Farewell to a Beloved Museum
Member, National Committee on Museums (NCOM) of the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) 1995-2006
Part 1 - Goodbye, St. Paul Museum, Goodbye
Dr Abe V Rotor
Living with Nature - School on Blog
On the road to Damascus, mural (8 ft by 8 ft) 1995, one of the 12 murals painted by Dr Abe V Rotor. Saul, then a Roman general falls from his horse and hears a voice, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" This is the turning point of Saul's life to become St Paul, the Apostle, patron saint of St Paul University QC and the Museum.Reminiscence is perhaps the sweetest and most precious of all the gifts one receives in the golden years of his life.
I remember the Story of St. Paul, in murals, the chapters of his life; I hope they are still there;
The story of St. Paul of Chartres Congregation, from its early beginning; I hope a chronicler hasn't forgotten;
Then St. Paul College, made garrison by the Japanese and liberated by the Allied forces, remembered in photos and relics of war;
Photo essays and verses about the Paulinian community by witnesses of history, and by new blood of my children's generation;
Paintings, drawings, expressions through arts in various mediums, original and inspired, gracing celebrations in school;
Religious collections, among them, a dozen Mother and Child versions, Michelangelo's, Da Vinci's - and our own;
Artifacts, ethnic in origin graciously given by benefactors, or accidentally found in some forgotten corner;
Mini-dioramas of ecosystems made by students - tropical rainforest, desert, coral reefs, grasslands, the ocean, lakes and waterfalls;
Reproductions of famous works, from Amorsolo to Goya, though second generation, are rare to find, or their values undermined;
Documents of institutional linkages with Canada, Japan, the consortia, the marginal communities, among others -
Remembered in their glorious past, walled by change and new programs; they are now part of the archives;
Oh, SPUQC Museum, museum of the students, of amateurs, a place for workshops, and hands-ons, stage, laboratory, classroom;
Refuge for displaced classes while new buildings rose, renovation never ending, in the promise of the new and the modern;
Goodbye, museum, link of a lost garden - Eco-Sanctuary - now ensconced with high edifices and pavements; the smell of grass is no more;
Goodbye, sweet museum, revered spot of pilgrims, hundreds, nay, thousands for fifteen years, whose many wishes were granted;
If I was all alone, I found the ghostly presence of three sisters of old in divine company, scholar, artist, and teacher in highest esteem;
They would come when everyone has left, or mingle in company, watching, inspiring like guardian angels;
I took care of you, as I did to my son, Paolo* fifteen year ago. Goodbye Museum, goodbye. ~
*To my late son, Paolo, to whom I dedicated my work as unofficial curator to the former SPUQC museum, now gone, I thank you. May you find peace from the earnest contribution we made for the museum. - Dr AV Rotor
Part 2 - One Monday at Saint Paul
"High rise the buildings are - towers and spires,
proud symbols of power;
proud symbols of power;
In deep silence I heard it seems the same words,
"Why do you persecute me?"
"Why do you persecute me?"
Dr Abe V Rotor
Living with Nature School on Blog
Lesson on former Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid with Ms Melly C Tenorio
738 DZRB AM Band, 8 to 9 evening class, Monday to Friday
St Paul University QC campus
Fifteen years I served him, a teacher of this school, keeper of a museum;
Time has changed the world, global is its effect, would St Paul tell me
More of the ways of the world to give life a meaning? So did I assume.
"Tell me where Damascus Road is, where you heard God speak;
Tell me how you crossed the Mediterranean in a storm and survived;
Tell me how you carried the Word among unbelievers and Pharisees;
Tell me how you faced death yet keep alive your faith and noble pride.
"Tell me where have the Gentiles you converted and followers gone;
Tell me how you wrote the scriptures that gave the bible a wider view;
Tell me how man can become a saint and a saint to become man;
Tell me how to reach heaven without striving to be a martyr like you."
