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NATION BUILDING by Dr. E. S. TURNER HONORARY GENERAL SECRETARY Y.M.C.A. OF THE PHIUPPINES

Manila, Philippines May, 1965

Printed In the Philippines BY CAPITOL PUBLISHING HOUSE, INC.

PREFACE In requesting Dr. E. S. Turner to write the history of the Philippine Y.M.C.A. Movement, our National Board of Directors likewise encouraged him to include much of his own biographical material. There was keen awareness among us that the inspiring life of Stant Turner, one of the great nationbuilders of cOIltemporary Philippines, is so interwoven with the outstanding world record of the Philippine Y.M.C.A. Its story of achievement could not be told adequately without a full account of the Turners' participation. The result is an interesting history of the Philippine Y.M.GA. as a double-pronged movement representing two world forces determining the fate of mankind today-Christianity and Democracy. The Y.M.C.A. came to the Philippines during a critical period of transition, not only in our national existence, but also in international relations. The Philippine Y.M.GA. served as an active workshop or laboratory or testing ground for the basic principles of Christianity and Democracy. How it rendered this pioneering service is dramatically recounted in this book. The balanced development of the human personality in terms of the "Y" triangle, the pioneering emphasis on ecumenism in action, the training in the democratic way of life, characterized among others by free discussion, election of leaders, spirit of sportsmanship, personal discipline, civic conscience, leadership training and others make this book valuable reading material in the Free World. As a pattern of people-to-people cooperation so much needed today, the Philippine Y.M.C.A. story is ever a source of . inspiration. It served as a pioneer non-governmental type of cooperation between the American and Filipino peoples, and by thus promoting civic participation, strengthened democra-

cy. And by enlisting the dedicated service of E. S. Turner and Mary Turner for this critical mission, America was divinely inspired. And by answering the challenge of service in the Philippines and dedicating their lives to it, Stant and Mary Turner are hailed today as loyal crusaders for Christianity and Democracy, patriotic Americans whose life-long labors for Filipino youth has earned for themselves the appellation, "TURNERS OF THE PHILIPPINES." CONRADO BENITEZ President YMCA of the Philippines

Manila, March 17, 1965

FOREWORD STANT TURNER OF THE PHILIPPINES By FRANK

B. LENZ

International Committee Y.M.C.A. Secretary, Retired

On shipboard going from Hongkong to Manila, I fell into conversation with a fellow passenger. Hearing that I was connected with the Y.M.C.A., he said, "Then you know E. S. Turner. He is one of the most outstanding Americans ever to come to the Philippines." That incident took place in 1930. Twenty-five years later, in 1955, I met a businessman in New York who was connected with the food business in the Islands. Said he, "Turner is one of the 'greats' in our part of the world." Recently I read a statement made by Fred C. Stevens, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Manila, when introducing Dr. Turner, the speaker, at a Rotary Club meeting. He spoke of a recognition dinner for Turner at which General Carlos P. Romulo who was a speaker on that occasion, named a list of distinguished Americans who had done outstanding things for the Philippines in which he included E. S. Turner. Mr. Stevens said, "Our ~peaker is a truly great American. He came out here not to gain wealth but to make boys and young men of this land better citizens, better neighbors and better Christians which is the most important work that any man can do. Last Saturday as I watched and heard that great ovation for him from his "boys", now grown men, I could not help but think that Romulo's list which included i

Taft, Barrows, Victor Heiser, General Leonard Wood, Dwight Davis, Henry L. Stimson and many others, should be headed by Everett Stanton Turner." For 48 years Stant and his gracious and devoted wife, Mary, have been so closely identified with the Filipino people that even though they are in quasi retirement they are still a part of the national life of the Islands. The fact that the Turners have been invited back to the scene of their life work nine times after retirement in 1952 is an indication of the esteem and affection in which they are held. One of the most signal honors that can come to an Association Secretary is to have a building named for him. When the new National Headquarters Building - not a Branch Building - was finished recently in Manila, it was named the E. Stanton Turner Building. It is a national monument to him. The highest award the Government of the Philippines. can confer upon a civilian was given to him in June 1952 when the Award of Merit was presented in recognition of his distinguished service to the people of the Islands. It was awarded in person by President Elpidio Quirino. It read in part: "Everett Stanton Turner, together with his wife, Mary Aborn Turner, came to the Philippines in 1915, and for 37 years thereafter , has been an inspiring and challenging leader of the Y.M.C.A. Movement in this country. "He pioneered in the establishment of programs and services to youth which have become landmarks in nationbuilding, training of youth in Christian character for cit. izenship in a democracy and for world brotherhood; culminating in a completely indigenous Y.M.C.A. Movement under Filipino leadership which was ever his dominating purpose. "Emerging: from the Santo Tomas Internment Camp, the Turners left for the United States in 1945. In the inii

