landed at the port of Callao, Peru, from Valparaiso, in response to the efforts made since 1838 by the Archbishop of Lima, Francisco de Sales Arrieta [es], to take charge of the educational formation of Peruvian girls and young women.

moved to an old convent of the Mercedarians where there was a well-known altarpiece of Our Lady of Bethlehem from the 16th century, which is preserved to this day in the Chapel of the current premises.

[citation needed] Popular tradition highlights the role of Hermasie Paget (Sombacour; August 8, 1828 — Lima 1980), who arrived in Peru on February 15, 1850, as an educator, during the War of the Pacific.

Paget was appointed superior of the school in 1854 and, on July 28, 1877, she received the Gold Diploma as the best teacher in the country, awarded by the Municipality of Lima.

Petit-Thouars suggested the evacuation of the nuns aboard his ship, La Victorieuse, but Paget instead requested that he meet with Chilean general Manuel Baquedano to avoid the city's destruction, which he did.