History
On the site of the present Manila
High School building (more than a century ago), the Spanish government’s city
council, called the “Ayuntamiento de Manila”, established the Escuela Municipal
de Manila in the year 1892 for the children of Spanish residents.
According to the biography of
Conrado F. Benitez and other illustrious alumni, Victoria
Grammar School was the forerunner of
the Manila High School and established at the onset
of the American era.
The Manila High School
was organized by the Director of Education David P. Barrows and acting
Superintendent of City Schools, Mr. Charles H. Magee. It was established on June 11, 1901 for the
graduates of the Provincial and Manila
Intermediate Schools .
In 1921 the city government later
put up secondary schools in each the four districts, known as the Manila East,
West, North and South
High Schools . Manila High School
was renamed as Manila South High School
since its location is directly south of the mouth of Pasig River .
Manila South
High School was renamed Araullo High School in June 1930 in memory of
Justice Manuel Araullo.
The school building of Araullo High School at Victoria Street in Intramuros was
completely destroyed during World War II. After the war, Araullo
High School opened classes in the
compound of Epifanio de los Santos
Elementary School in
Paco.
In November 1947, the Division of
City School acquired two Quonset Huts in Mehan Garden ,
formerly occupied by Surplus Property Commission. Mr. Victor Hernandez was
chosen to organize the annex to accommodate the increasing enrolment of all
public secondary schools in the city. The ever energetic Mr. Hernandez made the
premises available for classroom after the clearing of the surroundings,
planting shrubs and tamarind trees that helped very much in making the teachers
and students like the place. Enrolment of first year students started with the
teachers Mrs. Andal and Rizo Diaz, who were assigned to the Mehan Annex.
The classes opened on December
15, 1947 with an enrollment of 221 first year students. Mrs. Janelo and Rizo
Diaz was in-charge with the English classes,
Mrs. Carmen Mercado as Home Economics and Chemistry teacher, and Mrs. Andal as Teacher-Librarian.
By virtue of a City Ordinance No.
3122 approved on January 27, 1948, the Mehan Annex of the Araullo
High School became the Manuel Roxas
High School , the youngest
city public secondary school honoring the memory of the first President of the
Philippine Republic, President Manuel A. Roxas. The transfer of 242 second year
students then at Lukban
Elementary School was
affected. The following school term, third and fourth year applicants were
accommodated.
By virtue of Resolution No.
283 dated May 26, 1953 by Mayor Lacson
reserving the vacant lot located at Victoria
Street , Intramuros for the Manila High School
site, in order to revive the historical significance of the old highs chool
which was the alma mater of most of our great leaders and distinguished
men of the country..
Opening of Annexes:
1.
MacArthur Annex
·
The Division of City Schools leased fourteen
(14) rooms at the Feati University
Building (which adjoined the McArthur Bridge ) in July 1949 to accommodate
first and second year classes, leaving the third and fourth year classes and
all vocational and physical education classes at the Mehan compounds. This new
annex known, as the MacArthur Annex, had Mr. Honesto Valdez as the first head
teacher with 21 sections and the Faculty numbering___ teacher. A good surprise
to all in February 1950, a school band was organized under the charge of
one-time member of the famous Philippine Constabulary Band. In August 1951, Mr. Augusto Alzona, the Assistant Principal of Torres High
School , took over the Administration vacated by Mr. Hernandez.
2.
Victoria Annex
·
The Quonset Hut across Hospital Street which was used as
classroom for vocational classes in accordance with the city government’s plan
to rehabilitate and revive the pre-war Mehan Garden
was demolished. The provision for additional
classroom was necessary to accommodate the unprecedented increase of enrollment
in the coming school year.
The Intramuros annex was opened with the transferred
Quonset Hut from the Mehan
Garden and additional
shop classrooms were put up with the help of the Parents and Teachers
Association (PTA). Mr. Divino was
designated Head Teacher of the second annex of the Roxas High School .
On October 9, 1958, this Victoria Annex together
with the McArthur and Mehan Annexes became the new Manila High School . The Pilot Science Classes, the brain of our
science-minded Principal were located in this annex. A Library was provided for
this annex with Miss Ignacio in-charge.
3.
National
Radio School
Annex
·
On July 1953, a third annex consisting of 11
rooms was necessary to accommodate the applicants to the first year classes.
