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They'll coming down the mountain ...
The American Army arrives on the shore of Puerto Rico and after eight months of winning the residents simpathy, The English language was establish as the proper language to communicate with the new government. Some will argue that the abundance of food brought by the soldiers was what won the residents cooperation and submision. -
Creating good americans
An assembly in the Tapia Theater to Americanize the education department in Puerto Rico was held under the supervision of the Department of the Interior. The idea was to turn the island residents into “good Americans”. -
Eaton sends emissary.
V. S. Clark comes to the island to help establish a bond between the dozens of American teacher, mostly though a religious entity, that came to work and the local teachers who did not know English. The latter resented the presence of the Americans whom could not understand the local culture and therefore connect with its students. -
Free education for all
Guy V. Henry, governor of Puerto Rico, decrees the first law regarding education on the island. Its design was based on the Massachusetts’s educational system and establishes for the first time that education should be free of charge to all residents of the island. -
The Model and Trining School is establish
The first public high school opens in Old San Juan and its call the Model and Training School. -
English por ojo, boca y nariz
It was decided that at high school level all subjects were to be taught in English. In 1903 the language was re-establiched in all grades. The changes continue until 1948 when the first elected governor of Puerto Rico, Luis Munoz Marin, eliminated it. He establishes Spanish as the language of instruction in all grades. -
Going home.
Because of the uncertainty present at the time and the pressure to reject the Spanish citizenship, hundreds of Spanish speaking teachers leave the country. -
Fire,! fire !
A fire causes the school to burn down; fearing to be a political act based on the growing resentment by the population against the “Americanization of our culture”, an investigation took place. Its finding concluded that it was caused by a fire in the chemistry lab. -
Filling the gap
The first technical school is established in Fajardo to train young adults as teachers and be able to serve the growing population of students. -
Changing attitudes
In respond to the poor attendance of girls at the public schools, the department decides to re-educate and change the traditional vision that men had of women’s role. A program called “Economia domestica” was design and it covered, nutrition, administration, basic nursing skills, and of course cooking and taking care of a house hold. -
UPR gets started
Because Fajardo was too far away, the school is moved to Rio Piedras under the name “Escuela Normal de Rio Piedras”. It is here that the future University of Puerto Rico is formed under the ruling of S. McCune Lindsay. -
Look out Mayaguez!
The US government grants land to establish a second higher education institution and the “Colegio de Agricultura de Mayaguez” is created. -
The teachers unite.
The two mayor organizations that grouped the teachers on the island, unite to form what is still call the “Associacion de Maestros de Puerto Rico” -
14 millions later
After an investment of 14 million dollars, the island had 1,050 schools, various vocational programs, and two universities. -
Stop the press! No more English
Dr. P. G. Molinera, designated education commissioner, changes the all English policy of teaching for one of more tolerance towards the puertorican culture. Classes were to be given in Spanish the first four years of grade school, in English the next three years of elementary and in both languages from seventh grade on. -
So that is Mr. Jones
What started as a maritime law, was applied to the island with the gift of American citizenship. The education department immediately established a program to teach “patriotism towards the US”. -
Teachers come on down!
Facing the lack of educators capable of teaching English to the island population,teachers were brought from the main land during the 1920's and 30's. -
First in its class.
J. B. Huyke is the first puertorican named by the government to head the department which was previously run by military personnel. -
English as a second language
Jose Padin changes the teaching methodologies to establish an all-Spanish curriculum and English is taught as a “special language”. -
There Back!
Dr. J. Gallardo changes the all-Spanish programs for one that will gradually establish the use of English in the classrooms. The idea was to increment the hours per day that a student would be exposed to the language and that way when he or she reached high school they would be able to cope with an all English curriculum. -
Eleven years of resentment
These changes caused great resentment among the population, specially the political groups that were emerging. They, as well as teachers, stated that an all English program was designed to “crush the puertorican spirit and culture”. During this time is the English language is used as a political tool. -
Finally, an oficial language.
M. Villaronga, designated secretary of the newly formed Education Department of Puerto Rico by Puerto Rico’s first governor elect Luis Munoz Marin, establishes Spanish as the official language in the public system. -
Puerto Rico has an official language
Spanish is the official language of the island. -
Free is good.
The commonwealth government of the island guarantees by law free education to all residents. -
So you wanted the poor and the tired?
The Bilingual Education Act was created to neat the needs of the growing population of immigrants to the United States. Its purpose was to gradually integrate the new students to a new education system and language. -
Bilingual education race starts.
US Congress authorizes projects for bilingual programs in Puerto Rico. -
Disco and English
Keeping up with the times, the PPD adopts a bilingual program in their curriculum in two school, the Padre Rufo and the Papa Juan XXIII. -
Teaching Spanglish
US Congress authorizes bilingual programs designed to teach Spanish to students of puertorican descent who did not know Spanish. -
Write your name...
Studies reveal that 96% of high school graduates do not know enough English to fill a job application -
It's official!
Then governor, Rafael Hernandez Colon, made Spanish the official language on the island. For his efforts he was given a shiny medal and a photo with Spain's king, Juan Carlos Borbon. -
New governor, new rules
Then governor Pedro Rosello declared English and Spanish the official languages of Puerto Rico. Please lets not forget the formation of Community Schools. -
NCLB
Former president Bush created this law to improve education. -
We have 2.8 million sigui me
The last census of Puerto Rico revealed that 2.8 million residents on the island do not concidered themselve fluent in English, -
Give me a break!
The Puerto Rico government applies for linear standards established by the NCLB law. This is call the ESEA Flexibility Request. Their argument, as well as other states in the nation, is that NCLB Law does not take into account our cultural reality, making it difficult to meet its standards. A year later we are still waiting for its approval.