tervening seven years through devoted application he has been chiefly responsible for the support from North America making possible new and modern Y.M.C.A. buildings. He has won many important friends for the Islands and has become widely known in his own country as "Turner of the Philippines." "To Dr. Turner, now in the full autumn of his life and looking back to many years of fruitful and meaningful service to Filipino youth, the nation owes a great debt of gratitude."

Stant Turner cannot be fenced in by adjectives. Perhaps the best description of him I have heard was given me by a mutual friend in Boston when he said, "He is a rugged individualist committed to a great cause." Of magnificent stature, Turner inspires confidence. His Âˇcountenance bespeaks character. His winsome smile and twinkling eyes reveal characteristics that three long years in a Japanese prison camp could not remove. Deeply religious, without piousity he is equally at home with preachers, Moslems, leading government officials or modern industrialists. Whether one hears him in a mass meeting or meets him face to face, one knows he is in the presence of a godly man. Born in Turner, Iowa, a village founded by his father, Stant grew up on a farm where he spent many hours a week on his faithful horse Pinto hunting prairie chickens, ducks and rabbits, but also engaging in heavy farm work. Blessed with a Christian father and mother who planned well for his future, he entered Grinnell College where he made the College debating team, won two oratorical contests, was in every Dramatic Club play during his four years, and was President -of his class. As an athlete, in his sophomore year, he won the 100-, 220-, and 440-yard races in the State Meet in which all Colleges and Universities of Iowa took park. He was captain of iii

the track team which won the State Meet and the Missouri Valley Championship in 1909. He was a star football player. During his college days he met and fell in love with Mary Aborn, a classmate and a member of a prominent Iowa family. They were married in 1914 after Stant had completed his graduate work at Oberlin College and after Mary had finished hers at Wellesley. When John R. Mott and E. T. Colton of the International Committee of the Y.M.C.A. extended a call to the Turners to go to the Philippine Islands to pioneer the student work of the Y.M.C.A. they accepted and sailed for Manila July 31,. 1915. Mary's devotion to her husband and to his work have made for an ideal partnership that has lasted through vicissitudes of life in the tropics, the dangers of war, and the ill.famed SantoTomas Internment Camp. Aside from Mary's invaluable cooperation with Stant in his work she was also active in many community organizations: a member of the Board both of the Y.W.C.A. and St.. Lukes Hospital; an active member of the Woman's Club of Manila serving as its secretary for several years. Her activities also included the Association of University Women, an otHcer of the Woman~s Auxiliary of Union Church, chairman of its library for children and for a time on the faculty of a private school, teaching Latin and history. Together with care of her family, community responsibilities, opening their home to varied groups and for the entertainment of many Association visitors from America and other countries, her life was full. Stant and Mary Turner have two children, both born in Manila, Stanton in 1918, Georgiana in 1922. They completed their high school work in Manila before coming to the United States for their college education. iv

Stanton was graduated from Pomona College in 1940 and later that year was married to Edith Burgess who was a Pomona classmate. Early in 1941, Stanton became an officer in ,the U.S. Army. The Company of which he was Captain led the Infantry Section of the invasion of Normandy after the D-Day landing. He was seriously wounded during the attack .and received the Silver Star. His citation reads in part: "For gallantry in action - Captain Stanton A. Turner, Infantry, U. S. Army On 15 June, 1944, a Company under command of Captain Turner was attacking Northwest across a wide plain containing two marshy streams, under conditions of extreme hostile machine gun and mortar fire. Captain Turner with utter disregard for his own personal safety, moved among his men directing and guiding the attack until he was severely wounded. His action waH an inspiration to his men and the attack was successful with but moderate casualties."

