REACTION PAPER

on

"The First Quarter"

by Dr. D.S. Hibbard

GE10A - L | Whole Person Education

September 13, 2021

 I am a college freshman in Silliman, and I’ve actually never been to Negros
Oriental, ever. But despite this hilarious fun fact, I’ve heard a lot of stories about the
university and how great it is–along with the people and the environment around it.
Given that we are in a pandemic, I could only fantasize in my head about what it would
be like to be walking around the university and actually seeing its beauty in real life. Not
to sound and be overly dramatic – I also don’t know why I’m like this – but I always feel
so excited hearing stories about the university. And in my first few weeks in the
university as a freshman, I already feel so proud to be able to call myself a “Sillimanian”
because I just think so highly of the university and feel so glad for what and how it is
right now.

I’ve always been the type of person who’s always very curious about the process
behind grand results and always so appreciative of how things came to be. So imagine
my excitement when I discovered that there was this book about the first and early
years of Silliman University. The book’s title is “The First Quarter: A Brief History of
Silliman Institute During the First Twenty-Five Years of Its Existence” which was written
by Dr. David Sutherland Hibbard. It was published in 1926, and we read a scanned
digital copy of the book. It has almost been a century since this was published and it
boggles my mind that this piece of literature is in existence.

The First Quarter is an account of the beginnings of Silliman University, formerly

known as Silliman Institute. To be honest, I don't know how my words can do this book
justice, but I’ll describe it the way it left me after the last page. So many notable events
and remarkable people were mentioned in this account of how Silliman came to be, but
I guess I will mostly talk about the events that really kind of made a mark on me and
evoked a lot of emotions and reactions in me. I inarguably felt various emotions all
throughout my reading–mostly shock, astonishment, and appreciation. Some of the
notable parts in the different chapters that were embedded in my mind, and which
struck and intrigued me most, were: the generosity of Dr. Horace B. Silliman, the
narratives that mentioned all the people that contributed to the success and
flourishment of the school, the story of how Dumaguete was chosen to be the location
of the school, the random photographs, the days prior to the start of the university, the
formal opening of classes with fifteen students present, the progress the school has
made with its students, faculty, and buildings throughout its first quarter, and many
more!
 The founding of Silliman Institute was such a great account in itself. It is awe-
inspiring how one human being could think of building a school somewhere far from
where he is, a place where he hadn’t even visited or seen. I admire how benevolent and
philanthropic Dr. Horace Silliman was, as a person. He could’ve used all that money he
spent on the school for other things, but instead, he donated a lot of his riches for the
thriving of schools. I was really touched when it was mentioned that Dr. Horace Silliman
was a rich, wealthy man but he died poor because he gave so much of his fortune for
the various schools he was very passionate about. I bet he was such a wonderful
person, it would’ve been great to have met him in real life. I praise him so much for that
and I wish a lot of people would have a heart like his. Being a Silliman student now, I
am very grateful for the existence and the efforts of the founders of the university in its
early years as well. David Hibbard and Laura Hibbard did a wonderful job in those early
years. These were the main people, along with many others, that I am very grateful for,
including Dr. Horace Silliman–most especially him.

Throughout my reading, I was astonished by the value of money during the

1900s. When I read that the first lot of the school that was purchased was for seven
hundred pesos along with an old house, I just couldn’t contain my shock. I mean, I know
that the value of money has changed through the years but I just couldn’t believe that it
used to be like that before. Right now, you need thousands or millions to purchase a lot,
so I guess that was why I was kind of bewildered. When it was mentioned that the
property of Silliman kept adding up because of insufficiency of space and increase in
school population, that wowed me. From a small lot to an 18-hectare campus and 20-
hectare farm during that time in 1926, that’s a lot of land and space (not to mention the
money that cost it as well).

Reading the account, from the beginnings of the institution, it shifted to the
second chapter about the growth and expansion then the school life, the intensive work
done in the school, and its growing influence on the society. I was lowkey beaming with
joy when the book started to mention about the time the school was able to organize a
band and engage in pageants, athletics and different sports competitions. Their failures
and their victories are great accounts to be remembered. There were a myriad of names
mentioned and countless detailed events narrated in this book, all which led to the
success of the school. As it was mentioned that the progress of the school became
more steady and advanced and there were a lot of significant and outstanding changes
in it, I was here in the 21st century celebrating with and for them.
 I have read the entirety of the book but there was this passage in the second
chapter on page 29 that really moved me. It was the words of the Former Vice President
of the United States in the year 1909 that said, “Undertake to be useful; to do something
better tomorrow than you are able to do today...I have faith to believe that you have the
genuine desire to become men and women who will be an honor to your nation...I wish
you peace, I wish you progress.” These words really hooked me. It was very
motivational and inspiring, and to think these were words coming from someone
decades ago.

All in all, I’m just very amazed and proud of how Silliman has developed over the
years. This piece of literature made me more appreciative of the university now.
Imagine from just a small lot then an 18-hectare campus and 20-hectare farm to 62
hectares now. From 15 students in its early days to over ten thousand. From a
traditional type of learning to a very advanced mode of learning. From the teachings
before and to the different courses and education offered now, there's still so much
more about Silliman. When you look at and discover about the beginnings of the
university, it really opens your eyes and makes you more proud and honored to be in
the school.

This piece of literature was very enlightening and compelling to read; it’s a must-
read, especially for all the Sillimanians out there. The institution continues to be very
successful and progressive; Dr. Horace Silliman, Dr. David Hibbard, and all those
people mentioned in the book who contributed so much to the school must be very
proud and full of joy. I will never regret enrolling in Silliman; I look forward to reading the
other accounts after the first quarter and becoming the student that the early
contributors of the institution wished and hoped their students would become.
References:

Silliman University. (n.d.). Silliman University. Retrieved September 10, 2021,

from https://su.edu.ph/

About | Silliman University. (n.d.). Silliman University. Retrieved September 10,

2021, from https://su.edu.ph/about/