There is no day in Abra like Washington's birthday
I stumbled upon this article last year while I was endlessly browsing and researching anything about Bangued. Thank God for unlimited internet access and of course, Google for digitizing and making it accessible to the public.
The article below was written by Geo. R. Summers and it was published in May 1907. Westminster Monthly is a monthly publication of Westminster College based in Fulton, Missouri.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS IN THE PHILIPPINES
The dedication of the Provincial Trade School, the School Fiesta of Abra, and the dedication of the Tinguian Trade School at Lagangilang, were three recent events of unusual importance in Ilocos Sur, Philippine Islands.
From the American occupation, Washington's birthday has been a great day in Ilocos Sur; and in what is now the Sub-Province of Abra, February 22, two years ago, the present Provincial High School building was dedicated—the first high school building in the Islands dedicated under the American regime. It is one of the finest school buildings in the Islands.
Photo of the old Casa Real (literally means Royal House, now the site of the 1945 Capitol building) which was dedicated as Abra High School building on February 22, 1905. Thanks to John Tewell for the photo.
On February 21, 1907, the Provincial Trade School was dedicated, and Ilocos Sur is again in the lead by having the first Trade School Building. The dedication exercises were held in the Trade School. Governor Angco made an address on behalf of the province; Sr. Apolinario Querubin, of the Vigan Council, spoke on behalf of the municipalities of Ilo cos Sur; while Sr. Vicente Singson, the provincial fiscal, delivered a very able address on “Industrial Independence.” One of the main features of the grand parade was the batallion of school boys from the Santa Maria Intermediate School, 170 strong, who marched up from Santa Maria, a town in Ilocos Sur, twenty miles south of Vigan.
The exercises were over by noon, and early in the after noon most of the American population of Vigan and many Filipinos were off for Bangued to take in the “School Fiesta of Abra” celebrated on Washington's Birthday. It is safe to say that nowhere in the world is the birthday of this great American a greater day than in Abra. It is fiesta peculiar to the sub-province of Abra. The visiting Americans and Filipinos arrived in Bangued during the night of the 21st and were taken care of by the hospitable people of Bangued. It was late that night when the visitors retired.
At four a. m. of the 22nd the Bucay municipal band marched through the principal streets playing a stirring march, and the first number of the day's program was over and everybody wide awake. The band soon ceased, but quiet was not resumed. The different school delegations were on the march coming in from the far away mountain districts of Abra. Delegations from the Ilocano Pueblos— from Bucay, La Paz, Pilar, and Dolores, could be seen marching by. Over on the other side of the plaza the Tinguian delegation were pouring in, and from the south delegations from Barrios and far away Rancherias could be seen filing in without any evident confusion. The school soldier boys and girls soon took possession of the town and held it for the day. Some of those delegations came down from the far away mountain districts where few Americans, other than the supervising teachers, have ever been. These school soldier boys—the hope of the country, marched the greater part of the day and most of the night to be on hand for the 22nd in Bangued, and they were all there.
A vintage photo of Colegio del Sagrado Corazon marching band with beautiful Torrijos House in the background, taken on February 22, 1933. Thanks to Mrs. Adelina Versoza Torrijos-San Nicolas for the photo.
About nine a. m. the different delegations had taken their posts and the great parade was started. In this parade nearly all of the great number of schools in Abra were represented—each a distinct and separate organization of its own—as each school was to compete for the grand parade medal. There were over 5,000 school children in the parade and they marched like “regulars.” There were the “Rough Riders,” the “Minute Men of the Revolution,” the girls from the High School with their white dresses, immaculate and pretty; the Constabulary, and a company of boys from far away Sal-lapaden who wore very few clothes. In the parade there was one troop of cavalry, well trained and disciplined.
As the last delegation marched by the reviewing stand, and the great parade was over, the people commenced to assemble in the plaza to listen to the program. A small boy in a good speech turned over the key of the city to Superintendent C. H. Magee. Sr. Ortega, the genial and active Sub-Governor of Abra, in his address said that “the basis of government should be instruction and labor—that instruction is the light and without it there can be no way.”
After the Sub-Governor's speech the different school organizations took up the remaining part of the program and proved they could do something better than march. Great was the approval and loud the applause in response to their efforts. As the program proceeded we began to realize why this day should be styled the school fiesta of Abra—indeed it could not be called anything else. Some parts of the program reminded one of a school commencement, but other parts took on more the nature of a “comedia,” while the singing and musical numbers reminded one more of a soiree.
It is impossible to describe to those who were not present what a great success was the “School Fiesta of Abra”— and we believe that had it been possible for the Honorable the Governor-General, the Honorable the Secretary of Public Instruction, the Director of Education, and other invited guests to be present, they would have been more highly pleased with what the day showed them than with the completion of the first of the projected railroads.
Many numbers of the program pictured phases of the daily life of the people. A teacher from the town of La Paz conducted a recitation. At first the audience thought it was going to be a model school, but no. This teacher conducted his school to demonstrate the many difficulties of the school teacher. As soon as the bell rang for school the pupils came in quietly and took their seats. Roll-call found several pupils absent and the teacher sent out two of his pupils to bring the absent ones. During the opening song the loud cry of “apo! apol” was heard from without, but the teacher finished the song without any hesitation or confusion and at the end invited the visitors in. He proved to be the father of one of the absent boys. He presented the teacher with a string of eggs and begged him not to punish the boy, and he would see that the boy would not be absent again. Scene two: a mother enters with a girl who was absent at morning roll-call. The mother tells the teacher her child has been sick and begs the teacher to excuse her.
Miss Lutgarda Astudillo's little girls in their “Red, White, and Blue” song and drill were highly appreciated and met with a storm of applause. The Tinguian chorus of seven girls and nine boys from Danglas, who wore their native costume, showed how well these mountain people could sing.
