Rafael Cordero y Molina

The School of the Master Cordero (1890-92), by Francisco Oller.

Rafael Cordero Molina, (San Juan, Puerto Rico, October 24, 1790 - July 5, 1868) was a self-taught Puerto Rican who provided free education to children of his city regardless of race or social position. He is considered the "Father of Public Education in Puerto Rico" His parents were artisan Lucas Cordero and Rita Molina, free mulattoes. He had two older sisters: Gregoria and Celestina. Teacher Rafael Cordero is one of the most important figures in education in Puerto Rico and an icon for the educational system, history, and culture of the island.

During his childhood, Rafael was educated by his parents, since because he was black he had no rights and because he was poor he did not have the resources to attend school. Later, and thanks to the dedication of his parents, Rafael himself continued his education by reading books, mainly on religious subjects. That same interest and desire for knowledge and his devotion led him to dedicate his entire life to education and the social welfare of those most in need.

Social work

In 1810, Rafael Cordero opened his first elementary school in his home in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he lived at the time. He gave classes to black children for free, who, due to the times of slavery in Puerto Rico, could not pay the teacher to attend school. He served the poor, who, for their part, did not have the resources to receive a formal education in one of the few schools that existed at the time. Her sister, Celestina, did the same for the girls' education in the same way. In addition to learning basic skills, Rafael taught his disciples the doctrines of Christianity, a religion to which he was very devoted.

The teacher established a school to instruct poor, black and mulatto children. In it he taught them to read and write, grammar, history, calligraphy, geography, arithmetic and of course, the precepts of Christianity. In order to support his family and to be able to maintain the school, he combined his teaching tasks with making and selling cigars; In addition, he worked as a shoemaker.

The fame of the good teacher was such that, over the years, even wealthy white families began to send their children to study with him. Thus he laid the foundations that made slavery disappear in Puerto Rico. Many of the important figures of Puerto Rican politics and culture of the 19th century —several of whom today are called heroes They were his disciples. Among these, it is worth mentioning Alejandro Tapia y Rivera (considered by many as the "patriarch" of Puerto Rican literature), José Julián Acosta (politician and abolitionist leader), Román Baldorioty de Castro (autonomist and abolitionist leader) and Manuel Elzaburu (founder of of the Puerto Rican Athenaeum) among others.

The religious plane

Rafael gave himself totally: his life, his time, his energies and all his goods as an offering of love to God and his neighbor, making his house on Luna Street in Old San Juan the school of divine love. No less was his fame as a man of charity towards the poor: he was able to give the bread that he had prepared for himself and the few goods that he had to those who needed them. A man of great faith, on Sundays and holy days at six in the morning he was already at mass, the only time he dressed as a gala, with his festive blue suit and black alpaca hat, but without removing the scarf that he always wore on his back. head. Of incomparable humility he said: “I don't write anything in this life because I don't want to remember today the good I did yesterday. My wishes are that the night erase the meritorious works that I have been able to do during the day.

His last years

After its establishment, the Economic Society of Friends of the Country awarded it the Prize of Virtue, which consisted of a financial contribution of 100 pesos. However, Rafael did not use said money for himself, but with one part he bought clothes and books for his most needy disciples, and he distributed the other among the beggars of the capital. Already an old man, he received a monthly aid of 15 pesos from the government.

Until just eight days before he died, the teacher Rafael Cordero was giving lessons to his children. Knowing that his death was near, he asked the Public Instruction authorities to continue with the education of his last disciples, a request that was fulfilled. On July 5, 1868, he said goodbye to his former students, asking for his prayers and blessing them: "That the poor old man who instilled in you love for instruction does not have a breath of life left." A few minutes later, he expired with a sealed candle and scapulars that the Carmelite Nuns sent him saying: "My God, receive me in your womb!". Around 2,000 people paid tribute and participated in the burial of the one who had lived to give childhood the bread of education.

After his death

Rafael Cordero y Molina is recognized as one of the most important people in education in Puerto Rico in the XIX century. Many schools and other public works in the country bear his name, but his fame transcended the limits of the island. José Martí, a well-known Cuban independence leader, referred to him as the “Holy Man”. Also, several schools in the United States have been baptized with the name of this illustrious Puerto Rican.

The house where teacher Rafael Cordero lived on Luna Street in Old San Juan was restored by the Government of Puerto Rico and is now considered a historic site on the United States National Register of Historic Sites.

Currently, and due to the exemplary and devoted life of this citizen, the Catholic Church began, some time ago, the process for his beatification. On December 9, 2013, Pope Francis declared him venerable, this being the first step towards his eventual canonization.