Rafael Cordero Molina is still today known as "The Father of Public Education in Puerto Rico". He was a self educated Puerto Rican who gave free tutoring to kids paying little attention to their race or social standing.
Maestro Cordero was imperative in setting up free schooling in Puerto Rico. Cordero, who was born on October 24, 1790 in San Juan. Rafael's father was a craftsman by name Lucas Cordero and his mother Rita Molina, they were well educated couple who loved to read so they taught Cordero at an exceptionally young age how to read and write, as Black individuals at the time did not have the privilege to go to school, and his family couldn't afford to send him to a school either because they were poor.
His parents likewise educated other children in their neighborhood in the evenings. Due to Cordero's adoration for education and solid convictions to help his community, he chose to take after his parents when he grew up to educate all the children.
In 1810, as a adult, he opened his own school and gave free classes to black children who were not able to pay for an educator or school fees. Cordero kept up his educational centre for over 59 years at Luna Street in San Juan, utilizing his house as the school building. Therefore, it remained a gateway to education and acts of kindness for about 60 years. He gave religious lessons and furthermore taught reading, writing and math.
In the end, even whyte families started sending their children to study under him. Some of his students who moved toward becoming pioneers of the cancelation of salvery in Puerto Rico includes Román Baldorioty de Castro, Alejandro Tapia y Rivera and José Julián Acosta. Be that as it may, Cordero himself did not teach abolitionist or revolutionary teachings all he taught was reading, writing and calculating.
His service to the community didn't go unnoticed. He was awarded the Premio de Virtud by Puerto Rico's most regarded learned society. The honor accompanied 100 pesos, half of which he gave away to the destitute. The other half was used by him to buy books and useful materials he used to educate students in his free school.
Cordero put in all he had in ensuring everyone regardless of their race and social background were educated and this earned him the title of "Father of Public Education in Puerto Rico." He touched so many lives that his funeral was attended by more than 2,000 individuals in 1868.
In 2013, following a nine-year acknowledgment process by the Catholic Church, Pope Francis gave the title of Venerable to Rafael Cordero. He was truly a real humanist who educated children for free, in his own modest way, he did everything within his power to improve the society through learning and personal example. Despite the fact that he died since 1868, he is still today admired and respected in Puerto Rico.
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