Different generations of teachers gathered at the ULS to celebrate the 129th anniversary of the founding of the Former Normal School of La Serena, a Historical Monument of Chile.

Spirit and pedagogical vocation are the two great words that identify those who were fortunate enough to be part of the traditional training provided by the La Serena Normal School. Being just girls, only those who stood out among their peers were chosen, to then go through rigorous exams, which would define their future as educators.

With great joy and emotion, the normalista teachers remember those years in which they had the mission of training hundreds of boys and girls, since they were not only in charge of delivering academic knowledge, but also had the laborious task of educating them personally. “It is wonderful to have been a normal teacher, because we were given the guidelines to fight in life and educate children. We had to do everything, we had to turn on the kitchen to prepare milk for breakfast, some of us even had to go to the hill to look for firewood or carry water,” remembers Lorenza Peralta, who joined in 61 and worked in her profession. for 42 years.

The training of the Normal School was characterized by being very rigorous and strict; Despite this, the teachers are grateful for everything they learned from those who were their teachers and tutors. For some, what is currently the Isabel Bongard Campus de La Seren Universitya, it was the home that would house them during the six years of training. What are now classrooms were the rooms where they lived with their classmates and now professional sisters; The parks were sources of inspiration to give rise to all the ideas, hopes and dreams that those young women had.

“We entered school when we were only eleven years old and as children we swore by God and country to educate our children, and it did not matter where it was, in the rural area, on the seashore or in the city; There we went with our backpacks of hope to deliver a better day to those children and families who did not have electricity or water. We brought our people forward, and then we returned to the city with a load of wonderful experience. Normalistas are not teachers for a day, but we are teachers until the end of our lives. We had an education based on personal growth, knowledge, spiritual strength and professional ethics, and the commitment to our own improvement was daily,” Jenny Tapia said with great pride, reflecting the experiences of all of her colleagues.

Without a doubt, the changes that have occurred in the way of learning and teaching today are great, and that is why normal school teachers urge current generations to practice the profession above all with love, vocation and responsibility. “Now you have to have a lot of sensitivity and psychology to act with children, because life has changed and it has been much more difficult for them than for us, since we were authorities in the towns and very respected. That's why you have to be patient,” Lorenza advised.

Given the importance of pedagogical tradition and the legacy left by hundreds of normal school teachers trained in these facilities, the Education deparment of the ULS extended its commitment to combine efforts and capabilities for the training of the students of the house of studies. For this reason, it is expected to develop future projects in which the wisdom and experience of those who contributed with love, passion and vocation to the country's education will be considered.

Written by Daniela Ledezma, UGIP