The legacy of
Brother Gus Boquer

We attended the testimonial rites for Brother Agustin Boquer who will soon leave the University of St. La Salle for a new assignment to head La Salle Dasmariñas.

Brother Gus served La Salle Bacolod for 18 years, first as a teacher then as school president since 1998.

There will be those who may not agree with me, but teaching is the world's most noble profession. Jesus Christ told his disciples, "Go and teach all nations."

And Henry Brooks Adams, in his book "The Education of Henry Adams" wrote "A teacher affects eternity. He can never tell where his influence ends." When Christ was asked once, how would he liked to be called, he answered "Teacher." And what He taught will influence the world through all eternity.

Brother Gus has built buildings and projects. These are material things. What will remain will be the influence he made as head of a teaching institution.

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Sorry for taking up the topic of teaching in a political season. Not to put down politicians but teaching is better than politics. It is more noble.

There is that famous anecdote about the famous Dr. Busby, headmaster of Westminster who, while showing Charles II of England over the school, apologized to that merry monarch for keeping his hat on in the presence of royalty.

He told Charles, "It would not be good for my boys to suppose that there existed in this world a man greater than Dr. Busby."

And Charles told Dr. Busby, "Keep it on." And laughed.

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Or this other anecdote. A principal passed by a classroom where the teacher was trying to quell a little riot. The principal asked, what's wrong and the teacher, suppressing tears said, she asked the question to give an example of a concrete and an abstract. This young, pretty teacher explained that concrete is the one that you see while abstract is the one that you cannot see.

A boy raised his hand and answered, "My pants are concrete and yours are abstract." Suprressing a smile the principal told the boys to behave and no foolishness.

Then coming out of the room, he laughed so loudly which he could not restrain.

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Oh, I can regale you with endless anecdotes of classroom antics, especially when you had in your class such outstanding characters as Murcia Mayor Sonny Coscolluela and Silay Councilor Imok Salmingo.

They were very bright in class but you had to know how to match wits with them.

I also had the bright ones and very well behaved and who turned out to be outstanding leaders as politicians: Two ex-Governors Bitay Lacson and Lito Coscolluela, former congressmen John Orola, Jun Lozada, and incumbent Monico Puentevella, and mayors incumbent Bing Leonardia and past incumbent and to be Cano Tan, Bebot Mirasol, Carol Guanco, Oti Montelibano, and very many more.

I want to make it clear. I learned from them more than they learned from me. This what was US State Secretary Henry Kissenger answered when asked, how did he become famous after he left Harvard. "I learned from my students more than they learned from me."

A teacher must learn from his students.

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In that La Salle testimonial, I asked Brother Gus for permission to use the quotation he gave ending his speech. It's beautiful entitled "Wherever You Go."

It is a narration from the song "Wherever You Go" by the Western Priory Monks of Vermont, Virginia, U.S.A.

"I want to say something / To all of you who have become / A part and fabric of my life.

"The color and texture / Which you have brought into my being / Have become a song, / And I want to sing it forever.

"There is an energy in us / Which makes things happen / When the paths of other persons touch ours / And we have to be there / And let it happen.

"When the time of our particular sunsets comes / Our things, our accomplishments / Won't really matter a great deal / But the clarity and care / With which we have loved others / Will speak with vitality / Of the great gifts of life / We have been for each other."

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There are changes in life. We get transplanted to some places or some positions. Life is a continuous movement.

The thoughts of this quotation make us stronger in facing these challenges. We wish Brother Gus success in his new assignment.

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With Modi Sa-onoy we interviewed over television Sen. Ralph Recto yesterday. I am impressed by his brilliance and his grasp of the country's problems.*

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