My school

Just the other day, my brother and I were reminiscing about the school we all went when we were young -- Saint Jude Catholic School. We agreed that things probably were not the same as the time we were there.

The priests who used to run the school have already passed away, so other SVD priests are now at the helm. I do not know if their style of running the school is better or not, but it's really bound to be different.

There are a lot of improvements in the school itself. Before, the washrooms were dirty. Sometimes only one or two faucets were working out of the numerous ones. And there were no soaps, hand dryers or toilet paper available. We had to bring our own. Now, the washroom I used when I was there for the parent's orientation looked much cleaner, with liquid soap dispensers and toilet paper in the cubicles. There was an additional building which housed administration offices. However, I did feel that it became darker since the new building kinda encroached on the open space. But then, I guess with the limited space, that's the best that could be done.

Classrooms are now airconditioned. The canteen is also much bigger. I think the auditorium is almost the same size, although it has been upgraded. There are now airconditioners and the seats have improved. Of course, they have had to repair these because a fire that happened years ago destroyed the old auditorium.

Are they still as strict as they used to be? Do their students excel later? Do their students get a good command of the Chinese language? Do their students get a firm grip on what is right and what is wrong? I can only hear from other people's accounts.

I had wanted my children to study in here, my alma mater.

But I guess fate has other plans. My son is now studying at La Salle Greenhills, and it looks like this is the school for him. I'm planning to enroll him in their Chinese program when he hits grade 1. As for my daughter, I do not think that I can enroll her in a school so far away from where her Ahia is studying. I'm eyeing ICA, but I still have about 3-4 years to decide. Wherever they go to, I hope that they will be able to LEARN and be the best that they could be.

Big school

We were able to see our little boy's classroom only once -- on his first day of BIG school. The classroom certainly looks much more modern than the classrooms that I have tucked away in my own memory bank. Of course, there were tables and chairs for each of the student, and cubbyholes for them to put their stuff in.

But they now have modern equipment like TVs with mounts, a computer, and airconditioning. Well, that's from the 10 minutes or so (?) that I was in the room with E. I guess that's why the tuition is so much higher than what my parents paid for when I was at that age! I won't be minding paying a huge tuition if my son would be able to learn what he is supposed to. I do wish that he would fit in and find friends too.

Here's wishing that he'll have a great experience in school.

Stressed but quite excited

The past few days have been so H-E-C-T-I-C that I'm afraid I've pushed some important things to the backburner. :( Things like my article deadlines, my daughter's first birthday party, even the payment of some bills (thankfully not the important ones). These are also very stressful times. I haven't checked but I believe I've lost some weight without needing to consult http://www.fastweightloss.net. Thing is, I also look stressed and haggard lately. Sigh and double sigh.

But the good news is that my son will be going to big school soon! I'm excited and at the time apprehensive. No, he's not going to a Chinese school. But learning Chinese has been pushed as a later priority too. Maybe in Grade School because La Salle Greenhills offers optional Chinese by then. Oh well. Another sigh. I'm happy enough that he got accepted. I really really hope he will fit right in.

Farewell, Msgr. Tchou

For older graduates of Saint Jude Catholic School, the memory of Fr. Charles Tchou is forever linked with the memories of school.

When we were in SJCS, Fr. Tchou was feared by most of the students. He was the school's chief disciplinarian and is known for giving out the dreaded conduct C* or in extreme cases, conduct D. Thankfully, I was mostly a rule follower and never considered cheating, or breaking school property, or being disrespectful to teachers, or bringing in smut, which is the case with the most publicized cases of conduct C's being given out to erring students. He was also known to give instant crew cuts, his version, to boys who sport hair longer than was prescribed. I would venture to say that a lot of students, budding teenagers and tweens alike, who are in the first throes of rebelling against set rules, really hated the way that they were "limited" by the rules.

While some never outgrew their distaste for what they feel was a trampling of their right to self expression, more of us grew up realizing that there was a lot of value in what the school taught us. The school, and especially Fr. Tchou, taught us that there were reasons for rules, and you were supposed to abide by these rules. The rules exempt no one. Everyone was covered by rules and everyone should follow them. If you didn't, there would be consequences that you should be man (or woman) enough to accept.

If I think about it, the rules in school aren't really much different from the rules at home. It all boils down to love and respect for the other members of the family (or of the school) and respect for oneself.

If one stops to think about it, that should apply to everybody as well. I am shocked that the people in the highest places, the people who should know about the laws of the land, are ignorant, or blissfully ignore the law in order to benefit themselves and their families. When they get caught, they just spend their time looking for palusots. Which should not have been the case.

Fr. Tchou was not always the stern disciplinarian. He can actually joke with us. I remember one time he saw me and my brothers waiting for our ride home. I was quite a thin girl and my younger brothers were much chubbier. He chuckled and said that my brothers must have always snatched away my share of the food, leaving nothing to me. I remember chuckling a bit at that.

I graduated High School in 1987. I don't think I ever saw Fr. Tchou again after that. He was given another assignment about 3 years after I graduated from High School and was never reassigned again to SJCS. He was promoted to Monsignor a few years back. Our batch visited him in November 2004. Unfortunately, I was not able to go because I was on my honeymoon then.

About a week ago, he got hospitalized at Cardinal Santos. Before I could decide whether or not to go visit him, he suddenly passed away. He was 84. I can no longer go to the wake because I am pregnant and Chinese custom do not allow pregnant women from attending wakes.

I was informed that one of his last wishes was that his wake be held at SJCS, where he had contributed the best years of his life. I felt it was only fitting to do so. I was told that a lot of alumni went to pay their final respects. Ironically, most of the school's students and present faculty no longer know him, as he has been away from SJCS for 19 years. Although he has been away for so long, it was obvious that there was where his heart belongs.

For the man who was very instrumental in making most of us know the true meaning of "discipline", "rules" and who has the gumption to actually carry out the needed punishments, farewell. I will always remember you as an important figure of my growing up years.
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N.B. Conduct C: There is a grading system for conduct in SJCS. It supposedly gauges your behavior during the quarter and ranges from A to D. Conduct A is very rare -- I've never known anybody who's gotten more than A-. Conduct D is also quite rare. Conduct C puts you under probation, and keeps you from getting the choice positions in school like president, editor-in-chief or whatnot. 2 Conduct C's in the same year gets you expelled. 1 Conduct D is enough to expel you. At least these are what I remembered.