After the trauma and suffering of the war years, plus the rebuilding and beginning all over again of the early post-war years, the 1950’s ushered in a time of new hope. The “Dream” was alive and well, waiting for new horizons. For the Mercedarian Missionaries, this “newness” was to be found in brand-new educational endeavors in Saipan and Pohnpei. The need for good Christian education was being recognized by people as an important priority and the sisters wanted to respond.
In 1951, the Mercedarians established a pilot school, Our Lady of Mercy School, which was affectionately known then as “the Sisters’ Kindergarten.” Later on it became the Marianas Community Pre-School. In working with God’s “little ones”, the sisters saw an excellent opportunity for early Christian formation and the development of the whole person in values, academics and the arts. Mother Margarita had been an educator in the convent school of Berriz and she pioneered many innovative methods of education, especially the individual care of each student. Her sisters would carry on the tradition on this new place.
By 1952, a new school was on the horizon. Fr. Arnold Bendowski had received permission from Bishop Baumgartner to provide Catholic education in Saipan. Fr. Arnold and a group of parents remolded the sugar factory generator house as the first classroom and Mt. Carmel school was born! Srs. Ana Maria Larracoechea, Dolores Larranaga and Pia Goicoechea were the first teachers at Mt. Carmel. Each year, new classrooms would be added on to the building as the students advanced in their education. Sr. Bertha Salazar was the first Mt. Carmel school principal and second-grade teacher. She would remain at the school for many years, both as a teacher and leader in education. Over the 1950’s, many Mercedarian sisters would be added to the teaching staff of Mt. Carmel. New teachers would begin teaching in the first grade and often progress through the grades with their students!
A new high school was begun in 1957 and right on time, since the Mt. Carmel School students were ready to continue on to high school. Mt. Carmel Senior High School would have the first senior high school students in the Northern Mariana Islands. Another “first” took place at the end of the 1959-1960 school year – a double graduation ceremony was held at Mt. Carmel for graduating seniors and eighth graders. It was a momentous occasion and a tribute to so many people for so much effort to provide quality education in Saipan.
being developed, Bishop Baumgartner gave his blessing and permission for the Mercedarians to establish their Formation Program on Saipan. Up until then, young women desiring to become sisters went to Pohnpei for their Novitiate formation. In order to avail themselves of the new educational opportunities in Saipan, the sisters decided to move the Novitiate there. In the early 50’s, the first group of aspirants began their religious formation in Saipan. Again, the internationality of the young women was striking and added to the richness of the formation experience. The “Dream” of the Mercedarians to establish a foundation in Palau had begun soon after the first two missions. There had been the possibility of helping in the education of the young and the sisters were eager to go. However, due to changing circumstances and especially the years of war, this part of the dream would not be realized for many years. Two Palauan women who had pioneered Catholic education after the war, Elena Ebud and Johanna Tellei, were now Mercedarians and would be among the
founding sisters of the Palau MMB Community. In 1959, Srs. Angelica Salaverria, Johanna Tellei, Elena Ebud, Juliana Cruz and Carmen Arteche arrived in Palau to begin teaching at the newly founded Maris Stella Elementary School. By the end of that year, classes extended from kindergarten through the 9th grade with approximately 550 students from all over Palau enrolled. To their great joy, the sisters had a new mission place and the Dream continued…..
To be continued…….
