Holy Cross High School Brief History

Holy Cross High School
Brief History

Sometime in 1926, a group of Chinese-Filipino businessmen in Dumaguete established an organization known as the DUMAGUETE CHINESE OF COMMERCE (DCCC). Among the organizers were the late 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.
Two years later after the founding of the DCCC, the Board of Directors thought of putting up an educational institution where the children of the Tsinoy community could learn not only the basic education but also the culture and arts of China. Thus, on July 15, 1928, the Dumaguete Chung Hua High School came into being. The late Santiago Chiu Bontin was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and the late Chiu Yu Po was the school principal.
The school, located at corner Sta. Catalina and Noblefranca Streets, started its operation in a small one-storey schoolhouse built of wood and nipa. It was administered by a principal and three teachers offering primary education to around forty pupils. Since then, the enrollment increased until it was forced to close in 1941 due to the start of the Second World War.
After the war, the school resumed its operation and in 1951, a new concrete building was erected to replace the old dilapidated schoolhouse. A girl’s dormitory and boy’s dormitory were added to meet the housing needs of out-of-town students and finally a gymnasium was constructed for sports and other activities. In 1980, these dormitories were converted into classrooms to accommodate the increasing number of student population.
A complete course in the elementary and secondary education in both English and Chinese necessitated a change in the name of the school into Dumaguete Chinese High School during the administration of the late Mr. Chi-sin Tsai, the principal who served from 1949 to 1956. The school was again renamed Holy Cross High School in 1968 when its doors were opened to all Filipinos, during the incumbency of Rev. Fr. Joseph Wang as principal. The school became fully Filipinized after the declaration of Martial Law in 1972.
Holy Cross High School celebrates its Founders’ Day on the 15th of July each year. It celebrated its Golden Jubilee on July 15, 1978 and Diamond Jubilee on July 15, 2003.
Since 2000, the school has been managed by the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Therese of the Child Jesus from Taiwan. Sister Agnes Hsieh served as the first school directress.
As Holy Cross High School grows as a learning institution, a Montessori-based curriculum of the Pre-School Department was introduced with Sr. Nellie Gillegao as its head.