Today's Blessed Matilde Téllez had founded the Congregation in 1875. Lovers of Jesus who had his first home in Béjar. Here Matilde created a School for girls with Asylum for orphans and poor and a Sunday School for young people that closed to move Don Benito (Badajoz).
In a Document of the General Curia Archive of the Congregation, it reads: "In 1894 was founded in Béjar (Bishopric of Plasencia, province of Salamanca), another Asylum for poor orphan girls, with its own house and spending on the acquisition of all of it 25 thousand reals " The deed of sale of the first building is preserved (Calle de los Álamos, No. 43, which was the house in which his family had lived). Exposed the project to the Bishop, the official inauguration took place on November 1, 1894 under the protection of the Patroness of the City, Stma. Virgen del Castañar. The city responded satisfactorily: different Bejaran families were making donations of real estate and other legacies and education for external students was established in the center.
When the house is becoming small, Mrs. Manuela Rodríguez-Arias makes a donation of a larger one than the previous one. It was located at Calle Mansilla, n° 39. He also donated a large sum for the support of the sisters and a chaplain. In the homily of the inauguration party of this house, the officiant, D. Evaristo Carabias, said: "... From now on, when an artisan who leaves young daughters in orphanhood is seen in a death trance, he will have the consolation that Béjar has an Asylum and some Religious who, as mothers, take care of the orphans. " They begin to receive children from the families of Béjar, and some older externals.
During the Republic, there were threats to the sisters, they removed the crucifixes from the College and forbade the ringing of the bells. He went some hungry. But the "güérfanas" were always well regarded. On the main holiday, April 14, Republic Day, they had an invitation in style: a good meal ... And cinema!
There were two classrooms: the Nursery and the General Culture. The Nursery was a staircase like stadium stands, but made of wood. In winter, the children carried a cisco stove. The General Culture classroom had strong wooden desks, long, for five or six students.
In the 44-45 academic year, the Chief Inspector of Salamanca, who was born in Bejarano, visited the school. He discovered that the College was not recognized or authorized to teach. He himself begins the procedures and the provisional authorization is granted on December 13. of 1945. The final one is achieved on Sep. 24, 46. ( B.O.E of 13 Dec. 1946)
Of the 50 students taken in, some were orphans, others were members of the Juvenile Court, some of them the Child Protection Board, and others were daughters of political prisoners.
When the Teresians leave the city of Béjar and its teaching premises, the people ask the Lovers of Jesus (now Daughters of Mary Mother of the Church), to take care of their students and the level of Baccalaureate. In this way, the 11 abandoned classrooms in the "Portales de Pizarro, n° 18" are rented. Three of them were intended for nurseries, four for General Education and the other four for Elementary Baccalaureate. From 1957 to 60, classes are taught in the Portals.
The material endowment of the School was really good: it had laboratories of Physics and Chemistry, playground and a large gallery that was also destined to the expansion of the children. The older students had the opportunity to prepare their studies of Teaching at the School. Music classes were also taught (Solfeggio and the first years of Piano). Without forgetting the classes of Typing and Shorthand. The male students remained in the school until they made their First Communion, although they were taught in different classrooms than the girls.
At this time the College channeled social and cultural concerns in Béjar:
There were evening classes, from 7.30 to 9 for factory workers who were taught General Culture and Labor. Classrooms were given to a group of Zarzuela for their rehearsals
Parents were offered literary and cultural activities (Poetry, Projections, Guitar ...).
Already in the Course 57-58 meetings with parents of students began. In the first term, close to the Christmas holidays, the teachers informed the parents about their pedagogical methods, conducting some practical sessions before them.
Mrs. Eudoxia Gregorio, widow of Olleros, donates two buildings on Colón Street. To carry out the works of the College, a commission-board of trustees is created, composed of the Bishop, the Civil Governor, the President of the Diputación, the Mayor, the archpriest, D. Victorino Vizoso, D. Juan Muñoz, D. Leandro Cascón, D. Francisco Cid, D. Ramón Olleros and the Chaplain Ricardo Martín Portilla. Given the economic difficulties to start the works, a special subscription is made, tablecloths are raffled and, very importantly, many construction and textile workers dedicate a day's salary to the construction of the orphan school.
In the academic year 60-61 the headquarters of the College moves to the building of Colón, 8. In this new building, the Elementary Baccalaureate was also taught.
The Nra Sra del Castañar School is a private center of Infant, Primary and Compulsory Secondary Education that is located in Béjar.
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Digital Kit Programme funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU; Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan