100 years Ferrer i Guardia

13th October conmemorates the hundred (100!) anniversary of the execution of Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia.

Born near Barcelona, this educator and free thinker introduced the basis of what was called the Modern SchoolFrancesc-ferrer-i-guardia.

At the begining of the XX century in a deeply conservative catholic society, Ferrer i Guardia argued for the co-education of both boys and girls. 

He also stated that the poor and rich must share the same public schools: “There must be a co-education of the different social classes as well as of the two sexes. I might have founded a school giving lessons gratuitously; but a school for poor children only would not be a rational school, since, if they were not taught submission and credulity as in the old type of school, they would have been strongly disposed to rebel, and would instinctively cherish sentiments of hatred.”

He introduced in the formal education setting the challenge to dogma and proposed education for children and youth on development of authonomy, critical thinking, and democracy…

By expressing his opinions and by starting a number of schools following its methodological approaches in Barcelona, Ferrer i Guardia became an icon of modern school… and a target for the most intransigent forces of society that ultimately neutralised him.

Ferrer i Guardia was sentenced to death after a fake trial (protested around Europe) acused for the popular revolt in Barcelona (Setmana Tragica 1909)and executed in the castle of Montjuic.

To his work.

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