Unknown Teacher

In the Catholic cemetery of Jasaan, Misamis Oriental there stood a very large tomb of a teacher. Nobody could remember her name, if ever there was, they too are already somewhere in the cemetery resting in peace. The size of the tomb would always catch the attention of anybody visiting the cemetery. The tomb had no name printed or engraved as to who the dead was but some folks would say that the owner was a teacher. She taught in the Old Catholic School near the church.

She was said to be a daughter of a couple who were both only child of their parents. This teacher came to Jasaan and married her profession until her retirement age. Since she had no relatives, she preferred to stay in our place and died there. Perhaps the money she had saved was a little bit bigger that whoever close to her and took good care of her in her last days, made it a point to spend her savings by building her a large tomb. I just wonder why nobody ever thought of engraving her name on the walls of her tomb, so that she would be known even by her name alone. She was popular when alive but time went by and slowly she was forgotten.

I can only imagine how this Unknown Teacher lived in those days. There was no electricity then, the roads are dusty when during summer days and muddy during rainy days. Perhaps she was really loved by the people that she did not go back to her hometown but stayed in our place until her death. I can imagine her studying her notes and preparing her visual aids for the lessons the next day. There was no water color nor crayons and colored pens then so she busied herself cutting figures that could catch the attention of her pupils. Her eyes are strained because of low lights from oil lamps, but she did not lay her tired body until all preparations were ready for use.

As she was alone, she had to wake up early to cook her food. She had to walk a little distance to fetch water. While waiting for the rice to be cooked, she had to take a bath and dressed up. She took her simple breakfast with coffee out of burnt corn grits and dried fish. On her way to school, people greeted her. Left and right she turned and nodded in response to those greeting her. Her pupils followed her. Some offered to bring her things, while others asked questions that she courteously answered though the questions were repeated several times.

At noon she went to a small market to buy fish before going home. She then prepared the fish and cooked it. She went to her small garden at the back of her house and gathered some leafy vegetables to have nutritious benefits to her. She took a little nap and set out again to continue the lessons of the day. After closing the doors of the school in the afternoon, she went home and had some weeding of her garden, water her flowering plants and when the bell rang it means she had to stop and prayed the Angelus.

After praying she went to the hearth and started fire to warm the food that she did not consume from her breakfast and lunch. She then ate her dinner alone under the oil lamp light and washed dishes afterwards. She had some little rest, and her routine for the next day started again. She stopped at eight in the evening to pray for the dead relatives after which she was again busy doing her work for her pupils. Either she was checking papers or preparing lesson plan and visual aids for her lessons.

When there were problems of the neighborhood she was usually consulted for her opinion. She gave advises to quarreling couples, things that is a little bit strange to her because she had no family of her own, but because teachers are considered as the source of wisdom, she willingly though unhesitatingly helped solve the problems. When there were meetings, she was always called to record the minutes, sometimes she acted as treasurer too. This teacher did these without a single complain, perhaps the reason why the people loved her so much and in return she loved them too by making Jasaan her second home. After retiring from teaching due to old age as there was no retirement age before she lived with the people until her last breath.

I could not make her face in my mind as there was no single picture that exists, but whenever, I saw teachers who are married to their profession of teaching, it always comes to my mind that nameless tomb but lies therein a known teacher during her days but Unknown to present generation. To that great teacher that offered her life and devotion to molding the minds of the children I wish your dream of making a difference in the lives of those you taught did not go in vain. I hope you are now happy with the children that you shared your time, effort and life in making our place in Jasaan a better place to live.