(The bust of Don Felix Montinola that was displayed at the administration office of his school.)
In Chapter 16, I wrote about Don Felix Montinola, Sr. and his legacy in the town of Victorias, and in the same chapter (read blog here), I mentioned about his family's founding of a school two years after he died. The school was established with the encouragement and help from his nephew, Don Agustin M. Jereza, the son of Don Felix's older sister, Valentina. Don Agustin, an engineer by profession, founded his own school in Cebu City, the University of Southern Philippines (USP) that attained university status on July 8, 1949. That same year, on September 25, Don Felix died.
When he was still alive, Don Felix Montinola, Sr. already envisioned opening a school and even discussed the idea with his wife, Doña Dorotea Montinola y Magalona, and his children. In 1937, Don Felix saw firsthand the success of the University of Southern Philippines, then named The Southern College, when he visited USP in Cebu City to receive an honorary degree honoris causa. He was recognized for his contributions to the town of Victorias. Although he was the 9th mayor of Victorias, serving from 1934 to 1940, he was already an active civic leader even before he was elected mayor. In 1907, he directed stage plays to raise funds for the town's small municipio made of nipa (read Chapter 11 here). Taking after him, two of his sons, Hector and Benito, became the 12th and 14th mayors, respectively (read Chapter 21 here).
On September 24, 1951, the Don Felix Montinola Memorial Institute was set up and its location was right at the town center of Victorias, across the public plaza on a land owned by his family. The school building started with a few classrooms and gradually grew using strong timber from Mindanao and with a simple letter 'L' lay-out that would maximize the lot size over which the school would stand. The school library would be on the second floor along with the principal's and administration offices, while most of the classrooms would be on the ground floor. There were two staircases, each with a landing, going up to the second floor, both made of sturdy wood that would produce loud thumping sounds when students ran up and down, especially when rushing late to a class. From the main entrance, one could use either the right or the left staircase going up. The school canteen, located on the ground floor, was right below the library. The canteen had big windows on its Osmeña-Highway side through which anyone at the street could buy refreshments. During recess, students and teachers could walk in to get some snacks, while other students brought their own lunch, or balon, and could in the school premises, but some students crossed over to the Victorias public plaza, sat under the shade of the big trees, and enjoyed their balon with their classmates. In those days, their balon would be wrapped in banana leaves, then wrapped again in an old newspaper. The balon was accompanied only by a spoon; no need for a fork. On rainy days, the main concrete corridor on the ground floor that connected the main entrance to the last room at the western end of the school was turned into a path where CAT officers and cadets practiced their march and drills as it was about 50 meters long. In the original design of the rooms on the ground floor, the rooms could be turned into one, big connected room as they were all separated by accordion doors that could be closed during classes and opened when there was a program or seminar.
The entrance of the school was oriented to the southwest, facing the Osmeña Highway. The flagpole that was erected on concrete foundation in 1952 was at the eastern end of the school campus. Then, the students had a dirt playground using the adjacent lot that is now a commercial area. This dirt area used to host the sports games with the four flag poles for the colors of the freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors erected next to the concrete structure that housed the toilets. In the later decades, more classrooms would be added on the second floor when the school included college courses to its curricula. In the afternoons after dismissal, the school's drum and bugle corps would practice its drills and march along the Jover and Miraflores Streets, filling the neighborhood with its lively music and drumbeats. On Saturdays, the Citizens' Army Training or C.A.T. sessions for juniors and seniors were held on the dirt playground.
From the start of the first school year, the University of Southern Philippines had lent its support to the school by providing its experience, faculty, and curricula. This was why most of its earliest faculty members were from Cebu. USP's support made Don Felix Montinola Memorial Institute (later, Don Felix Montinola Memorial College) a popular private school with students even coming from nearby municipalities. Its tuition fees were affordable even to the daily wage earners, and its location was very convenient to the young students.
(The lady in a white dress and black belt is Miss Nita Castellano, a teacher, while the other lady is Miss Julieta Barrientos who worked in the administration office. Taken in the late 1950s along the Osmeña Highway in front of the Victorias public plaza. The school is on the right side of the photo. Read blog here.)
