The Educational Philosophy of Dr. Salvador Z.

Araneta

TRAINING THE MINDS, HANDS AND HEARTS

On March 1948, Dr. Salvador Araneta made its salutation address to the first graduates of the Araneta Institute of Agriculture. He reminded the Deans and the faculty that by our fruits (graduates of the University) we shall be judged by history (educational process or the quality education that the school has taught to its graduates through its existence) He also stated that they are well trained and well prepared to be an agricultural scientists and farmers, THEY MUST NOT FORGET THAT THEY MUST NOT ONLY TRAIN THE MIND AND HANDS BUT ALSO THE HEARTS OF THEIR STUDENTS AND THAT THEY SHOULD LET THEIR TRAINING REACH THE SOULS OF THEIR STUDENTS. Dr. Salvador Araneta believed that the good qualities that are imparted to the students are more important than the knowledge that might be transmitted to them.

CROWNING EDUCATION WITH LOVE OF GOD AND NATION

On March 24, 1956, in his inaugural address as the third president of the Araneta Institute of Agriculture. Dr. Salvador Araneta professed his faith to God, to country, to humanity, to democracy, to the youth of the nation, to education and research, and to the fundamentality of agriculture.

He emphasized that we must fight intellectual indolence(laziness) among our students.

Eradicate (pull up the roots) moral turpitude by disciplining their muscles, their hearts, their minds, and their character and crowning their education with fire of love of God and nation.

Dr. Araneta believed that the discipline necessary for leadership, gentlemanliness, alertness, responsibility, thriftiness and determination must be nurtured not so much by formal education, but by constant example of correct attitudes on the campus, in the church, in the laboratories, and in the fields. Dr. Araneta believed that only by patronizing research shall we provide on the campus the necessary environment for the training in the sciences and advancement of agriculture. Dr. Araneta expressed his faith in our youth that they can take an active role to play in nation building. His faith in our youth is just the same faith of Rizal who called them the fairest promise of our father land.

EDUCATION IS A NEVER ENDING PROCESS

If you wish to succeed in life, continue to grow spiritually, intellectually, and socially advised Dr. Salvador Araneta to the graduating class of Araneta Institute of Agriculture in 1957.

According to him, one will achieve a more meaningful life by enriching his soul with a constant God. By enriching the intellect, he meant that by reading one can build a progressive life. By understanding people and knowing how to please them, one can enjoy a hearty life.
Dr. Salvador Araneta repeated this advice to the graduates of Araneta University in 1959. He said Continue studying even after college; Please remember that man never remains the same. He either moves forward or falls backward He should read books and magazines; listen to associates and learn from them for learning should be a life-long endeavor.

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to integrity and remain righteous Dr. Araneta added. It demands the finest type of discipline to remain righteous. Lastly, he said, Success without integrity is hallow and empty.

TEACHING OF RELIGION IS TEACHING LOVE FOR GOD AND NEIGHBORS

February 15, 1958, Dr. Araneta delivered a speech at the conference of Catholic Schools Association of Dagupan Diocese. He confessed that prayer is important to attain intense love for Jesus which is the essence of Religion. He pointed out that prayer, mental or silent prayer, should take more importance not only in religion classes, but in all classrooms and in all contacts with students.

According to Dr. Araneta, Christian education should not be compartmentalized, into education for God and education for country. The best way a student will learn his religion is by practicing religion, and teaching religion. Not in a compulsory manner but entirely voluntary.

According to F.J Sheed, the teacher is not simply handling out information like a post office girl handling out stamps. The teacher must give herself with the truth adhering.

Suggestions made by Sheed;

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The teacher must regard religion class as a kind of sacrament.

There should be no harshness in the class of Religion. Religion is taught not only by what the teacher says, but also by what he is.
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religion teacher should be soaked in the New Testament.

teacher should not only be wellversed in the dogmas of the church, but be possessed by the dogmas.

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THE FOUR Ls

LOVE God and country;

LABOR for the glory of God, the welfare of our country and the happiness of their family; LOYAL to the principles and teachings of their Alma Mater; and

To practice LEADERSHIP in all their activities.

THE FOUR ABSOLUTES

The four absolute standards for human values are Absolute honesty, Absolute purity, Absolute unselfishness, and Absolute love.
Absolute

honesty is the best way to understanding communication and purity inspires a great cleansing force through the nations.

peace.
Absolute Absolute Absolute

unselfishness makes one nation experience the greater joy in giving than in receiving. love is not self-seeking but selfless love, makes the caring for people a more satisfying experience.

PLAN YOUR PROGRAM OF ACTION

As he addressed the graduating students of Araneta University Foundation, schoolyear 1956-1966, Dr. Salvador Araneta stressed the importance of getting things done being a conscientious, thorough, efficient, diligent executive and doer. He advised them to have a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly plan of program of action and periodically check up what they have failed to accomplish, to analyze the reasons, and to try again by a more determined effort to reach their short term and long term goals. to keep a notebook where they can write immediately everytime they realize a particular thing to be done. To seek inspiration from the Lord in their offering prayer at the start of the day when they ask Him what to do as His instruments in this world.

Dr. Salvador told the graduating class, Always keep your vision and ambition high, and your feet down to the earth, and you will be a worthy son of your Alma Mater.

EDUCATION IN AND FOR BAYANICRACY AND UNIVERSAL PEACE

Bayanicracy is a word compounded from the word bayanihan and the Greek word kratos. Kratos means power. Bayanihan is the ancient Filipino spirit of organized togetherness, of caring and sharing, of love and charity for our neighbor. April 18, 1970, Dr. Salvador Araneta pointed out that bayanicracy should not try to fight directly the four horsemen of the world in turmoil: Economic Imperialism, International Subversion, Militarism, and Materialism, but should promote a way of life that requires changes in human values, and great changes in the organization and institutions of society. The changes in institutions are the same for bayanicracy and world peace. To make education in and for bayanicracy and universal peace effective, it has to be a continuing process from cradle to grave.

EDUCATION FOR WORLD CITIZENSHIP

In his speech before a PACU Conference held in Baguio City, Dr. Araneta opined that in line with the significant advancement in the physical sciences and economics, there should be advancement in social sciences. Our faith, according to Dr. Araneta, should be the conviction that with worldwide cooperation, without an armament race, with the present knowledge in science and technology, and with the new discoveries in the science of economics, unemployment and poverty can be eradicated from the world and world peace can be secured. The new found ideology is world brotherhood, a burning desire to rebuild the world, which has become one Great Neighborhood, in which we are all neighbors and brothers under God.

He recommended that Education for World Citizenship must be a basic subject in all modern universities. This would teach students that our first and greater loyalty in this modern world is no longer to the head of the state, but to the faith and that ideology that will usher in the age of the Kingdom of God on earth. Araneta University had made contributions not only to the improvement of agriculture in the home countries of its students but in the inculcation of world citizenship. To date, Araneta University now De La Salle-Araneta University continues to accept foreign students in its midst, with the inclusion of Koreans, Taiwanese, Kuwaitis and Somalians.