Congress salutes 100 year anniversary of Maria Alvarado Methodist School

LIMA, Perú, June 9, 2006

During a plenary session Thursday, Congress approved a motion to salute the Maria Alvarado school, Taxi Heathrow Airport previously called Lima High School, founded a century ago by US Methodist Missionary Elsie Wood, during a ceremony attended by authorities from the school.

The motion, which was presented by Evangelical Congressman Walter Alejos because of the 100th anniversary on June 18, emphasized the trajectory of the Methodist school that has offered quality education with a formation in values and principles for life for 100 years.

The Maria Alvarado School was at the forefront of Peruvian education when it set up a primary and secondary school for girls in 1906, in contrast with the educational culture of the time that emphasized education for boys. 

 “The Maria Alvarado School has been one of the pioneers in the educational formation of women…in particular in demanding universal voting for women, teaching democratic values and principles, as well as gender equality in all areas of life,” according to the motion.

It indicated that the contribution of the school is not limited to an integral education of human knowledge but also in “Christian values and principles, under the slogan: Love, honor and service.”

The celebrations will begin June 12 and end June 18 and include a thanksgiving service, meetings for alumni, a photo exhibit, the unveiling of a bust of Elsie Wood and a civic parade.

Principal Piedad Roman de Alcazar told ALC that the Maria Alvarado has reached a high standard of educational quality and throughout its history has provided integral, academic and spiritual formation to thousands of students.

One of the events that attracted the greatest amount of attention was the awards to former students such as anthropologist Rosa Fung Pineda, novelist Laura Riesco, soprano Jacqueline Terry, Doctor of Chemistry Lucía Pozzi Scott and the oldest former student Luisa Saito who graduated in 1933 and former South American Champion of 100 and 200 meters Martha Huby and South American and World Shooting Champion Ketty Baldwin.