He is now a buyer for the five Robinson Department Stores in the Los Angeles area, managing the Housewares Department in each. Georgiana was graduated from Pomona in 1944, while her parents were still prisoners of the Japanese in Santo Tomas, Manila. During her four years at Pomona she had distinguished herself as an actress in a number of College plays. After graduation she received a Fellowship for a year at Washington State University and was completing her work there when the rescue of Santo Tomas prisoners took place. Joining her parents in New York some months later, she became a member of the Personnel Department of Wanamaker's store. In 1947 she married Harold Wardell of the American Can Company. v

The Turners are now blessed with six grandchildren,. Stanton and Marion Turner, and Hal, Mary, Elizabeth and Ellen Wardell. After recovering his strength so greatly depleted in the war years, Turner threw himself into the herculean task of raising funds with which to rebuild the 14 war-destroyed Association buildings. He pursued his task with tireless energy in the Philippines and in North America with such success that President Quirino commended him publicly. Stant's efforts reached a climax when he secured a gift of $220,000 from the Ford Foundation for the purpose of erecting a modern Youth Center in Manila where more than 65,000 students from every province in the Islands are gathered for higher education. Turner does many things well. He is not a "one ability" leader. He would have been a success in a number of other fields of endeavor. Had he entered politics as was his original intention, his friends predicted that he would have gone to the top in his own state as Governor or United States Senator or to some other significant post in the nation. In the educational field, as early as 1931, Grinnell College which conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws in 1946, created the post of Provost and held it open for two years awaiting his acceptance. Calls to enter business both in the Philippines and in the United States were persistent and varied. But to, these offers Stant always turned a deaf ear. Opportunities. outside his chosen career had no appeal. Once having set his hand to the task in the Philippines where he was able to render unparalleled service to the youth of a new and freedomloving nation, he never wavered or turned back. A grateful people and an appreciative government have recognized this distinguished American as an unselfish friend who has devoted his life to the service of the Filipino people. vi

Courteous, sincere, earnest, dependable, Stant Turner of the Y.M.C.A. is one or our foremost Christian statesmen. He maintained his faith and convictions amid .disappointments, hardships, and heartbreaks. He has left for us, in the Far East an eloquent testimony of his greatness. Fulfilling a long standing request of the National Board of the Y.M.C.A. of the Philippines, Stant has written this history of its National Movement up to the present. The International Committee of the Y.M.C.A. of the United States and Canada lacking adequate records asked that he cover as well the history of its cooperation with the Philippines. This he has done. It was considered desirable by both of the above Association entities that with the history, Stant should include his memoirs in the period of his Philippine Service. It was believed that this would make the history more realistic in character and enhance human interest.

vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword: Stant Turner of the Philippines Introduction: A Record of Achievement

PAGES

<HAPTERS

viii

The Y.M.C.A. Comes to the Philippines

An Association Movement for Filipinos Successfully Launched

III

Pioneering in Nation-Building

Administrative Problems

Initial Significant National Service

Basic Program Pioneering

VII

Expansion Begins

VIII

Nationalization of the Movement

Personnel Developments

X Testing Years but Significant Developments

Painful Losses Accepted Courageously

XII

Church Relationships

XIII

Significant Events

XIV

The Determining Force

War

XVI

Prisoner at Large

101

XVII

Returned to Santo Tomas

114

"I Shall Return"

123

XVIII

XIX

Association's War Emergency Service

131

Exhilarating News and Tragedy

139

An Historic Meeting

144

XXII

War's Aftermath

148

XXIII

First Postwar Return to the Philippines

155

XXIV

Freedom Goal Achieved

158

XXV

National Recorystruction Begins

161

Capital Campaign Successful

166

World Youth Fund Brings Hope

170

A Major Decision

174

Merit Rewarded

186

Democracy on the March

190

Golden Jubilee Decade of Progress

199

The Golden Jubilee Project

209

XXXIII

Nation-Building

213

XXXIV

Epilogue

216

XXI

XXVI XXVII XXVIII XXIX XXX XXXI XXXII