I was a third-grader in Orion, Bataan when the 1955 total solar eclipse took place.
Days before that much-awaited scientific phenomenom, we were taught by our Science teacher, to blacken pieces of glass with soot from esperma or lampara. Those were to be used when looking upward directly to the sky, without damaging our eyesight. Those who have no pieces of glass (which were quite rare then) were told to fill palangganas with tubig, to watch the eclipse through the reflection on the water.
There were no television sets yet then. Electricity was only available from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. so there was no live telecast of any event, which is commonplace now. We were all out on the streets, waiting anxiously for what will happen. We were able to see the slow movement of the moon as it covered the sun. The cocks and the hens cockled, because it was pitch-dark, parang gabi na. Women,including my mother and lola, dropped to their knees, praying aloud," Panginoon, iluwa po sana ng buwan ang araw." They even prayed The Angelus after that. We were all so happy that the prayer for "the moon to spit out the sun" was granted by God. We knew that our prayer was granted, because the sun came out again. We all rejoiced at the effectiveness of our prayer.
Back to school the day after that eclipse, we were asked to share our experience and observations, through story-telling or informal themes.
It is so disappointing that I was not able to witness the last eclipse. However, I am comforted with the thought that at least, I was able to experience one in my lifetime. I am 61 years old and counting, but that 1955 total solar eclipse is so vivid in my memory, as if it happened only yesterday.
posted by JoGJMac(http://titajo.blogspot.com) @ 4:54 PM
