By Rev. Dr. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on

As Central Philippine University (CPU) turns 120 this October 1, 2025, the entire community celebrates with hearts full of gratitude, acknowledging God’s goodness and offering Him the highest glory for this historic milestone.

As Central Philippine University celebrates 120 years on October 1, 2025, we honor not only the long-serving principals and presidents but also those who, even for a brief time, carried the torch during moments of transition. Among them were Rev. Charles L. Maxfield (1906–1907), Rev. Henry W. Munger (1916–1917), and Miss Mary Jane Thomas (1917–1918).

Their leadership, though temporary, ensured continuity, stability, and growth for the Jaro Industrial School, planting seeds that would bear fruit in the generations to come.

A Period of Transitions

The first principal, Rev. William O. Valentine, served from 1905 to 1906 before taking a furlough to recover his health. During his absence, Rev. Charles L. Maxfield took over as Acting Principal for one year, guiding the school through its second year of existence. When Valentine returned, he resumed his principalship from 1907 to 1914, a period of expansion that saw the enrollment swell and the school incorporated.

In 1914, Valentine left for further studies in the United States and later became missionary in Negros. At this point, leadership passed temporarily to Rev. Francis Howard Rose, who served as Acting Principal from 1914 to 1916. Rose’s short tenure as principal set the stage for his later, larger role in CPU’s history, both as teacher and builder, and eventually as a martyr in Hopevale.

After Rose, Rev. Henry W. Munger became Acting Principal from 1916 to 1917, followed by Miss Mary Jane Thomas from 1917 to 1918. These three acting leaders — Maxfield, Munger, and Thomas — represent CPU’s resilience during its early years of frequent changes in leadership.

Rev. Charles L. Maxfield (Acting Principal, 1906–1907)

Rev. Charles L. Maxfield came to the Philippines in 1904 as a missionary of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society and was stationed in Negros Occidental. When Valentine went on furlough in 1906, Maxfield stepped in as Acting Principal of Jaro Industrial School.

His leadership came at a critical stage when the school was still experimenting with its unique model of industrial education—where students combined academic study with manual labor, working their way through school. Maxfield upheld this principle, keeping the school’s vision intact while nurturing its first batches of students.

Beyond his brief tenure in Iloilo, Maxfield left a wider legacy in Negros. He founded several private schools—Bacolod Private Academy, San Enrique Academy, Silay Institute, and Ilog Private Academy. These schools provided opportunities for Filipino youth to receive Christian education at a time when access was scarce. He also established a Boy’s Dormitory in 1913, a facility that allowed rural students to study while staying close to school.

Maxfield also nurtured Christian young people by organizing one of the earliest Christian Endeavor Societies in Negros. Through this ministry, young Baptists were trained in leadership, prayer, and evangelism.

A prolific writer, Maxfield contributed to Pearl of the Orient, the mission’s newsletter, reporting the progress of Baptist work. His English–Visayan Dictionary (1913) further shows his commitment to bridging language and culture for the sake of mission.

While Maxfield’s term as Acting Principal lasted only one year, his steady hand ensured continuity for the school. His wider pioneering work in Negros illustrates the breadth of Baptist mission at the time—integrating preaching, teaching, and institution-building.

Rev. Henry W. Munger (Acting Principal, 1916–1917)

Rev. Henry W. Munger, born in New Britain, Pennsylvania on November 30, 1876, was both a scholar and missionary pioneer. He studied at the University of Pennsylvania, later earning his Ph.B. from the University of Chicago, and a B.D. from Crozer Theological Seminary.

Appointed by the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society on December 1, 1904, Munger arrived in the Philippines in 1905 and joined early Baptist pioneers like Eric Lund, Anna V. Johnson, and William Valentine. His first assignment was as provincial missionary in Iloilo, where he tirelessly traveled by foot and horseback to visit rural congregations.

In 1916, when Rose’s acting term ended, Munger was appointed Acting Principal of Jaro Industrial School. He served for a year, bringing to the role the same qualities he was known for in the mission field: humility, courage, and a deep sense of pastoral care. Colleagues described him as “meekly kind, unassumingly sympathetic, and joyful patient,” yet courageous in crisis.

