Villa María School is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

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primary and secondary school for girls, located in the city of

Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

. The

Peruvian Peruvians (''/peruanas'') are the citizens of Peru. What is now Peru has been inhabited for several millennia by cultures such as the Caral before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Peruvian population decreased from an estimated 5–9 ...

- American school is operated by the Congregation of the Servant Sisters of the

Immaculate Heart of Mary The Immaculate Heart of Mary () is a Catholic devotion which refers to the view of the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God the Father, her maternal love for ...

, that has its origins in

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. The school's teaching is in

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and English with a curriculum based on Christian values and the Marian spirit.

History

In 1922, in conversations between the

Archbishop of Lima The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lima () is part of the Catholic Church in Peru which enjoys full communion with the Holy See. The Archdiocese was founded as the ''Diocese of Lima'' on 14 May 1541. The diocese was raised to the level of a metr ...

, Monsignor Emilio Lissón, and the Archbishop of Philadelphia, Cardinal Dennis Dougherty, it was agreed to create an English-speaking Catholic school in

. Said project was to be entrusted to the religious order, the ''Servant Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary'', who arrived in Peru on December 12 of the same year to begin its realization. On January 3, 1923 the congregation settled in a rented house and in that same place the first course of what would be the Villa María School began, classes began on March 15 of the same year with eighty students, in mostly girls of primary school age and some boys. In 1924, land was acquired for the construction of the convent and the school. The works began on August 15, 1925. Then

President of Peru The president of Peru (), officially the constitutional president of the Republic of Peru (), is the head of state and head of government of Peru. The president is the head of the executive branch and is the supreme head of the Peruvian Armed ...

, Augusto B. Leguía, was present at the ceremony to lay the first stone, among other personalities of the Peruvian and American government. On March 21, 1926 the facilities were inaugurated. The new building was 5,000 m² and had dormitories for girls, an auditorium with a capacity of more than 1,000 people, study rooms, a large courtyard for recreational purposes, a gym, reception rooms and a library. On October 14, 1962, construction began on a new school headquarters ( La Planicie) in the La Molina District, for secondary education. This center began its activities in 1965.

Notable alumnae

* Cayetana Aljovín, former Minister of Foreign Relations * María Antonieta Alva, former Minister of Economy and Finance * Anahí de Cárdenas, actress *

Anna Carina Anna Carina Copello Hora (born 14 August 1981) is a Peruvian pop singer. In 2010, she was nominated for the Premios Orgullosamente Latino: Soloist of the Year, Latin Song of the Year, Latin album of the Year, and Video of the Year. She has bee ...

, singer * Conchita Cintrón, bullfighter * Flavia Laos, actress and TV personality * Luciana León, former Member of Congress * Johanna San Miguel, actress *

Pilar Pallete María del Pilar Pallete Alvarado (born 3 September 1928), known professionally as Pilar Pallete, is a Peruvian-born American former actress and painter. She became well-known through her marriage to the actor John Wayne. Early life María de ...

, actress

References

{{coord missing, Peru Catholic secondary schools in Peru Educational institutions established in 1923 Catholic primary schools in Peru 1923 establishments in Peru Girls' schools in South America

History

Notable alumnae

See also

References