The sun rose high, sending reflection of gray clouds on giant glass panes;
The pavement is bare, the marble floor a mirage, yet empty as the sea;
High rise the buildings are - towers and spires, proud symbols of power;
In deep silence I imagined the same words, "Why do you persecute me?" ~
Part 3 - Treasures of the former St Paul University QC Museum (1995-2006)
Member, National Committee on Museums (NCOM) of the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA)Dr Abe V Rotor
Former faculty in-charge
Dr Anselmo S Cabigan lectures on natural history at the former SPUQC MuseumThese, among hundreds of items, are what used to be the features of a school museum of its kind - St Paul University Museum QC. These earned the museum recognition by the National Commission of Culture and the Arts with the curator sitting as member of one of its committees for a decade until 2007 when the original museum closed down to give way to a new plan.
PHILIPPINE GRASS OWL (KUAGO)
[Tyto capensis amauronota (Cabanis)] Stuffed specimen
" Of all the birds I ever did see, the owl is the queerest me," goes the rhyme we learned in the elementary school. It is true in a sense because first, owls have monkeylike faces and large round eyes which are fixed in their sockets so that the bird must turn its head virtually 360 degrees to focus its sight on an object without moving its body. Second, owls are active only at night , hunting for other animals which they swallow whole and sometimes live and kicking . In their search for prey they fly silently and ghost like, making occasional humanlike scary sounds . These indeed paint a very queer picture of this maligned creature which is in the list of endangered species. Ecologically owls are important in controlling the populations of rats in the field and forest. And without the owl, a full moon scene would be less romantic because it would be devoid of the chilly touch of Doyle and Hitchcock . Besides, writers would have to look for another symbol, which we doubt of there is any other animal wiser than the wizard owl. AVR
GIANT SEASHELLS
Shells belong to vast Phylum Mollusca which contains about 100,000 species, half of which live in saltwater, while the other half live in freshwater and on land. All mollusk have complete organ systems, including a brain. They are generally egg laying. They are vegetarians, carnivorous and scavengers, and a few have even look to kill their prey. There are also poisonous species which may be lethal to man. These specimens are rare collections which are seldom found today. Their white and chalky characteristics are a result of continuous exposure to heat and rain. AVR
PYROCLASTIC ROCK FROM MT. PINATUBO
This figurine was carved from a solid rock emitted during the volcano's eruption on June 12, 1993. Although the volcano emitted pyroclastic material which was principally ash, occasionally there were stones and rocks which were either thrown out directly from its bowels, or coagulated in the process of emission or sedimentation. The local folk etch a living from this solid material, which they carve into figurines or gather for the construction industry.
GIANT CORAL
With the unabated destruction of our coral reef it is not common to see undisturbed huge corals such as this one. Corals are animals in colonies belonging to Phylum Coelenterata, which is often associated with Cnidaria, of the Class Anthozoa. This specimen belongs to an Acropora or Elkhorn species. Coral reefs are the forest of the sea, the counterpart of our terrestrial forests. With the association of seaweeds, they constitute the abode of fishes and other marine life, without which our seas would not be as productive as they are today. However, the destruction of coral reefs through illegal fishing like "muro-ami" and dynamite fishing, as well as the conversion of shores into resorts and fishponds have greatly reduced fish catch and the diversity of marine species. Today our laws prohibit coral gathering, more so for export. Coral reefs conversation is a priority program of many countries. Without corals our island would fall back to the depth of the sea and our continents would be reduced through erosion. Thus, corals are nature's architectural and engineering wonder for they serve as riprap and barrier against the restless sea, while making the world underwater a truly beautiful scape beyond compare. AVR
PHILIPPINE FLYING LEMUR
Cynocephalus volans Linnaeus, (Stuffed specimen)