This Annex at the National Radio School
and Institute of Technology , along Ronquillo St. at Sales St , was leased for the academic
subjects of first year classes. The home economics, vocational, and physical
education classes were held at the main building at Mehan. Mr. Irlandez,
Assistant head Teacher at the McArthur Annex, and Mrs. Asuncion Quinto, the
Social Studies Department Head, were designated temporarily to take charge of
the annex which only existed for a year. However, the same premises were leased
again when school opened in July 1956 with a record breaking enrolment of 5,990
students thus making the school retain its rank as the fourth largest public
high school. [Mr. Jacob was appointed
Head Teacher for Manila
High School .]
4.
Canonigo Annex
·
The acquisition of the Canonigo and the
subsequent construction of the future permanent building of Manuel Roxas
High School in 1953 made
everybody happy. On October 9, 1958 the Canonigo Annex became the present Roxas High
School .
By virtue of Ordinance 4067
approved on October 9, 1958 by the Manila Mayor Arsenio H. Lacson, the city
government decided to split the Roxas High School. The Canonigo Annex became
the present Roxas High School , while the Mehan, Victoria and MacArthur
Annexes were combined and transformed into the new Manila High School .
Mayor Arsenio H. Lacson committed
himself to rebuild the old Manila High School but not in Mehan Garden
and neither at the old site at Victoria
Street . He
envisioned putting up a “dream edifice”, a modern school complex with a
gymnasium, an auditorium, wide campus, and other facilities.
The site of the Cuartel de Espana
along General Luna Street
(where General McArthur held command post during the war) was cleaned for the
future Manila High School .
Due to the delay of this
construction, the dilapidated Quonset Huts were
repaired for the meantime and remained as the main building of the
Manila High School (in accordance with a Municipal Board resolution)
with
the MacArthur and Victoria as its
annexes.
The MacArthur and Victoria
Annexes were transferred to the million-peso three-storey building in July 1963
located in General Luna Street, keeping the Mehan Annex for the first and
second year classes with Mr. S. Vera Cruz as the Head Teacher. The following
year, the first year classes were again housed at the McArthur Annex, leaving
the second year classes at the Mehan Annex.
The PLM building, the home of
MHS from July 1963 to 1967
The Special Science Classes at
the Victoria Annex became the nucleus of a science high school in the city.
Then, in October 1963 the Victoria Annex became the home of the first Manila Science
High School .
When Mayor Antonio Villegas
succeeded Mayor Lacson, he planned to put up a city university. The imposing Manila High
School building was the choice of the city
executive for the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. However, the high school
authorities were assured that before the new building will be turned over to
the city university, a new Manila High School building will be constructed at the old
site on Calle Victoria . The arrangement was that the science building
will be transferred to the building formerly occupied by the Araullo High School
at Padre Paura corner Taft Avenue .
The Manila High School
was built in the school complex in General Luna Street that was later used by
the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, from July 1963 up to April 1967. On that site
once thought to be the permanent home at Gen. Luna Street , the Batch of ‘64, ‘65,
‘66, and ‘67 graduated.
On February 26, 1967, the new
school complex, a four-storey concrete edifice at the Victoria
site of the first Manila
High School was formally
inaugurated with Mrs. Lydia Villegas cutting the ceremonial ribbon and
unveiling the bronze marker. The opening of the new school was a whole day
celebration, also commemorating the 61st Foundation of the Manila High
School .
On June 1967, the Manila High
School opened its doors for the school year
1967-1968 in the premises they can call permanently their own at Victoria Street
corner Muralla and Escuela Streets. Thereafter, all classes beginning in 1968
graduated from MHS at that historic site of Intramuros. At the same site, the
Escuela Muncipal de Manila was established by the Spanish government in the late 19th
Century, the Victoria Grammar School in
the early 20th Century on the
onset of the American colonial era, the
Manila High School and Manila South High
School during the American era, and
Manila High School’s Victoria Annex from the early 1950’s up to 1963.
We cannot complete the history of
Manila High
School without mentioning and honoring Mr. Augusto Alzona, the
late Principal of the Manila
High School . He best
exemplified a model civil servants and educator. He was simple, strict
disciplinarian but with a golden heart. He was well loved by the students
during his term in the Manila High. His way of giving token gifts like fruits
to students and teachers endeared him to all. His vision and innovations led to
the birth of Manila Science High School ,
an offspring of Manila
High School .
