GROWING UP IN 70'S MANILA: Maryknoll High School Soiree Invitations

Class 314 Soiree Invitation

I was the social chair of our high school class my freshman and sophomore year. This designation meant that I was responsible for the social "well being" of our class. The job was quite simple. Create cool invitations, hire good DJ's, serve good food, introduce shy classmates to girls, teach fellow classmates the latest dance steps, invite hot chicks from Assumption, Teresiana, St. Paul, St. Scholastica and Maryknoll. Outside of class parties, the social chair must proudly represent Ateneo at all other parties and disco's. Simple!

A typical soiree was usually held on a Saturday night, at a designated house big enough to hold 50 or more people, with lots of good food, punch (and the occasional spiked punch) and dancing. Some soirees were flops, but then there were the memorable ones complete with disco lights, pulsating bass

from the professional DJ and the presence of the "in" crowd from both schools. The sosyal kids don their silk shirts, Gucci belts, tailored black pants, hand me down Bally shoes and doused with Paco Rabanne or Aramis cologne. Girls were equivalently dressed with their YSL dresses and Fiorucci jeans. We would dance the swing to Teri DeSario's "Ain't nothing gonna keep me from you" or Poussez's "You're all I have." The night usually ended with "Last dance" by Donna Summer or a slow song by Patti Austin or Minnie Ripperton.

While we had our share of exclusive soirees with the girls, the girls idea of a soiree meant mixing Ateneans with the boys from La Salle - our bitter rivals on and off the court - which made things more interesting. La Sallites were usually the better dancers. We, Atenean's cornered the girls for "deep" conversations. Though there were few of us Atenean's who also loved to dance alongside the La Sallites, myself included. Threats of an Ateneo-La Salle rumble after the party were a cause for concern, though most never materialized.

As much as I loved partying with the other schools, I was a Maryknoll boy at heart. My first girlfriend is a Maryknoller and I had lots of good friends from Maryknoll. My Assumption friends would probably kill me for saying this, but I truly found the girls from Maryknoll more down to earth, and no question, the better dancers.

I am not a pack rat, but I have to admit that I have saved every letter, birthday card, and even party invitations from my childhood days in the Philippines. Here's my collection of Maryknoll soiree invitations which I hope would bring back fond memories of our "swinging" days in Manila.