SAN VICENTE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

After the Japanese occupation, the people of San Vicente returned to their homes but to their dismay all their house turned into ashes. Accordingly, only the house of Mrs. Bernabela Miguel and the rice granary of Mr. Pedro Rigos were left standing.

A year following the liberation period in 1946, the first formal schooling was done in the house of Mrs. Bernabela Miguel. The pioneer teacher were Mrs. Luz Callangan and Miss Socorro Bautista teaching grades I and II. These two ladies came from Tuguegarao. They used banana leaves as papers and sharpened sticks as their pencils.

From a house , schooling transferred to a more formal placed called “Tolda” or American Tent. Mrs. Gaspara Bautista was the lone teacher then. As years passed, more spacious school building was constructed through the leadership of Mr. Felimon Battad, the Teniente del Bario at that time. They were able to put up the “camarin” type with sawali flooring. This catered the increase of teachers, to 3 including Mrs. Diony Carmona and Miss Clara Valera.

In the later 50’s the sawali flooring of the camarin type school building was changed to pieces of wood. Another school building was built through the government funds, the Gabaldon type to accommodate Grade V and VI which were already opened.

Thus additional teachers came in namely Mr. Gomez Adviento, Sr., Ms. Tecla de Ocampo and Ms. Cortez. A Home Economics building was constructed through government funds to house the Grade V and VI girls during their laboratory period while a “PTA” shop building was also built to house the Grade V and VI boys.

When the Gabaldon Building was destroyed, the Magsaysay building was constructed. At this time, new teachers were installed to assist Ms. Clara Valera. They were Mrs. Venancia Quinto, Ms. Esperanza Daquiag, and Mr. Jose Maguigad. There were combination classes for Grade I and II, Grade III and IV and Grade V and VI.

Again, when the Magsaysay building was dilapidated due to a strong typhoon, it was replaced by a “ Marcos Type Building”. There was a shortage of school building, so school children were accommodated in the house of Mr. Felimon Battad and in the Catholic Barangay Chapel. This was in the early 60’s during the time of Mr. Virgilio Dela Cruz as Head Teacher. Years later, an additional building was erected, the “Bagong Lipunan Building”. At this time there was already on teacher for every grade with one relieving teacher.

From the year 70’s to 80’s there was no additional building given to San Vicente Elementary School. In the year 1998, a 2-classroom building was built in the southern part of the school lot. This housed the intermediate pupils.

The Home Economics was not functional anymore, it was dilapidated. It was replaced by a 3-classroom building constructed with funds, provided by the local government of Gattaran.

On the 17^th day of June 2008, a 3-classroom building was put up. It was funded again by the Local Government Unit under the administration of Honorable Town Mayor Ramon C. Nolasco.

The RCN Building with 1-meter elevation is utilized as computer room, serves as office of the Principal and classroom for Grade VI pupils.

At present San Vicente Elementary School has 4 building with 3 classrooms. The 3 other buildings used as follows: on the northern part of RCN building is a 2-room building used as Grade V classroom and Kindergarten room. At the southern part of the RCN building is a 4-room Bagong Lipunan Building used as classroom for Grades I to IV. The southern most part is a 3-room building the Marcos Type building used as shop for boys and school canteen.