. ▁Mary ’ s ▁College ▁of ▁Mey c au ay an , ▁formerly ▁called ▁Esc uela ▁Cat ol ica ▁de ▁Mey c au ay an ▁and ▁St . ▁Mary ' s ▁Academy ▁of ▁Mey c au ay an , ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁as ▁a ▁Par och ial ▁School ▁offering ▁the ▁primary ▁course ▁with ▁C ate ch ism ▁as ▁its ▁core ▁subject . ▁It ▁was ▁and ▁is ▁still ▁managed ▁and ▁admin ister ed ▁by ▁the ▁Relig ious ▁of ▁the ▁Virgin ▁Mary ▁( R VM ), ▁the ▁first ▁Filip ino ▁Cong reg ation ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 6 8 4 ▁by ▁a ▁Filip ina , ▁Mother ▁Ign acia ▁del ▁Esp ir itu ▁Santo . ▁During ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁classes ▁were ▁tempor arily ▁susp ended ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁and ▁were ▁re open ed ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁with ▁the ▁Inter mediate ▁and ▁First ▁Year ▁High ▁School ▁classes . ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁marked ▁the ▁gradu ation ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁ten ▁High ▁School ▁sen iors ▁of ▁the ▁then ▁St . ▁Mary ’ s ▁Academy . ▁ ▁The ▁school ▁building ▁was ▁raz ed ▁by ▁fire ▁on ▁April ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 4 9 . ▁Rev . ▁M . ▁Ma . ▁Just ina ▁Mart ine z , ▁Super ior , ▁and ▁M . ▁Dol ores ▁Ver cel es , ▁Princi pal , ▁managed ▁to ▁continue ▁the ▁operation ▁of ▁the ▁school ▁by ▁holding ▁classes ▁in ▁private ▁houses ▁while ▁a ▁two - store