|
|
Colegio De San Juan De LetranColegio de San Juan de Letran is a college located in Manila, Philippines. Among its alumni are four Philippine presidents: Emilio Aguinaldo, Manuel L. Quezon, Sergio Osmea, and Jose P. Laurel. Please see the official website: www.letran.edu HISTORY OF THE COLEGIO: As one of the oldest college in Asia(next to UST-University of Santo Tomas 1611),Colegio de San Juan de Letran emerged from the fusion of two similar institutions both located in Intramuros. The first was founded in 1620 by Don Juan Geronimo Guerrero, a retired Spanish Officer, who transformed his hermitage home into an orphanage called the Colegio de Ninos Huerfanos de San Juan de Letran. Its purpose was to educate and to mold orphans into good Christian citizens. At about the same time, another institution by the name of Colegio de Huerfanos de San Pedro y San Pablo was established by the Dominican brother Diego de Santa Maria at the Convent of Santo Domingo. The founders of these two institutions with identical origin and purpose did not only share a common concern for the children of Intramuros but they were also linked by strong bond of friendship. It was not surprising therefore that their institutions were merged into one even in their lifetime in 1630 and became known simply as the Colegio de San Juan de Letran. The name San Juan de Letran was inspired from the major basilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome, mother of all Christian churches. Early in the history of the College, its chapel was granted many of the privileges enjoyed by the major Basilica. Saint John the Baptist for whom the Basilica is named, is also the patron saint of the Colegio. In 1690, Letran was declared as an ecclesiastical college. In 1738, six scholarships were granted by the King of Spain for Chinese, Japanese, and Tongkinese (Vietnamese) students. Blessed Vicente Liem de la Paz, O.P. was among the students who enjoyed this scholarship. A royal decree of May 1865 pronounced Letran as a "College of the First Class". The schools curriculum was reviewed and revised according to European and American patterns in 1886. Further expansion took place in 1894 and adjustments were made with the arrival of the Americans in 1900. In 1937, a three-storey building replaced the old structure. The growth of the Colegio was temporarily arrested when the building was bombed in 1941 and then turned into a garrison by the Japanese army in 1944. The Colegio was temporarily housed in the Dominican church and convent of San Juan del Monte. After the war in 1946, Letran returned to its home in Intramuros. In a span of more than three centuries, Letran produced alumni who became the builders of the Filipino nation. The names of Manuel Quezon, Sergio Osmena, Apolinario Mabini, Marcelo del Pilar, Padre Mariano Gomez, Francisco Balagtas and Emilio Aguinaldo, and many others are enshrined in the hearts of every Filipino. LETRAN HERITAGE: An institution that has existed for almost four hundred years..... Unearthing the treasures of Colegio de San Juan de Letran necessitates digging into the very core of its existence to reveal what its founding fathers laid down some 400 years ago. A thorough excavation would reveal that the massive foundation of the Colegio rests solidly on three virtues - an abyssmal love for God, love of neighbor and the constant search for Truth. A closer inspection would also lead to the discovery that these virtues are also the treasured possessions of this institution. The annals of the Colegio chronicles the composition of its founding fathers as a mixture of the religious and the laity. This historical fact alone showcases the uniqueness of the Colegio among other educational institutions - most particularly, the sectarian schools. The uniqueness stems from the strong bind between the laity and the clergy in forming an educational institution. This move appears as a forerunner of the 20th century practice of actively involving the laity in spreading and living the Word of God in a very concrete manner. This step was something revolutionary in the 17th century. Bonded and inflamed with common virtues of love of God, neighbor and constant search for Truth, both the religious and the lay founders practiced these virtues with fervent devotions. Henceforth, adherence to the doctrines of Christian faith and a deep devotion to the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary have become a revered tradition. They have been embraced as a way of life in the hallowed halls of the institution. After 400 years of existence, Colegio de San Juan de Letran is ancient but not aged; modern without being modernistic. Her constant search for truth should naturally lead her to its natural consequence - academic excellence. The Colegio is ingrained with the truth and knowledge that man was created in the image and likeness of God. She recognizes that man can perform the ultimate good only if his faculties move in unison: soul and body, not body and soul. In the portals of the Colegio, a person enters with his mind tabula rasa. He drinks the thirst-quenching cool waters from the Holy Book, he bathes from the fountain of knowledge and savors the experience of community life that the Colegio provides. He extracts nuggets of wisdom from within the four walls of the institution. The person leaves the portals of the Colegio as a LETRANITE. He is richer now than he was before. His metamorphosis into a complete man is accomplished to the fullest. The man, as a Letranite, is molded with the Dominican zeal for spirituality. He is formed by the hammer of Filipino industry. The Letranite, as a man, is instilled with the Christian spirit, reason