When the school celebrated its 40th year in 1991, it published a souvenir program that included a list of past principals and assistants to the principal as well as its faculty that year.
These are the past directors, principals, and assistant to the principals of DFMMI as appointed for the school year indicated, until 1991:
1951 - 1952: Mr. Arturo Filoteo was appointed as school director; he was affiliated with USP. Mr. Moises Villegas was the principal; he was also from USP.
1952 - 1953: Mr. Alberto Farol was appointed director and was also sent by USP. Mr. Felipe Garcia was the principal and was also from USP.
1953- 1954: Miss Mamerta Mendoza was appointed as principal; she was also from USP.
1954- 1955: Miss Mamerta Mendoza remained as principal.
1955- 1956: Miss Carmen Saso was appointed as principal; she was also from USP.
1956- 1957: Mr. Felipe Garcia was appointed as director; he was also from USP. Miss Leticia Villegas appointed as principal; she was the first Victoriahanon to become the school's principal.
1957 - 1958: Mrs. Luisa Campos-Montinola was appointed as directress, while Miss Leticia Villegas remained as principal. (Mrs. Luisa Campos-Montinola was the wife of Mr. Benito M. Montinola, son of Don Felix Montinola and also a former mayor of Victorias).
1958: Rev. Fr. Vicente Montinola became the director, while Miss Leticia Villegas remained as principal.
During the school year 1985-1986, when the school added college courses like junior secretarial and degrees in education, it tied up with the West Negros College and Dr. Potenciano Julom was appointed dean, while Mrs. Nelly H. Parreño became the principal and assistant to the dean.
For school years 1986-1987 and 1987-1988, Dr. Julom remained as dean, while Mrs. Lorna Garcia was appointed principal. From 1989 to 1991, Mss. Montserrat T. Villalba was the dean and principal. In 1990, more classroom were built on the second floor to accommodate the increasing number of high school students and the evening classes for college courses.
(The photo above shows a section of the graduating class of 1955 with class officers sitting in front with the teachers. Those seated from the left are: Rolando Ancan (student class officer), Rosario Dequiña(?) (student class officer), Mr. Pajares, Mr. Hernani Fuentes, Miss Cui, Miss Jesena, Mr. Arturo Filoteo (director), Miss Mamerta Mendoza (principal), Miss Padilla (who later married Mr. Hernani Fuentes), Mr. Villegas, Miss Erlinda Ynayan (student class officer), and Ramon Delgado (student class officer). This was taken in front of the municipio of Victorias.)
(The photo above shows Section II-A of 1952-53, meaning Section A of second year students. The girls' sections were separated from the boys, and the higher sections were reserved for girls. The man seated in the center with hands on his lap is Mr. Arturo Filoteo.)
Featured in 40th anniversary souvenir published in 1991 were the following faculty members, the candidates for the Search for Miss DFMMC 1991, and the board of trustees and administrative staff that year:
College Department faculty:
By the way, in Chapter 18 of the History of Victorias City, a chapter devoted for some scary stories known in Victorias, the school was mentioned because of a 'kapre' that was believed to have been haunting its premises at night (read blog here). The 'kapre' who made his presence felt in the DFMMC grounds was 'captured' in a black-and-white photograph taken as students posed at the main entrance of the school. 😱
The photograph, which was in the possession of the school's treasurer, was borrowed by a former faculty member and was never returned. Taken during daytime, it showed a group of students standing and smiling at the entrance of the school, while the 'kapre' was seen leaning on the Jover-Street side of the building towering over the students as his height reached the windows of the principal's office. He wore white trousers and a white shirt tucked in with a black belt. His face, although seemingly complete with human features like eyes, a nose and a mouth, was shaped differently and did not exactly look like the face of any local. As an alumnus, did you have a scary story about the kapre in Don Felix?😱
Although the school closed in 2015, it produced thousands of alumni who continue to keep alive the spirit of a Felixian every year through their alumni homecoming.😋
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