Before Adamson University became a Catholic University, some of its Professors were atheists. Being ingrained with the concepts of science, measurements and reasoning sans any kind of belief in the unknown they were then simply non-believers of the Faith.But right after the school was bought by the CICM Fathers, then they were converted to Catholicism not because they saw the Light but because they feared they would lose thier jobs..!
Right after I became the President of the SCA, then I became involved, up to my eyeballs with extra curricular activities.I had to meet regularly the members/officers of the society SOMEWHERE in the school. We asked for an office and we were given a room just slightly bigger than a broom closet in the lobby of the school. Well, beggars can not be chosers. Again this was when the school was still under George Adamson
Then came the SCA Conference in Baguio City that would be attended by delegates from all Universities of Manila. So there were delegates from San Beda, Ateneo, UP,,One of the more dynamic delegates then was a silver tongued orator from San Beda (?) who dazzled the floor with his brilliant speeches. Most of the time, he would lock horns with a delegate from the University of the Philippines. His name was Raul Rocco ( now deceased ) and he was one of the Presidential aspirants who ran aginst Gloria Macapaga Arroyo during one election.
One of the activities of our club was to invite students to join the daily 5:00 pm mass at the St. Vincent de Paul church which was just beside the school. Sometimes, the mass was attended by students of Sta. Teresa and Sta. Isabel both exclusive schools for girls in the area. Congregational singing, when these students are present sounded very angelic and soul inspiring. Other times we hear only one voice singing Mass parts. She had a very sweet resonant soprano voice and she played the organ at the same time up their in the choir loft.Up there she is unseen but her voice could be heard even outside the church. From the pews, I imagined her to a very beautiful singer who might have looked like Charlotte Church. I always kept this image of her in my mind when I was praying inside the church and she was up there playing and singing.
A year later when the school changed ownership and the SCA choir had the chance to go up the choir loft and sing, then I found out that she was short, stocky with a very plain face.She also had a big wart beside her nose. If I met her outside in the streets, I would not imagine she is a brilliant organist and a terrific singer.. Sometimes she accompanied our singing, sometimes a pianist of our group would do it.But they would not let us use the main organ for fear we might damage it!
Right in the middle of the second school semester, I tried out for the Editorial exams for the school paper ( Adamson Chronicle ). I topped the exams, hands down. But then, our spiritual ( and temporal ) adviser and good friend Fr. Toribio Mezquita advised me ( it was more of a command ) to withdraw from the school paper so I can devote all my spare time to the SCA.
To make up for it, he also helped me join the school ROTC band so I do not have to pay my tuition fee. At that time, the priests are already the owners of the school. I remember him and I storming through the administrative offices searching for a Mr. So and So, and when we found him, he just said: "I want you to take in Vic Costes into the band!" The immediate response was,"Yes, Father! Of course!" They had to make changes in the instrument assignments in order to accomodate me. They moved somebody else to another instrument so I can get in..
Also with the school band, I can grow my hair as long as I want as long as I use the regulation head gear. The rest of the cadets have to have their hair cut short.They also come every Sunday in white uniform ( or Navy blue outfit ) because Adamson's ROTC is Naval ROTC. Our parade grounds was that grassy area between the school and the Jai Alai building. I was saved from the drudgery of the drilling and other useless exercises by my joining the band. My instrument was the lyre ( which was easy for me to play because the metal keys are arranged just like the piano).I use a small mallet to hit the keys which is like a piano on a vertical position .For the record, I borrowed the lyre from the Rizal Academy and it helped me saved a bit of money because my tuition fee was free until I graduated.
In the meantime, the membership for of the SCA grew by leaps and bounds..From 30 on the day I first attended my first meeting, it reached as high as 300 when I was its President and we undertook some school activities which were so strenous. There was this Foundation day choral concert, then there was another choral concert at the Sta. Isabel Auditorium, and just before graduation, I handled th Foundation Day celebration of the school. So all in all,I barely had enough time to study, not to mention sleep or eat completely. I almost had a physical and mental burn out. I bit off more than I could chew and somehow, I became mentally stronger for it. It seems that stress was good for me then!
more next time...
2 comments:
That great Bicolano Raul Roco...I dont know the whole of him, but I knew him thru friends and I just think that he would have made a good president. he was clean, and he really meant to stamp out corruption.
The brouhaha at Dep Ed, it was because he attempted to rid the principals and supervisors and the whole dept of the common knowledge "negosyo" - textbooks, mga tindahan, mga benta-benta, we who have gone to public schools know it.
I just know he would have made a great president, possibly a more succesful magsaysay. it is just so frustrating we would never know if he indeed could be a great president...
he never was involved in any anomaly. Why do people like him, like jovito salonga, joker arroyo...why do they not make it to the top?
Im afraid they dont have the face to cajole and serenade the unfortunately gullible masses...
Manong Vic, I only now came to know you are a "Falcon" Alum. I went to Adamson after finishing HS in Divine Word Urdaneta. Mama Lita wanted me to be a Chemical Engineer just like my older cousin, Joselito Acosta.
I almost did not get to enrol my major subjects since all the classes were all fully booked. My older brother (Rustico, Jr.) pleadings with the University Assistant Director saved the day for me as the short but stocky priest signed off of my enrollment form allowing me to be "chance passenger" on three of my major subjects.
I knew from the get go that Engineering was not to be my destiny. I abhor Chemistry and math. I skipped classes and watched Jai-Alai games at the fronton or watch the Falcons practice in the gym led by the then still unheralded point guard, Joy Dionisio, who went on to shine in the PBA as a top CRISPA cager.
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