Sagada

Saturday, March 6, 2004

The Sagada Postboy #19 March 5, 1953

by

The Sagada Postboy  

Number 19
March 5, 1953 

Bishop Nakamura is visiting, Bontoc, Besao, Sagada and Tadian. In an interview, the Bishop said he is going to spend two months in the Philippines. Bishop Nakamura arrived in Sagada with Fr. And mrs. Diman last Tuesday. They rode up here in Bishop Wilner’s car. Yesterday morning he went to Bontoc and in the afternoon went to Besao and was driven back to Sagada today in a jeep. He plans to attend Mr. Hentons ordination in Besao on Saturday after which he will proceed to Tadian. From Tadian, he goes to Baguio to spend some days there. Mrs. Diman has invited members of the Mission staff to meet the Bishop at the Red House this afternoon at 3:30. The Bishop said that in 1944, he became the Bishop of Tohoko, Japan, the former Diocese of Bishop Binsted. We are very pleased to have Bishop Nakamura with us and we hope that he will enjoy his visit to the Philippines so that when he goes back to Japan, he will express our greetings and best wishes to our brothers-in-Christ there. – by L. Mangusan 

News about St. Mary’s pupils now studying in Tabuk. According to reports that reach us, they are doing excellent work in their studies. In an oratorical contest, Roberto Omengan won second prize. He gave a selection which he had learned in fifth grade here, about the condition of the Filipinos under the Japanese. One day when the school had a parade, Roberto was put at the head of the procession because of his great height. A former teacher seeing him there thought  he was one of the musicians for he was holding a long piece of sugar cane which looked not unlike a musical instrument. Jane Abeya is taking part in all the school’s activities, games and folk dancing and in a recent play she took the part of an aged aunt because she was the only girl in the class with long hair. Our mountain boy, Hilario Bestoguey, is finding the heat of Tabuk almost more than he can bear and is longing for the cool breeze of Sagada. Bonifacio Bangaan was in Sagada for the fiesta and it was good to see him and hear more than letters can tell us about Tabuk. Jane, Bonifacio and Hilario are studying in St. Theresita’s School, and Roberto is at Tabuk Institute. 

 Willis Ryan Henton, Deacon will be ordained to the Sacred Priesthood by the Rt. Reverent Lyman Cunningham Ogilby, Suffragan Bishop of the Philippines, in St. Benedict’s Church, Besao, Saturday, march 7^th at 9:30 am. 

Last Monday, the Senior Sophomore boys defeated the Preps in a close thrilling volleyball game 31 – 25. The score see-sawed until it was 25 all.Then the Senior-Sophomore went all out to win. The Senior Sophomore girls also won over the Preps in two straight games 21 – 15 and 21 – 11. Tuesday was another thrilling day for games. The 1V-11 used Sophomore players in the first half of their basketball game against the Preps and the score was close, but when the Seniors took over in the 2^nd half, they were too tough for the Preps. The 1V-11 players after reaching the 50 point mark in the last quarter, delayed the time by “freezing” the ball. Total score – 50 – 28. On Wednesday the Preps were really good in softball game against the 1V-11, winning 8-1. The Preps showed the result of Mr. Ullocan’s careful coaching for the fiesta contests. Also on Wednesday, the 111-1 girls won from the Preps in basketball, 4- 0. These small girls played very hard but couldn’t find their baskets. – by O. Montoya 

Plans for the Diocesan Women’s Auxiliary meeting in Sagada, in early May were being made at the meeting of the local branch, Sunday afternoon. One hundred delegates from all over the Diocese are expected. They will be given a warm welcome in Sagada. 

The dormitory henhouse for 50 hens is all complete – thick cogon roof banked with back cogon sides, large windows in front. All we lack are chicks. 

Plans for Commencement week in Sagada are taking shape. Tentatively, a schedule is as follows: Thursday, April 16, Mr. And Mrs Norton’s reception for the Senior class and the Faculty. On this same evening, the Ambasing and Ankileng Elementary Schools will have their Commencement Exercises. On Friday Morning will be the St. Mary’s Intramural Track and Field Meet. In the evening, Sagada Central School will hold its Commencement exercises., followed by a song contest between the fifth and sixth grades of nearby elementary schools. Saturday morning, certificates will be given to St. Mary;’s Intermediates, who this year will have separate commencement exercises. It is proposed on Saturday that there will be an invitation track and field meet for six-year elementary schools in this district. Saturday evening will be the Seniors’ play and Seniors’ Dance. Graduation for the Seniors will follow the custom of many years, and will be held in the school quadrangle, Sunday after the Choral Eucharist. 

Dr. Aoanan, who with Dr. Geser gave anti-TB inoculations here writes in this newsletter about their work in the Mt. Province. They came to Sgada from Besao. “Through the foggy veil and to our right was a sight I shall never forget. Below was a green, peaceful, fertile valley bathed in sunlight and warmth. My feelings were too mixed for words. I just stared and looked. Rimmed by tall, craggy hills, cut off from the outside world, reposed Sagada (in the words of my companions), the Beautiful. It was named after something connected with fish which certainly is not romantic. I remembered John Hilton’s novel “Lost Horizon and Shangri-La. Such beauty as I saw ought not to be hidden from tourists’ eyes. Outside the town, the sun lighted a strange scene. Mountains crowned with waves on waves of primitive terraces and tall pines caressed by clouds stood watch over the serenely resting town with the modern buildings of the Anglican Mission that looked transplanted from another world. A curious point of similarity between the novel and this valley was that none of the people we saw appeared to be old. The women. Too, were exceptionally pretty. The people are educated and cultured and their English put to shame some lowlanders’. The people go about their tasks leisurely although, again, the women do most of the household work. They frequently would gather in little groups and talk, just as we find ours in clubs (perhaps of intellectual topics) over a cup of wine. At least, one of the children (usually the eldest), must have an education. I regret that our mission had not given us more time to seek other attractions of Sagada. We tuberculin-tested and BCG-vaccinated as easily here as in the other villages.”