CAMPUS TOURS

The Notre Dame of Lagao campus, a complex of 16 acres, consisted of a Parish Church, the rectory, a girls school, the Sister's convent, a boys' school and the residence for the Brothers.

During the first year, the Brothers lived with the Oblate Fathers and took care of both girls and boys in high school. The Dominican Sisters established the girls' school the next year. The original nipa, bamboo and sawali buildings were changed into cement buildings with seven classrooms for 180 boys. Many students attending the Notre Dame of Lagao in the early days traveled to the school from neighboring Dadiangas. To relieve these students of the arduous daily trek, the Brothers purchased a truck to transport them back and forth. Later that year of 1953, an annex to Notre Dame of Lagao High School was opened in Dadiangas to accommodate the students from Dadiangas. This annex obtained a regular faculty a year later.

Brothers Alfred Quellette, Michael O'Keefe and Robert Baptiste were among the Marist pioneers of Notre Dame of Dadiangas. They lived in a little house across the street from the school, now the Girls' Department campus. The new Boys' Department was built on the present site where the college is located. In 1958, the Dominican Sisters retained the original campus for the girls school. In 1959, the college was officially opened and in 1960 the Elementary Training Center was added. By 1969, a beautiful three-story building was completed.

Lagao was a lively town in the early fifties. The seat of government of NLSA (National Land Settlement Administration) was located in the heart of town. The national road cut through the center of the district. It may well be said that Lagao was the central town of South Cotabato during that time. Notre Dame of Lagao drew students from all the surrounding barrios and sitios reaching as far as Kiamba, Glan and Tupi.

In the late 50's, Lagao started to be integrated with its daughter town Dadiangas. It later became General Santos City. Dadiangas still retains its name when we refer to Notre Dame because of its historical value. Gen. Santos City is the only municipality with four Notre Dame Schools. In 1981, the Boys high school of Dadiangas was merged with the Boys' High School of Lagao. New School buildings were constructed at the original campus in Lagao. It is now known as Notre Dame of Dadiangas College High School Departments.

"The History of the Marist Brothers in the Philippines", written by Bro. Bernard Curtin, FMS begins, "The Notre Dame Educational Association (NDEA) is the best known regional association of schools in the Philippines. The beginnings were poor and humble, like a violet planted in the wilds of Moroland. The dawn of Catholic Education in south Mindanao took place in the latter half of the 19th century. In 1874, the Jesuit Fathers and the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) attempted to found a mission and a school in the Muslim town of Tamontaka, about six kilometers south of Cotabato City. They were forced to withdraw a few years later but the blood of the martyrs would enrich the soil of Mindanao to produce a fabulous harvest in the next 100 years."

THE YEAR IS 1995.
The "fabulous harvest" produced by Notre Dame of Gen. Santos City came from all over the United States and the Philippines to welcome Bro. Bernard, Bro. Damian, Bro. Alfred, teachers, family and guests to the Second National Reunion in Las Vegas, Nevada. Encouraged by the successful launch of Notre Dame of Gen. Santos City Alumni Association USA in San Diego, CA in 1993, the newly elected officers turned their concerted efforts into a most memorable weekend.

For those who have attended the last four reunions, here's your website to remind you of the good times we had. May it etch indelibly in your minds the memories of reunions at San Diego, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and New Jersey, keep it alive and well until we meet again at the next bridge. For those who were not able to attend, we invite you to the GRAND REUNION on June 21-24, 2001 in Anaheim California.
Together let us continue to write our own Alumni History.
"Reunion, a bridge over time."