Over the years, the Ilocos Norte National High School (formerly Ilocos Norte High School) has nobly written its own history --- a gradually developed history. This storied past started with the organization of a first year class in 1906 which was housed with the elementary grades in the Acosta Building. A second year class was created in 1909, followed by a third year class in 1910 and finally the complete high school course was offered in 1916 --- exactly ten years after the establishment of the first year.
The first permanent building called the Ilocos Norte Provincial High School was completed in 1909, two years after the Honorable Provincial Board appropriated the necessary funds to cover expenses incurred. This structure is now the Related-Subjects-Building of the Ilocos Norte College of Arts and Trades. To provide adequate facilities for an expanded school population, a new school building was created in 1929 in an adjacent site where now stands the Ilocos Norte National high School. unfortunately, the building was razed by fire one summer night in June, 1941, so that the next school year, classrooms were improvised in the grandstands in the provincial Grounds and in several rented houses in the vicinity. During the war years of the Japanese occupation, there were two separate buildings – the Boys’ High School and the Girls’ high School. In 1946, the destroyed building was rehabilitated with the aid of the United States under the Rehabilitation Act of 1946.
During the early years of its existence, the school was administered by American, the first of whom was Mr. George Summers who later married the former Miss Julia Agcaoili and last was Mr. Muilenburg in 1936. From thence the administration was turned over to a Filipino. Mr. Jose Aguila who held position as principal from 1936 – 1937. The first alumnus of the school to be had by his Alma Mater is Mr. Fermin Montano. Mr. Arsenio A. Pascua enjoys the distinction of being the last principal of the Ilocos Norte High School and the first principal of the Ilocos Norte High School and the first principal of the Ilocos Norte National High School, not to mention his having rendered the longest service, exactly ten years by July 1, 1967.
Alive to the ever-changing of this modern world, the Ilocos Norte National High School has catered to the demands of the times, for although it was purely academic from 1908 to 1919 and from 1927 to 1929, it included the normal curriculum in 1920 and the home economics curriculum in 1930. After World War II, the general curriculum was implemented and has continued to be so to the present except for the first year and second year classes which started on 1957 the Two-Two Plan Curriculum as Required by the Bureau of Public Schools for the high schools.
True to its function as a forward- looking educational institution, the Ilocos Norte National High School has consistently expanded its population. Enrolment reached its peak in 1941. This can be attributed to the fact that the sixth and seventh grade graduates swelled the number of students to Two Thousand Three Hundred and Fifty. The greatest number of members of graduating class was 476 of Class 1955. To date more than fifteen thousand students have enrolled and Eleven Thousand Seven Hundred Ten of them have graduated. It is very gratifying to note that is has given to our country alumni who have become luminaries not only locally but also nationally and internationally.
Came June 18, 1964. On this significant date a chapter in the history of the school was added with the approval of the VALDEZ-RAQUIZA sponsored Republic Act no. 3989 converting the Ilocos Norte Provincial High School into the Ilocos Norte National High School. This law made the school the Twenty-First National High School in the country. The law was fully implemented on July 1, 1965 when ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (100,000.00) was given as national aid to the high school.
We can well look back with pride upon the years which have witnessed an educational institution arise and develop to its present distinction as a great citadel of secondary education in Northern Philippines.
