Escuela 219 Olympia Fernández

“This school is quite unique,” the man whispered, adjusting his hat against the Montevideo sun. “It’s more than just bricks and mortar.” You’re absolutely right. This is the Escuela 219 Olympia Fernández, also known as La Experimental. Its story is woven into the very fabric of Malvín. In 1927, a visionary educator named Olympia Fernández, a woman who had studied in Belgium alongside the renowned Dr. Decroly, had a dream. She envisioned a school unlike any other in Uruguay, a place where children would learn through experience and exploration. She secured permission and a small building on Estrázulas and Aconcagua Street, and Escuela 219 Olympia Fernández was born, with just five students. Fernández’s passion for innovative teaching, inspired by the Decroly method, caught the attention of the Minister of Primary Education, Enrique Fabregat. Impressed by her work, he helped secure funding for a new building, a building designed by none other than Juan Antonio Scasso, the architect of the Estadio Centenario. The new Escuela 219 Olympia Fernández, inaugurated in 1929, was a testament to its time, a radical departure from the traditional, rigid school structures. The design, with its airy pavilions, large windows, and playful toboggans connecting the floors, fostered a sense of wonder and encouraged interaction with the surrounding nature. The Escuela 219 Olympia Fernández became a beacon of progressive education, attracting curious minds and nurturing talents like humorist Petru Valenski, and musician Mario Carrero, who once walked these halls. Today, the school continues to inspire, its legacy echoing through the laughter of children in the classrooms and the rustle of leaves in its expansive, tree-filled courtyards. It stands as a testament to the power of vision, innovation, and the enduring impact one dedicated individual, like Olympia Fernández, can have on generations to come.