CONCEPCION A. AGUILA
(1894-1958)
Outstanding educator
Dr.
Concepcion A. Aguila was an outstanding educator.
Born
in San Jose, Batangas on September 11, 1894 to Pedro Aguila y Reyes and Paula
Aguila y Andal, she finished her elementary grades at a public school in
Batangas. In 1912, she became a kindergarten
teacher at the Centro Escolar de Senoritas and, in 1916, completed her
secondary course. In 1924, she earned her bachelor of laws degree from the
Philippine Law School, passing the bar examinations in the same year, and her
master of laws degree in 1926 from Centro Escolar University. It was also at
CEU that she obtained her Master of Arts degree, in 1937. In 1948, at
Georgetown University in Washington,. D.C.,
she became the first woman to graduate with a doctoral degree.
Dr.
Aguila was a gifted scholar. At CEU, she rose from the ranks, “from classroom
teacher… to principal and supervisor” and, later, to executive director,
consultant, and dean of the graduate school.
After
being admitted to law practice by the Supreme Court of the United States on
March 5, 1946, she was appointed by President Roxas as member of the National
Council of Education. This was in 1947. The following year, President Quirino
appointed her as member of the National Commission on Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Matters.
Between
1952 and 1955, she was president of the United Nations Association of the
Philippines and of the Philippine Association of University Women; general
chairman of the preparatory committee of the UN Regional Conference for
Non-Governmental Organizations; conference chairman of the UN Regional
Conference for Non-Governmental Organization on UN Information; vice-chairman
of the first regional meeting of the International Federation of University Women;
and vice-president of the board of directors of the National Federal of Women’s
Club of the Philippines.
Dr.
Aguila wrote the following published articles and studies: “Educational
Objectives and Policies of the United States Federal Government” (Ph. D.
dissertation), “Human Values: Their Ethical Basis and Implications in
Citizenship Education and in the Organization of Work,” “Teacher’s Role in
Functional Democracy,” “American Diplomacy in the Far East,” “A Comprehensive
Study of the Political Theories of Hobbes and Locke,” “ Sphere of International
Politics,” “International Cooperation of the Americas,” “International Exchange
of Persons Program,” “ UNESCO in the
Philippines,” “ United Nations Organization and the UNESCO Education Program”
and “Marxist Socialistic Philosophy.”
She also authored a book, Educational Legislation, published in 1956.
She
represented the Philippines at the 1937 Convention of the World Federation of
Educational Associations in Tokyo, Japan; 1947 Convention of the General Federation
of Women’s Club in New York; the 1947 Conference of the International
Federation of University Women in Toronto, Canada; 1947 International Goodwill
Tour and Forum Discussions in Havana, Cuba, sponsored by the General Federation
of Women’s Club in America; 1953 International Federation of the University
Women Conference in London; and the 1953 Centennial Celebration of the
University of Salamanca and the Congress of Ibero-American Universities in
Madrid.
A
recipient of various honors and awards, Dr. Aguila was listed in the Biography
of Educators in 1950 and in the Who Is Who In American Education in 1952. She
was featured in the Philippines Herald as “outstanding educator” by the
Department of Education in December 1956.
In
1947, CEU voted her as its most distinguished alumna. The Philippine Law School
gave her the same recognition in 1955. The Federation of University Women of
Australia as well as of New Zealand awarded her a travel grant and invited her
as guest speaker in their national conferences in January 1956 in Sydney,
Australia and Auckland, New Zealand.
She
died of cancer on December 16, 1958. In her honor, the city government of
Manila renamed Tuberias Street near Malacanang Palace as “Conception A. Aguila
Street.”
Espina, Richelle B.
II-BsCOS-2
BACK