Mrs. Trend Setter
>> 15 August 2008
English 16 EDB. The most bizarre English experience at Ateneo. EDB is my class section way back 5 years ago when I was a freshman. It's kind a weird to recall those younger days but my posting is not about English per se rather it's the experience I had with a demented English teacher. In Ateneo, freshmen are required to take the Math and English placement exam to gauge the skill of a student before they enter the college way of learning. Usually, it happens 3 to 5 days after the first day of class. In some universities, they admit the students to English 1 or whatever their subject code is, everyone is entitled to go back to the basics of the English language. I even encountered a problem in the registrar during the evaluation of my transfer credentials. You see, course description should match with your new school. Ours was 'Study, Thinking & Communication Skills in English.' Luckily, I was able to settle the dispute with the records in-charge and fortunately, made my way to the graduation ceremony.After we took the English placement exam, we were assigned to our new classrooms and of course to a new teacher. I was designated to one of the gloomiest and oldest school building in the city, Xavier Hall (the image above). Accounts from the oldest alumni says, it is where the Japanese soldiers tortured men and women of the Guerilla during the world war II. It gave me the creeps after hearing the hall's history but I didn't care at all. All I cared about at that time was who will be my new teacher. I scooted my way down to the hall and went up to the steepest stair case of the gloomiest, oldest school building like I was actually climbing a 20 feet wall. I reached my new classroom at the darkest corner of the second floor. The furnishings were old, dusty and rusty. It was like ages. I wondered what my professor would look like. Does he or she looked like these things? Or smell like them?
I was surprised to see my cousin, twice removed, of the commerce department and some of my block mates in the room. A few minutes later more and more students from different colleges were filling the timeworn classroom. Everyone sighed after knowing that we made it to English 16 and not 14. Later on, a lady with a shuffling gait came carrying a large bag. I bet she could bring everything in the house with that bag she was holding. She was sallow and grayish more like on her mid 50s. Her jet-black hair was like a mop standing on its handle and just like a mop her hair parted revealing the signs of hair loss. She climbed the rickety pulpit supporting her knees and reached for the back support of the teacher's chair then dropped the bag on her desk inscribed with the initials A.M.D.G. (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam which means, 'For the greater glory of God'). She grinned and wrote something on the board. Her arms sagged like a dough held by a baker and wrinkled each time her muscles twitched. I wondered what was holding this woman together. It was not clear from my desk but according to some classmates at the front it said, 'English 16 EDB.' I prefer not to disclose her name. I'll call her with the pseudonym, Mrs. Trend Setter.
The first month with her was an ordeal for all of us. I couldn't imagine a teacher would likely scold a student who tried to ask some questions about a lesson or an exam. Like most teachers have, she has a favorite student. Her name was Marilou. Marilou was the most articulate in class. Although she was an eyesore she sounded cute especially the way she talk. Like most eyesore, she was nice to all of us and shared the advantage as a teacher's pet. She used to negotiate with Mrs. Trend Setter and bribe old issues of Vogue magazines to extend our homework deadlines, the least best thing she can do.
To cut the story short, you might be asking what's bizarre with the experience I had. Well, after that semester Mrs. Trend Setter died. According to a reliable source, she was diagnosed earlier with cancer of some sort and she was advised to rest but with her passion she rather teach than rot in bed. That explains her mood. She was passing. I bet she was in pain at some points in our class. She was a good teacher even though she was grouchy at times. Then a few weeks later, Marilou died from a car accident. The news spread in the city like wild fire. She was in the local papers, on the radio and the local news. I was shocked to know that she was the city youth council chairman. Her wake was held at the City Hall. I was thinking that their wake should be in our classroom with their caskets positioned side by side to make it more dramatic with Vogue and refreshments served on the coffee table. Weird, bizarre it may be but the deaths gave us the creeps. We went straight to the chapel after hearing the tragic events. God bless their souls.
The image above shows Ateneo de Cagayan (now Xavier University) during the 1930s. Xavier University (1933) is currently celebrating her 75th year of existence.
I was surprised to see my cousin, twice removed, of the commerce department and some of my block mates in the room. A few minutes later more and more students from different colleges were filling the timeworn classroom. Everyone sighed after knowing that we made it to English 16 and not 14. Later on, a lady with a shuffling gait came carrying a large bag. I bet she could bring everything in the house with that bag she was holding. She was sallow and grayish more like on her mid 50s. Her jet-black hair was like a mop standing on its handle and just like a mop her hair parted revealing the signs of hair loss. She climbed the rickety pulpit supporting her knees and reached for the back support of the teacher's chair then dropped the bag on her desk inscribed with the initials A.M.D.G. (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam which means, 'For the greater glory of God'). She grinned and wrote something on the board. Her arms sagged like a dough held by a baker and wrinkled each time her muscles twitched. I wondered what was holding this woman together. It was not clear from my desk but according to some classmates at the front it said, 'English 16 EDB.' I prefer not to disclose her name. I'll call her with the pseudonym, Mrs. Trend Setter.
The first month with her was an ordeal for all of us. I couldn't imagine a teacher would likely scold a student who tried to ask some questions about a lesson or an exam. Like most teachers have, she has a favorite student. Her name was Marilou. Marilou was the most articulate in class. Although she was an eyesore she sounded cute especially the way she talk. Like most eyesore, she was nice to all of us and shared the advantage as a teacher's pet. She used to negotiate with Mrs. Trend Setter and bribe old issues of Vogue magazines to extend our homework deadlines, the least best thing she can do.
To cut the story short, you might be asking what's bizarre with the experience I had. Well, after that semester Mrs. Trend Setter died. According to a reliable source, she was diagnosed earlier with cancer of some sort and she was advised to rest but with her passion she rather teach than rot in bed. That explains her mood. She was passing. I bet she was in pain at some points in our class. She was a good teacher even though she was grouchy at times. Then a few weeks later, Marilou died from a car accident. The news spread in the city like wild fire. She was in the local papers, on the radio and the local news. I was shocked to know that she was the city youth council chairman. Her wake was held at the City Hall. I was thinking that their wake should be in our classroom with their caskets positioned side by side to make it more dramatic with Vogue and refreshments served on the coffee table. Weird, bizarre it may be but the deaths gave us the creeps. We went straight to the chapel after hearing the tragic events. God bless their souls.
The image above shows Ateneo de Cagayan (now Xavier University) during the 1930s. Xavier University (1933) is currently celebrating her 75th year of existence.
0 comments:
Post a Comment