THE Divine Word Academy of Dagupan (DWAD) will hold its grand alumni homecoming on November 21, coinciding with its 52nd founding anniversary celebration.

Hosted by members of Batch 73 headed by Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, the alumni homecoming will bring together graduates of DWAD from 1961 to 2008.

A coordinator for each batch has been named to touch base with surviving graduates here and overseas.

DWAD has come a long way since it was founded in 1957 by Bishop Therode Schu SVD, who initiated the opening of the school when he came to the Philippines in 1953 after being expelled from China.

It was first established as a parish and a school to take care of the apostolic needs of the Chinese-Filipinos in Pangasinan, initially with the help of a prominent citizen of Dagupan, Eduardo Kang Tan, Sr.

Tan convinced Bishop Schu to establish the parish school in Dagupan instead of Baguio or Tarlac.

The establishment of the school was preceded by the founding of the Parish of Saint Therese in 1955.

The first director was Fr. Richard Hartwich, SVD. Other administrative officials were: Fr. Peter Joseph Kwo, the school treasurer; Fr. Matthias Ning, the school disciplinarian.-LM

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