Autobiography of

SOLEDAD L. GRASPARIL

Born in Sibalom, Antique on February 11, 1903. Is the third child of Macario V. Lotilla and Juana Alera. She had 6 sisters, but 2 died in infancy, and 4 brothers, but one, her beloved brother Alfonso, a nurse and student of Medicine, died in 1941.

Education – attended Primary and Grade V in Sibalom Elementary School. Began schooling in June 1910, got the highest mark in Grade I and in Grade IV she won in the first Rizal Day academic competition, covering all subjects given to Grade III up to Grade V and was given first prize. Attended Grade VI and VII in the Antique Provincial High School at San Jose and graduated with top honors from the elementary grades. Was a star speller in her grade school days. As a pupil, she was quiet, humble, and studious and when she was in Grade VII and First Year, she topped the final examinations in most of the subjects, the questions coming from Manila in sealed envelopes. She abhors dishonesty and cheating and even as a teacher she did not tolerate cheating among her pupils.

She attended 4^th year high school in Silliman Institute now University in Dumaguete, Oriental Negros. Was always on the honor roll but was not able to qualify for top honors. Was elected secretary of the whole graduating class. When she came home, her father wanted her to continue to study Medicine but because of financial handicaps, for there were two sisters who graduated at the same time, she did not like that her older sister would be made to stop, so both of them decided to teach. She took the Junior Teacher examination given at the opening of school that June 1921, and in December of the same year the results came. Out of 60 who took the civil service examination, she was one of the two who passed. She was given insular position and was transferred to San Jose Elementary School in the next school year with an increase in salary from 46 to 60 pesos monthly. Teachers at that time were poorly paid. Undergraduates of high school received from 20 to 35 pesos a month as salary. In the third year of her teaching, she was assigned in the Antique High School to teach first year literature, composition and algebra. Her salary was raised to 90 pesos. In her fourth year of teaching, she was made Principal of San Jose Elementary School with another increase in salary. She was the first Antiquena to enjoy the position and to be the highest paid female teacher until two years later when 3 young ladies graduated from the Philippine Normal School now College and were made Principals too. At that time only Philippine Normal School graduates or Junior teacher eligibles, even if undergraduates, were made Principals. Unlike today, civil service in her time was passed through merit and with honesty, so passing the civil service was quite a record for a bright hardworking student or sacrificing teacher.

She served as Principal of Sibalom Elementary School for 2 years from 1925 to 1927. In June 1927, she gave way to her sweetheart, Mr. Agaton S. Grasparil, her former classmate and a government pensionado at the Philippine Normal School but a Junior teacher and former Principal of Culasi Elementary School. She asked the Superintendent to give her Insular position to Mr. Grasparil for they planned to get married and she did not intend to continue in the service after her marriage. They were married in February 18, 1928 and she resigned on September 5, 1928 when she was on the family way. On December 14, 1928 their first child, Juanita, was born. In June 1929, Mr. Grasparil returned to Manila to finish his second year as pensionado at the Philippine Normal School. During this time Mrs. Grasparil’s savings in the first year of her married life was hardly enough to defray the expenses of her child. But about the end of August 1929, Mr. Grasparil came to conduct the body of Mamerta Lotilla, Mrs. Grasparil’s cousin who died while studying in Manila. He brought with him some amount as his savings from his monthly pension. From then on he shared with her his meager monthly pension till the end of the school year.

When Mr. Grasparil graduated from the Philippine Normal School, he was assigned as Supervising Principal in San Remigio. Mrs. Grasparil stayed in Sibalom for their second daughter Milagros was born on June 28, 1930. When the child was bigger she joined with Mr. Grasparil to live in Calag-itan. Later, they built a house by the roadside on a ricefield midway from Calag-itan to Nasuli. It was here that their third child Martha was born on March 30, 1932. They transferred to Valderrama in 1933 for Mr. Grasparil was assigned there as Supervising Principal. Mrs. Grasparil and children joined Mr. Grasparil in Valderrama in August 1, 1933. On December 30, 1933, their fourth child and first son Rizalino was born in Sibalom. In 1935 Mr. Grasparil was transferred to Pandan as Supervising Teacher. Mrs. Grasparil lived in Pandan for 2 years. She stayed in Sibalom in 1937 when her fifth child and second son Macario was born on December 30, 1937 in the home of her parents where she and her family have stayed when in Sibalom since she got married.