NUEVA VIZCAYA GENERALCOMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL
History of NVGCHS
by: Mrs. Juanita C. Genato
The history of the Nueva Vizcaya High School is a story of a bold and pioneering venture in the field of secondary education. Established as an institution of learning designed to serve the people of Nueva Vizcaya and its neighboring provinces, the Nueva Vizcaya High School had its humble beginnings in 1906 when a two-storey brick structure constructed to completion by an American architect, Mr. Shay, housed the first provincial high school. That brick edifice stood at the present site of the northern wing of the Bayombong Elementary School.
Under Act. No. 378 of the Philippine Commission, this institution of learning operated as a high school although the courses offered were the fifth to the seventh grades of the intermediate curriculum. A Mr. Wycoff was the Principal of the first high school,
The year 1914 marked the Golden Era for the Nueva Vizcaya High School. The head of the school then was Mr. Frederick S. Knight. Students throughout the province flocked to the high school. Forensic, literary, dramatic, glee and athletic clubs were not short of talents. Beautiful programs were frequently staged to entertain the public. In this fourth year of service, Mr. Knight left and Mr. Palmer took over.
From 1918-1922, Mr. Roy Bennett (grandfather of Lalaine) was at the reins of the high school. Upon his assumption as Principal, he opened the third year class and the following year a complete high school was in operation. Out of the 56 students who enrolled in the first year in 1918, only 18 survived to receive the distinction as first graduates of the Nueva Vizcaya High School.
while Mr. Conner, another American educator served as the first Division Superintendent of Schools in this province. During his incumbency as Principal, Mr. Deble had the second year course offered. True to his Prussian blood, Mr. Deble was noted as a stern administrator. He is remembered today for having laid out the biggest playground this province ever had which was located east of the present Town Hall of Bayombong. Unfortunately, the playground was washed away in that flood of 1927. Mr. Deble served the NVHS up to 1913.
In 1910, the first year course opened with Mr. Naffsinger as its first teacher under the principalship of Mr. Larkin. The following year, Mr. Larkin returned to the United States and a stocky American of German descent, Mr. Deble replaced him.
In the course of his term as Principal, Mr. Bennett saw the implementation of the two curricular offerings, the General (academic) and the Normal course. Mr. Bennett became Vizcaya's very own for having married a native of the province, the former Josefa Cutaran y Laguio. They resided in the Philippines up to the liberation days then finally left the United States to live there permanently. In the intervening years from 1922 to 1926, the administration of the school changed hands from Mr. Scott to Mr. Freeman then to Mr. Cyrus Knutson.
With the increased school population in the elementary grades during the school year 1926-1927, the Nueva Vizcaya High School transferred location to the provincial barracks to what is now the site of the Saint Mary's University Elementary Department.
The Principal at that time was Mr. Glenn Lehman whose term was just a year and was succeeded by the first Filipino Principal, Mr. Simeon Vale, a Visayan. Like his predecessor, Mr. Vale did not stay long and Mrs. Inez Clift Simpkins took over. She is well remembered as the lady Principal who brought the school to its present site in the school year 1929-30.
The school year 1931-1932 ended the term of American administrators with the exit of Mr. Norman Kaster whose successor was Mr. Elias Caray heading the line of Filipino Principals from his time to the present. Mr. Caray's term was from 1932-1936.
Mr. Caray was the architect of the "CLISOC" Field, the school's athletic ground. From a wooded jungle, Mr. Caray had the giant trees uprooted and the grounds leveled filling it up with earth for several years utilizing the students' manpower.
CLISOC is coined word bearing the first letters of the names of provincial officials at that time - Cabarroguis, Light, Inaldo, Silvestre, Oledan and Caray - who were Provincial Governor, Division Superintendent of Schools, Board Member, District Engineer and NVHS Principal, respectively. The southern end of the CLISOC Field is presently bordered by an imposing Grandstand, the Dumlao Stadium, handiwork of the late Governor Patricio G. Dumlao. Mr. Caray's first year term saw the last of the Normal graduates and the fusion of the Farm School with the NVHS. The curriculum implemented the offerings of a General Course. Type A which was purely academic and Type B, an academic course with optional vocational subjects, and a Vocational Course. Agriculture for boys and Home Economics for girls. The fused school was administered by one Principal with headquarters at the NVHS. Other tribute to Mr. Caray was his introduction to the school, the first vitalized commencement program and the building of the Sunken Garden, a beautiful haven of rest to the many boys and girls.
