Candler College (Havana)

Cuba / Ciudad de la Habana / Havanna / Havana
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Methodist elementary and high school
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Coordinates:   23°6'16"N   82°24'50"W

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  • Started in Cuba in 1905 by Georgia Methodist missionaries.
  • Candler College was located at 54th Street and 43rd Avenue (Miramar and Gutierrez Streets) in Marianao, Havana, Cuba. It was founded in 1899 by missionaries of the Southern Methodist Episcopal Church when Reverend Warren Akin Candler was the bishop of the church in Florida. This man of God promoted all missionary work in Cuba, but considered of special importance educational work, hence the name of the first Methodist school opened in Havana after Bishop Candler. The school was first located in Havana at Calle Virtudes, No. 10 -14. Its first principal was Thad F. Leland, who was succeeded by E. E. Clements and B.F. Gilbert. In 1909, Reverend Harry B. Bardwell became Candler College principal. In the same year, the new director envisioned the need to expand and he convinced the Board of Missions of the church to acquire a large piece of land in La Ceiba, Marianao. The construction of the first building for the new school began in 1912. As the years went by many other buildings and facilities were added as required by its growth in the number of students and prestige. In January, 1913, Candler College officially opened in Marianao, with Mr. Bardwell as its principal. For some time the school in Havana and the new one functioned under the same name. Later, both schools became independent, with the Havana site named Colegio Metodista Central while the Marianao site kept the name Candler College. Mr. Bardwell remained as the school principal until 1949, when Reverend Carlos Pérez Ramos became its director. He had been assistant director (sub-director) since 1946 and remained the school principal until 1961, when all private education was nationalized in Cuba and the school was taken over by the Castro government and changed its name and orientation. Candler College was a Methodist school, following the church orientation and values with the aim of providing Cuban children and youngsters and some foreign students the opportunity to receive a quality education as well as instilling Christian, moral and patriotic values in their lives. Not only Methodist students attended Candler College, there were a number of students of different Protestant denominations, and it was open as well to Catholic (who were the majority) and Jewish students. However, most of the teachers were Cuban members of the Methodist Church but the faculty included some missionaries and teachers from the United States. Candler College consisted of various schools: Elementary School (seven years of primary education), Spanish High School [Bachillerato] which comprised five years (the last one could be taken in Science or Social Studies - Letras), and Commerce School, actually consisting of two different branches: the Commerce School (Contador) and the Secretarial School In addition, Candler College operated an All-English High School comprising four years of secondary education following the American curriculum. Physical Education and Sports were important in Candler throughout the years. It counted with special spaces for sports: tennis and baseball at the beginning. Later on, its high standards in athletics, basketball and baseball made of Candler a favorite competitor in inter-schools championships. There was a group of boy scouts. Other extra-curricular activities such as excursions, theater, oratory and the publication of a students´ newspaper (Flecha) were encouraged. Festivals, bazaars, Christmas celebrations and other similar activities were part of the annual programs. Patriotic commemorations were of special significance. Elementary school in Candler was only for boys. Colegio Buenavista was its sister school and it was a school for girls (nevertheless, it received Candler students in Kindergarten, and in seventh and eighth grades in English which were not offered in Candler but were required to enter American High School). Buenavista was founded in 1920 by the Women´s Board of Missions of the Methodist Church and was located across the street from Candler College. All other schools in Candler were co-ed, since Buenavista students attended secondary education classes in Candler together with the boys. For those who could not travel to the school on a daily basis, Candler College offered a dormitory for boys only. Similarly, Buenavista provided boarding school (pupilaje) for the girls. Under the successive direction of missionaries Miss Markey, Miss Jones, Miss Clay, Miss Kelly and Miss Buck, Buenavista grew at the same pace as Candler College. In 1956, Dr. Pérez started to organize Candler University with the due approval of the Cuban government and was appointed rector till 1961. It began to function in 1958. The careers offered were Philosophy, Pedagogy, Pharmacy, and Commercial Sciences, starting with the first year of each one, and adding another year each year. Classes were held from 4p.m. to 7p.m. in the High School building. No one was able to graduate from Candler University since it was nationalized along with the school. Ex-alumni of Candler College and Colegio Buenavista, living now in different countries of the world, remember our schools with special love and recognize that the high ideals on which these were inspired, shared by students, teachers, directives and workers, became part of our being. Prepared by TONY PALAU, MERCY ABREU ET AL.
  • I started at Buenavista in 1938/39 and graduated in June 13, 1949. My Princiapl Miss Ion Clay. Teachers at that time were Ramona Rodriguez, Mrs. Lewis, Mrs. Richard, Mrs. Honoria Guerra, Mrs. Zoila Sanabria, Miss Raquel Nodal, Mrs. Faustina Rodriguez, Elementary. Carmen de Celis, Mr. Jordan, Mr.Gonzalez in Commerce/Secretarial. My classmates: Ileana Hilda Cruz (from Trinidad Las Villas), Carlota Hevia (from Pinar del Rio) Libia Casanova, Concepcion Rodriguez, Esmeralda Nogueira, Adolfina Vasseur, Emilia Concepcion, Lourdes Gomez, Norma Fumero. Sorry if I forget someone. And what about of Agnes Malloy: She was the one in charge of the festivals...and she was the teacher of my sister Ruth Portal and a group until their 7th grade in English, to continue to High School (English). Those were the best days of my life....what beautiful schools...it is a shame to see what they have become as I could see by the pictures....I am proud to say that I graduated from BUENAVISTA/CANDLER COLLEGE!!!!!!! ASELA PORTAL
  • Who can forget Mrs. Kirby at candler, and the great teachers there.Outstanding people all of whom helped create the talented people we and our sisters at Buenavista have become. Judge Ralph Fisch ..... ( Rafael Fisch class of 1953-4)
  • Who can forget first grade teacher, Mrs. Ballenilla, a short, chunky, unattractive, mean-looking teacher who's favorite corporal punishment was to violently pinch students on the buttocks, and squeeze, for answering questions, incorrectly.
  • Ralph, I mostly remember the pencils with "casquillos" that sold at the student store counter for 10-15 cents.
  • I was there from about 1958 until we left Cuba in 1962. I remember the smell of hops of La Tropical next door; in my brain for ever!
  • I just finished the Candler-Buenavista Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candler_College_and_Colegio_Buenavista
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This article was last modified 15 years ago