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FORUM July-August 2011
SP Lopez and the Mentoring of Tom Inglis Moore* By Jose Wendell P. Capili
T
he development of creative writing1 as an academic discipline at the University of Iowa had its effects on the emergence of Filipino writers from English like former University of the Philippines (UP) President Salvador P. Lopez.2 In 1927, Sydney and Oxfordeducated Australian poet and critic Tom Inglis Moore accepted an instructorship in English at Iowa when professional writers also began coming to campus through writer-in-residence programs.3 Moore’s experience at Iowa served him well by the time he handled creative writing and literature courses at UP.
UP and University of Iowa The University of Iowa conducted the first-ever complete course in creative writing in 1897. During that time, a course in verse making included “practice in metrical composition in the fixed forms of verse such as the heroic couplet, Spenserian stanza, ode, rondeau, sonnet, ballad and song…analysis of the best examples of these forms in Left: SP Lopez. Right: Tom Inglis Moore as UP Associate Professor (1928). He later taught the very first class in Australian Literature at the Canberra University College in 1954. 32 English poetry…informal discussions of artistic questions.” In 1922, Iowa profession. When I came to UP, my first intention began accepting creative works for advanced degrees.4 about these is that Moore’s former UP students became had been to take up medicine. Later, I was attracted Three years later (1925), Iowa’s teaching staff coined the pioneering figures in the development of creative writing to philosophy and the sciences. It was Moore who phrase “creative writing.”5 Since then, the term has been and literary/cultural studies in the Philippines.13 These sharpened my love for English.20 picked up by many English and Literature departments students included the highly acclaimed writer Jose Garcia Other former students of Moore in UP were in the United States and elsewhere. Moore must have Villa and SP Lopez who became president of UP from Bienvenido Gonzalez, UP President from 1939 to 1943 been influenced by Edwin Ford Piper, professor of poetry 1969 to 1975. Lopez enjoyed an illustrious career as a journalist, and 1945 to 1951; Arturo Tolentino, the former senator at Iowa from 1905 to 1939, when the latter espoused an aesthetic that embraced a “commitment to regional creative writer, war veteran, diplomat and university who became Ferdinand Marcos’ running mate for vicethemes that could stimulate pride in the region and administrator. After earning his Bachelor of Arts (BA) president prior to the People Power Revolt in 1986; empower its citizens.”6 For his workshops at Iowa, Piper and Master of Arts (MA) degrees at the University of fictionist and medical doctor Arturo Rotor; Jose M. also popularized a type of informal atmosphere William the Philippines, Lopez immediately became a journalist. Hernandez who was later educated at Notre Dame and Herbet Carruth recommended in his book Verse Writing: He was associate editor of The Leader, managing editor became a professor of literature and head of the English A Practical Handbook for College Classes and Private of Commonwealth Advocate, writer of Herald Midweek Department of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Guidance where “attendance is optional…read the Magazine and editorial writer of the Herald.14 As Manila before World War II; Loreto Paras-Sulit; Paz stories and poems and essays…written for the comments vice-president of the Philippine Writers League, Lopez Latorena who pioneered the teaching of creative writing of one another and of our leader…something to praise, co-organized the first Filipino Writers Conference in UST; Angela Manalang Gloria; Fernando Leaňo; something to blame.