LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (PIA)– The Benguet State University soft launched its Centennial Coffee Table Book along with the university’s Story Monograph Series to commemorate its hundred years of existence since its humble beginnings as a farm school until it flourished and become the premiere state university in the province.
BSU President Feliciano Calora Jr together with the Chair of the History Committee Grace Bengwayan and BSU History and Museum Director Stanley Anongos Jr. led the unveiling of the history materials at the Historical Museum last Thursday. The hard launch is expected to take place by December or January next year to coincide with BSU’s charter anniversary.
Calora hopes that the production of history materials which is part of the university’s centennial celebrations would be pursued and would capture what BSU is all about. He encouraged other stakeholders such as the alumni, professors, teachers, and officials to write also their stories and experiences with the school as history materials are still works in progress.
Bengwayan presented the contents and the processes involved in the production of materials that encapsulate the pre- war, Japanese period, post war, and university period. Each of the era or the theme highlights the significant events in the life of the school, the students, faculty, staff and management.
Facts cut across all available sources of information such as in-house publications, studies and interviews for the crafting of in-depth and detailed historical accounts.
Photographs and personal accounts shared by alumni, officials and retired teachers in a two-day workshop back in May 2014 formed part of the institution’s history data base. This has become a venue which unearthed experiences related to the life of the school at certain point frames, Bengwayan said.
Anongos also presented the overview of a book he co-authored under the pre-war period entitled, “Transformation of a Mountain College” which is part of the Monograph Series.
All these productions are born from an idea of the 2010 BSU History Committee chaired by Dr. Maria Luz D. Fangasan entitled “Writing the History of the BSU” which has evolved into a coffee table book and monograph series.
Betty Lestino, an alumna who runs her own non-government organization, leads the writing of the history materials together with alumni volunteers like Faith Belingon, Rhe-ann Ngayaan, Rhea Leoncio, Arniel Dumigsi, Richard Giye, Bobby Mc Gee Lee, Romulo Bagacina, Ronalyn Banaken, and Crislyn Balangen.**PIA Benguet
