In 1940, a 2.7 hectare school site was carved out of the vast ricefields of the Grace Park district of Kalookan, Rizal. It was bounded by 10th Ave. on the south, Del Mundo St. on the east and P. Sevilla St. on the west. The construction of the Gabaldon type building with 6 standard classrooms and 2 smaller rooms as offices was finally completed on Dec. 6, 1944 and was then readied for occupancy the following Monday, Dec. 8. Unfortunately, the Japanese bombing of the Pearl Harbor rendered its immaterialization. In June, 1947 evidently with the increasing number of the High school students, the accommodation of the Cecilio Apostol Elementary was impossible. Kalookan High School had to have a building on its own. In March, 1951 the commencement exercise had for its site the Vocational building. When June came, Superintendent Abdon Javier decide to transfer Kaloocan High school to the buildings in 10th Avenue, Grace Park taking the risk that the number of enrollees would decrease. Such an improvement under the administration of Gov. Isidro S. Rodriguez could evidently be seen not only in our town but also in all schools all over the province of Rizal. Such feat best demonstrated gov. Rodriguez serious concern for the flight of the schools, a cause he believed in the nobility of the people of the schools and in the fact that the school is the training ground of young minds who will run the government in the future. On February 16, 1962, the town of Kalookan became the city of Kaloocan. Since then, Kaloocan High school has continued expanding and developing. In 1967-1968 the school gave birth to two annexes , Andres Bonifacio High School and Toribio Teodoro Memorial High School. Indeed, under such a short time and with such a big and growing population, KHS was able to develop and progress into an institution known today. In 1982, the old buildings in Kaloocan High School wee demolished to give way to the three four-storey buildings. An administration building was constructed through the efforts of Mayor Macario A. Asistio, Jr.. These buildings now house the 120 classrooms equipped with long panoramic blackboards, fluorescent lamps, electric fans and armchairs. In 1982, till 1983 Toribio Teodoro High School, Cecilio Apostol High School, Integrated School for first year, Maria Clara and Tandang Sora annexes were integrated with Kaloocan High School. Kaloocan High School has a teaching force of 401 divided into nine subject departments, namely: English, Filipino, Social Studies, Science, Mathematics, Practical Arts, Home Economics, YD-CAT, and Values Education. Each Department is headed by a department head or a coordinator, who also teaches and at the same time administers and supervises the department’s functions. Kaloocan High School has its share of greatness and accomplishments on record though it does not command recognition. Majority of the school’s faculty members have finished or are taking masteral degree courses; not for monetary reason nor for seeking higher positions but because of the goal ahead of rendering better service to their students. These teachers grow professionally and the students in their folds grow morally and academically fit. To mention a few facts – Kaloocan High has contributed graduates who are now in various fields of endeavor – they are the military men, scholars, teachers, professors, doctors, nurses, engineers, lawyers, and a lot more in the public service and government agencies. This has been our school. This has been the schools of thousands of others who have patiently endured like us. This is the center of study of both the rich and the poor, the dumb and the intelligent, the talented and the narrow-minded. Here is the school that breathes fire and fury, a school that truly depicts the life of Kaloocan. It is here where many shares their lives for a cause – where many deeds are kept that will never be forgotten. Only the KHS will ever treasure the narrative of the lives of the people who labored to let her stand as she is today. Only she will ever possess them.
By Josefina M. Soriano, Class ‘66
