Ever wondered where generations of Mexico City children have grown up together? That place is the Colegio Franco Espa\u00f1ol. This humanistic school in southern Mexico City has a long and interesting history.
The Colegio Franco Espa\u00f1ol first opened its doors on January 16, 1936. Its original location was at 99 Paseo de la Reforma in the Colonia Ju\u00e1rez. Two professionals founded it. They were R.J. Capdeville from France and Antonio Guti\u00e9rrez L. from Spain.
In 1938, construction began on new facilities. This new location was on the former Hacienda de Guadalupe at 1967 Av. Insurgentes. The National Autonomous University of Mexico incorporated the school on February 12, 1941. Classes started at the Av. Insurgentes campus in the 1942-1943 school year.
The Colegio Franco Espa\u00f1ol became a boys-only school in the late 1950s. It then moved to Av. Miguel \u00c1ngel de Quevedo y Cerro del Hombre. This was in the Romero de Terreros colonia in Coyoac\u00e1n. In 1977, the school once again became coeducational. Finally, in 1988, it moved to its current location at 88 Calzada M\u00e9xico Xochimilco.
Today, the Colegio Franco Espa\u00f1ol continues to reinvent itself. It offers a wide range of activities. These include sports, arts, and technology programs. Children can participate in robotics and create vertical gardens. They can also join clubs for comics, chess, basketball, karate, and soccer.
The school provides various levels of education. These are designed to be complementary. In preschool, children start learning English and French. They can then obtain Cambridge and DELF certifications later on. Class sizes are small, with no more than 25 students. This ensures personalized attention for each child. The Colegio Franco Espa\u00f1ol also offers excellent facilities. These include auditoriums, computer rooms, sports courts, labs, and a library.
The Colegio Franco Espa\u00f1ol is more than just a school. It is a place where children develop life skills. They learn languages and participate in a tradition of education that spans almost a century.