There are much talk about how inefficient the public school system is nowadays though I'd beg to disagree with them since I got along fine right now and not once did I ever study in a private institution I could cope up with those in the private schools, another is that I have a mother who used to be a public school teacher for almost 40 years and I have come to grow up in the school where she teaches as a teachers' kid and I can say that in my experience almost all of the teachers that I had in elementary were exemplary and can be looked up to academic aptitude-wise and personality-wise.
What it is written above is very true but that is not really the main reason why I posted here. The real reason is that I've come to recall my days in G. Del Pilar Elementary School.

• I remember the trays of food for recess and how we were encouraged to buy from them instead of buying scramble with Brown Cow, Popsicles where the wrappers are shafted in a barbecue stick by its vendor and fishballs that are all conviniently located perpendicular to our school gate.
• 
  Speaking of trays for reces I cannot help but laugh at the food in there nameley the galletas de patatas.
• 
  There's always this bunot raffle scam initiated by sidewalk vendors outside the school where they'd tease you with cool toys and even a gameboy if you'd give him 1 peso but it would always turn out that you'd win a chick (sisiw).
  
• I have rich classmates who have Coleman jugs, stroller bags and backpacks with a clock attached to it.
  
• Marvel Superheroes Trading cards were cool and are only worth P1.50 per pack which contains 3 cards and a gum.
  
• There were kids who'd be 'possessed' ala The Exorcist and they'd hurl their desks just like the hulk at our school janitors.
  
• There were rumors that the school was once a cemetery, but later on I'd find out that such urban legends are so with almost every public school.
  
• There would be the exercise sessions right after the flag ceremony.
  
• There are these cool marching band tunes played as the pupils would disperse to go to their rooms after the flag ceremony.
  
• You're considered cool if you already started wearing long khaki pants on grade 4.
  
• There is more than enough space to play agawan base, mataya-taya, monkey monkey and langit lupa in our school.
  
• There are 1 peso movies shown in our school to raise funds for its reconstruction because it was render condemed by the government following the July 16, 1991 earthquake.
  
• There was this long vacation following the erruption of Mt. Pinatubo.
  
• Crushes, girlfriend-boyfriend relationships are considered a taboo then.
  
• I get to play Bioman, Maskman and other role playing games with your friends at school.
  
• Wearing Mighty Kid Shoes was hip at our school and you're considered extrahip if you have a Doppy Dogs pair of Mighty Kids.
  
• We thought it was then cool to wear baseball helmets ala the Guwapings.
  
• There were food considered as hits in the recess tray those were Eat Bulaga Cornick and Wonder Boy chips.
  
• You could talk about your favorite cartoons at class and no one would think you're weird.
  
• I was then introduced to barbershop grin jokes starring Juan, Pepe and Pedro as well as those stories where stupid competitions would be held where the Japanese, American or whatever would compete with Filipinos over the most gross out titles.
  
• I was more than once threatened by other kids na "aabangan daw nila ko sa labas" after class. Or I would be challenged to a "square" on recess.
  
• There were mango trees to climb or hurl stones at to get their premature mango sprouts.
  
• We'd eat any eddible fruit in our school and that would include even eating kamias.
  
• There are monkey bars to exhibit our gymnastic abilities.
  
• There are bamboo like trees that we'd slide from (ala Ghostbusters) from the second floor of this condemed building in our school. The same tree would also has this fruit that stings you with intense burning itch if it makes contacts with your skin.
  
• We'd imitate Principe K from Ok Ka Fairy Ko by placing thumb tacks on the soles of our shoes and we'd tap dance.
  
• We'd ride loose boards like sleds from the second floor of this condemed building in our school via the stairs.
  
• How I can afford to not write notes because my teacher would give me a personal secretary because I'm a teachers kid.
  
• How I am this sort of untouchable super-kid at school because I'm a teachers' kid.

Too bad such good things come to an end....

posted by m35b @ Friday, November 19, 2004