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The present Holy Rosary College, Enugu was originally teacher Training College. It was established in addition to St. Monica's Ogbunike, founded in 1892, and the Training College at Calabar where the renowned Ms Edgerly worked. All these institutions were for girls. The Holy Rosary Sisters came to Onitsha in 1928. In February 1935, they founded Holy Rosary College with an initial enrollment of 500 children in Immaculate Primary College. They had only four sisters on the staff. The Rev. Sisters recruited some standard six girls to assist them in teaching the young children. The girls taught the children in the morning and attended afternoon classes organized by the Rev. Sisters to help them to prepare for the next day’s teaching. The idea of opening a Training college for girls was muted by Rev. Sr. M Columba to the other sisters. This sounded like the dropping of a 'Bomb', as later recalled by one of the sisters. Despite lack of fund and manpower, the Holy Rosary Sisters rose up to the challenges. Rev. Sr. M Felin Curley the superior of the community, approached His Grace, Archbishop Charles Heerey of Onitsha, with the new proposal. Because there was no building for this project, the Bishop granted permission for the renovation and conversion of an old structure, "Christian Warehouse" into a college. This was soon accomplished by Sr. M Felin assisted by Rev. Brother Baldomir. The Holy Rosary college was opened on 2 February 1935 by Archbishop Heery. Blessing the College, he remarked "I have been very pleased to assist at the opening of this Training College for girls ... and we have every hope that God’s blessings will be on it and that it will do a very great work for the girls of Onitsha and Nigeria." Time and history have proved the words of the Archbishop as highly significant and prophetic. Every corner of Nigeria has experienced the impact of HOLY ROSARY COLLEGE ENUGU. The first Principal of Holy Rosary College was Rev. Sr M. Baptist Heraghty who together with eight standard six students became the founding members of the college. The batch of girls for 1935 – 1937 session consisted of Veronica Anyagu, Rosa Modebe, Matilda Okoro, Elizabeth Onyama, Florience Emordi, Mary Ugbonna, Monica Okolo and Ursula Isidor. Shortly after one year, Sr. M. Magdalene 0’Brady succeeded Sr. M. Baptist, because of ill-health and serve for four good years. In principle she appeared to have shouldered the challenges of beginning a new college for girls in an era when such was a novelty. In her letter of 28 December 1984 when the college was about to celebrate her golden jubilee in February 1985 she recalled with gratitude how the pioneer students remained so loyal and so generous and worked together as a family. Then came Sr. M. Eucharia Reynonlds, during whose tenure the college was moved to Ihiala on 1 May 1940 because of the need for space and expansion. She too wrote back in 1984, from her next mission in Cameroon, her admiration for the progress of HRC. She saw the products of the College as women of integrity and high ideals whose influence for good is far-reaching. The college continued to grow in number and intellectual capacity and refinement through 1944. By 1948, there was still the dire need for further expansion. This culminated in the movement of HRC from Ihiala to its present site in Uwani, Enugu. Sr. M. Regina served as the Principal for one year and handed over to Sr. M. Christine who served from 1948 to 1952. During her tenure, the new premises had only the present central administrative block, staff room, and classroom wing. See the “succession of Principals”. Sr. M. Edward 0’ Leary served the college for 9 years. It was during her time (1960) that the widely acclaimed Opera, named “The Mikado” was presented by HRC. (ref. Golden Jubilee Year Book). In 1966, Sr. M. Adrian Toland took up the Principalship. At that time the drums of civil war were gathering momentum, as the civil war raged on and came close to Enugu. She recalled how down- cast and dejected they were when they must leave HRC. Hence in her letter for the Golden jubilee she wrote “I locked the college for the last time and all of us left. There was sorrow in our hearts and Tears in our eyes”. Sr. Toland lived in Ireland afterwards and was the last Religious Missionary Principal, she died in April – 2015. God rest her gentle soul – Amen. The Nigeria Civil War took its toll on HRC as on practically all other colleges in the war-torn areas “Biafra” for about three years (1970). Many colleges became dilapidated with broken equipment and ruined infrastructures. In terms of loss of material things and human lives, the scenario was simply put, unprecedented and very painful. Hence, it required strong leadership to restore a sense of order and purpose in the hearts and minds of the students who came back after the needless war as well as the building, the dilapidated and ruined infrastructures. The taking over of colleges by government at the end of the war opened a new chapter in the history of the Holy Rosary College. The first indigenous principal to shoulder the enormous post – war task was Sr. M. Bernard Dimgba of Immaculate Heart Sisters. She rose up to the challenges of reconstruction and renovating the infrastructures and raised the college to some extent to her pre-war dignity. Subsequently, Mrs. V. O. Ibekwe took over from her in 1973. During her long stay in the college (1973 – 1983) quite a number of facilities were further rehabilitated. The college advanced appreciably under her leadership see Golden Jubilee Brochure. In July 1983, HRC became one of the four colleges returned to the Catholic and Protestant Missions by the then Governor of Anambra State, Chief Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo (see chapter 4 page 39 to 60 Project on CST 2002 by Rev. Sr. Dr. Mercy Ani). At this turn of events, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu, Most Rev. Dr. M. U. Eneja requested Chief Mrs E. U Onwuagha to take up the mantle of leadership of the college. And she succeeded Mrs. V. O. Ibekwe in October, 1983. Mrs. E. U. Onwuagha towed the path of her predecesors and took the college to a higher glory. When HRC celebrated the Golden Jubilee of its foundation in 1985, the principal observed that the first fifty years of the college was one of the growth and notable achievements. The Parents / Teachers Association has continued relentlessly to provide unflinching support in these years. Holy Rosary College, Enugu was converted into a secondary college in November 1986. His Lordship, Rt. Rev. M.U. Eneja (Proprietor). Rev. Prof. Obiora Ike (Chaplain) and Mrs E. U. Onwuagha (Principal) assiduously worked closely with the students and Parents/Teachers Association to provide and promote the needed spirit that would contribute to the continued integrated development of the new generation of HRC products. The Motto of the college is LOVE, DISCIPLINE AND EXCELLENCE. HRC RETURNED TO MISSIONARY SISTERS OF THE HOLY ROSARY (1997) Chief (Mrs) E. U. Onwuagha handed over the baton of leadership to Rev. Sr. (Dr) Mercy Ani of the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary in 1997 to date. It is worth knowing that Sr. Mercy Ani became the first indigenous (African) MSHR to serve in the leadership of ministry of HRC. There followed years of increasing maturity under the inspirational leadership of the current Principal, assisted by her various teams of Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary as well as a team of highly qualified, tireless, dedicated staff, PTA, Old Girls and benefactors. The current admirable facilities being provided and renovated are fruits of team work as Igbo"s would say "Igwe bu Ike". With these and their passionate stance to up hold the objectives of HRC, the future were pray will continue to be rosy. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Holy Rosary College, Enugu」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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