Elbio Fernández School

Elbio Fernández School and Lyceum Escuela y Liceo Elbio Fernández
Location
Montevideo Uruguay
Information
Type	Private co-educational secular day school
Motto	Luz más luz (Light more light)
Established	1869; 156 years ago (1869)
Color(s)	Blue   and   White
Nickname	ELEF, El Elbio
Website	www.elbiofernandez.edu.uy

The Escuela y Liceo Elbio Fernández (Spanish for 'Elbio Fernández School and Lyceum') is a co-educational private school in Montevideo, Uruguay. Founded in 1869 as the first secular and private school in Uruguay and the main inspirer of the Varelian Reform, it provides day education to boys and girls aged 2–18.[1]

It serves preschool, primary school, and secondary school, the senior high school programs, including the Bachillerato Diversificado and bilingual education by the International Baccalaureate.[2] Since 2013, it also serves the degree in primary education teaching and a Licentiate in Education recognized by the Ministry of Education and Culture at the Elbio Fernández University Institute (IUEF).[3][4]

Elbio Fernández School has educated a wide range of notable alumni, including intellectuals, athletes, media people, businessmen, and politicians such as 3 presidents of Uruguay and a vice president.[5]

History

The Escuela y Liceo Elbio Fernández was founded on September 3, 1869, by the Society of Friends of Popular Education (Spanish: Sociedad de Amigos de la Educación Popular, SAEP),[6] a non-profit institution created in 1868 with the aim of promoting popular education, being inspired by the Varelian Reform –reform carried out by José Pedro Varela in 1876 that established free, compulsory and secular education in Uruguay–.[7] Among the young founders and first members of the society are Carlos María Ramírez, Elbio Fernández and José Pedro Varela.[8]

In 1915, Professor Jerónimo Zolesi founded the Liceo (high school), which is why it changed its name to Escuela y Liceo Elbio Fernández. Zolesi served as the high school principal, until his death in 1938.[9]

The motto of the school, which is found on its shield, insignia and hymn is Luz más luz (Light, more light), the last sentence pronounced by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe before he died.[10][11] In 2004, the school became the first private institution in the country to offer a technological baccalaureate in administration, construction, sports and recreation, information technology, and tourism, granting students technical degrees upon graduation from high school.[12]

In 2019 on the occasion of the 150th Anniversary of the School, radio interviews were carried out with notable alumni.[13]

Campus

The Elbio Fernández School campus is currently located in multiple buildings in barrio Palermo, Montevideo, depending on the educational stage.[14] Likewise, the institution has a sports field in Neptunia, Canelones Department.[14]

Alumni

Several prominent personalities in different fields have attended the Elbio Fernández School:[5]

• Dora Isella Russell, poet and journalist
• Gonzalo Aguirre Ramírez, politician and 10th Vice President of Uruguay
• José Enrique Rodó, essayist
• Jorge Batlle Ibáñez, politician and 38th President of the Republic
• Roberto Caldeyro-Barcia, doctor
• Horacio Ferrer, writer and poet
• Federico García Vigil, conductor and composer
• Luis Alberto de Herrera, politician
• Juan Andrés Ramírez, politician
• Giannina Silva, model and television personality
• Antonio Larreta, critic and actor
• Julio María Sanguinetti, politician, 35th and 37th President of the Republic
• Julio César Ribas, former footballer
• Hugo Achugar, poet and essayist
• Martín Lema, politician
• Rodrigo Arocena, mathematician and academic
• Andy Vila, actress and television presenter

References

1. "De $ 12.500 a $ 40.000: los precios y la oferta de los colegios en Montevideo". El Observador. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
2. "Escuela y Liceo Elbio Fernandez". International Baccalaureate® (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-02-12.
3. "Instituto Universitario Elbio Fernández lanza la Licenciatura en Educación". El Observador. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
4. "Elbio Fernández gestiona la habilitación para dar Magisterio". El Observador. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
5. "Exalumnos Destacados | Escuela y Liceo Elbio Fernández". 2022-11-28. Archived from the original on 2022-11-28. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
6. "SAEP y Elbio Fernández". Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-02-12.
7. Núñez, Gabriel González (2019-07-25). "Translating to change the nation: The case of José Pedro Varela, a reformer in late 19th century Uruguay". Translation & Interpreting. 11 (2): 119–131.
8. "La SAEP y la Reforma Vareliana | Escuela y Liceo Elbio Fernández". 2022-08-12. Archived from the original on 2022-08-12. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
9. "Nacimiento de Jerónimo Zolesi | Administración Nacional de Educación Pública". 2022-05-27. Archived from the original on 2022-05-27. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
10. "Luz más Luz – Himno del Elbio | Escuela y Liceo Elbio Fernández". 2022-07-06. Archived from the original on 2022-07-06. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
11. "Un poco de claridad, por Daniel Fernández". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 2016-08-13. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
12. "EDUCACIÓN MEDIA TECNOLÓGICA | Bachillerato Tecnológico – Plan de Estudios 2004". 2014-03-16. Archived from the original on 2014-03-16. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
13. "Ciclo de entrevistas por los 150 años de la Escuela y Liceo Elbio Fernández". Radio Sarandí 690 AM (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-02-12.
14. "Instalaciones – El Elbio por dentro | Escuela y Liceo Elbio Fernández". 2022-07-06. Archived from the original on 2022-07-06. Retrieved 2023-02-12.

External links

• Escuela y Liceo Elbio Fernández website
• Society of Friends of Popular Education website
• Escuela y Liceo Elbio Fernández's channel on YouTube
• Escuela y Liceo Elbio Fernández on Instagram

34.9088°S 56.1856°W / -34.9088; -56.1856