2021 Heritage Builders
Inspired by the 100th birthday of the Divinity School of Silliman University this year, the HERITAGE BUILDERS – the annual honoring of administrators, faculty and staff – gathered those who had been part of the ministry of preaching and teaching of the Bible.
The 2021 Heritage Builders is dubbed as “The Year of the Faith Seeds Planters.” Among the 2021 honorees are: Rev. Dr. Irving M. and Mrs. Mary G. Channon, the founding ministers of the Bible School now known as the School of Divinity. The Congregationalist missionary couple had served Silliman from 1921 to 1931. Dr. Irving Monroe Channon and Mrs. Mary L. Goldbury – Channon were both from Iowa. They used their own funds to build Channon Hall which was the original home of the Divinity School. The major development of the entire Theology area of the campus took place during the time of Dean Channon.
Rev. Dr. Irving M. and Mrs. Mary G. Channon
Other American awardees are: Rev. Dr. Elmer K. and Mrs. Idella W. Higdon. Dr. Higdon was Dean of the Divinity School from 1959 to 1961. They both served as faculty and Dean Higdon was a well-loved teacher in Homiletics.
Rev. Dr. Elmer K. and Mrs. Idella W. Higdon
Another honoree was known for his dynamic leadership, Rev. Dr. Paul T. Lauby who also served as Dean of Divinity School. Dr. Lauby took on many responsibilities while serving Silliman: he was pastor of Silliman Church, head of the Division of Instruction in another couple of years, and in another was head of the Division of Student Personnel, became Vice President for Academic Affairs and appointed as Acting President. Also honored this year is his wife, Edna, who was a major force behind the development of the kindergarten school. The couple served Silliman from 1953 to 1968. In 1969, Dr. Lauby joined the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia.
Rev. Dr. Paul T. Lauby and Mrs. Edna M. Lauby
Another honoree who was also with the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia is Dr. Patricia Ling Magdamo. This missionary from Rangoon served Silliman from 1957 to 1969 as Director of Cristian Education at Silliman Church. Her husband, Benjamin “Ben” Magdamo is also a Heritage Builder honoree this year. It was in 1949 when Ben started working in Silliman. He served as Chief Engineer of the Silliman radio station DYSR. The Magdamos left for United States in 1970.
Engr. Benjamin Magdamo and Dr. Patricia Ling-Magdamo
Two Filipino Deans of the Divinity School are among the 2021 Heritage Builders honorees: Proculo A. Rodriguez and Lourdino A. Yuzon. Rev. Rodriguez was the very first graduate of the Divinity School in 1921. After serving Mindanao, he came back to join the faculty of the Divinity school in 1932 and served as Acting Dean in 1938. He became the Director of Extension Service in 1940. His last position before going back to Mindanao was as Head of the Public Relations Division. His wife Eleuteria, also an honoree this year, was the Church Music instructor at the Divinity School and Music teacher at the High School Department. In Davao, Eleuteria started the Music Ministry for the blind which grew to become Mindanao’s School for the Blind. She received an Outstanding Sillimanian award for Humanitarian Service in 1988.
Rev. Proculo A. Rodriguez and Mrs. Eleuteria Rodriguez
Rev. Dr. Lourdino A. Yuzon served joined Divinity school faculty in 1968. He served as Interim Minister of Silliman Church in 1969. He was Dean of the Divinity School in 1988 and was Acting President from 1989 to 1990. Everybody loved his sermons and speeches as these always had flavors from his natural sense of humor and always served in an elegant manner.
Rev. Dr. Lourdino A. Yuzon
Two members of the staff are in this year’s list of honorees: Virginia S. Remasog who was Secretary of the Divinity School from 1972 to 2003 and Sarah T. Dumalagan who was Secretary of Silliman Church from 1971 to 1982.
Virginia S. Remasog
Sarah T. Dumalagan
Voices of women as leaders came much later even at the Divinity School, among the dynamic faculty members was Rizalina “Sally” B. Villagante, an honoree this year. She was the Silliman Medical Center chaplain in 1976 and joined the Divinity School faculty. She retired in 2003.
Rizalina “Sally” B. Villagante
There was a faculty home near the entrance gate of Langheim Road which was like a youth center when our 2021 honorees, Rev. Mediador V. and Mrs. Madeline M. Jumawan, were residing there with their children. There was so much singing and eating in this campus home with the generosity of Pastor Didi who was the Associate Minister of Silliman Church and Mrs. Jumawan who was Christian Education Director from 1985 to 1993. With their talented children, the home attracted so many students as there was always regular jamming with Christian songs and Bible study sessions.
Rev. Mediador V. and Mrs. Madeline M. Jumawan
In this 2021 Centennial celebration of the Divinity School, all Deans were honored with portrait paintings (featured here) done by Lakambini “Bing” Sitoy.” the daughter of a former Divinity School Dean Dr. T. Valentino S. Sitoy Jr. Beyond these portraits, we celebrate their life journeys which are now legacies we have treasured as these are testimonies of the Living Truth captured by the theme of the 120th Founders’ Day of Silliman University: “FAITH anchored on GOD’s OMNIPOTENCE: 120 years of Grace and Glory.”