One striking story comes from Pototan, Iloilo, where Munger and his Filipino companions were attacked while preaching. Beaten with chairs and threatened with blades, he calmly urged his companions not to retaliate, and instead continued preaching the gospel. His courage under fire made him a living example of Christ’s command to love one’s enemies.

Munger’s ministry spanned two periods of 20 years each. From 1904 to 1924, he gave the strength of his youth to the Philippines: organizing churches, mentoring leaders, attending conventions, and facing dangers with steadfast faith. In 1925, he married Laura Lee Patrick, who shared his passion for mission. Together they served as provincial missionaries in Negros Occidental, based in Bacolod, and later in Antique, based in San Jose.

Dr. James Franklin of the ABFMS described the missionaries as “The Never Failing Light”, and Munger truly lived up to that title. His ministry was less about buildings than about building lives. He was, as Centralians remembered, an “Architect of Faith” who laid down enduring foundations in people, not just in structures.

After retiring in 1945, Munger carried with him the gratitude of many Filipino Baptists. His life verse, 1 Corinthians 15:58, fittingly summed up his ministry: “Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

Miss Mary Jane Thomas (Acting Principal, 1917–1918) 

Miss Mary Jane Thomas represents the pioneering role of women in the story of CPU. Born in Boston in 1888, she graduated from New York State Normal College in 1911 with a Bachelor of

Science degree. She came to the Philippines in 1913 as part of the Baptist mission team and immediately joined the Jaro Industrial School faculty.

She taught in the Department of Arts and Trades as well as in the Bible School Department, blending practical skills with Christian teaching. From 1915 to 1917, she served as School Secretary, an administrative role that prepared her for greater responsibilities.

In 1917, she was appointed Acting Principal, becoming one of the first women to hold such a position in the institution. Though her term lasted only a year, it was significant: it demonstrated that women could lead with competence and conviction at a time when leadership was overwhelmingly male.

Thomas was not only an educator but also a writer. In 1914, she published an article titled “Industrial School: First Impression” in Pearl of the Orient. In it, she gave one of the earliest outsider’s views of CPU’s unique mission of industrial education—an education that trained both the mind and the hand while grounding students in the Christian faith.

She was remembered by students and colleagues alike as someone who combined intellectual discipline with spiritual nurture. Her influence extended beyond academics, shaping the moral and spiritual character of young women and men who later became leaders in church and society.

Her appointment as Acting Principal in 1917–1918 remains a milestone, a testimony that women were integral to CPU’s journey from the very beginning.

Legacy of the Acting Principals

While history often remembers Valentine and Rose as the giants of CPU’s early years, the institution’s survival and growth also depended on the acting principals who carried the torch during times of transition.

• Maxfield ensured continuity in 1906–1907 and pioneered schools in Negros.
• Munger embodied courage, humility, and pastoral zeal in 1916–1917, leaving a legacy of faith and endurance.
• Thomas, in 1917–1918, showed that women, too, could lead CPU with wisdom and conviction.

Their service may have been temporary, but their contributions were lasting. As CPU celebrates 120 years, we remember that the story of our institution is not only built by long-term leaders, but also by those who, even for a brief season, faithfully carried the light forward.

References

Bunda, N. D. (1999). A mission history of the Philippine Baptist churches, 1898–1998: From a Philippine perspective. Verlag an der Lottbek im Besitz des Verlags Mainz.
CPBC Book of Remembrance. (1955). Iloilo City.
CPU Wall of Remembrance. (2004). Awardee’s Information Sheet.
Golden Jubilee 1905-1955. (1955). Souvenir Program. CPU.
Jalando-on, F. N. G. (2003). A history of Philippine Baptist pastors, 1898–2002. Iloilo City.
Nelson, L. A., & Herradura, E. S. (1981). Scientia et Fides The Story of Central Philippine University. Iloilo City.
Jalando-on, F. N. G., Sabijon, A. C., Jr., & Villeza, R. A. F. (2024). We are CPU: Our reasons for being. Central Philippine University.
Jalando-on, F. N. G. (2019a). Core values of Central Philippine University. Central Philippine University.