Sunday, August 16, 2009

St. James High School

In 1913, the first Anglican resident missionary in Besao started St. James High School with the help of St. Benedict’s parish. She was a British woman named Deaconess Ann Hargreaves. She devoted her life to the church and to the school, and is a hero among the people here. She is buried in the Kin-iway cemetery.
These are a few of the St. James High School girls. They are members of my Episcoposse in Kin-iway.
Mass for St. James High School students is held at St. Benedict’s every Thursday at 8am. However, only half of the students can fit at once, so they alternate each week by grade.
On St. James day each year, the students at St. James High School (ranging from age 12-16) celebrate by acting out a play reflecting the life and ministry of Saint James along with cultural dances and food. On Thursday’s I attend school mass and teach Economics, English, Christian Education and Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) classes at this High School.
The traditional clothing of the Igorot people (people of the mountains) is worn here by the High School students during their cultural dance on St. James day. The boys wear gee-strings and play gongs, while the girls wear a skirt called a tapis.
-Melanie West Goes...St. James High School

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