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Escuela Pia

In 1800, Don Pedro Vivanco founded the Escuela Pia de Manila on Calle Real. A private elementary school for Spanish children, run by Spanish laymen and attended, off and on, by some thirty students. After a few years, the Spanish government took over its administration and made Escuela Pia a public school under the Administrative Commission of the City of Manila, and later under the Manila City Council. At that time, Escuela Pia was the only primary school in a city with 100,000 inhabitants. The education of the Filipino children was at stake. Something had to be done. Thirty-three boys were enrolled at the Escuela Municipal, but only twenty-three attended schools. This was not a very encouraging start, but the teachers were soon reassured when attendance jumped to 76 within a week, 120 within a month, and then 170 within just three months. The Jesuit school intended to impart to Spanish and Filipino children, the incalculable benefits of a careful education at the elementary level, in accordance with the requirements of their station in society. For five years, the Escuela Municipal remained a grade school. Then in 1864, Father Cuevas worked on the draft of a plan for secondary instruction. The following year, the school assumed the name “Ateneo” from the Greek word “Athena”, the goddess of wisdom.

The restoration of Escuela Pia building, which is considered to be one of the oldest educational institutions in the country, was initiated by Taal Arts and Culture Movement Inc. This is also in cooperation with National Historical Institute.