In Carmen, an hour drive by jeep on rugged road from Davao City, a pair of Philippine lemur was caught at the edge of a forest clearing. The animals were clinging upside down, their face buried in the membranous fold that covers the body, batman style for fear of light and human beings. As we invade their habitats, cut down the trees and expand our farms, we are unwittingly flushing out the remaining rare Philippine flying lemurs. This animal is found also in Samar, Basilan and Bohol. It is nocturnal and solitary, spending the day inside holes of big trees in the forest. At night it climbs to the peak and glide again to the next as it feeds on young leaves and ripening fruits of certain tree species. Sometimes it travels too far that it is overtaken by daybreak before it reaches its tree home. In this case it seeks a nearby thick cluster of leaves and hides there, then resumes its travel back home the following night. Except for its fur which is used as fancy cap , the animal has no commercial value. Its species is now endangered along with our vanishing forest. AVR
STONE GRINDER "Gilingan"
This two-piece primitive grinder is perhaps one of the first machines developed by stone age man following the invention of the wheel some 4000 years ago. Although flour milling is now highly mechanized, this grinder is still used in remote areas. In fact there is a unique place in San Esteban, Ilocos Sur, where local stone carvers, using hand tools, still make this grinder. The operation is simple. Glutinous rice previously soaked overnight is fed through the top aperture. The upper stone is slowly and steadily rotated by hand. The rice is crushed between the stones and the wet flour is expelled through the sides. With gradual addition of water, the flour flows down the furrow and is finally collected. Partially crushed grains are once more fed into the grinder. The tedious process adds traditional color and quaintness to our indigenous "puto bongbong", "duyduy", "suman", and other native delicacies. AVR
PHILIPPINE BATS (Stuffed specimens)
This cluster of Philippine bats are cave dwellers (Eonycteris), while the big solitary specimen is a fruit bat, Macroglossus lagochilus lagochilus. Cave bats belong to the genera Eonycteris, Megaderma, Hipposidros, and Rousettus, to mention the most important ones. Because the Philippines is endowed with their natural habitats, bats are a common sight in practically all over the 7,100 islands. one can imagine the fiction scene at dusk when the bats emerge in horde from their abode inside the cave complex of Tabon, Palawan or in Callao, Cagayan. Most bats are insectivorous and are therefore, ecologically important. Bat droppings form guano which is the best natural farm and garden fertilizer. Bats are nocturnal and can "see" their prey by radar using high pitch sound which echoes to their sensitive ear, enhanced by their acoustic membranous wings. They have developed the unique agility to catch their prey as small as a mosquito in mid-air through this aerial echo location phenomenon, compensating for their poor visual sense which has degenerated through evolution. Our concern today is to arrest the decreasing population of bats as we destroy their habitats, converting caves into tourists' spots, quarrying and deforestation. To literature lovers, would horror stories be the same without bats? AVR.
PETRIFIED WOOD
This is wood turned into rock by a natural process called petrifaction. This piece of wood was converted into rock by infiltration of mineral matter mainly calcium, the same material which makes up limestone. This specimen reveals the original anatomy of the wood - the bark, cork, cambium layer, xylem and the like - which may lead to the identification of its species, including its age by counting the annual rings, and such historical information as the occurrence of fire, pest attack, and drought which affected the living tree. All these were accurately preserved through petrifaction. This specimen belongs to an early Gymnosperm, relative of the pine, which dominated the Coniferous forest where the dinosaurs probably roamed. AVR
THE WHEEL
Man's First Invention
The wheel revolutionized human life and society. It laid down the foundation of agriculture, and later, industry - from the bullcart to the steam engine, and soon after, the automobile and spacecraft. Today we are virtually living on wheels - everyday. (From the prairies of Manitoba, Canada)
THE PLAGUE (Sand table)
It was supposed to be cycle, a round about wherein one branch was to benefit from the other. From the Supreme Being came the gift of creation and the division of talents among the races. And then came the innovations made by man to benefit their kind and the other living things. But along with the advancement of technology provided us were their waste products.
