Old San Juan Robinson School Map of Puerto Rico Introducing Mystery Class #3 San Juan (Condado), Puerto Rico (18.456 N, 66.071 W) Hello, we are the senior class of Robinson School, San Juan (Condado), Puerto Rico. There are 23 students in our graduating class, and 8 in our College Biology Class. Our teacher's name is Mr. Hamed Negron. Robinson School's heritage as the oldest private school in Puerto Rico began in 1900 with the establishment of a Methodist Church on Sol Street in Old San Juan. Mrs. May Leonard Woodruff, an executive secretary of the Women's Home Missionary Society of the United Methodist Church, began a home and school for orphan girls in 1902, only four years after Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain to the United States. In 1904, George O. Robinson, an attorney from Detroit and a member of the Board of Missions, donated the funds to buy four acres of land on Nairn St. in Condado, where Robinson School's first buildings were constructed and where Robinson still stands today. At first, classes were only offered on an elementary level, but the curriculum was eventually extended to twelfth grade, with its first class of seven girls graduating in 1947. In 1944, Robinson became a co-educational institution at the elementary level and in 1951, boys were admitted at the secondary school. Holy Trinity Methodist Church Robinson School began the first kindergarten program on the island in 1905. It received accreditation from the Department of Instruction in 1918. In 1956, Robinson was evaluated and accredited by the Middle States Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges. In 1984, it established the first and ONLY Learning Center Program with a college preparatory curriculum with the purpose of serving children with specific learning disabilities and preparing them for college. In 1991, Robinson School expanded its pre-school program and now accepts children as young as three years of age. We are Located in Condado, Puerto Rico. The TaÌno Indians who inhabited the territory, called the island Boriken or Borinquen which means: "the great land of the valiant and noble Lord". On November 19, 1493 Christopher Columbus discovered the island in his second voyage to the New World. He found the island populated by as many as 50,000 TaÌno or Arawak Indians. In 1508 Spanish colonization began. On January 14, first school in Puerto Rico was established in Caparra. On August 8, Spaniard Juan Ponce de LeÛn founded the Caparra Village. In 1512 on September 26, the first school of advanced studies was established by Bishop Alonso Manso. In 1539 concerned about potential threats from European enemies and recognizing the strategic importance of Puerto Rico, Spain began constructing massive View of Condado defenses around San Juan. The construction of San Felipe del Morro Castle began. Puerto Rico is close to the deepest submarine depression in the North Atlantic Ocean, known as the Puerto Rico Trench, which is located roughly parallel to the northern coast of the island of Puerto Rico and lying about 75 miles (120 km) to the north. The Puerto Rico Trench is about 1,090 miles (1,750 km) long and 60 miles (100 km) wide. Puerto Rico is under the U.S. customs jurisdiction. Borders are open between P.R. and the U.S., allowing for free movement of people and merchandise. Overlooking San Juan Language has been a central issue in Puerto Rican education and culture since 1898. Until 1930 U.S. authorities insisted upon making English the language of instruction in the schools, the intent being to produce English-speaking persons of American culture in the same way this is done in the United States public schools. But strong resistance to the policy finally brought a change to the use of Spanish as the basic school language, English becoming a second language studied by all. In 1991 the Puerto Rican legislature, following the lead of the pro-commonwealth Popular Democratic Party and the governor, Rafael Hernandez Colon, endorsed a bill that made Spanish the island's official language, thus reversing a 1902 law that gave both Spanish and English official recognition. In 1993 the pro-statehood governor, Pedro J. Rossello, signed legislation restoring equal status to Spanish and English. Copyright 2002 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form