Education and the spread of democratic ideals had been two of the many legacies that the United States has brought to the Filipino people. The advent of the American Thomasites in August of 1901 was instrumental in the introduction of the new era of public education in the archipelago. Motivated by the highest ideals with utmost desire to assist in building a new nation in this part of the world and a thousand young American men and women, who were trained and educated in some of the best academes in the United States, established a modern public school system which undoubtedly has contributed remarkable impact on the lives of the greatest number of Filipinos.

In the year 1900 the U.S. Secretary of State Elihu Root ordered the 2nd Philippine Commission "Do not forget to look for that cold place!" The Commission by then had heard of this fabled "paradise" from the Spaniards who were leaving after the Philippines had been purchased from Spain. The cold place was "Kafagway" inhabited by 30 Igorots, 10 llocanos and a white man-a German named Otto Sheerer.

The famous Benguet Road, better known far and wide as Kennon Road, is one of the best mountain roads in the world. Named after Major Lyman M. Kennon, the ultimate builder of the road, it stands as a tribute to Major Kennon's engineering skill and knowledge and excellent understanding of human nature.

On February 1902, an 8-bed hospital called the Baguio Sanatorium - with a pioneering staff composed of American physicians, army nurses and hospital corpsmen headed by Dr. J. B. Thomas -- was established. It was set up as part Bureau of Civil Hospitals and Sanatorium of the Philippines primarily to serve the health needs of government officials, employees and American soldiers on vacation amidst pine trees in the cool climate of Baguio. A month later, the construction of a 15-bed capacity hospital consisting of six, three-room cottages was started.