Addendum:
November 25, 1959 marked the
evolution of the first pilot science high school in Manila . On October 1, 1963, the Manila Science
High School was
officially born by virtue of a Municipal Resolution signed by Mayor Antonio
Villegas. Credit for the school’s early success goes to the Manila Science High
School Principal Augusto Alzona – the “Father of Manila Science High School”
Other related
postings
:
The Dutch Choir "Afrika Engakoor" and the Manila High School
Manila
High School (Intramuros) Hungers Burns The Heart
http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2008/10/manila-high-school-hungers-burns-heart.html
http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2008/10/manila-high-school-hungers-burns-heart.html
Manila
High School and the US Navy
http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2007/08/manila-high-school-intramuros-and-us.html
http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2007/08/manila-high-school-intramuros-and-us.html
Manila High School - Centennial Anniversary and Alumni Homecoming
http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2007/05/manila-high-school-centennial.html
Other Related websites of Manila High School Alumni.
Manila
High School Graduates International
Manila
High School Alumni Portal
http://manilahighschool.com/mhsmain/
Web
postings about Intramuros
Ciudad
Murada : Intramuros
http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2009/02/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.html
Intramuros
- Puerta Real Gardens and Baluarte de San Dieg
http://jibraelangel2blog.blogspot.com/2010/09/intramuros-puerta-real-gardens-and.html
Photo Journal of Fort Santiago - Intramuros Manila http://jibraelangel2blog.blogspot.com/2010/10/blog-post.html
Photo Journal of Fort Santiago - Intramuros Manila
Thanks for sharing this bit of information.
ReplyDeleteIt's my first time to read anything of this sort about this beloved spot in old, old Intramuros.
What is the original source of this story, if you would allow me to know the title of the book or whatever?
May the blessings be!
As a Manila High School alumnus (Class of 82), thank you for this wonderful article. I will forward this link to my fellow alumni.
ReplyDeleteI am in the process of creating a site where former students from all over the world can reminisce, if only for a brief moment how much fun, and simple life was back then. I would like to ask your permission to use pictures on this page. They will be added to a non-commercial site, dedicated strictly for use of registered users.
Thanks,
Luis Gregorio
LT, MSC, USN
Class of 1982
Thanks a lot for these very informative article. When we are studying at MHS, we don't have any idea of the school, it's history and heritage. Now after 32 yrs, i have an idea of the different twists that surround our dear MHS.
ReplyDeleteAgain thank you...also to the pictures inside the quadrangle where we used to march as a CAT cadet and at the background are our classrooms...
To Whom It May Concern:
ReplyDeleteThere is a choir group in The Netherlands who will sing a song to raise a fund for Manila High School.
They come up with the idea to sing your Alma Mater Song to show appreciation to the members of your institution.
The group requested whether if it’s possible for them to request for the Lyrics, Piano Notes and Audio (mp3 or any format) of your Alma Mater Song.
Please let me know on how we could get the information as they will perform on December 14, 2008.
Looking forward for your immediate response in this matter.
Best Regards,
Mechell Baradillo
Good day Mechell,
ReplyDeleteI am making inquiries from the Manila High School alumni groups :
MHSGIA and MHS alumni portal how to obtain the mentioned songs of Manila High School.
Meantime this is the web address of
Manila High School Graduates International :
manilahighschoolalumni@yahoogroups.com
Manila High School Alumni Portal :
http://www.manilahighschool.com/mhsmain/modules/xfguestbook/index.php
Good day Mechel,
ReplyDeleteThis is the Lyric of Manila High School's Song. I am still waiting for Manila High School's student to sent the Note / Tune.
Brgds,
-----------------------------
412 2008/10/16 MHS SONG
HeaRtFaLL
We salute the school pride of our land,
Years have gone by and years have to come,
You will stay and stand forever and ever
We the teachers and student to lead
Love and affection will flourish
Knowledge and wisdom to stay
Power and strenght to remain
Oh,dear Manila High
Hear and protect us
Listen and whisper the blessing
We will raise the banner to the sky
Let us all sing the song of love
Dearest to our hearts
Oh Manila High,
Forever will shine
(Repeat 2x)
.Ma`m Normita Fransisco ask me to post this song.
--Romalie O. Generalao
III-1 (2007-2008)
Photojournalist in Filipino Journalism
hmm. . .Nice site, and a nice blog design. Oh, and very useful information as well.
ReplyDeletebuy term papers online
A very interesting history of your old school. Are there any old photos of it? Thanks!
ReplyDelete