The earth's pristine forests and the living inhabitants that adorn the surroundings would never have crossed our minds to even translate its parts into huge dumpsites. Garbage disposal has posed as a massive and disturbing problem since the sites are almost all filled up and has caused so much pollution to the nearby towns where the dumpsites are located.
It is surprising how much things can change in just a short span of time. In the most recent years, the rivers have bluntly been marred; its natural hues have transformed into a thick, black pigment synonymous to that of an oil spill which has pervaded throughout the seas, and sadly, these are all because of the careless discard of waste products. The chemicals emitted by industrial factories go straight to the waterways, directly affecting the condition of the water and the species inhabiting their particular niche. Shanties which are erected nest to the creeks or rivers disposed their garbage in the closet, most convenient place - the water. in a much wider scope, the waterways are continuous which means that one polluted water body will flow on the next path, and it may influence or eventually affect the water contained in another area.
Various insects swarm over the rubbish. These insects fly and prey from one object to another, and the cause disease that may severely affect our health. Facilitation of the chemical repellants contain strong components which, when infused into our system, may or will cause diseases.
[Tyto capensis amauronota (Cabanis)] Stuffed specimen
" Of all the birds I ever did see, the owl is the queerest me," goes the rhyme we learned in the elementary school. It is true in a sense because first, owls have monkeylike faces and large round eyes which are fixed in their sockets so that the bird must turn its head virtually 360 degrees to focus its sight on an object without moving its body. Second, owls are active only at night , hunting for other animals which they swallow whole and sometimes live and kicking . In their search for prey they fly silently and ghost like, making occasional humanlike scary sounds . These indeed paint a very queer picture of this maligned creature which is in the list of endangered species. Ecologically owls are important in controlling the populations of rats in the field and forest. And without the owl, a full moon scene would be less romantic because it would be devoid of the chilly touch of Doyle and Hitchcock . Besides, writers would have to look for another symbol, which we doubt of there is any other animal wiser than the wizard owl. AVR
GIANT SEASHELLS
Shells belong to vast Phylum Mollusca which contains about 100,000 species, half of which live in saltwater, while the other half live in freshwater and on land. All mollusk have complete organ systems, including a brain. They are generally egg laying. They are vegetarians, carnivorous and scavengers, and a few have even look to kill their prey. There are also poisonous species which may be lethal to man. These specimens are rare collections which are seldom found today. Their white and chalky characteristics are a result of continuous exposure to heat and rain. AVR
PYROCLASTIC ROCK FROM MT. PINATUBO
This figurine was carved from a solid rock emitted during the volcano's eruption on June 12, 1993. Although the volcano emitted pyroclastic material which was principally ash, occasionally there were stones and rocks which were either thrown out directly from its bowels, or coagulated in the process of emission or sedimentation. The local folk etch a living from this solid material, which they carve into figurines or gather for the construction industry.
