Gazing at this building, we stand before La Consolacion College Manila. It is more than just a school. It is a testament to faith, resilience, and the pursuit of knowledge.
La Consolacion College Manila was founded in 1902. The Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation established it. Msgr. Placido Chapelle offered the first ten Filipino Augustinian Sisters a house. This house was near the Basilica of San Sebastian.
Chapelle wanted the sisters to establish a school for women. This school would train those intending to pass the civil service examination. The school was initially named Colegio de Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion. Sor Clara del Santissimo Sacramento was its first directress.
These sisters had been ordered to disband in 1899. This was during the Philippine–American War. Catalan Sisters Sor Rita Barcelo y Pages and Sor Consuelo Barcelo y Pages left for Spain. They were founding sisters of the asilo-colegio in Mandaluyong.
In 1909, a fire destroyed the school. A new building rose in its present location in 1910. The American government recognized the school. It received a permit to include a secondary course. G.A. O’Reilly described it as “most proficient”.
During its 25th year, in 1927, La Consolacion College Manila began expanding its facilities. The Junior Normal program opened in 1937.
During World War II, Japanese soldiers occupied the school. In 1945, it hosted the Catholic Welfare Organization and the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines. “Abridged classes” were conducted. A commencement exercise was held in November for the graduates of 1944-45. The Junior Normal reopened in December.
Boys were first accepted into the elementary level in 1945. That same year, the school adopted La Consolacion College as its name.
The post-war period saw physical and curricular expansion. In 1947, the Junior Normal had its first graduates. The Music Department could confer diplomas in 1948. By 1951, the Secretarial Department and the combined Junior Normal and Home Economics were added.
In 1952, the Office of the College Dean was established. This paved the way for bachelor’s degrees. BSEd was offered in 1962. BS in Commerce and other courses followed.
The school’s board of trustees was instituted in 1974. The Mother Rita Barcelo Pastoral Formation Center was established in 1979. It assisted the community. The school passed PAASCU accreditation in 1981.
Computer programs were introduced in 1985. The 1990s brought foreign academic linkages. A dormitory, La Residencia, opened. The Kamalayan building houses the college library.
In 2004, LCCM inaugurated the Gregor Mendel Science Center. Today, La Consolacion College Manila has six schools in its College Department. These are Business and Accountancy, Arts and Sciences, Nursing, HRM and Tourism, Information Technology & Computer Studies, and Music. It also has a Basic Education Department.
La Consolacion College Manila stands as a beacon of Catholic education. It embodies unity, charity, and truth. Its commitment to holistic development shines brightly. The average tuition fee is 45000. The lowest tuition fee is 30000. The highest is 60000.