The Don Honorio Ventura State University, formerly known as the “Escuela de Artes y Officios de Bacolor,” was founded by Fr. Juan P. Zita and Don Felino Gil and inaugurated on November 4, 1861, upon the approval of its statutes by Governor- General Jose Lemery. The school’s primary purpose was to train artisans, and it was built on an 8.75-hectare land donated by the Suarez Sisters of Bacolor.
In 1922, a secondary curriculum was offered with Shop Courses in Ironworks, Woodworking, Building Construction for Boys and Domestic Work for Girls. The first batch of graduates received their diplomas in 1926 under the administration of the principal at the time, Mr. Domingo Amado, who served from 1920 until 1928.
From then on, competent and benevolent administrators manned the oldest existing vocational school in the Far East, thriving hand in hand with hardworking and efficient faculty to continuously produce graduates who have distinguished themselves as master craftsmen and who later became pillars of the local industries.
To further provide its students with values, knowledge and skills needed in an emerging world and the highly competitive place of work, the Administration adopted the following curricular programs:
1965-1979: Four-Year Secondary Trade Curriculum
1965-1970: Five-Year Secondary Trade Curriculum (Experimental Class)
1980-1985: Revised Secondary Education Curriculum for Vocational Trade School
1986-1992: Four-Year Secondary Curriculum with additional offering of Special Math and Science Programs
1993-2003: New Revised Secondary Education Curriculum
2004-2011: Basic Education Curriculum
2007-2017: Offering of Special Math and Science Programs
2012 to Present: K-12 Curriculum
Although what was first dubbed as the “Poor Man’s School” continued to soar to greater heights, the Laboratory High School remains to uphold its vow to provide access to quality and relevant education to the least marginalized sectors of our students that will spell a difference in their lives and their respective families now and in the years to come.
