Daddy went to Concepcion Elementary School in Coron. These days, the school sprawls very near our family home in Concepcion and right in the centre, there is a marker showing the founders of the town, including Basilio Abrera, who served as capitan del barrio. Right across the square is the site of the old Church.
When Bernie and I visited this church in the 70’s, the church had a very rustic feel. It had massive pillars of thick narra. Inscibed on these narra trees were initials of the town founders. Basilio’s BA, were clearly visible to all. This church has since been rebuilt in concrete, glass and steel, and unfortunately the pillars with the founders’ initials have disappeared. Fortunately, the church bells of Culion are still in Concepcion in a tower beside the church.
Why did my father go to Cuyo for his intermediate years? It is likely that as a barrio, Coron had only a 4 year elementary school. Reports of those years show that that 82% of students then stopped at grade 4. Still for others, the American educational system provided higher tiers – after primary school of four years, a student could follow with a three year intermediate elementary and complete high school for four years.
Josefa clearly wanted her children to do better than her and achieve high school and college. (More research needed on this. )
My Father's Gifts 
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