GIANT CORAL
With the unabated destruction of our coral reef it is not common to see undisturbed huge corals such as this one. Corals are animals in colonies belonging to Phylum Coelenterata, which is often associated with Cnidaria, of the Class Anthozoa. This specimen belongs to an Acropora or Elkhorn species. Coral reefs are the forest of the sea, the counterpart of our terrestrial forests. With the association of seaweeds, they constitute the abode of fishes and other marine life, without which our seas would not be as productive as they are today. However, the destruction of coral reefs through illegal fishing like "muro-ami" and dynamite fishing, as well as the conversion of shores into resorts and fishponds have greatly reduced fish catch and the diversity of marine species. Today our laws prohibit coral gathering, more so for export. Coral reefs conversation is a priority program of many countries. Without corals our island would fall back to the depth of the sea and our continents would be reduced through erosion. Thus, corals are nature's architectural and engineering wonder for they serve as riprap and barrier against the restless sea, while making the world underwater a truly beautiful scape beyond compare. AVR
PHILIPPINE FLYING LEMUR
Cynocephalus volans Linnaeus, (Stuffed specimen)
In Carmen, an hour drive by jeep on rugged road from Davao City, a pair of Philippine lemur was caught at the edge of a forest clearing. The animals were clinging upside down, their face buried in the membranous fold that covers the body, batman style for fear of light and human beings. As we invade their habitats, cut down the trees and expand our farms, we are unwittingly flushing out the remaining rare Philippine flying lemurs. This animal is found also in Samar, Basilan and Bohol. It is nocturnal and solitary, spending the day inside holes of big trees in the forest. At night it climbs to the peak and glide again to the next as it feeds on young leaves and ripening fruits of certain tree species. Sometimes it travels too far that it is overtaken by daybreak before it reaches its tree home. In this case it seeks a nearby thick cluster of leaves and hides there, then resumes its travel back home the following night. Except for its fur which is used as fancy cap , the animal has no commercial value. Its species is now endangered along with our vanishing forest. AVR
STONE GRINDER "Gilingan"
This two-piece primitive grinder is perhaps one of the first machines developed by stone age man following the invention of the wheel some 4000 years ago. Although flour milling is now highly mechanized, this grinder is still used in remote areas. In fact there is a unique place in San Esteban, Ilocos Sur, where local stone carvers, using hand tools, still make this grinder. The operation is simple. Glutinous rice previously soaked overnight is fed through the top aperture. The upper stone is slowly and steadily rotated by hand. The rice is crushed between the stones and the wet flour is expelled through the sides. With gradual addition of water, the flour flows down the furrow and is finally collected. Partially crushed grains are once more fed into the grinder. The tedious process adds traditional color and quaintness to our indigenous "puto bongbong", "duyduy", "suman", and other native delicacies. AVR
PHILIPPINE BATS (Stuffed specimens)
This cluster of Philippine bats are cave dwellers (Eonycteris), while the big solitary specimen is a fruit bat, Macroglossus lagochilus lagochilus. Cave bats belong to the genera Eonycteris, Megaderma, Hipposidros, and Rousettus, to mention the most important ones. Because the Philippines is endowed with their natural habitats, bats are a common sight in practically all over the 7,100 islands. one can imagine the fiction scene at dusk when the bats emerge in horde from their abode inside the cave complex of Tabon, Palawan or in Callao, Cagayan. Most bats are insectivorous and are therefore, ecologically important. Bat droppings form guano which is the best natural farm and garden fertilizer. Bats are nocturnal and can "see" their prey by radar using high pitch sound which echoes to their sensitive ear, enhanced by their acoustic membranous wings. They have developed the unique agility to catch their prey as small as a mosquito in mid-air through this aerial echo location phenomenon, compensating for their poor visual sense which has degenerated through evolution. Our concern today is to arrest the decreasing population of bats as we destroy their habitats, converting caves into tourists' spots, quarrying and deforestation. To literature lovers, would horror stories be the same without bats? AVR.
PETRIFIED WOOD
This is wood turned into rock by a natural process called petrifaction. This piece of wood was converted into rock by infiltration of mineral matter mainly calcium, the same material which makes up limestone. This specimen reveals the original anatomy of the wood - the bark, cork, cambium layer, xylem and the like - which may lead to the identification of its species, including its age by counting the annual rings, and such historical information as the occurrence of fire, pest attack, and drought which affected the living tree. All these were accurately preserved through petrifaction. This specimen belongs to an early Gymnosperm, relative of the pine, which dominated the Coniferous forest where the dinosaurs probably roamed. AVR
THE WHEEL
Man's First Invention
The wheel revolutionized human life and society. It laid down the foundation of agriculture, and later, industry - from the bullcart to the steam engine, and soon after, the automobile and spacecraft. Today we are virtually living on wheels - everyday. (From the prairies of Manitoba, Canada)
THE PLAGUE (Sand table)
It was supposed to be cycle, a round about wherein one branch was to benefit from the other. From the Supreme Being came the gift of creation and the division of talents among the races. And then came the innovations made by man to benefit their kind and the other living things. But along with the advancement of technology provided us were their waste products.
