Recollections of Student Days at the University of the Philippines, 1948-1952

by Ninfa Aguilar Saturnino Springer, MS, PhD, FADA, Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan

I enrolled in the University of the Philippines in 1948 during one of its historic transition period. At that time, UP was located, for the last year, in a 9-hectare Padre Faura campus in Manila. It was an new experience living in a big city after coming from a provincial capital. Fortunately, I was enrolled with an older sister who was finishing her degree. It was comforting to have somebody from home as company. UP was in the Manila location for the last year. During that year, we experienced a prolonged rain that caused flooding in the city. We loved the unexpected holiday!
UP did not offer dormitory facilities at that time so we stayed in a private

Wondering where the curb is.

home, in a big room for six students. Two of our roommates were medical students who brought home their characteristic 'dissection' smell which was not too pleasant!

UP moved to Diliman, Quezon City, in

Buildings with evidence of war.

December 1948, out in the 'frontier district' as described in my 1952 yearbook. Life in the country away from the hustle and bustle of the city was a big change. The Diliman campus had at that time some large concrete buildings, formerly used by the Armed Forces of the United States; some have bullet marks on the pillars. The buildings pic were assigned to Administration and two colleges: Law and Education. The physical site used to be a huge military barracks for the US armed forces after the Philippines was liberated from the Japanese. Most of the buildings were one story units made of galvanized iron. For our dorm, we

With friend Teresita Somera

were assigned to a two story make-shift galvanized iron building, which was run by the

YWCA, by the outskirts of Diliman, adjacent to Balara, where the water plant was located serving UP and the surrounding area. Each room housed 6-8 students. Again, I was fortunate to be assigned with my sister. Our roommates came from different parts of the Philippines: Ilocos, Visayas, etc. Next door were girls from Iloilo, who became our close friends.

After school, we had fun exploring places near the dorm up to Balara or serenading male teachers who lived in other quonset huts near our dorm. Being in Diliman was FUN! We had lots of big spaces to roam around and places to explore.

With Mother in front of College of Education

A building boom followed our arrival to the new campus. A women's dormitory called the Sierra Madre Residence Hall was built near the College of Education, which made it very convenient for me. My classes were at the College of Education, the Chemistry lab nearby and the lower level of our dormitory was where the Home Economics Department, including classrooms, was located. The 'Practice House' had living quarters for students assigned to our 'practice baby' and was located right in our dormitory building!

The dormitory was a huge 2-story complex providing rooms that accomodated four students. A

Sierra Madre Women's Residence

cafeteria, managed by the College of Home Economics became another experiential experience for HE students.
My favorite teacher was the HE college Dean Presentacion Perez; she was a tall woman with a large presence. She had an elegant way of lecturing. She was always well dressed with her face well made-up. Dr. Clara Ruth Darby was an American graduate teaching the foods and nutrition majors including myself. She was one of the Americans who were imprisoned in Fort Santiago during the Japanese occupation. She was

Clara Ruth Darby, 1989

M. Guzman, P. Perez and N. Saturnino-Springer

a very soft-spoken teacher. Matilde de la Paz Guzman was our expert in Food Science and Preparation. Her book on the Principles of Cooking was very useful. As a student, I thought she was overly strict until I completed my training abroad and began teaching in the department. We became good friends at the colleagial level. I did not get to socialize much with teachers outside of the College of Home Economics.

I was cross-registered in music for the first two years I was at UP. The School of Music was located in the Administration Building near the university entrance. One had to get a jeepney or take a long walk to SM. I preferred the former. Fortunately, I enrolled in 1 or 2 classes only per semester.

Within the year, UP has been transformed into a booming student factory. We had many open

In our glamorous PE uniforms

 

Christmas at Diliman

spaces to hang out. Our favorite place was the reviewing stand of the ROTC cadets where we feasted on balut, better to eat it in the dark. The same place was decorated with a lighted tree at Christmastime.

What I disliked most in the UP curriculum was the Physical Education requirement using the short maroon uniform, although my views on physical activity and what is 'short' have changed since.

Cadena de Amor

I like the cadena de amor graduation ceremony; it was uniquely Filipino!

Graduation 1952

I was a member of the Women's Club, Home Economics Association, Education Circle and Delta Lambda Sigma sorority. Mrs. Ursula Clemente was the adviser for the Women's Club. Although many called her old fashioned, I admired her for her old-fashioned values. Aurora Minosa and Concepcion Anonas were the UP Dormitory 'home mothers' that I remember. I am proud of Rafael Salas, a fellow Ilongo, who was President of the Junior Council, 1951-1952. And who could forget Ferdinand Marcos? He was UPAA President in 1951-52.

Delta Lambda Sigma Sorority	With my dorm mates

 

Reference:
The University of the Philippines Home Economics programs: A Historical Perspective by Matilde de la Paz Guzman

 

 

Curriculum and Professional Vitae:

Ninfa Aguilar Saturnino Springer: graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics, cum laude, 1952

After completing a dietetic internship at the Philippine General Hospital, she left for the United States as a Fulbright scholar enrolling at the University of Iowa where she completed another dietetic internship, and master and doctoral degrees. Most of her professional career has been spent in university settings (University of the Philippines and University of Michigan) where her research focused on the nutritional status of pregnant women and children. She has authored over 60 journal manuscripts, books, chapters, and audio-visual and online modules, most peer reviewed. Dr. Springer has been described as a creative teacher, being among the first in the School of Nursing faculty to utilize instructional technology in her course. She has served as a nutrition consultant in the United States, Mexico, and the Philippines. She retired from the University of Michigan in 1996, after a distinguished 31-yr teaching, research, and service career. Soon after, she assumed a two month Visiting Professor assignment at the University of the Philippines. Although no longer actively teaching, she has not so much retired from, but rather retired to authoring and continued promotion of nutrition. In partnership with her husband, Robert, (each of whom have decade-long experience in information/instructional technology) they have developed a case-based, web-based, interactive Virtual Class on Nutrition which includes nine instructional modules. In 2002, VCON was awarded the Computerworld Honors Medallion for outstanding use of information technology; the program will be archived in the Smithsonian Institution and 4,000 other historical museums around the world including the University of the Philippines Library in Manila.

Dr. Springer has received numerous recognition honors and awards. She was named Professor Emerita by the University of Michigan, recognized as Fellow by the American Dietetic Association, in addition to receiving the Wimpfheimer-Guggenheim International Nutrition Award and Excellence in Nutrition Education of Health Professionals Award. From the University of Iowa Health Care Dietetic Internship Program, she received an Outstanding Alumni Award. The University of the Philippines Alumni Association, including two chapters (UPAAM and UPAAA) in the United States, have also honored her with six awards for outstanding academic achievement. In 1998, she accepted a Most Distinguished Alumni Award at the 50th reunion of her high school where she has established a scholarship for selected graduates to attend college.

Dr. Springer has served as president of the Nutritionist/Dietitian's Association of the Philippines and is a charter member of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Michigan. Two decades ago, Dr. Springer, together with her committee members, initiated the annual Outstanding Youth of Michigan program in UPAAM. She has continued her leadership role in the program to the present.