ST. Theresa’s College (STC) turns 75 in 2008 and has mapped out a year-long celebration that started with a candle-lighting ceremony Nov. 17 last year to mark the celebration’s opening salvo.
It was May, 1933, when eight Belgian nuns of what was then known as the Canonesses of St. Augustine arrived in Cebu to establish a school then know as St. Theresa’s Academy. It was located in Sikatuna St. in two buildings: one housing as convent for the sisters and for kindergarten, intermediate and junior high school; and a bungalow for the primary grades.
The following year, the academy moved to two new buildings of its own in Mango Ave. On June 1941, the academy became St. Theresa’s College. Late that year, war came to the Philippines, and classes were temporarily stopped.
In 1942, classes for the elementary grades were reopened but were suspended on March 1944 when the Japanese used the high school building as a military hospital. On February 1945, the school was burned to the ground and the nuns had to stay at the Redemptorist convent for eight weeks while bamboo structures were built on the campus.
School reopened in 1945 in these makeshift houses that were replaced by two concrete buildings in 1949. Since then, STC has constantly grown to what it is today, from a population of 175 in 1933 to the 2,272 students of today with more buildings to accommodate the growing population and the needs of a school constantly upgrading itself.
Even the nuns have changed, from the Canonesses of St. Augustine to Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. (Immaculati Cordia Mariae or ICM) in 1962, and have shed their habit for ordinary lay person’s clothes.
Through all these years, STC has been true to its mission of educating young women and so it has more than enough reasons to celebrate its diamond jubilee with a year-long activity, the first quarter of which will be on the theme “Go where there is no path.”
January is for recalling STC history and capturing the Theresian spirit with an official declaration of the jubilee year and the launching of STC-Cebu Foundation.
February event is Family Day while March will be for graduation and a blessing of the Leadership Institute.
In the second and third quarters, the theme is “Go lead the way.” The second quarter will uphold STC’s excellence in arts and culture. April will have an art camp and May will see an art festival and the formal blessing of the folk-life museum. June will be for Foundation Day and the blessing of the renovated STC auditorium.
The third quarter will focus on Theresian excellence in science and math. July will be highlighted by the alumnae homecoming and the launching of a diamond jubilee book of memories of 75 years, and August will be for the blessing of the butterfly garden and September for a science park.
In 2008, the theme is “Go leave a trail” and the activities include Mother Foundress’ Day and St. Theresa of Avila Day in October, a tribute to Theresians who have contributed to the growth of STC in November, and December will be highlighted by the lighting of the Eternity Tree and dance drama presentation.
The whole year diamond celebration of STC befits the school that, for 75 years, has dedicated its efforts towards “the education of young women.”