A baseball aficionado, Mr. Anselmo Patacsil administered the school in 1936 and stayed up to 1938. Scholarship grants from his personal fund were his way of attracting top baseball players from other provinces. Co-curricular activities, particularly athletics were boosted during his days.
Mr. Saturnino Abes, a big but soft-spoken man cam to head the school from 1938-1940. He duplicated a former predecessor in staging vitalized commencement exercises. During his tern, a brilliant and promising student, Leonardo B. Perez enrolled whose star brought him to a limelight of leadership as a four-termer Congressman of the province, later elected as Senator of the Philippines followed by his designation as a trouble shooter during the Martial Law days and finally appointed Honorable Chairman of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).
In 1940-41, Mr. Isabelo Manalo, noted author of high school textbooks took over. A promotion to the General office cut short his stay just for a year.
The JAPANESE WAR -1941 TO 1945
A big husky man with firm conviction and a kind heart, Mr. Igmidio Valderama took charge of the school for six months and forcibly left because the war broke out. He, however, checked in during the liberation of this province in 1945 and passed on the management and administration of the school to Mr.Pedro Manaligod, an Isabeleno in 1947.
In 1941 with the implementation of the Educational Act of 1940 put into effect the graduation of grade six pupils from the elementary grades, the enrollment swelled reaching over a thousand mark, the biggest enrollment recorded in the history of the NVHS before and after the war. This enrollment was only surpassed after its conversion to NVGCHS.
The sudden outbreak of the war on December 8, 1941 closed the school that same month together with all other schools throughout the country. Fourth year students got credentials
as automatic graduates while students enrolled in the lower years were considered promoted to the next higher year. This is pursuant to the provision of Department Order No. 4, s. 1945 of the Department of Education and Information.
The war scares did not paralyze; the operation of the schools. When the Japanese had taken over the reins of the government, schools were reopened and among them was the NVHS which opened its doors in 1943-1944. In charge of the school was Mr. Ceario Valdez.
Under the Japanese regime, the NVHS became non co-educational. The Nueva Vizcaya Boy's High School was separate from the Nueva Vizcaya Girl's High School although both were housed within the same compound, the agricultural site of the NVHS.
The war of liberation in our province which started in January 1945 nonce more brought the school on a halt. This lasted for six months. Liberation of Bayombong was on June 7, 1945. A month later, the school was organized under the Philippine Civil Affairs Unit (PCAU).
The Liberation Period
The ravages and ruins of the war laid to waste the main building of the NVHS which was then used as a Japanese garrison. Reconstruction and rehabilitation were slow in coming. Thus, began the sad plight of the NVHS. The reorganization of classes in 1945 saw the separation of the academic from the vocational department. Mr. Igmidio Valderama continued to head the NVHS while Mr. Antonio Reyes took charge of the vocational department (Agricultural and Home Economics).
The provincial government unable to support the entire complement of the NVHS offering academic and vocational courses was permissive on the set up, hence, the separation established the Nueva Vizcaya Rural High School. Partially funded by the national government, the NVRHS gained faster pace on the road to recovery and rehabilitation.
Mr. Ramon Esperas from Leyte came to head the school in 1949 up to 1954. His term was characterized as critical. For lack of funds, teachers were laid off.Discipline and morale among teachers deteriorated. Enrollment declined to a low 300 mark. Some government officials entertained the idea of closing the school. Mr. Esperas ended his term a disappointed man.
A school administrator, Mr. Pacifico Allarde was transferred from Catanduanes to succeed Mr. Ramon Esperas. Financial problems continued to plague the school. Teachers were poorly and irregularly paid. After two years of stay, 1954-1956, Mr. Allarde sought transfer to the General Office.
In June 1956, a native son of Bayombong, Alberto A. Genato, alumnus of the high school, class 1935 after completing eight years of service as Principal of the then Bambang High School, now the Nueva Vizcaya State Polytechnic College, welcomed his appointment to be in his hometown. He had but one goal and that was to redeem the good name of the school by offering quality education. To attain this end was easier said than done. For the school was ridden with problems of poor finances, low teachers' morale, intrigues, cliques and political pressures. He is an exponent of the philosophy that teaching is a profession requiring big hearts and small stomachs. Only those who can sacrifice can work with him. And sacrifice is unwavering devotion to duty and loyalty to the system.
