother 1s very industrious. -This child is very intelligent. -The new dress of Trining is very beautiful. 22-Pagkalinis-linis ng inyong bahay. -Your house is very clean. 23-Pagkayaman-yaman ng asawa m -Juan's wife is very rich. · Juan. 24--Pagkatarnis-tamis ng ngiti ng babaing iyon. 25-Ang pagkaing iyong inihanda ay pagka-sarap-sarap. -The smile of that woman sweet. -The food which you prepared delicious. is very is very III-Sang-ayon sa Balarila ng Wikang Pambansa, ang mga pang-uring ginamit -sa ' mga pang.ungusap na sumusunod ay mga pang-uri ding nasa-anyong panukdulan . .... .! r: _:(A~cotding tci theBa/.a!rila ng Wikang Pambansa, the adjectives used in the follow; ... ing serttences are also adjectives in the superlative degree.) ·l" !.. ~ 7~;f- _FOR ·MO_DERN· OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-80 Escolta "- ""t; I , .Jt; ~jj.:":_ SP\ .- . :. . PHILIPPruE EDUCATOR ·: ,:·• · ~ ·' _:.,:t"y\12'~ . ~: .;:~~.: -tn, l-Ang manggang ito ay ubod ng ta- -This mang<? is e~ceedingly SlJ'eet. < ,: ·-""· f;}.·! mis. • ~:.,.. · ... ,!. , · .-:-~~ ... ~:. .. >;,\ 2-Si Mameng ay totoong maganda. ..:_Mameng is exceedingly beautiful - · ' -' t · 3-Si Bb. H ernandez ay lubbang -Miss Hernandez is exceedingly caremaingat sa gawain. 4--Si Gobernador Halili ay sakdaJ_ ng buti sa kanyang mga kawani. 5-Si G. Matias Fernando ay ulo ng yaman sa A'nggat. · 6-Si Mina ay labis ng bait. 7-Si Julio ay sakdal ng tapang. 8-Si Felisa ay labis ng binbin. 9-Si Marcos ay hari ng tamad. 10-Ang gabi ay pisik ng _ dilim. ful in her work. -Governor Halili si exceedingly' good 1' to his employees. i1 -Mr. Matias Fernando is exceedingly yaman sa Anggat. -Mina is exceedingly virtuous. -Julio is exceedingly brave. -Felisa is exceedingly modest. -Marcos is exceedingly lazy. -The night is exceedingly dark. MY UNFORGETTABLE. TEACHER LAZARO A. GUTIERREZ Batangas High Sclwol During this age of deterioration and disintegration of our moral structure aS confirmed by the prevalence .of disorder and rampant lawlessness in many parts of our young republic, it is re. lieving to rE'member one who in my elementary-school age produced an in. delible impression upon my youthful mind. Nowadays when moral principles are discussE'd and ethical qualitie;:; of ideal men and women are mentioned and pointed out with ~aim of setting them up as standards for thE' young and adolescent people to emulate, I cannot help recalling that teacher of mine in ,. ..:, grade seven whose self-control and mol-~ .:ral rectitude has always inspired me. · - · "'He died some years ago (may he rest in peace!) , but the integrity of his character lives and will forever live in my memory. I have in mind the late Mr. ,. " ., Emiliano G. Remo, who was chief of the administrative division, Bureau of Audits, at the time of his death. Being then the only P. N. S. grad. uate in our school, he possessed the ~st professional training and education. al qualification. Naturally his fellow teacher harbored an envious feeling toward him when his promotion in positi01' and in salary came one after the other in close succession. Intuitively or instinctively he learned of this envious attitude of his subordinates, formerly his fellow teachers, but he maintained his composure. In due time through tact and diplomacy he won over their good will and cooperation. There were other instances in whtch he manifested his calmness, but the incident that created in me the deepest impression and convinced me of his equanimity was his reaction to a lampoon and a caricature which -were posted outside the door of our room one morning and pictured him a knave, a . rogue. As we neared the door, I expected he would burst into a fit of aager; but as he turned and asked me to help him remove the wicked and vile "posters", I was surprised to note the faint smile on his face. Composedly he muttered, "They are cowards; they are afraid to fight me face to face." Even his voice did not evince any sign ot- agitation. That whole morning I closely observed him to verify if the compossure he had shown was feigned or superficial, but I watched in vairi.