Mr. Agaton Sabrine Grasparil is the 7th child of Mr. Jose Orquia Grasparil and Mrs. Martha Udani Sabrine Grasparil. Both parents were natives of Sibalom but during the Filipino-American war, the family moved to San Remigio.
Mr. Agaton S. Grasparil was born on December 30, 1900 at San Remigio, Antique. He was named after her maternal grandmother, Agatha Baladjay Udani - grand daughter of Rafael Agustin Baladjay (founder of San Remigio), who was married to a Sabrine. From 1 year old to 18 years old, he lived with his grandmother at Sido, Sibalom.
Mr. Agaton Grasparil learned his A,B, C from his mother at an early age because his mother was a private teacher charging one cavan of palay per child per year. He entered the public school at 9 years of age at the San Remigio Primary School. After completing the primary grades, he attended the 5th grade class at the Sibalom Elementary School. Then his brother Isias brought him to Culasi Elementary School where he finished Grade VI in March 1916. The following June 1916, through the help of Atty. Ramon Maza, he was enrolled in Grade VII at the Provincial Intermediate School in San Jose, Antique, taking the Teacher's Course.
Mr. Grasparil, from Grade VII to second year high school became the house boy of Atty. Ramon Maza. On Saturdys and Sundays, Mr. Grasparil ran errands for the Maza family, scrubbed the floors of the house, and took care of the horses of Atty. Ramon Maza. During the long vacation, he would work in the house of Atty. Ramon Maza.
After completing the second year high school in March 1919. He was 18 years old. He thought of taking the Junior Teachers Civil Service Examination that was announced to be held on June 6 and 7, 1919. Together with his teachers in high school, Mr. Francisco Maza and Mr. Eulogio Areño, Mr. Grasparil filed his application to take the examination. There were about 69 applicants in the whole province of Antique who took the examination that June 1919. The results of the examination were released in December 1919 and only one passed the Junior Teachers regular examination. It was no other than Mr. Agaton Grasparil. At once, he became very well known in the Antique High School. He was still studying in the 3rd year of the high school and attending the classes of Mr. Maza in Commercial Geography and Mr. Areño in Advanced Arithmetic yet he beat them in the Civil Service Junior Teacher's Examination.
The Division Superintendent, Dr. Gabriel Mañalac, upon advice from the Director of the Civil Service, sent for Mr. Grasparil and offered him to becaome Elementary Principal of San Remigio. Mr. Grasparil declined to accept the offer but pleaded that he be allowed to complete the 3rd year high school. He promised Dr. Manalac to accept the appointment in June 1920. Meanwhile, Mr. Grasparil was made to assist Mr. Brown, the English teacher, correcting tests and themes at P15.00 per month taken from Mr. Brown's monthly salary.
In June 1920, the Principal of the Antique High School, Mr. Narciso Jaramillo, recommended Mr. Grasparil to teach in the Antique High School as a regular national insular teacher with the salary of P80.00 a month. The recommendation was approved by the Superintendent and the Director so he became a member of the Antique High School faculty.
Because of the vacant periods enjoyed while teaching in the Antique High School, Mr. Grasparil asked permission from the Director of Public Schools to enroll in the fourth year subjects and this was granted. He became a teacher and student and was allowed to graduate with the rest of his classmates in March 1921.
An interesting incident occurred when the faculty decided the awarding of class honors. If the scholarship ratings would be based upon the averages in the 3rd year and the 4th year, Mr. Grasparil would have landed either as Valedictorian or Salutatorian. However, examining the appointment of Mr. Grasparil, the faculty decided that Mr. Grasparil was not entitled to class honors as he was a regular member of the faculty and not a student. The faculty therefore awarded the Valedictory honor to Mr. Emigdio V. Nietes, (became Judge of First Instance at Iloilo City), and the Salutatory Honors to Mr. Carlos Z. Abiera, (became Judge of First Instance at Silay, Negros Occidental).
In 1926, Mr. Grasparil became teacher pensionado to the Philippine Normal School. He graduated from that school in 1930. The positions occupied by Mr. Grasparil were as follows:
1920 - 1924 - Antique High School teacher
1924 - 1926 - Principal, Culasi Elementary School
1926 - 1927 - Philippine Normal School Pensionado
1927 - 1929 - Principal, Sibalom Elementary School
1929 - 1930 - Pensionado, Philippine Normal School
1930 - 1941 - District Supervisor
1941 - 1946 - Captain, USAFFE
Mr. Grasparil was married to Mrs. Soledad Lotilla Grasparil on February 18, 1928. They have seven children.
