*282. THE 1934 GUAGUA NATIONAL INSTITUTE DAY

MISS FIDES 1935-36, Rosario "Charing" Bacani, one of 3 muses of Guagua National Institute (G.N.I.) during the 1935 G.N.I. Day celebration.

Of the province’s premiere centers of education, Pampanga High School may have the longest and most celebrated history, but Guagua National Institute certainly is not far behind. Founded in 1918 by Fr. Nicanor M. Banzali, G.N.I had become the largest institution of learning in Central Luzon by 1933, with recognized courses in Primary, Intermediate and High School and authorized courses in preparatory education.

That is why, when January 1934 came along—the 15th year of G.N.I.’s foundation, school officials planned for the biggest bash ever to mark the institute’s remarkable milestone. The two-day affair was dubbed as G.N.I. Day, and on the first day—January 20—an inter-school sports tournament was held, with various sports like basketball, tennis and other ‘play-round’ games contested by students.

The major spectacle was reserved for the main day—January 21—with an afternoon parade touted as the longest one in the school history. Not only did the students, teaching staff and other G.N.I. personnel join the ‘parada’, but 21 invited private schools from Manila and other Pampanga towns sent their own delegations—marching bands, sports teams and student contingents--to add color to the festivities.

Highlighting the motorcade were the floats of the muses of G.N.I.—Miss Fides, Miss Scientia and Miss Patria--so named in reference to Fr. Banzali's vision to set up an educational center which aimed to inculcate "faith in God, search for knowledge and love of country in the minds of youth". Later in the evening, they were individually crowned by the reigning Miss Philippines of the 1933 Manila Carnival, Engracia Laconico, and her two princesses, Charity Crow (Miss Luzon) and Angelina Biunas (Miss Mindanao).

A ‘concierto musical’ followed as a tribute to the 3 national beauties who took centerstage along with the G.N.I muses. Conducting the orchestra were Prof. Mercedes Matias Ossorio and Prof. Jose Cummins. The unforgettable Foundation Day of Guagua National Institute merited a front cover report on the leading Kapampangan dailies of the day

Today, the institute—now known as Guagua National Colleges, where 'knowledge and learning is at its best" –is still in operations, under the presidency of Atty. Ricardo “Dong” Puno. It recently observed its 94th year on January 2012. With its centennial just six years away, G.N.I. will surely aim to recapture the gloss and grandeur of its 1934 celebration, when the largest private non-sectarian school of the province put on a spectacle unrivalled in scale and unforgettable for years.