María Rosa Alonso facts for kids

María Rosa Alonso (born December 28, 1909 – died May 27, 2011) was an important Spanish writer, teacher, and expert in language. She was from the Canary Islands. She sometimes used the pen name, or fake name, María Luisa Villalba. She spent her life studying and teaching about the Spanish language and literature.

Life and Career of María Rosa Alonso

María Rosa Alonso was born in Tacoronte, Tenerife, on December 28, 1909. She grew up to become a famous professor and writer.

Early Writings and Studies

María Rosa started writing for newspapers using her pen name, "María Luisa Villalba." Her very first article was called "Around the books of war." It was published in a newspaper called La Tarde in 1930.

In 1932, she helped create the Institute of Studies in the Canaries. She was one of the first members of this important group. Later, in 1939, she also joined the Museo Canario, a museum and research center.

In 1941, María Rosa earned her degree in Spanish Philology in Madrid. Philology is the study of language, especially in old texts. She learned from famous teachers like José Ortega y Gasset.

Teaching and Research

From 1942 to 1953, María Rosa taught at the University of La Laguna. This university is in the Canary Islands. She also earned her PhD (a very high university degree) in Madrid in 1948. Her PhD paper was about an old poem from the 1600s.

She kept doing research and writing many essays and articles. However, her family had different political ideas than the government at the time. Because of this, she was told she could not become a full professor at the university.

Moving to Venezuela

In 1953, María Rosa decided to leave Spain. She moved to Venezuela. There, she taught Spanish Philology at the University of the Andes from 1958 to 1967.

In 1968, she moved back to Madrid, Spain. She continued to publish new books and articles. She also helped with a group called "Politeia." This group worked to promote cultural and artistic activities.

Finally, in 1999, María Rosa returned to Tenerife. She passed away in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, on May 27, 2011.

Other Contributions

María Rosa Alonso was also involved in publishing. She was a secretary and editor for student magazines. She also worked as a secretary for the "History Magazine of the University of La Laguna."

Awards and Special Honors

María Rosa Alonso received many awards and honors for her work. These show how important she was in the fields of literature and education.

• "Leoncio Rodríguez" Journalism Prize
• Premio Canarias de Literatura (Canary Islands Literature Prize)
• Bronze Medal from the Ministry of Education of Venezuela
• Diploma of Honor and Silver Medal from the University of Los Andes (Venezuela)
• Gold Medal of the island of Tenerife
• Honorary Member of the Press Association of Santa Cruz de Tenerife
• In 1986, she received an award from the Center of the Canarian Popular Culture.
• In 2010, a special day was held in her honor in the Canary Islands.
• A high school in Santa Cruz de Tenerife was renamed IES Mª Rosa Alonso to honor her.

Selected Books and Works

María Rosa Alonso wrote many books and articles during her life. Here are some of her important works:

• San Borondón, signo de Tenerife (1940)
• En Tenerife, una poetisa. Victoria Bridoux Mazzini 1935-1862 (1940 and 1944)
• Con la voz del silencio (1945)
• Otra vez (a novel) (1951)
• El Poema de Viana (1952)
• Pulso del tiempo (1953)
• Manuel Verdugo y su obra poética (1955)
• Residente en Venezuela (1960)
• Apuntes de ortografía española con explicaciones de léxico. Para uso de principiantes (1966)
• Sobre el español que se escribe en Venezuela (1967)
• Papeles tinerfeños (1972)
• La ciudad y sus habitantes (1989)
• Santa Cruz, vocación de futuro (1989)
• Las generaciones y cuatro estudios (1990)
• La Luz llega del Este (1998)

See also

In Spanish: María Rosa Alonso para niños