The Dragon Dance wove its way around Dumaguete’s streets last Friday to the beat of drums, cymbals and gongs to highlight the 84th founding anniversary of the City’s Chinese school. The Dragon was followed by high-spirited alumni and students of the Holy Cross High School.
The scene was probably a far cry from what the school was when it opened its doors in 1928. All it had was a small one-storey schoolhouse built of wood and nipa for the initial batch of 40 students. But we know a different Holy Cross High School today. A vibrant, dynamic and responsive educational institution that not a few business and community leaders regard as their alma mater.
This development, according to school principal Dr. Profetiza Lim, was made possible because of the strong support of the local Chinese community, which is the reason for its progress throughout the years. “Enrolment went up by more than 60 pupils this year,” Dr. Lim said, expressing hope that this was a strong indication of better times for HCHS.
The school has gone beyond its initial student composition from being purely a school for children of Chinese Filipinos into a school which now has more Filipino children than Chinese.
But in its desire to teach the Chinese language to the larger Dumaguete City community, Lim said they will soon launch special Chinese classes during Saturdays.
Students may come in any age and may choose to learn either Mandarin or Fookien.
The Holy Cross High School was founded by the Dumaguete Chinese Chamber of Commerce on July 15, 1928. It was first known as the Dumaguete Chung Hua High School.
Among the organizers were Mariano L. Uy Matiao, Abdon Velez, Sun ug Son, Cang Yuco, Que Tech Tuen, Santiago Chiu Bontin, Lucio Limquiaco, Jo Tian Sang, Uy Yao Khun, Sun Un Po, Ong Chiong Chi, Du Quinco and other leading businessmen.
The school closed in 1941 because of the war and when it reopened ten years later, it had its new concrete building, which is in use until today.
The school was renamed Holy Cross High School in 1968 when it opened its doors to Filipinos during the incumbency of Rev. Fr. Joseph Wang as principal.
Since 2000, the school has been managed by the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Therese of the Child Jesus from Taiwan, with Sr. Nellie Gillegao as the incumbent school directress.
At the helm is a strong and dynamic Board of Trustees chaired by businessman Alex Sy.
Faced with the demands of a new curriculum under the K-12 program, Dr. Lim said she would want to see the teachers improve their competencies and expand their abilities.
Some alumni have voiced hopes of seeing the Holy Cross High School become a college someday, but for now, the school is content in fulfilling their mission of imparting Chinese culture, arts and virtues to pre-schoolers as well as elementary and high school students.