and insight. He becomes both human and humane; fully aware of his humanity and his need for humanity. He is transformed into a creature who is one with creation in giving glory to his Creator. Attempts by Letranites to empty the Colegios coffers of virtues have transformed them into her wealth in return. Colegio de San Juan de Letran has a history, is part of Philippine and Church histories, but is never history herself. Her presence in history was animated by her sons in different milieu. When the clarion call to serve God and country was sounded, her sons were there ready to serve. The Colegio is the only college in the Philippines whose portals were traversed by a pious man and martyr. The Colegios most illustrious alumnus is St. Vicente Liem de la Paz, O.P. He was a Letranista since 1747 and was professed to the Dominican order in 1754. A resident of Tonking (Vietnam) and a Dominican missionary, he was persecuted together with other Dominican priests in his native Tonking. He died a martyr... a loyal and devoted son of the Church until the end. The soul - the anima - of the nation has also received the indelible mark of the Colegios seal. Most heroes and leaders of our country, who have guided our people in converting the countrys agony into glory, have been cradled from the bosom of the Colegio. The teachings that enlightened the struggle for Philippine independence were authored by the sons of the Colegio. The spilled blood that gave meaning to Philippine patriotism poured out from the veins of the sons of the Colegio. Deus... Patria... Letran. In propagating and living the Faith, in the struggle for honor, valor and glory of the nation, the Colegio lost her wealth - her sons. From the dung heap of painful grief she rose: victorious, radiant and jubilant. The loss of her sons - her wealth - added to the accumulation of her treasures. Treasures that are vaulted in the hearts of every Filipino from generation to generation. Grateful to the Lord of Hosts, the Colegio has nurtured, and has been blessed by a multitude of children who gave the nation only honor and glory. From the Colegios hallways and portals marched her sons: the great, the near-great and those whose achievements were reduced to the ordinary by the achievements of the greatest of them all. From different directions they come, proceeding to the altar of the Lord comes St. Vicente Liem de la Paz, O.P., leading the procession to pay homage and to glorify the Lord of Creation. With him are his brethren, the Blessed Letranites: Jacobo Tomanaga, O.P., Tomas de San Jacinto, O.P., Pedro de Sta. Maria, O.P., Vicente Shiwozuka, O.P., Francisco Shoyemon, O.P., Domingo Tuoc, O.P., and Vicente Yen, O.P. From the ranks of heroes and patriots march: Antonio Regidor, Apolinario Mabini, Emilio Jacinto, Felipe Agoncillo, Fr. Jacinto Zamora, Fr. Jose Burgos, Gen. Manuel Tinio, Gen. Artemio Ricarte, Gen. Gregorio del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena, the Pardo de Taveras and a host of others. From the servants of the Filipino people come: Emilio Aguinaldo, Manuel L. Quezon, Sergio Osmena, Sr., Jose P. Laurel, and the numerous Letranites in public service. They come from the executive, legislative and the judiciary branches of the government service. Constantly aware that her heritage are the virtues of Love of God, neighbor and the constant search for Truth, Colegio de San Juan de Letran will continue to mold the spirit and minds of her sons and daughters to become effective builders of dynamic Christian communities. Truly, they are formed to be catalysts for change... to be the salt of the earth. From then till now, Colegio de San Juan de Letran will be perpetually ingrained in the consciousness and the subconsciousness of the Filipino people through the achievements of her children. Through her guidance, her children will carry on the tradition of penetrating the fields of science, the arts, commerce, technology and other fields of specialization. She will train her children to provide the leadership needed when there is nothing more in their fellow men except the will which says to them: hold on!. As the world moves amidst chaos toward the 21st century, Colegio de San Juan de Letran will carry on in breeding sons and daughters, will plant the seed, and reap the fruits of the culture of excellence. Colegio de San Juan de Letran is the present that is never past. Her vision of today and tomorrow is from the point of view of Truth. Forever she will toil in molding minds and spirits for the glory of God, and the upliftment of man himself. Through the centuries, her magnificence will shine in how she molded her children. She will be perpetuated on how her children have influenced the minds, the spirit and the lives of those who inhabit the earth... of those who will inherit the earth. The heritage of Colegio de San Juan de Letran are the virtues of : Love of God, Love neighbor and the constant search for the Truth. Her legacy to her children... the POWER to uplift himself and humanity in mind, body and spirit! LETRAN Through the Centuries: ...early in our youth, we spent many years in a place that was home for the body and mind...where human values were instilled, knowledge was imbibed and skills honed ... all to prepare us for a proper and successful christian life. some call such place a school, the alma mater ...ours is the Colegio de San Juan de Letran . 1620 Don Juan Jeronimo guerrerro, a retired army officer decided to spend the rest of his life in the welfare and education of abandoned and orphaned children. He gave this institution the name: COLEGIO DE NIOS HUERFANOS DE SAN JUAN DE LETRAN, from the Basilica of St. John of Lateran in Rome.
