First Year High School
I enrolled in the Abra High School as first year student with my cousin, Dolores Bravo. Manang Loling enrolled as a fourth year student.
We went to school together, had our lunch together in a nearby house owned by the Barja family, a relative of ours.
The road we traveled from the eastern part of the town to the western part was paved with big stones from the Abra River on dirt and clay ground. When it was not raining, it was very hot. During a rain it was muddy and slippery.
Our prescribed uniform was khaki pants, white shirt and shoes, either rubber or leather. I used rubber. We hiked from our house to school every day, rain or shine!
Unlike U.P., where Troy enrolled, there was no physical or medical exam. Had there been one, I guess, like Tony when he enrolled in the University of the Philippines at age 12, I could have been one of the students who did not have pubic hair. I was still wearing short pants then. I was not yet attracted by the opposite sex at that time as a first year student.
Our teachers were well dressed, with coat and tie, although the weather was very warm.
Instead of industrial work, we had Athletics. Being one of the youngest and smallest students, I did not participate in any athletic event, except cleaning the athletic grounds. I was very envious of my bigger, stronger classmates, like Digno Ayate, who dominated every athletic activity because of his height and muscular build. (Years later, after WW II, Digno, my idol in high school, was a Master Sergeant, while I was a Captain and a Lawyer.)
Praise the Lord!
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