| The San Femando High School,
the given name of La Union High School when il opened its doors on January
19. 1903 to fifty-live students, was the first secondary school established
in La Union during the administration of Señor Joaquin Ortega, the
lirst civil governor of the province. Classes then were held in buildings
made of stones.
The first teachers of the
school were American soldiers who were later replaced by the Thomasites.
Mr. J. W. Johnson was the first school principal. In 1914, Filipino teachers
were appointed, however, Americans remained at the administration's helm.
It was only in 1923, when the first Filipino principal, Cecilio Putong,
assumed responsibility over the administration of the school. The "La Union
TAB." second oldest high school paper in the country, was born in 1924
when Gabino Tabunar was principal.
During World War II, classes
were suspended from 1943-45 during which time the school was used as the
provincial garrison of the Japanese Imperial Army. After the war, the La
Union High School was transferred to Bacnotan, La Union together with the
provincial government. In 1948, classes were re-opened and this paved way
for the establishment to the North Provincial High School in Bacnotan and
the South Provincial High School in Agoo.
In 1977, the school was nationalized,
but not after its solid foundations had been laid by the provincial government.
And it was now called the La Union National High School. The school curricula
have kept pace with the demands ot the times. In 1979, the school opened
its Special Science Stream Classes (now Special Science) for students who
excelled in science and mathematics. It also opened evening classes to
allow working students to continue their studies through a five-year high
school program, where classes are from 5:00 to 9:00 P.M. daily and whole
day of Saturday. In 1998, the Special Education High School was opened
tor special children. In 1999 the Sports class program was opened to provide
opportunity for sports inclined students to go to the sports of their choice
without missing their academics. The Easy and Affordable Education (EASE)
was introduced to allow students who do not have the opportunity to report
to their classrooms everyday and are given modules to be done at home.
Today, the La Union National
High School continues to nourish and nurture the community with its six
curricula: Regular, Special, Science, Evening, Sports, and EASE. The school
has come a long way to reach its 100th founding year. It has withstood
the test of time and as it marches on to the future, it will continue to
be the school for the common "tao". |
