“We build community”. That’s not just a motto it is the ethos of Colegio La Salle Buenos Aires. Founded in 1891 the college has grown into a pillar of education in Argentina.
Let’s step back in time. Picture Buenos Aires in the late 19th century. Two French brothers H. Jumaélien and H. Calimer arrived with a mission. They wanted to spread the educational vision of Saint John Baptist de la Salle.
Their first task was to assess a donation from Mrs. Justa Armstrong de Villanueva. This donation would allow them to establish a training center. The brothers stayed at the Casa Central of the Padres Lazaristas. They also took over the direction of the San Vicente de Paul school.
San Vicente quickly became well known. The Jesuit Fathers who ran the renowned Colegio del Salvador asked the Brothers to manage their primary school. It was located on Riobamba Street 500. The Brothers agreed. They opened a free section alongside the existing paid school.
By then fifteen Brothers were part of the community but most were very young. At the end of the school year the Brothers wanted to run their own school. The Jesuits agreed. A community was formed to run the new school Beato Juan Bautista de La Salle. Thus the first Lasallian work in Argentina was born.
Brother Jumaélien became the director of Colegio de La Salle in 1892. He also became the provisor of the District. By 1895 the school had 600 students. The Brothers realized they needed a larger space to fulfill their educational goals.
In 1897 they acquired property from the Irish Catholic Society. Construction of a new building began quickly. In March 1899 Colegio de La Salle moved to its new building. The building would continue to evolve in the years to come. In a few years the student population doubled. The college prepared to strengthen its educational project.
In 1900 the baccalaureate course was added. Student enrollment increased. The Alumni Association was founded in 1903. It aimed to foster camaraderie among Lasallian students. In 1912 the internal Chapel was inaugurated. It features a painting of Juan Bautista de La Salle surrounded by children from five continents. The assembly hall opened in 1927. Brother Mauricio Pallier designed it. In 1943 a six-hectare sports field was established in San Martín.
The Pastoral Institute of Adolescence was created in 1968. It trained catechists. In 1970 the building at Ayacucho 665 opened. It had eight floors for the primary level and its growing student body. A kindergarten was also created there. Over time all levels moved to this building. The historic building deteriorated.
In 1980 the Colegio established the Center for Educational Communication CCE. It was located in Villa La Salle de San Martín. It was named La Crujía. La Crujía became a recognized publishing brand in pastoral formation and Social Communication.
In 2008 the City of Buenos Aires declared the building a historical heritage site. It received structural protection. Classrooms had stopped being used five years earlier. In 2012 renovations began for the buildings on the block. In 2016 the institution celebrated its 125th anniversary in Argentina. Two years later the school returned to the historic building. It had been carefully restored and modernized. This made it suitable for new educational and technological approaches.
In November 2017 the organ in the Main Chapel was restored. The French firm Cavaillé-Coll originally made it. The restoration included a new electronic console from Germany. This expanded the original sound material without altering it.
In 2019 Brother Robert Schieler visited as Superior General of the Lasallian District of Argentina Paraguay. He toured the facilities. Students gave him birthday gifts.
Recently the Maker Space and the new playground for the initial level were inaugurated. These renovations aim to strengthen educational experiences. They also broaden the educational options for the community.
Colegio La Salle continues to evolve. It honors the legacy of Juan Bautista de la Salle. It embraces innovation. It remains a vital part of Buenos Aires.