1623 Philip IV, Kinf of Spain, informed about Guerrero's institution, issued a royal decree (cedula) on July 16, 1623, placing it under his patronage and granting it a subsidy of seven hundred pesos, which would continue until the end of the 19th century.
1630 FRAY DIEGO SANTA MARIA, Dominican lay brother, arrived from Spain and was assigned as porter of the Priory of Santos Domingo (Convento de Santo Domingo). He, too, took pity on the poor and abandoned boys of Manila and gave them shelter in a room adjacent to his office, taught them the rudiments in human knowledge and religion. Fray Diego called this community of orphan boys the COLEGIO DE NIOS HUERFANOS DE SAN PEDRO Y SAN PABLO.
1632 In May of this year Fray Diego de Santa Maria, O.P. may have arrived at Sto. Domingo from Spain via Mexico. he was officially assigned to this same convent on April 23, 1633 and was given the task of conventual porter. He founded the COLEGIO DE NIOS HUERFANOS DE SAN PEDRO Y SAN PABLO.
1640 As Don Juan was dying, the Governor General Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera and the Archbishop of Manila, Most Rev. hernando Guerrero, begged Fray Diego to take charge of the COLEGIO DE NIOS HUERFANOS DE SAN JUAN DE LETRAN. The merger of two similar institurion was effected known first as COLEGIO DE NIOS HUERFANOS DE SAN PEDRO Y SAN PABLO DE SAN JUAN DE LETRAN. For a time one name prevailed over the other Eventually, the second one remained.
1655 Death of Fray Diego de Santa Maria
1706 The Provincial Chapter of the Dominicans in the Philippines decided during this year to adopt officially the name COLEGIO DE SAN JUAN DE LETRAN in memory of Don Juan Geronimo Guerrero, the first founder and declared St.s Peter and Paul as its special patron. Primay education was formally established in Letran. NOte that traditionally secondary education was offered in Letran from the earliest years. though some classes had to be held at Santo tomas for lack of space in Letran. The construction of the first chapel of Letran was completed.
1747 VICENTE LIEM, native of Tunquin, was accepted on 21 May 1747 as a scholar in Letran. He was known among his classmates as Vicente Liam de la Paz because of his serene and peaceful personality. He pursued higher studies at the University of Santo Tomas and then joined the Dominican Order on September 9, 1754. He was ordained priest in 1758. On 20 January 1759 he returned to his native land where four years later on November 4, 1773, he died a martyr's death in defense of faith.
1820 The main building underwent major improvements. And a semblance of unity and harmony in the campus, which grew over the years through the acquisition of surrounding lots, wa also affected.
1865 Letran was declared a College of First Class by royal decree of May 20. The result was that the school population rose cansiderably.
1886 Fr. Bernardino Nozaleda, rector, and future Archbishop of Manila, re-organized the set-up of elementary education in Letran into the Lower, Middle and Superior grades (Infima, Media y Superior), which was then considered at par with the that of many countries in Europe and America.
1902 Gymnastic equipments were installed in one of the gardens within the campus.
1906 VICENTE LIEM DE LA PAZ, who studied in Letran in the 1700s and died a martyr's death in om his native Tunquin (Vietnam), was beatufied by Pope Pius X on May 20 1906.
1918 The first yearbook was published in Spanish by the graduating classes. It replaced the traditional "boletin" which was actually a prospectus carryign also the the list of graduates, their courses, tehir awards, etc. The first yearbook was dedicated to Letran alumnus, Bishop Alfredo Verzosa of Lipa. 1928 Letran joins National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA )
1941 War came to the Philippines. Letran was bombed. But even as the main building burned, the letters LETRAN in the facade shone forth.
1923 The Letran Cadet Corps and the military band were established. The Shakespearean Club and the Cervantes Society were founded. Several sports were organized in Letran, with the school football team emerging as one of the best at the time.
1938 Letran won its first NCAA senior basketball championship. the team was coached by former Philippines Olympian Jacinto Ciria Cruz and skippered by future Philppine Olympian and basketball great, FEly Fajardo.
1940 The newly-contructed annex building, facing the Pasig River, was blessed and inaugurated on 20 October 1940. Bishop Afredo Verzosa, Bishop of Lipa, presided at the rites, with the officers and directors of the Letran Alumni Association standing as sponsors.