The earth's pristine forests and the living inhabitants that adorn the surroundings would never have crossed our minds to even translate its parts into huge dumpsites. Garbage disposal has posed as a massive and disturbing problem since the sites are almost all filled up and has caused so much pollution to the nearby towns where the dumpsites are located.
It is surprising how much things can change in just a short span of time. In the most recent years, the rivers have bluntly been marred; its natural hues have transformed into a thick, black pigment synonymous to that of an oil spill which has pervaded throughout the seas, and sadly, these are all because of the careless discard of waste products. The chemicals emitted by industrial factories go straight to the waterways, directly affecting the condition of the water and the species inhabiting their particular niche. Shanties which are erected nest to the creeks or rivers disposed their garbage in the closet, most convenient place - the water. in a much wider scope, the waterways are continuous which means that one polluted water body will flow on the next path, and it may influence or eventually affect the water contained in another area.
Various insects swarm over the rubbish. These insects fly and prey from one object to another, and the cause disease that may severely affect our health. Facilitation of the chemical repellants contain strong components which, when infused into our system, may or will cause diseases.
Fortunately, the elders of the nations around the world have finally been roused by the peril that the ecological imbalance may induce in the coming years if they continue to neglect the warning condition of the mother earth. We, as people of this earth have an austere responsibility to confront the current detriments that pang our niche.
Whatever we give out, it comes back to us in a hundred or ten folds. Waste segregation, if sternly followed will benefit not only us, the human race, but mother earth , as well since some matters of waste may be used to enrich the soils that hold the sturdiest of trees, and the most beautiful of greens. Segregation will also ease the efforts of recycling, since everything will be put to its proper places. Donated by Miss ROCHELLE N. ALFORJA, ABMC
Shipwreck - Paul on His Way to Rome, by Dr Abe V RotorSHIPWRECK: Paul on his Way to RomeAcrylic Painting (105 " x 48") and Poem by Dr AV Rotor
There are crossings ahead unexpected,No lights, no guide; to the lesser, the endOf dreams or riches told but ne'er granted;But to Paul the beginning’s yet at the bend.There is a Caesaria where the laws of menMay deny the just. There’s a friendly Malta -Goodness begets goodness in every brethren.And there, too, a Herod or an Agrippa.On a stormy night for Rome, Paul's last missionTo plant the Seed in the very heart of power,Was a grave at sea, but greater was his vision,On weathered rock a tree rose like a tower.To live one must almost die is reference,But is he willing to die that others might rise?He is truly brave, and there's the differenceTo the one who deserves to walk with Christ.
PARADISE AFTER ROME: End of Paul's MissionAcrylic Painting (105" x 48") and Poem by Dr AV Rotor
The seed in time gives rise to a forest;In the like of the Faithful that grows,Leaving the Pharisees and SadduceesTo Nero's wrath, to where the wind blows.Sodom after the Ark was forgotten,‘Til Ormoc sang the dirge of Pompeii;What’er happened to Utopia since then,Look down Paoay Lake the old folk say.Augustine warned people going downtown,The city’s like a horde of restless ants.And asked, where have all the proud souls gone,The Pharisees, sapiens and the savants?Ask not now if old friends will ever meetWhere once stood the great city's gate.Who sees Golgotha, Paradise at his feet,Truly he deserves a blissful fate.The heaven in the stars and in dream,The promise of afterlife fulfilledStarts here with nature, Eden redeemed -Walk Paul, Milton and others who sinned.
