La Escuela del Maestro Rafael

The Ateneo Puertorriqueño was founded on April 30, 1876 by a group of Puerto Rican intellectuals who felt the need to raise the educational level of the people, increase their cultural values, promote the diffusion of progressive ideas and affirm the Puerto Rican national personality. It is the oldest cultural institution in Puerto Rico and, after its more than a century of existence, it has not only developed into a depository of treasures in works of art, literature, historical documents and memorabilia, but is still the same free forum, firm on the same purposes that inspired its creation more than one hundred years ago.

Ever since its inception the Ateneo started its present program of lectures, forums and publications on the most diverse themes together with literary contents, annual art competitions and short academic courses.

By 1888 the Board of Governors established the Institute of Higher Learning offering courses in the faculties of Philosophy and Letters, Law, Medicine and Sciences with a total of thirty-five professors and thirty-seven courses. The Institute, which lasted up to 1898, was in fact Puerto Rico’s first University.

Since the time it was founded to the present day, the Ateneo has never ceased to earn the appreciation of the Puerto Rican people. They see in the “Docta Casa” (Learned House), as they call it with deep affection and respect, a bulwark of Puerto Rican values and an outstanding example of what a free forum should be.

Many generations have witnessed the Ateneo's undisputed accomplishments in almost every phase of all cultural endeavors. Within its walls born the School of Music established by Felipe Gutierrez Espinosa and the Academy of Painting Francisco Oller, some of whose oils are permanently shown at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.

The Ateneo was and still is forum where the most outstanding literary, artistic, science and political figures of Puerto Rico have delivered many of their most important lectures and speeches. Great ovations have also been accorded in the Ateneo's to outstanding figures from other countries such as Gabriela Mistral, Amado Alonso, José Santos Chócanos, Francisco Villaespinosa, Max Henriquez Ureña, Concha Espinosa and Jose de Vasconcelos.

No one can write a history of Puerto Rico without pointing out the exceptional role played in it by the Ateneo. During the celebration of the Ateneo's first centennial, proclamations were made by the Governor, the Senate and the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico declaring the year 1976 a year of recognition to the important cultural task accomplished by the Institution through a century of life and work.