In 2024, the Davao Chong Hua High School, its contemporary name, will celebrate its centennial. Gloria P. Dabbay, in ‘Davao City: Its History and Progress’ (1998), cites 1924 as the founding date of Davao Chinese High School, the original name. But the 1950 records, par-ticularly in Salvador L. Pacis’ book ‘Davao: Its Progress and Future,’ (1951), the founding date is 1934.
Dabbay, without citing sources, claims that on June 2, 1923, Chou Kuo Shian, the consul-general of the Republic of China (ROC) in Manila, arrived in Davao for an ocular visit. In-formed of the big Chinese population in town, he encouraged the opening of a Chinese school for children. Four days later, a meeting was held at the instance of the honorary con-sul, who led the formation of the Chinese Educational Association (CEA) with Chua Chin San as the first board chairman.
In Pacis’ account, the organization of the school was ten years later, and the chief reason for the opening of a secondary institution was to address the practice of sending Chinese children to China or in the national capital region to learn Chinese or English. He cites the CEA formation as related to the efficient management of the school, in contrast to Dabbay’s claim that the group was organized to recruit teachers, gather funds, and get approval for the school.
Historically, Taiwan was under Japanese rule when the supposed visit of the consul-general took place. In fact, even until 1935, Japanese control of the island was reinforced fol-lowing Japan’s effort to highlight her cultural influence. The first Taiwanese legate in Davao was opened in 1947.
Both accounts, however, agree that wealthy Chinaman Lim Juna (or Juna Lim Villa Abrille) donated a parcel of land. In Dabbay’s narrative, the donated lot is one hectare and situated along Santa Ana Avenue while Pacis’ account is two hectares and located at San Roque Street.
Dabbay states that the school was initially in a two-classroom rented house along San Pedro Street; it opened its doors to enrollment on June 3, 1924, with thirty pupils. The limited space of the edifice impelled the school management to seek donations from Lim Juna who generously donated a lot where the first permanent structures were constructed.
Pacis reports that through the CEA efforts, the school documents required by the gov-ernment finally complied. This eventually led to the ‘full recognition of it complete elementary department, and permits for the first and second years of the secondary course.’
The war was unkind and brutal; the buildings that defined the growth of the institute were all destroyed. But the profiles behind the institution were quick to address the issue. In the second semester of 1945, the school operated again with six teachers conducting the Chi-nese classes and another seven educators handling the English classes.
According to Pacis’ account, enrollment in the school year (SY) 1946-47 increased as more materials were ordered to repair the damaged structures. The following school year, the CEA was compelled to import Chinese teachers as the school population dramatically grew and, once again, expanded the English faculty to seventeen. Because of the developments, a per-mit to open the first and second years in high school was secured from the Bureau of Private School.
Pacis narrates that a new building worth P48,000 was also constructed, apparatuses for science classes bought, and more library books purchased. Also, the playground was im-proved and the tennis and basketball courts were built. The quarters for Chinese teachers were also improved.
In SY 1948-49, enrolment rose to 700 with two teachers assigned in the Chinese section while twenty-one educators were fielded in the English department. The following ywear, the population rose to 808, divided as follows: 746 elementary pupils and 62 high school stu-dents.
Again, the question begs an answer: When was the school officially organized and opened?
