history of san beda

SAN BEDA COLLEGE: ITS HISTORY

Seal of San Beda

Latin word PAX (Peace) combined with the cross planted on 3 boulders (rocks) – Benedictines, the religious order running the college

3 boulders – Abbey of Montserrat (where the founders came from)

2 doves drinking from the fountain – students drinking from the fountain of knowledge (SBC)

Tower and sea lion – heraldic symbols of the city of Manila (where the college is located)

Motto of the college – “Fides” (faith), “Scientia” (knowledge), and “Virtus” (virtue)

Colors of SBC – red (courage) and white (purity) Emblem (symbol) of the college – red lion

San Beda College: In the Service of the Filipino Nation

First school in the Philippines founded by the monks of the Order of St. Benedict (O.S.B.)

Inaugurated on June 17, 1901 Has eight departments

Basic Education College of Arts and Sciences College of Law College of Medicine College of Nursing Graduate School of Business Graduate School of Law Graduate School of Liturgy

Holy Infant of Prague

Abbey Church was dedicated to the Holy Infant of Prague when it was consecrated in 1926

1905 - Image of Sto. Niňo was sculptured The College celebrates the annual feast of

the Infant Child on the fourth Sunday of January

Our Lady of Montserrat

Patroness of the CollegeNamed after the first abbey of the Benedictine

OrderDark image of the Blessed Virgin was

donated by Mr. Bartolome OllerBrought to the Philippines in 1895

September 12 – Feast of Our Lady of Montserrat

St. Benedict of Nursia, Italy (480-547 A.D.)

Founder of the Benedictine OrderFather of Western Monasticism

the way of life characteristic of monks or nuns, in which they withdraw entirely or in part from society to devote themselves to prayer, solitude, and contemplation

The vows of celibacy, poverty, and obedience under which they live are termed the evangelical counsels

Twin brother of St. Scholastica

At the age of 17, he went secretly to the mountains of Subiaco to live as a hermitHe lived there for 3 yearsHoly Monk Romanus provided him with food and

clothingFounded the Abbey of Monte Casino

The place where he wrote the Holy Rule and lived until his death on March 21, 547 A.D.

July 11 – Feast of St. Benedict

St. Bede

Patron saint of the collegeHis profound love for learning and study Feast day – 1st day of the academic year

English Benedictine monk Born in 673 A.D. in Wearmouth Estate within the territory

of the monastery of Abbot Benedict Bishop A well-known preacher “Ecclesiastical History of the English People” – most

famous work Died on May 26, 735 A.D.

HISTORY OF SAN BEDA COLLEGE

Thirteen Spanish Benedictine monks, headed by Abbot Jose Deas y Villar from the Abbey of Montserrat in Spain, arrived in the Philippines on September 12, 1895.

Fr. Juan Sabater, OSB, then superior of the Benedictines, thought of counteracting the influence of the public schools established by the American government and the American Protestant missionaries. In this turn of events, the idea of establishing an educational institution which offers elementary and high school classes with boarding school for boys was formulated.

On June 17, 1901,the school opened with 212 students taking primaria enseñanza and secundaria enseñanza, the equivalent respectively of grade school and high school with the first two years of college. The new school, Colegio de San Beda, was inaugurated with Fr. Silvestre Jofre, OSB, the first Rector.

San Beda College was granted the authority to confer the degree of Bachelor of Arts and diplomas for elementary and high school education. In 1912, the Benedictine monks decided to shift from Spanish curriculum to English. Hence, the English language was used as the medium of instruction and in 1918, the school began to carry the name San Beda College.

The cornerstone of the main building (St. Bede’s Hall) was laid on September 15, 1925 and was solemnly inaugurated on June 20, 1926, coinciding with the silver jubilee of the school.

The Abbey Church was consecrated on January 13, 1926.

By 1927, the courses included grade school and high school, the two year courses of pre-medicine and pre-law and the first two years of commerce.

In 1928, the monks reclaimed the 15,000 cubic meter of land where they put up a football field and a swimming pool. A year before, the student athletes won their first crown in the National Collegiate Athletics Association.

From 1940 to 1947, the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat Manila was under the apostolic administration of Abbot Alcuin Deutsch, OSB of St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota. Three monks were sent to Manila to administer the Abbey and San Beda College. The College welcomed the only American rector in its history, Fr. Boniface Joseph Axtmann, OSB. It was also in 1940 when the school began to carry the Red Lion as the emblem..