FIRST PAULINIAN TEACHERS
He was thirty then when he arrived in Levesville-la-Chenard. It was 1694. Here Fr. Louis Chauvet prepared young girl volunteers to run a school where the children were educated and taught Catholicism. Among the four young volunteers was Marie Anne de Tilly who came from a noble family, and Marie Micheau who became known outside Levesville. In 1708 the bishop of Chartres, Monsignor Paul Godet, invited the Sisters to open a house in Bourgneuf. A congregation soon grew here, not far from the famous cathedral of Chartres.
By 1727, the congregation was serving 17 institutions in France. In the next five years missions were sent to many parts of the world. it was at the beginning of this century when the first SPC missionaries arrived in the Philippines. From here on Paulinian education spread all over the country. There are twenty major institutions under the St. Paul School System today, and one of them is SPCQ. The teachers at SPCQ continue to carry on the vision-mission of the founders and first teachers at Levesville and Chartres.
Original photos and reproduction of the first Paulinian and lay teachers at SPCQ just after the Second World War.
ETHNIC TOOLS
These are tools and paraphernalia of early cultures which retain their basic forms and functions through time. Many of them are still used to this day by the minorities, such as the Aetas around Mt. Pinatubo, the Ilongots of Nueva Vizcaya, Igorots of Cordillera, the Itneg of Abra, Itawes of Cagayan, the Yakans and Tausogs of Mindanao, and many others. There are certain commonalities in these tools and equipment, but it is more of their distinctive characteristics with which we associate or identify the culture using them. The advance of civilization however, has either modified or displaced many of them. On the other hand, their discovery has led to many efforts in trying to preserve them, mainly for historical and aesthetic reasons - and posterity. They are often part of cultural presentations, or decorations on walls and hallways, and it is not seldom that we see a foreigner wearing rattan knapsack in downtown Manila or New York.
The Young Once (Original photos and reproductions)
Looking back many years ago your teachers looked like these in these photographs - cute babies, budding beauties, knights in the shining armor, and what have you. Compare them now. Is there any semblance? But first you have to identify them. No coaching, please. Abide with the rules of the contest. There are prizes at stake.
Birthplace of SPC (Original photos)
At Levesville a school was organized by Fr. Louis Chauvet and run by four young volunteers, among them were Marie Anne de Tilly and Marie Micheau. Near the Cathedral of Chartres is a house in Bourgneuf, the seat of the congregation. Above: these sisters who soon took over the helm of SPC and helped the congregation spread to parts of the world.
The First Graduates of St. Paul College Quezon City.
1946-1947, 1946-1950 (original photos)
These Pioneers blazed through the travails of SPCQ in the first 5 years of struggle for survival and self-reliance, a proof of SPC's determination to carry on the Paulinian vision and mission.
These Pioneers blazed through the travails of SPCQ in the first 5 years of struggle for survival and self-reliance, a proof of SPC's determination to carry on the Paulinian vision and mission.
Part 4 - Murals by Dr AV Rotor and Children:
Marlo, Anna and Leo
Ruins of Colonialism ( 8ft X 8ft)
Arrival of Paulinian Sisters in Dumaguete (c.1905), twin hanging
wall murals (approx. dimension 4ft x 12ft each)
wall murals (approx. dimension 4ft x 12ft each)
Submarine cavern wall mural (5ftx 7ft)
Submarine Cavern 2, wall mural AVR
Submarine Cavern 3, wall mural AVR
Tropical Rainforest wall rural 8' x 15'' AVR
Tropical Rainforest 2 Wall mural approx. (8' x 10') by Matthew Marlo Rotor
Burning of St Paul Novitiate WWII, Hanging wall mural (4ft x 12ft) By Leo Carlo Rotor
Evacuation from Burning St Paul Novitiate Building WWII,
hanging wall mural (4ft x 12ft) By Leo Carlo Rotor
hanging wall mural (4ft x 12ft) By Leo Carlo Rotor
Watchful Owl. Wall Mural by Anna Christina Rotor
(4ftx5ft) *
Author inspect mural Forest Stream (detail) in a state of deterioration
(c. 2010)
Seven Doves Fly Heavenward, wall mural by Anna Christina Rotor
(4ftx5ft) *
Happy Cave Dwellers, wall mural By Anna Christina Rotor
(4ftx5ft) *
* Murals in state of deterioration, or repainted with white.