“7 When Moore became an associate on February 26, 1940 where he provoked the first Casiano Calalang; Jose Lansang Sr.; Federico Mangahas; professor at the UP English Department from 1928 to great literary debate in the Philippines by privileging Conrado Pedroche; Hilarion Vibal; Maria Luna-Lopez; 1931, he conducted creative writing classes using the proletarian literature (along with fictionist Arturo Rotor) Juan Cabreros Laya; Roberto Regala who later became over “art for art’s sake.”15 Shortly before the bombing ambassador to Australia; Adeudato Agbayani who later system Piper had developed.8 Moore introduced the largely student-centered of Pearl Harbor, Lopez bagged the First Commonwealth became press attache at the Philippine Embassy in creative writing workshop method popularized by Literary Awards Grand Prize for his essay “Literature and Canbera; Manuel Arguilla who was arguably the most the professors at Iowa. Former Senator Maria Kalaw Society” in 1940.16 Soon after, he became first lieutenant highly regarded Filipino fictionist before World War Katigbak who was a student of Moore remembered how on the staff of General Douglas MacArthur as copy and II until he joined the underground movement and was he gathered students under pine trees and read poetry.9 scriptwriter for MacArthur’s public relations section executed by the Japanese Imperial Army; and Stanfordeducated Amador T. Daguio who dedicated The Flaming Literary historians Josephine Bass Serrano and Trinidad during World War II. As a diplomat immediately after the war, Lopez Lyre, his first collection of poems, to Moore.21 Ames observed that Moore poured “tone and spirit in Though he was never given the opportunity to study Philippine letters” and “a strong wave of liberal ideas became chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights; (that) took possession of the writers’ ideas”. As reflected Philippine ambassador to France, Belgium, Netherlands under Moore, Leopoldo Yabes who went on to become in “Typhoons and April Showers,”10 Moore urged and Switzerland (1955-1962); Philippine secretary a groundbreaking Philippine Studies scholar and chair Filipinos writing in English to “learn not only to write of Foreign Affairs (1963-1964) and, interestingly, of the English, Filipino and Humanities departments with English but also to write against it…fight against co-architect of Maphilindo.17 He was then appointed at the UP, remembered how Inglis Moore was highly the meanings of which are not applicable here…write university professor of English and the 11th UP president regarded by his former students many years after he left English without becoming an Englishman or American. from 1969 to 1975 during the most tumultuous period the Philippines in 1931. Moore stayed in the Philippines In adopting the Anglo-Saxon language, (the Filipino of student activism and dictatorship under Philippine for two weeks upon his return in February 1948 where he writer)…has to guard against adopting Anglo-Saxon President Ferdinand Marcos.18 After Marcos was met his former students like Federico Mangahas (private ideas, feelings and customs which are not true for the overthrown in 1986, President Corazon Aquino appointed secretary and speechwriter of Vice-President and, later, Lopez to be Philippine permanent representative to the President Elpidio Quirino) and Bienvenido Gonzalez Philippines or for himself.”11 United Nations in New York from 1986 to 1988. (UP president ) as well as younger generations of Filipino SP Lopez and Moore In an interview with Doreen G. Fernandez and writers like Yabes.22 In Manila, Moore also met Jose P. Moore’s vision partly directed the course of Edilberto N. Alegre on November 24, 1981, Lopez Laurel (president of the Japanese-sponsored Philippine Philippine writing in English before World War II. As said that he shifted from medicine to philosophy and Republic during World War II) and Emilio Aguinaldo adviser of the UP Writers’ Club with Robert J. Conklin, humanities upon the advice of Moore. Aside from (president of the First Philippine Republic in 1898).Later, Moore encouraged “daily informal affairs at the office creative writing courses, Moore also taught the young UP officials hosted a lunch in Moore’s honor. Toward of the Philippine Collegian where the members swap Lopez advanced literature courses “from Chaucer to the tail-end of his Philippine sojourn, Moore delivered views about style and technique and the new things in Kipling….Elizabethan literature….Romantic literature a well-attended lecture on Australian literature before literature, and criticize mercilessly each other’s works… and Victorian literature.”19 Lopez said: members of the UP Literature Society and The Philippine The Literary Apprentice, now on its fourth volume has I had an Australian professor of English, Tom Women’s Writers’ Association.23 Moore’s Manila visit always aimed at quality from whatever source—from Inglis Moore, who died recently in Canberra. was covered prominently by the national media. In one the professional or student staff.”12 What is significant To him, I owe my detour to an English-based TOM INGLIS MOORE, p. 19