More School Memories

I graduated elementary school with Third Honorable Mention, fifth in about 130 kids. I was told I got the highest score in the IQ test that was administered sometime during the schoolyear.

I entered high school when I was 13. The sections were all named after gemstones. I think it was First Year-Ruby. I would confer with my best friend from high school who I am still in contact with it about the sections for second, third and fourth years.

Some highlights---

I won an essaywriting contest with an essay I wrote dawn of the day of submission in about half an hour. I won 200 pesos, I dont' know what I did with the prize money. I do remember the Essay Title - "If MIDES Were Alive Today" MIDES being the founder of RVM (Religious of the Virgin Mary, the order of the nuns who were running the school). MIDES stands for Mother Ignacia Del Espiritu Santo. At that time we were also praying for her beatification.

We had Citizens Army Training (CAT) on the last year of high school. For most of my elementary and high school, the country was under martial law and one of its manifestations is the military training for every senior girl and boy. The boys were also required to take ROTC in college. Our school did CAT- Army training, Friday afternoons, we would change to military uniform, green fatigues, pressed neatly, tucked in, nelted with that military belt with the gold buckle, white handkerchief, tickler in pocket, black socks, black shoes shined to shiniest shine and name tag. We would do marching drills, with and without a wooden dummy rifle, get trained in things army, do cheers and a 3-day bivouac where we slept in tents for 2 nights, went on a longm arch, did mountain-climbing, tested for loyalty, war games--- usually, a Filipino's first taste of camping away from home. It turned out I was good in map-reading--- I won first place at an inter-school meet. I got 9 out of the 10 questions right. With this and my being a member of the Model Platoon got me the honor of Best Cadette at the end of the year.

Graduated with First Honorable Mention, third in class of about 180. To be first, I needed higher grades in Communication Arts and Social Studies and a lot of extrac-curricular activities. I was neck and neck with the Salutatorian as far as academic grades went but she beat me when it came to involvement in school activities. I cried when I learned this, cried on my Daddy's shoulder, first time I ever did. Dad said that I was first in his book.