Institutional memory
Credit to Author: Father Jesus Miranda| Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2020 16:57:14 +0000
The UST Publishing House has reprinted the 1984 book Jose Rizal and the University of Santo Tomas. Written by the Dominican historian Fr. Fidel Villarroel, OP, the book not only narrates history; it also serves pointed clarifications on how the story of the national hero has been told. It somehow offers insights on managing organizations, like schools, as well.
Father Villarroel, who also penned the positio or the cause for the canonization of the first Filipino saint San Lorenzo Ruiz, writes in his book, “I believe that the biographers of the national hero have left a vacuum to fill. The University of Santo Tomas has been placed out of focus… Some writers have mistakenly thought that the best way of obtaining that picture [of exalting Rizal] would be to contrast it with a darkened picture of the UST.”
The eminent Spanish Dominican refers to the allegations, among many others, that say Rizal suffered discrimination in UST as ostensibly evidenced by the disparity between his grades in high school and in the university. Father Villarroel duly appeals to prudent reason, underscoring that what should have been done was a comparison between Rizal and his actual classmates in UST and not between the Jesuit school and the Dominican university.
In UST, Rizal ranked second in class standing. He topped other Spanish students. He was granted a very rare privilege of pursuing two programs at the same time. These could not have been possible had he been a subject of discrimination. With this, Father Villarroel sets himself apart from wayward historians because he matches his rigor in research with genuine intellectual honesty.
Also, Father Villarroel indirectly provides a gem of insight to what is called “collective memory” — a kind of memory that is shared, cherished and protected by people, for it inspires them to become united regardless of their generation and status in life. This kind of memory makes families more cohesive, communities more stabilized and a nation probably stronger.
Collective memory is important for institutions, like schools. In their book Shaping School Culture, Terrence Deal and Kent Peterson point out: “Learning history is critical to acquiring a robust understanding of the culture of the school… A learning organization is one that mines past and present experiences for important lessons and principles, for stories and legends that can energize current efforts.” Perhaps, we can take a few notes from this and from Father Villarroel’s history.
Institutions need to be reminded of their heroes. Trying times of institutions are the breeding ground of heroes. Learning how these heroes exemplified courage, resiliency, brilliance and hard work can motivate present members of an institution. Their successes are sources of inspiration while their failures accentuate lessons that must be learned.
In UST, the last quarter of the 19th century was among its hardest years. The rabid anti-cleric sentiment reached the country. Science was being poised to replace religion. These times, according to Father Villarroel, saw the rise of Thomasians who addressed the issues in and outside of the university. Cardinal Zeferino Gonzalez, OP was among the leaders of the revival of Thomistic thought that led Pope Leo 13th to write the encyclical Aeterni Patris (Of the Eternal Father). Fr. Norberto del Prado, OP, became a renowned theologian at the International Catholic University of Fribourg, Switzerland. Fr. Evaristo Arias, OP, a friend of Rizal, emerged as a well-known poet and theologian. UST Rector Fr. Joaquin Fonseca, OP did his best to put into realization academic reforms in UST.
Knowledge of history reinforces the mission, purpose and revered values of an institution. For Deal and Peterson, “mission, purpose, and values approximate the meaning behind the myth or core story to get deeper calling, higher worth, or the greater cause of an educational enterprise.”
The values of UST find its voice in Father Villarroel’s work. When European liberalism reached Manila, secularism almost took over UST. The university’s relevance and identity were questioned. The encyclical Aeterni Patris, which takes inspiration from the teachings of the university patron St. Thomas Aquinas, came as the university’s great refuge against turning away from its Catholic identity. So, the mission and purpose of UST of the past remain as the same mission and purpose of the university today.
Rituals, practices and symbols bring people together in understanding deeply the main tenets of an institution. These serve as the spirit of the institution that evoke the emotions of people towards meaningful and engaged relationship. These give life and meaning to what seems to be lifeless vision-mission statements.
In UST, the yearly inaugural lecture called the “Discurso de Apertura” still follows the Mass of the Holy Spirit to start each academic year. The Arch of the Centuries still symbolizes the passage and academic achievements of each Thomasian alumnus. Murals inside the campus, such as those of painter Antonio Garcia Llamas’, are also maintained to artistically remind each member of the community of the history and successes of the institution. To be true, UST will not have survived four centuries if it had not preserved its “their zealously-held values in specific, tangible ways,” as Jim Collins put it in his book Built to Last: Successful habits of visionary companies.
In all, when growth and meaningfulness of an institution become stale, history needs to be readily available to people. For UST, it will be forever thankful to Fr. Fidel Villarroel, OP for digging archival documents and historical evidences to present a truthful picture of the university. He may have already joined our Creator, but his works and example still guide our collective memories and inspire us to direct the institution with courage, honor, and clarity of purpose. Viva Santo Tomas!
Jesus Jay Miranda, OP is the secretary-general of the University of Santo Tomas. He holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Management (ELM) and teaches at the Graduate School of UST and the ELM Department of the Bro. Andrew Gonzalez, FSC-College of Education of De La Salle University-Manila. Contact him at jaymiranda.op@ust.edu.ph.