Belgrano’s $1 million donation to build schools that took more than a century to inaugurate

Hoy Manuel Belgrano would be a rare bird in the political universe. When he was a member of the first council, with apprehensions among the secretaries and members who charged 3,000 pesos while the president Cornelio Saavedra received 8 thousandused the buggy that had belonged to the viceroy Cisneros and his wife was accompanied by an escort, bellgrano renounced to receive a salary. As head of the Patricios regiment, his salary was cut in half. At the Armée du Nord, he proposed to get rid of a part, “being sensitive to not being able to make a greater demonstration, since my faculties are nil and my livelihood depends on himbut in any case I will also be able to reduce myself to the soldier’s ration, if necessary, to save the just cause that Your Excellency supports with so much honor”.

Its history of landslides would not end there. In 1813, he donated the large sum of 40,000 pesos, which was equivalent to eighty kilos of gold.

He no longer belonged to such a prosperous family, whose father had a considerable fortune. Trained in law, he was risking his prestige in the Army of the North as a general trained in strikes and preparing to face a large advancing and threatening Spanish force.

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It was difficult to follow him in the street, even less to speak to him because he was almost running. He was one of the people who rarely or never rested. At 43, he was already a man used to hard work. He had the military campaign in Paraguay on his shoulders and was charged with an almost impossible mission: to reorganize the army, boost the morale of the troops and keep a watchful eye on the northern oligarchy which, together with the members of the church , maintained contacts with the enemy. He had health problems: he suffered from rheumatism, had a fistula in one eye and suffered from digestive problems, which on the eve of the Battle of Salta, made him vomit blood. It was easily indigestible and in the north contracted malaria.

He had carried out what has gone down in history as the “jujeño exodus”, a scorched-earth strategy so that the enemy had nowhere to resupply. He disobeys the order of the First Triumvirate to continue his march towards Cordoba and thus save the army. Turning a deaf ear to the government’s insistence that he leave the north, he remained in Tucumán, where in September 1812, in an arduous battle, he defeated the Spaniards, and would do so again in February of the following year. .

For the revolution, what happened in Salta was a mental blow of proportions. Since the end of January 1813, the Constituent General Assembly was held which sought to declare independence and enact a Constitution, the famous Assembly of the year XIII. When the triumph was announced in the Northern Province in late February, there were days and nights of celebrations and tributes.

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The victory monopolized the session on Friday 5 March. “The victorious warriors of Salta defended with honor and bravery the sacred rights of the fatherland, becoming worthy of their gratitude to a high degree,” they declared. The manufacture of a shield has been voted “to the brave of February 20” as a prize for their courage, for the officers and soldiers distinguished in this fight.

At the next day’s meeting, a game was approved to carry out the celebrations corresponding to this battle. By a movement of Jose Fermin Sarmientorepresentative of Catamarca, all agreed with the construction of a monument near the battlefield.

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On Monday 8 March, MEPs agreed that “Citizen Belgrano has fulfilled his duties”and in recognition of his services he would receive a saber with a gold trim, with the inscription “The Constituent Assembly to the Meritorious General Belgrano” and a medal.

Additionally, he would be rewarded with forty thousand pesos, which would be obtained from the sale of state-owned estates. A fortune for the time, equivalent to about eighty kilos of gold.

March, 31st bellgrano He informed the government by letter that he would allocate this money to the construction of four schools. In Tucumán, he had already founded one to teach his soldiers to read and write.

He ordered that the said establishments be erected in Tarija, Jujuy, Tucuman and Santiago del Estero. I was so excited that He drew up regulations for these schools, where he left no detail to chance.

The regulation, of 22 articles, is dated May 25, 1813. With the annual income of 500 pesos, 400 would go to the teacher’s salary and the remaining hundred for the acquisition of pen, paper, ink, books and “catechism for the children of poor parents who cannot afford it”. In case of generation of savings, it would be used for prizes to stimulate young people.

The Cabildo would be responsible for publishing the call for applications for teachers, which was to prove your suitability for the position. The city attorney, the ecclesiastical vicar and the members will take part in the election.

Belgrano imagined that reading, writing and arithmetic should be taught in these schools.. Spanish grammar and religion would be studied with the texts of astete, Flowery and the collection of Pouget. Moreover, the first rudiments should be given of “the origin and purpose of the society, the rights of man in it, and his obligations towards it, and the government which governs it”.

Students – who would be required to go to church with their teacher on Renewal Sundays and days of public prayer, in addition to going to Mass every day – they must be subjected, every six months, to public examinations.

The students had to introduce themselves well groomed and well dressed, and some would not be allowed to wear fancy clothes. There should be no difference between them.

In celebrations such as the anniversary of May 25, that of the patron of the city and others, the teacher had to occupy a prestigious position alongside other authorities, “reputed to be a Father of the Nation”.

He had to inspire his students.love of order, respect for religion, moderation and gentleness in treatment, feelings of honour, love of truth and science, abhorrence of vice, inclination to workdetachment from interest, depreciation of all that is called abundance, and luxury in food, clothing, and other necessities of life, and a national spirit, which makes them prefer the good public over private good, and valuing American more than Foreign”.

Schools would operate from October to March from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.; and from April to September from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

He even considered rest days. They would take place on January 31, February 20, May 25, Teachers’ Day and Thursday afternoons. Thursday morning and Saturday afternoon would be devoted to the study of catechism.

It was a time when corporal punishment was commonplace. bellgrano determined that no student could receive more than 6 lashesand only for very serious events “or of bad consequence for the youth”, could be given up to 12. The punishment was to be inflicted out of sight of the other youths.

In case a boy was considered incorrigible, could be expelledafter consultation with the Mayor of First Vote, the oldest alderman and the vicar of the city.

Municipalities had to make weekly visits to schools to monitor their operation.

Of these 40,000 pesos, the government sent only the councilors of the towns where the schools would be built. money from the teacher’s salary and an amount for the purchase of supplies.

But Belgrano would not see them.

Without waiting for state funds, Jujuy’s began operating in 1813 until 1815., when the advance of the Spanish army forced to close it. The Cabildo reopened it in 1825 but it only lasted three years due to the civil wars. It will reopen in 2004. His name is “The Belgranian Legacy”carries the number 452 and operates in the neighborhood of Campo Verde, east of San Salvador de Jujuy.

That of Tarija –“General Manuel Belgrano Educational Unit”– that at the time when bellgrano decided that the donation belonged to Salta, it would be built in 1974 in the neighborhood of Villa Fátima, with funds from the Argentine government.

That of Tucuman –“The Homeland School” started teaching in 1998. Documents revealing the existence of funds donated by the creator of the flag have been discovered over the years, but too much time had passed. Several governments have pledged to address the problem. It runs about ten blocks from the historic house, where independence was declared.

Finally, that of Santiago del Estero decided to build it with provincial funds in 1822, it closed four years later and reopened in 2000.

Belgrano kept until the last day of his life the saber and the medal that had been given to him. He would never have imagined that these four schools would take more than a century to open their doors. Too long for a hard-to-follow man.

Sources: The Assembly Editor (1813-1815) facsimile edition;

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