“A visit to a museum is a search for beauty, truth,
and meaning in our lives. Go to museums as often as you can.”
– Maira Kalman
Part 5 - Relevance of Museums Today
Dr Abe V Rotor
Burning of St Paul building WWII, mural detail by AVRotor
Seven Sisters, sculpture by Julie Lluch, detail
Life size icons at Museum's entrance greet visitor.
Porcupine, endangered indigenous animal
Rare starfish. Spines make a fine wind chime.Isn’t a museum something concerned with antiques and the things of the past?” A colleague once asked me.
“No, no.” I sounded defensive. Then I began scanning his thoughts. There I saw the image of past civilization and institutions. No wonder he was telling of the Egyptian museum, the Aztecs in the Mexican Museum, the American Indians in the Smithsonian, the Renaissance Gallery, and the dinosaurs in the Chinese Museum in Beijing. All these have long lost their glory and now they are remembered in glass cases and fossils. Then my thoughts turned to SPCQ. Why a museum on its 50th anniversary? My friend flashed a devilish smile.
He played the devil’s advocate; I played the student’s role. He raised the mercury, so with my enthusiasm. I did my assignment. There are museums like the giant Smithsonian Complex and the provincial Manitoba museum in Winnipeg that do not only focus on the past. The space museum projects man’s lofty dreams to conquer space. Hirschhorn museum* is part of the Smithsonian Complex in Washington DC, a gallery that is both subjective and prospective, veering from the traditional and classic.
The Tel-Aviv museum features a documentary of the Iran-Iraq war. The trend of museums today is to link the past and the present, and beat the path for the future. In no other time in history have museums tried to project the fullest breadth of human accomplishments and potentials. They exude a touch of reverence to the Creator, reflecting his faith in the institutions which he built in spite of their imperfections, and man’s glory and admittance of failure – all these point out to one thing: that he is the most special creature that ever lived.
I remember Dr. Dillon Ripley’s words. “ if it is truly active and reflective of its own time, a museum will, like any living thing, change and grow.”
I remember Dr. Dillon Ripley’s words. “ if it is truly active and reflective of its own time, a museum will, like any living thing, change and grow.”
Dynamism lies in keeping abreast with the times - our fast changing modern times, when man in the last two centuries alone, has discovered more things than what all his ancestors probably did.
Humble Beginning of a Museum
In the mind of Dr. Ripley, of course, is one of the magnitude and prestige of the Smithsonian in which he had long been the curator and director. Or those of the internationally known institutions like the Chicago Museum of Natural History, or the Vatican Museum. Then there is Rikj Museum of Holland (Left PHOTO) and the great Louvre of France (PHOTO below). Name a country and you will see the finest of her culture in the native land’s museums. But the entire thing has had its early beginning - most probably like how the SPCQ museum got started.
The question is that, “How can a newly born show its worth?” But who does not love a baby? The baby itself is love. He holds the key of idealism in this world of ours. The great promise of God in man is mirrored in his smile and innocence. And he has all the potential that this world would be better to live in with him, as he grows, as he lightens the flame of idealism which in many of us adults had long been extinguished. The SPCQ museum is a baby that rekindles our heart, that tells us that this world will go on despite its imperfection – because we know how to start life again, though the rebirth of faith and hope.
Note: Excerpt from an interview with the author during the inauguration of the SPCQ Museum in 1994
*The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is an art museum beside the National Mall, in Washington, D.C., the United States. The museum was initially endowed during the 1960s with the permanent art collection of Joseph H. Hirshhorn.
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