Next was an overture by the Bangued Filipino Teachers' orchestra; and this musical number was followed by Miss Bello's little girls from Bucay who, in a song, pictured the daily life of the school girl. It was original and met with deserved approval.
The Tinguian day-yeng lilipot dance was next, but who would attempt to describe it? Twelve Tinguian boys came upon the platform and formed a line on the east side of the stage. They were soon followed by twelve pretty and very bright looking Tinguian girls who formed a line opposite the boys some fifteen feet away; and the dance was on. As a kind of introduction, we suppose, the boys sang in a chorus to the girls—but in language we could not understand. The girls responded and at the close of their song all the girls locked hands with each other behind their backs; the boys did likewise; and all, boys and girls, danced in unison around the platform two or three times, and the dance was over.
The last number was a fitting climax to the literary program. The girls from the Pidigan school, all dressed in white, came upon the stage and sang a pretty song in praise of Washington. There were nine girls in the chorus and as each one sang her part she placed in the middle of the stage a square white block. As the last girl in the chorus left the stage she left behind her Washington's monument. The band struck up the Star-Spangled banner, and the audience stood with hats removed.
The literary program was now over, and it was high moon. The sun shown hot, but no one thought of going home as the banners and the various 160 medals were yet to be awarded to the different school organizations. The crowd was hungry and a light lunch was served to the great throng of people encircling the platform.
Mr. Magee, the Division Superintendent of Ilocos Sur and the Sub-Province of Abra, presented the banners to the schools winning the grand parade prizes. Then various 160 silver medals were awarded for merit in composition, arithmetic, and English. Some of these medals were won by Tinguian pupils from far away schools back in the mountains.
The Sub-Governor of Abra, Sr. Ortega, offered a hand some silk banner, prettily designed, to the school having the best attendance for the year of 1906-7. This banner was won by the Tinguian school at Langiden, Basilio Angco, teacher.
The next banner to be awarded was the most coveted prize, and as Ex-Governor Juan Villamor stepped forward to present the banner, all was expectancy among the Filipino teachers. This banner was to be awarded to the most progressive school in Abra. Last year it was won by Mr. Buenafe, of Dolores, who in his speech of acceptance, vowed that the banner should forever remain in Dolores, and looked all the other teachers squarely in the face and told them to win it next year if they could. This year the banner was awarded to the Bangued Central school, where Mr. Eduardo Domingo and Miss Astudillo have done such fine work. When Mr. Domingo came forward to receive the banner, amid a tumult of applause, he was all excitement, as he knew he would have to make a speech. He pulled himself together and in the course of his talk referred to the speech of Mr. Buenafe of the year before. We all felt sorry for Mr. Buenafe, but he did not seem discouraged and said as he turned away, “Will see next year.”
The morning program was over and the school fiesta of Abra was drawing to a close. What means it all? Go where you will in any part of the world to-day and you will not find a greater interest in school work than prevails in Abra. The spirit, the enthusiasm, apparent on every hand, is unbounded. This enthusiasm has spread to the farther most mountain districts of Abra. It is the greatest day in the year for the people—as they will tell you: “There is no day in Abra like Washington's birthday.” Could we have a Washington's birthday in every province in the Islands, as we have every year in Abra, we need have no worry over the future of the Islands.
In the afternoon a very creditable exhibit was held in the high school of Bangued. A great variety of boys' hats are made in many different styles and shapes; sofa pillows, pin cushions, many embroidered articles, pretty doilies, and many other useful things are made by the girls of the above school under the supervision of Mrs. Dickinson. Every school boy in Abra makes his own hat, and many of the Filipino girls are wearing pretty hats made of bamboo. Nearly everybody in Abra wears hats made in the schools. We are told that the “chinos” have gone out of the hat business in Abra.
Later in the afternoon was the athletic meet on the plaza. The contestants, while not trained athletes, made a good showing. In the running broad jump, running high jump, and 100 yard dash some good marks were made. The girl's race created much interest.
In the evening a grand dance was given in the spacious halls of the Bangued High School. It was well attended, and everybody had a good time. Thus the “School Fiesta of Abra” was celebrated.
Washington's birthday was over; but the Tinguian Industrial Scool was yet to be dedicated, and the morning of the 23rd found Governor Angco of Ilocos Sur, Sub-Governor Ortega of Abra, Capt. Knoll, Superintendent Magee, and a great many other Americans and Filipinos on the way to Lagangilang, two hours from Bangued by horse. The school will open in June of the next school year. No dormitory accommodation will be furnished, but the Tinguian boys, who come in from the different townships, will build their own little primitive houses surrounding the school. The school will be in charge of an Amercian instructor, and courses will be opened in agriculture and carpentry and English. The Tinguianes are not only the most interesting but the most industrious people in Northern Luzon, and will no doubt receive great benefit from the school. Abra province is covered by rich mountain forests where may be found some of the best timber in Luzon. The people are simple, industrious, and honest, but there are no carpenters among them. When the Tinguianes want furniture made or a house built they are forced to employ Ilocano carpenters. Over 500 Tinguianes attended the exercises and manifested the greatest interest in all that was done and said.
On the way from Bangued to Lagangilang many small groups of children, who had left Bangued before day break that morning and were returning to their homes, were passed by the party of Americans. They did not seem tired, and all were happy, it seemed, as they cried out “good morning.” Sub-Governor Ortega, who was riding near Superintendent Magee, referred to these school children as “the hope of the Islands.”
There are many other incidents of the day that might be told, but we must end our story even as did many of the Filipinos their speeches: “Viva los Americanos, Viva los Filipinos, Viva los maestros, Americanos y Filipinos! Viva!”
GEO. R. SUMMERS '01.