INP/LS of Santiago High

At the time when one of the crying needs of the people where the Missionaries were assigned was for Catholic Religious Education for youth, the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette headed by Fr. Conrad Blanchet, MS arrived in 1949 at Santiago, Isabela to attempt to meet the religious needs of the people of Northern Luzon.

In the following years, negotiations were made for the acquisition of land in Santiago, which would become one of the centers of Christian learning the area.

La Salette of Santiago was officially founded in September 15,1950, a date commemorating the 104^th anniversary of the Apparition of Most Blessed Virgin in the small village of La Salette in France. The school was ready to accommodate 456 students distributed in the four levels of high school curriculum for its first year of operation in SY 1951-1952. the same school year saw the graduation of 71 seniors. The first Rector and zeal in the person of Fr. John Louis Pelissier, MS. The first Principal was Mr. Honorato Olay.

Realizing the need for college education in the cultural, social, and economic development of the province and of the region, realizing also the constraints, which prevented poor students to go to Manila for College education. La Salette of Santiago opened its college department on the same compound in the school year 1952-1953.

Setbacks always occur in “beginnings” and La Salette of Santiago was no exception. In 1953, one year course in Mechanics was started, resulting to six graduates in 1954. Regretfully, the equipments necessary for this course was stolen from the shop. The course offering had to be discontinued. In the mean time, the high school population was growing in leaps and bounds with a population od almost 700 high school students.

The Maryknoll Missionary Sisters were invited by the La Salette Missionaries in 1956 to supervise the growing institutions.

Under their supervision the two institutions developed hand in hand and the fast development of La Salette of Santiago was seen in the construction of more buildings: Blanchet Hall in 1962, King’s Hall in 1963 and separate College Building in 1964.

With the enrollment in the high school department now totaling more than 1,300, plans for moving the college department to a separate campus were made in 1969. Construction commenced in April 1969. the transfer took place at the beginning of the second semester in 1970. the high school department, took over the vacated college building.

The Maryknoll Missionary Sisters left Santiago in 1974 to answer the call of other areas where they were most need. They left an indelible mark in the heart of every Salettinian and the Isabelinos in general. Their achievement in the field of Salettinian education is incalculable.

La Salette of Santiago experienced another fresh start in 1977. Rev. Fr. Francisco I. Maliwat, MS took over the Directorship of vacated Fr.Salvador Pico, Jr., MS and Sister Ma. Nathaniel Rocero, SPC took over the Principalship vacated by Sister Mary Fidelis Estrada, RA. The school year 1977-1979 witness the feverish activity for internal reorganization and consolidation in the areas of Administration Management and physical facilities development in view of more effective utilization of human and material resources. A far-reaching undertaking during this short period might have been the reformulation and the reconstruction of the schools’ institution and educational goals together with the necessary revision of the organizational set-up in order to keep the school abreast with the times. The updated and improved Administrative and Faculty Manuals were envolved during this period.

As early as September 1977 an annex was constructed to house a modern and spacious collage library; more classrooms and offices in both college and high school department were put up; the Practical Art Facilities, the Library and Laboratory buildings and facilities, student services and other educational facilities have been drastically improved; cleanliness and beautification drives were implemented in the classroom and in campus; the ‘green revolution’ became a reality in the high school; the Parent Teachers Association (Federation of Homeroom Association- HSA) was mobilized to begin the construction of a permanent fence for the high school and to assist in the other areas of La Salette education for the benefit of their children and the community. The Science High School Curriculum was opened in 1978 and summer classes were once more resumed in the summer of 1979.

Ina ng Pag-asa (Mother of Hope) Province | Missionaries of our Lady of La Salette

41 Betty Go Belmonte, Barangay Mariana, New Manila, Quezon City 1112 | Philippines