In 1948, the College of Law was inaugurated. From 1953-1958, San Beda earned the distinction of producing a 100% passing record during the Bar examinations.

San Beda College also became one of the founding schools of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines.

Eventually, San Beda College also became a chartered school of the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities in 1957. Then Rector Fr. Benigno Benabarre, OSB was responsible for the school’s inclusion to the PAASCU.

As the student population grew, more buildings and facilities were constructed.

St. Benedict’s Hall was inaugurated on February 24, 1952 while St. Anselm’s Hall was inaugurated in July, 1963.

The swimming pool was completed on February 2, 1968. The St. Placid’s Hall which houses the medical-dental clinic

and the bookstore, was completed on November 13, 1976.

The St. Maur’s Hall, which houses the CAS and Law libraries, the science laboratories and grade school classrooms, was inaugurated on September 12, 1995.

The St. Placid’s Sports Complex was blessed on 2003.

On June 17, 2001, San Beda College celebrated its centennial. On that same year, San Beda College offered the Graduate Program in Business and was granted full autonomy by the Commission on Higher Education. This recognition was a tribute to the school’s long tradition of academic excellence and allowed the school to offer new programs of studies.

On June 17, 2002, the San Beda College of Medicine and the Graduate Program in Liturgy were inaugurated, heralding the school’s expansion program. The following year, the College of Nursing was inaugurated, followed by the Graduate Program of Law in 2004.

Today, San Beda College is a growing community of students, personnel, faculty, alumni and administrators—all united with the mission of contributing to the Church and to Philippine society.

San Beda College, a Catholic educational institution, is committed to the Christian formation of the Bedan Community as its service to the Church, the Philippine society, and the world.   

VISION 

San Beda College envisions a community that is

• fully human • wholly Christian • truly Filipino • globally competitive

MISSIONSan Beda College aims to form its members in

* faith (fides)

* knowledge (scientia)

* virtue (virtus) and inculcate in    them the Benedictine core values of prayer and work (ora et labora) that include:

* study * community* pursuit of peace

Dean – Dr. Napoleon Juanillo, Jr.

Vice-Dean – Dr. Christian Bryan Bustamante

Assistant Vice-Dean (Business Cluster) – Dr. Jenny Ramos

Assistant Vice-Dean (Arts and Sciences cluster) – Dr. Fedeliz Tuy

Prefect of Student Activities – Prof. Michael Rubio

Assistant Prefect of Student Activities – Dr. Nerissa Revilla

Prefect of Student Discipline – Dr. Marvin Reyes

Chair, Accountancy – Prof. Joffre Alajar

Chair, Economics – Prof. Rufina Villoria

Chair, Financial Management – Prof. Jackqui Moreno

Chair, Legal Management – Atty. Anna Christina Arias-Sumilong

Chair, Business Management and Entrepreneurship – Prof. Eric Pasquin

Chair, Information & Communications Technology – Prof. Diosdado Aler III

Chair, Marketing Management – Prof. Pam Tendero

Chair, Psychology – Prof. Ma. Jocelyn Bengco

Chair, Theology – Prof. Melanio Leal

Chair, Social Sciences and Humanities – Prof. Nancy Kimuell-Gabriel

Chair, Filipino – Prof. Araceli Fernando

Chair, English, Foreign Languages and Literature – Dr. Lamberto Batino

Chair, Mathematics and Natural Sciences – Prof. Francisco Febre

Chair, Human Kinetics Development – Dr. Bayani Matitu

Coordinator, Community Involvement Center – Dr. James Loreto Piscos

Alma Mater HymnLyrics by Raul S. Roco, CAS 1960Music by Fr Benildus Maramba OSB

`Herald the Bedans coming,May their fellowship never cease;Molded by bold undaunted menof pray'r; work and peace,

Through the carefree days of our childhood And the visions of our youth

You gave us the wisdom of Benedict's soulFaith in God and love of the truth

When we encounter trials and hardships,We shall give you honor and fame,For nothing but these show our loyalty clearTo our Alma Mater's name.

Bring out the challenges, we'll win them all;And fear neither fire nor blood;Bedans will answer the clarion callFor San Beda, our country, and God.