University of Guanajuato

[EduCativ]

The foundation of the University of Guanajuato goes back to the year 1732. Since then, the University adopted several names, until March 1945, when the rank of University was acquired and the name for which is now known.
In 1744, a request from Guanajuato's city hall, King Philipe V, issues the Royal Document in which the founder's educational efforts are recognized. And writes down who will take care of the school, and they were religious in the company of Jesus.
The school's first classes were in charge of the Jesuit priests who had financial support from city miners. That way, it was possible to continue with the construction of the Holy Trinity School. It's said that when Doña Josefa was thinking about founding the school, bees created a honeycomb in her room. From this legend emerges the symbol of the Legendary Honeycomb.
The territorial banishment of the Jesuit from New Spain in 1767 was the cause for which the school remained closed for 18 years. It re-opened under the name "Royal School of Immaculate Conception", in charge of the Philippian priests.
The re-opened school received a great incentive from Guanajuato's last quartermaster, Juan Antonio de Riaño y Bárcenas, An enlightened governor. They provided classes and professors for school mathematics, physics, chemistry, and french. Nevertheless, the independence movement would give an end to the project and the life of the mayor who dies in the battle of September 28th, 1810, in "Alhondiga de Granaditas."
During the independence, the Institution sustained thanks to the priest's dedication to Marcelino Mangas, an emblematic figure in the school. He performed as rector, teacher, primary functions coordinator, and together with a group of students, instead of Agustín de Iturbide's intentions to turn the school into a coin house.
Marcelino Mangas is one of the most representatives characters of constant labor made by Guanajuato's people by maintaining an institution in the road of the state's youth progress. At death, his remains rest in the School's Old Chapel, today the Unversity's Honorable General Council Hall.
Carlo Montes de Oca, the first constitutional state governor, enlightened, and faithful defender of the independence principles, initiated an ambitious educational project for the school and the state. With the support of Don Marcelino Mangas, he issued a decree in 1827 which establishes that superior education should be paid for by the state. Likewise, assigns a body to reform and extend the building, found a public library, an experimental physics cabinet, a chemistry lab, and a mineralogy collection.
He had the support of the City's Hall for these companies, which yielded its public library to then Immaculate Conception School books preserved today in Biblioteca Armando Olivares' library-Supported the initiative to ask Baron Alejandro Von Humboldt for a fossil collection for the mineralogy cabinet, as well as an essential book collection that today are part of the University's heritage.
The year 1828 is critical. Study plans reformed the third teaching, or superior education is legislated for the first time Mining, Career Forum (Law), ecclesiastic carrier classes are offered, and painting, sculpture & architecture academy.
The political sway in the first half of the XIX century affected the school, however, it maintains as a stable institution that complies the main mission to offer public education. During this epoque many important characters in the State & Country’s history studied such as Manuel Doblado, Joaquín González Obregón, Octavio Muñoz Ledo, Ponciano Burquiza, Juan y Ramón Valle, José Rosas Moreno, and Lucio Marmolejo among others.
With the Reform's triumph, the school experienced essential changes. In 1870 changes its name to State College by the initiative of then-governor Florencio Antillón.
During this period, the presence of the naturalist and medic french Alfredo Dugés stands out. Founder of the Natural History Cabinet, Botanic Garden, and author of a watercolor collection. Another important character is Vicente Fernández, autodidact scientist and taxidermist, who is remembered for discovering new minerals like "Guanajuatita." Likewise, for the first state's weather observatory installation. They bequeathed an outstanding collection that the University's Natural History "Alfredo Dugés" Museum houses today. The observatory tradition is preserved in the central building roof. It is worth remembering the scientist Severo Navia, who formed and classified an important mineral collection sheltered by the University's Mineralogy Musem...
Such Museum houses a mineral collection managed by the engineer Ponciano Aguilar, an illustrious graduate and professor in the school who discovered a mineral called "Aguilarita." His work as a constructor is preserved in the "Presa de Esperanza" (Hope Dam) and "Coajín" tunnel. He was also named an extraordinary Physical-Chemistry professor at UNAM and obtained the Paris Universal Fair international prize in 1900 with Rio Lerma's water exploitation project. Part of his legacy is in the University of Guanajuato's Historic Archive...
The school's history was thoroughly recorded by one of the dearest graduates and professors, Don Agustín Lanuza, renowned for his historical research, literary work, and lawyer professionalism.
In 1945 the State College transformed into the University of Guanajuato, installing the first University Council on May 16th. This critical evolution is due to the unquestionable leadership from Don Armando Olivares Carrillo, who supported the idea of having a University with more significant social and human action. A project that consolidated in the University's Social Service that distinguishes the Institution. Among its achievements, we highlight the origin of editorial work for which a university press (still running) was installed. The main character of a new cultural & artistic tradition distinguishes the University and gives it a national place.
In this stage, the University of Guanajuato had an essential growth in opening a new and diverse academic offering. It consolidates essential research centers and institutions in all knowledge areas and establishes great cultural reach and dissemination. On the other hand, it widened its presence in more cities throughout the state. Today, there are academic units and university extension in more than ten towns.

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