"The school in Chimbote [Peru], placed under the patronage of Saint Rose of Lima, was considerably larger than Cristo Rey in Ica. Not surprisingly, life seemed to be more complicated for the sisters in Chimbote than in Ica. The sisters summarized the history of their first year saying:
On February 4, 1963, Sisters Martina, Kathleen and David Marie [Eileen O'Loughlin, Rosemary O'Malley and Teresa Avalos] arrived in Chimbote amidst much luggage and excitement and took up temporary dwelling in a small gray house commonly referred to as Casa 41. We were joined on March 12 by two Dominican Sisters, Dominica and Herman Marie who were to help staff the school with us for one year, or until they could launch out on their own catechetical work. After living in Casa 41 for two months we moved into our present larger house thanks to the efforts of our Prelate Nullius, Monsenor Burke. Monsenor Burke, a Dominican, arrived in Chimbote about a week after we did, and was quick to offer us his support and backing in our work.
All during the month of March we had registration of pupils and by April 1, we considered ourselves ready to begin the year. However, the minister of Education had other ideas and instead of commencing classes on April 1st, he scheduled a week-long session of teachers' meetings - all in Spanish, of course. Finally, after the second rescheduling, classes got underway on April 8 with seven classrooms...from Kindergarten to Quinto ano (equivalent to sixth grade). Sister Kathleen taught Kindergarten, Sister David Marie presided in first grade and Sister Dominica had second grade. Sister Herman Marie was placed in the upper grades teaching fourth grade. The other grades were taught by lay teachers...
Part of the 'getting adjusted' pains of the first year was the task of filling out countless forms of every kind for the Minister of Education. Report cards are given out every two months, and with this, much red tape and endless papers... Included in our work during the school year was the teaching of catechism in a 'barriada' in our neighborhood...On December 1, a group of these children passed a small quiz on the fundamentals of their religion given by the Dominican Fathers and were able to receive their first Holy Communion. The Dominican Fathers are in charge of our parish, San Pedro...
Since the whole system of education in Peru is a little different from ours, and since everything was new, we passed our first year in Chimbote trying to keep one step ahead of the Minister of Education and thus our first adventurous year flew by quickly and the last month of school, December, was upon us without any warning. On December 13, we officially ended our first school year in Chimbote with a small program in the evening during which our pastor passed out the report cards.
Looking back on our activities, we realize how powerful the grace of God was to have helped us through that difficult apprenticeship of learning and adjusting to a completely new system of education and the Latin mentality too."
On February 4, 1963, Sisters Martina, Kathleen and David Marie [Eileen O'Loughlin, Rosemary O'Malley and Teresa Avalos] arrived in Chimbote amidst much luggage and excitement and took up temporary dwelling in a small gray house commonly referred to as Casa 41. We were joined on March 12 by two Dominican Sisters, Dominica and Herman Marie who were to help staff the school with us for one year, or until they could launch out on their own catechetical work. After living in Casa 41 for two months we moved into our present larger house thanks to the efforts of our Prelate Nullius, Monsenor Burke. Monsenor Burke, a Dominican, arrived in Chimbote about a week after we did, and was quick to offer us his support and backing in our work.
All during the month of March we had registration of pupils and by April 1, we considered ourselves ready to begin the year. However, the minister of Education had other ideas and instead of commencing classes on April 1st, he scheduled a week-long session of teachers' meetings - all in Spanish, of course. Finally, after the second rescheduling, classes got underway on April 8 with seven classrooms...from Kindergarten to Quinto ano (equivalent to sixth grade). Sister Kathleen taught Kindergarten, Sister David Marie presided in first grade and Sister Dominica had second grade. Sister Herman Marie was placed in the upper grades teaching fourth grade. The other grades were taught by lay teachers...
Part of the 'getting adjusted' pains of the first year was the task of filling out countless forms of every kind for the Minister of Education. Report cards are given out every two months, and with this, much red tape and endless papers... Included in our work during the school year was the teaching of catechism in a 'barriada' in our neighborhood...On December 1, a group of these children passed a small quiz on the fundamentals of their religion given by the Dominican Fathers and were able to receive their first Holy Communion. The Dominican Fathers are in charge of our parish, San Pedro...
Since the whole system of education in Peru is a little different from ours, and since everything was new, we passed our first year in Chimbote trying to keep one step ahead of the Minister of Education and thus our first adventurous year flew by quickly and the last month of school, December, was upon us without any warning. On December 13, we officially ended our first school year in Chimbote with a small program in the evening during which our pastor passed out the report cards.
Looking back on our activities, we realize how powerful the grace of God was to have helped us through that difficult apprenticeship of learning and adjusting to a completely new system of education and the Latin mentality too."
from Mary McGlone's book: Comunidad para el Mundo: The History of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and the Vice Province of Peru
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