To regain the confidence of the public was long and tedious, but the sacrifice was rewarding. Enrollment soared but not with finances. The elevation of Governor P. Dumlao, Sr. as executive of the province in 1966 partially relieved the school from its financial crisis. Provincial funds under his control were limited, so in 1966 the school's PTA headed by Mr. Deogracias Valencia in consultation with the then Congressman Leonardo B. Perez, illustrious alumnus of the school, class 1942 and the Provincial Board headed by Governor Patricio G. Dumalo, the nationalization of the school was paved. In a PTA Board of Directors meeting with them in October 1966, Gov. Dumlao consented to the transfer of all assets and liabilities of the school , a provincial high school, to the national government, a prerequisite to its conversion into a national high school.
Congressman Perez authored House Bill No. 185 which became a law known as Republic Act No. 5545 - AN ACT CONVERTING THE NUEVA VIZCAYA HIGH SCHOOL TO BE NAMED NUEVA VIZCAYA GENERAL COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL, AND AUTHORIZING THE APPROPRIATION OF THE NECESSARY FUNDS THEREFORE. This law was approved on July 21, 1969 and implemented in school year 1970-71.
In his almost two decades as Administrator, Mr. Alberto A. Genato saw the transformation of the NVHS, now NVGCHS into a premier secondary school in the province excelling in curricular and non-curricular pursuits. He initiated the rise of infrastructure projects within the school compound such as a two-unit Marcos type building, the Administration building, Calderon building, Home Economics and Shop buildings, PTA-Alumni building and the start of the construction of the school's gymnasium.
Other projects and improvements were the completion of putting up the concrete fence around the school compound, installation of a water system and energizing the school campus, acquisition of a school bus to ferry students commuting to Bayombong from Bonfal and Solano and acquisition of a jeep and a van for use of the administration. All the vehicles were acquired from the USAID. The school also organized a faculty and personnel choral group that participated in big school and community activities.
During the lean years of the NVHS the teaching force was augmented by the continuos assignment of American Peace Corps Volunteers who were made to teach academic subjects. The school was served by no less than five PCVs namely, John Shields, Lani Shine, Jay and Margaret Angels and Jerry Heckleman.
The NVHS years although characterized as lean and hungering financially had produced six American Field Service scholars who passed rigid screenings from school level to division level then regional (Cagayan Valley), area (Northern Luzon) and national (Nationwide) levels. Scholars chosen were Nora Dumlao, 1957-58; Lina Lantion, 1960-61; Minerva Villadelgado, 1961-62; Romulo L. Genato and Minerva Salinas, 1962-63; and Emily C. Genato, 1965-66.; The school also organized a 70-man school band, the biggest in the division with the late Mr. Jose Ganacias as the Band Master. The nationalization of the NVHS converting it to NVGCHS resulted in the lowering of tuition fees which became affordable even to the poor throughout the province that there was surge of enrollment requiring the employment of more teachers and non-teaching personnel and the creation of the position of School Administrative Assistant which was filled by this writer in June 1973.
The pursuit of academic excellence among the learners opened the position of department heads in the different subject areas for a closer supervision of the teaching-learning process. A vital role the NVHS- NVGCHS played in the promotion of secondary education in the province was its accepting responsibility and concern over twelve barangay high schools established in the province by extending full supervision on instruction and assistance in their administration.The NVHS/NVGCHS Principal was name "Mother Principal" of the barangay high schools. These barangay high schools were Santa Clara in Aritao, Paniki and Tuao in Bagabag, Casat in Bayombong, Lamo in Dupax del Norte, Kasibu , Santa CRuz (Pingkian) and Nansiakan in Kayapa, Caliat in Quezon, Uddiawan in Solano, Santa Fe and Bintawan in Villaverde.
The barangay high schools were funded by local government and PTAs with limited assistance from the provincial and national governments. The establishment of these schools was a program of the Department of Education to bring the high schools at the doorstep of our people living in far-flung areas which were depressed, disadvantaged and under-served (DDU). Not for long due to financial difficulties, the schools in Santa Clara and Caliat were closed. The Nueva Vizcaya State Institute of Technology (NVSIT) in need of extension schools absorbed those of Casat, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, and Tuao while for the same reason Paniki Barangay High School was absorbed by the then Nueva Vizcaya School of Arts and Trade (NVSAT), forerunner of the Nueva Vizcaya State Polytechnic College. Of the twelve Barney high schools, seven survived which today enjoy funding from the national government by virtue of a congressional act implementing the Constitutional mandate to offer free secondary education in all public schools, hence, the nationalization of all government secondary schools, a legacy from the administration of President Corazon C. Aquino.
