La Salle 67 forever

Fifty years ago – 1967 –  I graduated from La Salle, after having spent five years together with a group of students who have become truly life-long friends and members of a unique family system whose bonds have become closer as we regularly celebrate birthdays together and welcome visiting balikbayan classmates.

Our class – Liberal Arts-Commerce or LiaCom 67, graduated with each one earning two degrees – one in Liberal Arts and another in Commerce. We were only one section and considered  ourselves as  the honors class, which was naturally disputed by other classes. When we entered La Salle in 1962, it was still an all-male school with a population of somewhere between 1,000 and 1,500 students. It was more than a campus. It was a community that shared classrooms and facilities in a single building.

In 1962, we were unaware that our generation would see and even be active participants in historic struggles that would engulf the country in the next five decades. Martial law was still 10 years in the future and EDSA was just a highway. But there were some signs of a new era even during our college years. At the start of our college life, the editor in chief of the school organ – La Sallian – was fired by the administration for an editorial advocating for a Student Council. By the time we graduated, La Salle had its first Student Council.

But for most of us, the most memorable memories of our college days were about  studies and teachers; girls and parties; sports; extra-curricular activities; and, times spent socializing after school hours.

We were fortunate that we had some excellent teachers. Some also who we will always remember but not necessarily for their mentoring skills. Among our most memorable teachers and subjects were Ariston Estrada (Thomistic Philosophy); Bernie Villegas, Ned Roberto and Father Piron (Economics); Aurelio Calderon (Greek Civilization); Sixto Sandejas and Dodo Mandanas (Accounting); Robert Lane (Western Civilization); Brother Gabriel FSC and Father Perez (Religion); Marcelino Foronda (Philippine History); Eduardo Deveza (English); Eric Villegas (Sociology)and Rogelio LaO (Logic). Brother Paul FSC taught a unique subject called Christian Gentleman where we were taught not to blow the car horn when fetching a date and to always use white handkerchief.

Estrada was the most “terrifying” teacher with constant half-sheet exams and when assigned to erase the black board during his class, the eraser had to go up and down and never sideways. Sandejas had this practice of pretending to give a student ten centavos – the cost of a jeepney ride at that time – and telling him to go back to the mountains if he could not answer a question correctly.

Studying in an all-male college at the peak of our teen years meant that one dominant topic was girls – how to meet them and how to court them. This was the period when holding hands with a girl usually meant that you were going steady. Most of the girls we knew studied in the “convent schools” that were exclusively schools for girls. The normal list included St. Scholastica, Assumption, Maryknoll, St. Theresa, Holy Ghost, and St. Paul.

The best places to meet girls then were at parties and college fairs. We had class parties where the popular guys in our class would invite as many girls as possible from the different girls schools. The opportunity to attend “convent” school fairs  were seldom missed unless one already had a girlfriend.

The most popular dances were the boogie and the “slow” dance. But there were new dances like the twist and the mashed potato. The Beatles era was just beginning. In 1962, among the popular singers were Elvis Presley, Chubby Checker, and Paul Anka. During our college years, singing groups became popular – Lettermen, Everly Brothers, Beach Boys, Supremes, Rolling Stones, Dave Clark Five and the Beatles.

Sports was always a major activity in La Salle. The interclass Intramural Games were serious affairs. A classmate introduced boxing as an intramural sports. Basketball and football remained the most popular sports.

The NCAA was then the league where La Salle and Ateneo competed. It was in La Salle where I learned the meaning of fighting spirit and competition. The Rizal Memorial was the venue for basketball games. Sections were strictly segregated since brawls between all boys schools were not uncommon. Green was our color and no “blue” was allowed in our section during those games. Our school song  was the Victory Song.

We were active in extracurricular activities. Our classmates eventually headed several college wide organizations like the Student Council, Liberal Arts School Council, Dramatics Guild, ROTC, Glee Club,Cultural Society,  Green and White Yearbook and the Intramural Athletic League. Socializing meant playing billiards (along Estrada Street), ten-pin bowling and poker games. It also included skipping classes to watch movies or just hanging out at the Archers’ Nook.

I wish I had more space to write about our class and La Salle during our college years. But I want to end by dedicating this column to the best class ever and wish them Happy Golden Jubilee: Toto Acosta, Manolet Arnaldo, Bertie Barredo, Ching Benito, Pontit Broce, Jun Busuego, Juaco Campbell, John Cocuaco, Elfren Cruz, Joey Cuisia, Sonny David, Sonny de los Reyes, Ramon del Rosario Jr., Ruben del Rosario, Mon Enriquez, Joji Ferro, Waldo Flores, Larry Gamboa, Tony Garcia, Steve Golamco, Willy Hernandez, Eddie Jacinto, Mon Javellana, Lito Kare, Joey Laurel, Jake Lavares, Eddie Boy Ledesma, Jun Malvar, Jose Mamuyac, Eric Musngi, Doug Nazareno, Tony Ortigas, Einstein Padua, Toti Paraiso, Roy Quicho, Tel Rodica, Joaquin Villava, Mario Villegas, and Nitos Villegas.

During these past 50 years our classmates have become entrepreneurs, business tycoons, cabinet secretaries and undersecretaries, ambassadors, bankers, heads of law and auditing firms, corporate executives, writers, and farmers. Several have passed away or migrated to other countries.  But the La Salle LiaCom 67 Class remains an extended family bonded by shared memories and lifelong friendships.