SCHOOLS IN BANGUED AND BAYOMBONG
Primary school from grade I to grade IV was held in the LONG BUILDING east of the town plaza near our house in Bangued.
Elementary school was held in the Gabalden School west of the town, far from our house.
But I spent my grade IV in the Gabalden Elementary School and my grades V and VI in the Singson Building, which was very near our house, east of the former town market, east of the Catholic Church.
The high school building was further to the west, almost near the cemetery. There I spent my 1st year and 2nd year high school. It is now a Trade School Building.
Then the Catholic Church held a Boy’s High School education under the Convent of the Priests east of the church. Here is where I graduated as Honor Student in 1935. Ours was the second graduating class of the Boy’s Department, COLLEGIO DEL SAGRADO CORAZON HIGH SCHOOL.
I spent my third year with Tata Anton in the Nueva Viziaya Vocational High School in Bayombong, N.V.
Slippers In School
Although Father made slippers, I did not want to wear slippers because my classmates were barefooted and they made fun of me out of envy. Being the smallest for being enrolled when I was only 5 instead of 7 years old, my classmates took advantage of my size and I was not able to defend myself or assert my human rights. But I was always my school teachers’ pet and was well protected inside the classroom.
Ever since my experience of having my slippers stepped on, thrown far away, and made fun of, I detested wearing slippers. Shoes would be better but my parents could not afford them for me when I was a student.
I used to hide my slippers under our stairs or under a pile of lumber on the way between home and school, then put them on on my way back home because my father and mother insisted that I always wear them!
I remember very well an incident when we were in grade II that made me sick before I wore slippers.
There was a young girl about 13 who was deaf and dumb that we small kids teased in the town plaza. She got mad at us and chased us away with a stick in her hand.
Being the smallest in the group of students on our way home, I was left behind and was almost overtaken by the lunatic.
I do not know how I made it home so fast, but upon arriving at our door steps I collapsed and developed a very high fever!
I was in delirium for several days. All that they gave me as medicine was purgative, enema, and cold water-soaked towel on my burning forehead.
When I got well I related what happened to my parents. Now I know that excessive fear can make me terribly sick! I learned that at an early age! My parents no longer forced me to use slippers. My feet were FREE!
Big Scar On My Shin
It was recess time and I was playing inside the town plaza breaking clay pots, thrown out by pot or clayware vendors, with my feet by stepping on them.
There was a partly broken big clay jar which was cut in half. I stepped hard on one with my right foot. The other jagged end like a rocking chair hit my shin so hard that I collapsed with pain. I was helped back home, as I could hardly walk. Our school had one first aid kit or medicine for injuries. I urinated inside my shorts!
At home my parents applied kerosene and my wound got infected, because the cloth they used to wipe out the blood was the dirty rag we used for cleansing our kitchen floor.
The wound caused my groin to swell and I was not able to walk until the wound infection got healed, with the help of “Malongay” leaves applied as paste.
I still have the big scar on my shin until now.
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