In November 1975, Mr. Genato was promoted to the position of Assistant Schools Division Superintendent for Nueva Vizcaya, a position he held up to his retirement on April 30, 1982. Mr. Santos U. Jerusalem succeeded him. A humble and quiet man, he pursued, with diligence, the programs and policies of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports to serve the needs of both the students and teachers. An ardent disciple of his predecessor, he steered the school to maintain its high and prestigious standing among the secondary schools in the division.
Mr. Jerusalem's incumbency saw the completion of the gymnasium and the rise of the Imelda building. Initial funding of the gymnasium was from government coffers sought by the then Chairman o f the Commission of Elections (COMELEC) Leonardo B. Perez and completed by Assemblyman Carlos M. Padilla. The gymnasium has become the venue of local and regional conferences, seminars, workshops and other gatherings. The Imelda building is a beautiful and imposing edifice that towers all infrastructures within the campus skyline funded by a congressional appropriation through Assemblyman Carlos M. Padilla..
During his term, department head positions changed hands. His position as department head in English was given to Mrs. Obdulia L. Bisquera who not long after left to transfer to one of the city schools in Manila. Mrs. Lilia S. Guntalilib was subsequently appointed in her stead. Mr. Imperial was sent to head the Diadi National High School.The proliferation of curricular offerings in Practical Arts elevated Mr. Romeo T. Gumayagay to department head in Practical Arts (Boys).
In a span of 15 years, Mrs. Asuncion D.Guilbert became the third to head the NVGCHS with the retirement of Mr. Jerusalem in 1985. Replacing her as department head in Physical Education, Health and Music is Mrs. Marylinda C. Ramos.Apart from her American counterparts in the early years of the NVHS, Mrs. Guilbert as an incumbent Principal was the most traveled, locally and overseas. She went to Gonohe, Japan for an educational observation in 1988 and on December 10-14, 1993, she was selected one of the Filipino delegates to the ASEAN Council of Teachers' Convention held in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. A recipient of a good number of awards, she holds the distinction of receiving the Presidential Medal of Merit in the First AVON Gintong Ilawan Teodora Alonzo Educators' Award, as the "Most Outstanding Female Principal" of Region II in 1989-90.
In the course of her administration a series of innovations and reforms were taking place in the DECS and in those changes the school was an active participant. Working hand in hand with the Principal was a team of competent department heads and several rigidly trained teachers.Their concerted efforts placed the NVGCHS a leader school, a training ground for teachers in the division in all subject areas except technology and home economics.
It has joined the ranks of the 110 high schools throughout the country in the network of Science and Technology oriented high schools under the DECS and the Science and Technology Coordinating Office. Science and Education Institute and Department of Sciences and Technology (STCO-SEI-DOST) and is considered to have the most functional science laboratory in the division. The school excels in Journalism contests. It has produced most outstanding teacher-awardees, regional and national levels and has rendered several teachers to qualify in local and international scholarship grants.
Values Education, a new subject area in the curriculum has its department head, Mr. Romeo T. Gumayagay, who was shifted from Practical Arts (Boys) to this new subject area. In 1992, Mrs. Felisa M. Torralba, Science Department Head, retired. Appointed to succeed her is Mrs. Evelyn C. Apuya. Infrastructurewise, buildings of varied designs have crowded the school campus. The once lone wooden structure 11-room main building has mushroomed to 14 buildings, six of these put up during this administration which are a new academic building, an 8-room Science building, a 2-room Physical Education, Health and Music building, a 2-room Values Education building, a 3-Classroom building and a NVGCHS-PTA guest house.
In May 1995, Mrs. Guilbert retired. Mr. Benjamin G. Cordova, vocational school Administrator of the Reina Mercedes Vocational and Industrial School, Reina Mercedes, Isabela, was designated to head the NVGCHS as Officer-in-Charge. Mr. Cordova, however, was awarded a Colombo scholarship in Madras, India. For the duration of his official leave from June to December 1995, Miss Juliet M. Llarina was the Officer-in-Charge of the school.
The NVGCHS rooted in the old NVHS has a beautiful and enviable tradition which all alumni can be proud of. Thousands and thousands of men and women are grateful to have come within her fold. For what they are today, the NVHS-NVGCHS their beloved ALMA MATER is a sweet memory.