The Holy Cross College of Calinan , formerly named Holy Cross of Calinan was opened by the PME Fathers in June 1948 as an answer to the general public’s repeated and urgent clamor for an institution that could provide their children with a secondary education which was both academic and spiritual. Since then, the school has gradually and continuously grown and expanded in size, enrollment, and in-teaching and non-teaching personnel.
During its first year of operation in 1948, the school had only 59 Freshmen and 36 Sophomores under the charge of three classroom teachers and a principal, housed in just only one building.
In 1958, the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary (PM Sisters) took over the management of the school. The phenomenal growth of the school population necessitated the establishment of the college department in 1964, and offered four-year course in Education, Liberal Arts and Commerce with an initial enrolment of 68 students.
The following school year 1965-1966, the Collegiate Normal course was added to the college offerings with its first batch of 32 students. During the same school year, the Elementary department was also opened with 107 kids enrolled. In the third year of operation of the college department, the Collegiate Secretarial Course (now General Clerical Course) was opened, thus, adding 11 new students. During the school year 1989-1900, the college department added three vocational/technical courses to its curricular offerings namely: Nursing Aide, General Electronics and Practical Electricity.
In the school year 1967-1968, the present name Holy Cross College of Calinan was adopted as the first college enrollees were ready to graduate from the four-year course in the college department. Including the Secretarial students, there was a total of 37 graduates for that year.
Like other establishments which have their own ups and downs during their existence, the Holy Cross College of Calinan me its own catastrophe on July 23, 1967, when nine-classroom building and a stage which housed the high school and college departments were razed to the ground. Classes were then temporarily suspended and the administration lost no time, left no stone unturned in meeting the challenge with equanimity, forbearance and calm diligence. People of Calinan, friends and sympathizers here and abroad responded voluntarily and whole-heartedly to our distressed school. Classes were expeditiously resumed and a new plan was hatched.
With the lesson well-learned, it was finally decided that a seemingly fireproof concrete building would be constructed to replace the burnt one. When funds from abroad started filtering in to augment school’s limited financial resources, a construction of a progressive type of a four-storey concrete building began.
The Holy Cross College of Calinan has metamorphosed from a secondary school with 95 students sheltered in one building to a college with three departments housed in a four semi-concrete and concrete buildings. The college department is now housed in a five-storey concrete building.
In line with the school’s desire to continue its standard of education, the college department undertook its preliminary self-survey with Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) during the school year 2008-2009 and was granted candidate status. Three years later, the school underwent a formal visit. With collaborative effort of the college faculty and staff, the college department successfully made it and was fortunately granted Level 1 status.
The foundation, transition and expansion of the Holy Cross College of Calinan represent the amalgamation of the love and sacrifices, patience and perseverance, diligence and hard work of the students, faculty members and administrators of the school. Its thousands of graduates now setting with their own sphere of influence are the living testimonies of the school’s contribution to the society.