1942 The Japanese Imperial Army converted half of the Letran building into a garrison while the other half was opened for classes. The next school year of 1942 the Japanese took over the whole building and classes were temporarily transfered to the Dominican "Sanctuario" of San Juan del Monte.
1945 While the whole country still lay prostrate and suffering from the battle of reconquet of the Philipines by the Americans, Letran temporarily housed at the Dominican Santuario de Santa Cruz in San Juan del Monte, re-opened its doors to its tudents for regular classes.
1946 Letran returned to its familiar environs in Intramuros. A massive reconstruction program was launched to repair and to restore the Letran Main Building to its pre-war conditions. Fr. Augusto Antonio, O.P., the first Filipino Letranite to enter the Dominican Order, was assigned to Letran upon the completion of his studies for, and his oirdination to, the priesthood at the Dominican House of Studies in Hong Kong.
1950 Letran's senior basketball team, popularly known as the "Murder, Inc.", became legend, specially after winning the NCAA and the National Collegiate Basketball Championships. The team was coached by Letran alumnus Angel de Leon and captained by Olympian and basketball great, Lauro Mumar.
1953 The new Letran Elementary Building, built on the grounds of the former Santa Catalina College, which has since been acquired by Letran, was blessed and inagurated by Archbishop Rufino J. Santos, Archbishop of Manila.
1955 On November 6 1955, Archbishop Rufino J. Santos, Archbishop of Manila, blessed the new Letran Gymnasium0Auditorium, located former site of the Dominican Procuration within the Santo Domingo complex.
1961 Fr. Isidro D. Katigbak, O.P at Tiaong, Quezon, was installed as the first Filipino Rector of Letran College. The four-year course leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science was granted government recognition by the Department of Education.
1972 A swmming pool was constructed on the plot of land in the side of the gymnasium facing the walls of Intramuros.
1979 Letran established an extension school in Calamba, Laguna. Ground-breaking rites for the main building on the Calamba campus were held in February 1969 and classes in the First grade, First year high school and the First Year College were opened in June of the same year.
1986 Class H.S. 1957 turns over to the Letran Alumni Association the project of the Hall of Great Knights they initiated in 1982 to honor and perpetuate the memory of the illustruous alumni the school had produced. The Halls present roster includes Emilio Aguinaldo, Francisco Baltazar, Emilio Jacinto, Jose P. Laurel, Fernando Lopez, Apolinario Mabini,Sergio Osmea, Jose Panganiban, Liem de la Paz, Marcelo del Pilar, ManuelL. Quezon, Cayetano Arrelano, Jose Burgos, Vicente L. Madrigal, Quintin Paredes, Francisco Ortigas and Juan Sumulong, grandfather of President Cory Aquino.
1993 Ground-breaking ceremonies for the new Communications Arts building on Legazpi Street on the western side of the campus, as well as blessing of the newly renovated air-conditioned chapel, the speech laboratory LETRAN Journey in Time: "Colegio de Los Nios de San Pedro y San Pablo de San Juan de Letran" 1620 - present Cradle of the revolutionary and political vanguard which led the Filipino people to freedom and nationhood, this venerable institution has been a partner with the leaders of trade, commerce and industry in the progressive development of our country. 1620-1638. The Original site of the orphanage of San Juan de Letran, on the corner of calles Real and Muralla. This was the location of the residence of Letran's founder, Don Juan Geronimo Guerrero. The newer building shown is built on foundation walls of the old one. At the extreme right can be seen the "Puerta del Parian." The first page of the documentary on the foundation and unity of the "Colegio de los Ninos Huerfanos de San Pedro y San Pablo de San Juan de Letran." 1640-1645. Site of Letran's first school building along calles Solana corner Beaterio. The building was badly damaged by the earthquake in 1645. 1671. NE quadrant of the Walled City and environs. The various sites of Letran. Unified map based on a 1671 sketched br Fr. Ignacio Muoz, O.P.: 1648-1669. Letran Extramuros in the area of what is now the Metropolitan Theater. Main Entrance Circa 1936. Weather-beaten facade which had stood the test of three centuries. Through its portals passed such Letranistas as St. vicente Emilio Jacinto, C. Arellano, Manuel QUezon, Sergio Osmena, etc. The ALumni office presently occupies this exact localtion. Letran Circa 1906. A very rare photograph showing the same facade in the festive decor to celebrate the beatification of Letran's greatest alumnus, Vicente Liem de la Paz, Martyr for the faith, now Saint Vicente DEUS,PATRIA,LETRAN (GOD,COUNTRY,SCHOOL) ARRIBA LETRAN!!!! Contributed by: MARVIN V. MERCADO GS-MBA LETRAN GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Colegio De San Juan De Letran Intramuros,Manila LETRAN Elementary-Grade School Batch 1992
|
 |