Saint Julian School

Saint Julian School

On October 8, 1907, the Reverend Brothers of the Christian Schools (Sons of John Baptist La Salle) arrived in Güines and founded a primary education school for boys naming it Saint Julian. La Salle Brothers developed a first class educational system during 24 years, forming a cluster of Güineros boys that became useful citizens years later, shining in the arts, business, industry and the professions.

Its educational work lasted until June 1931, when at the end of the school year, La Salle Brothers decided to close the School due to the critical economic situation in Cuba at the end of Machado’s regime, making the same unaffordable.

The recently appointed Parish Priest Father José Ramón Rodríguez Núñez took control of Saint Julian School, incorporating to the Faculty a group of University and High School professors taking advantage that these centers were closed due to the political crisis then in existence. The School had to compete with old and accredited educational centers of the Villa such as Kate Plumer Bryan Memorial, that had the financial backing of the Board of Missions of the Presbyterian Church of the United States and Our Lady of Charity School, plus Güines’ Academy of Dr. África Fernández Iruela, which had an excellent reputation.

Father Rodríguez supported the School for five years in spite of everything, trying to find a solution, offering its management to different educational religious congregations such as the Jesuits, the Marists and the Pious School Brothers. Only the Salesians agreed to come to Güines and took direction and control of the School on March 16, 1936.

The original School building on Pinillos Street #20 (later on #552) was big and bounded in part by Pinillos, Armenteros and Máximo Gómez (formerly Real) Streets. Its main backyard was noticeable because a branch of the Mayabeque River ran through it, with a boardwalk over it, allowing students and Faculty to walk on it, listening to the gentle sound of running water. This new period of Saint Julian School started with a curriculum that included primary education grades, Commerce courses and a section to prepare students for High School.

Its first Principal during this period was Father Salvador Herrera Fons, SDB (Spaniard) distinguished teacher and talented musician, the author of the music of the Graduate Hymn of Güines High School, whose lyrics was Dr. Rosa Trujillo Arredondo’s authorship.

Father Herrera Fons, from 1936 to 1942, was replaced as Principal by Father Bernardo Fernández Guerra SS, a native Cuban, from 1942 to 1948, then Father Adam Haub, SDB, a native of Germany, from 1948 to 1951, followed by Father Rudolf Slézak, SDB, a native of Czechoslovakia, from 1951 to 1953, then Father Angelo Garau, SDB, a native of Sardinia Island, Italy, from 1953 to 1955, and finally Father Enrique A. Méndez Norma, SDB, a native Cuban, from 1955 to 1961.

On September 1949 the new and beautiful Saint Julian School’s building was inaugurated, located on Mamey and Arango Streets.

When Father Méndez became the School's Principal in 1955, the same consisted of a Primary Elementary Section from Pre-Primary Grade to Sixth Grade and Admission to High School and a Secondary Commercial Studies Section, consisting of four years of study.

During the 1957-1958 school year, due to Father Méndez huge efforts before the civil authorities, specially the Education Ministry, to establish official courses of secondary education in the School and with the help of prominent Güinero Dr. Alberto R. Martell Valdés, a University professor and functionary of the Education Ministry in charge of the incorporation of private schools to secondary studies, besides being a School Alumni, the much desired goal was achieved on February 11, 1958 by a ministerial resolution authorizing the establishment of such secondary studies at Saint Julian School. The first year class of secondary studies started on September 16, 1957. A school bus was purchased in 1958 to be used by the student body whose driver was René Gouthman Srougi. In this year, the School had 3 Educational Sections functioning. The Primary Section from Pre-Primary Grade to Sixth and Admission to High School; Secondary Commercial Studies Section with 4 years of study and the Secondary High School Section that in this year went to Third Year, attached of course, to Güines High School.

During the 1960-1961 school year came the total collapse when on April 18, a day after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, during the evening hours, the local Communist authorities demanded from the School’s Principal the delivery of all School’s vehicles in existence, the School building being tightly watched as well as its Faculty and administrative personnel.

On May 1, 1961 the School was confiscated without indemnification, its Principal, Father Enrique A. Méndez, SDB being at the Argentinean Embassy after requesting political asylum. A great portion of the remaining Faculty took the road to exile, resigning their positions.

The Salesian Fathers during its 25 years of educational work in Güines left a trail of achievements and affections very difficult to overcome. They knew how to instill in young people, Christian and moral principles that could not be confiscated or stolen with impunity and that are carried in the hearts and in the thoughts of each student for the remainder of their lives. The people from Güines, fond of its traditions, will never forget the work of these self-denied men and women that carried out this heroic educational labor under such adverse conditions.

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