BONIFACIO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Part 1

Last Friday, feeling a bit nostalgic, I paid a visit to my old school, Bonifacio Elementary School at the corner of Ipil and Tayuman streets. Thinking I must first request a visitor's pass at the office, I was pleasantly surprised when the gatekeeper allowed me inside the grounds; free to roam around and take some pictures.

Now, if I were allowed to step into a time warp with the power to select which period of time past I would like to relive, it would definitely be the years as a student at this school. It was absolutely the most blissful and magical. Not only because it was the age of my so-called wonder years, but it was a period in time when everything seemed perfect. Life at home was abundant with joy and play while school was wonderful. It was like being in the midst of some fairy tale. There was absolutely nothing of major concern for us kids, except making good in school. I, like all my siblings, loved school. Well, although not in the beginning.

The first grade was tough because it was the first time I had to be in some unfamiliar environment five days a week with neither of my parents along with me. I would stand and cry by the row of drinking fountains at the school yard. My brother, a sixth grader at that time, would stay with me until there were only the two of us in that vast school ground. He didn’t want to leave me alone; afraid I might sneak out of the gate and attempt to go home, but only get lost in the process.

He would never raise his voice as he tried convincing me that school could be fun with all those kids as potential playmates. I wouldn't hear a word of it; all I wanted was to go home. Eventually, my teacher would come and fetch me while my brother would sprint over to his class. His teacher was very understanding and never gave him any flak for his tardiness.

In a couple of weeks, I met someone in class who would become my bestfriend. I was not afraid of going to school anymore because there was a familiar person waiting for me every school day.

The six years I spent in that school were simply marvelous. I really thrived in that environment. Only problem was, in first grade, it became obvious to everyone that I didn’t function well in the mornings. First of all, even though I would go to bed early, it was virtually impossible to wake me up. And when I did wake up, get dressed and physically get to school, I was always groggy and aloof. It would take me a couple of hours before I would become vibrant enough to participate in the class activities.

Fearing that it might only setback my learning development, my parents had me placed in the afternoon class beginning on my second year. And although I was placed in section 2 instead of 1, which were in the mornings, it was fine with me; actually, it proved rather auspicious. Without any pressure to perform exceedingly well in class, my entire learning environment became much more fun and creative. And this is where I attribute the impressive result of my IQ test when I entered MIT’s High School Division. I had the highest score among the entire freshmen. But it evidently turned south from that point on.

That high school was excruciatingly left-brain-oriented; steep in the sciences and mathematics. Unlike in more liberal and progressive schools in which questions were encouraged, here, it felt like to question was to be insolent — how dare we interrupt the teacher’s speech? Except for a handful, the rest of the faculty members were distant and disconcerting; somehow giving tangible form to the adage, those who can’t, teach; and tinged with resentment at that.

The kids attending Bonifacio Elementary School in my time were both fearful and respectful of authority figures; thus, the teachers were afforded with the same kind of attention one would give to a parent. It proved beneficial for all since the teachers became fully focused on teaching; their time was never compromised by any incorrigible students. The teachers I had in that school truly enjoyed nurturing our young minds; in the end, a good time was had by all.

To date, Bonifacio Elementary school remains among the top ten in the city of Manila's public middle school system. Many of its graduates, unable to afford private school, would go on to study at Ramon Magsaysay High School near UST on Espana and Manila Science High School in Ermita.