Ponce High School facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ponce High School
Partial front facade view of Ponce High School in Ponce, Puerto Rico
Address
37 Cristina Street Ponce , Puerto Rico 00733
Information
School type	Public secondary
Founded	1902
School district	Ponce District II
Principal	Dra. Gloria Rodriguez
Grades	10–12
Enrollment	1650+ (2010)
Language	Spanish
Area	Ponce Historic Zone
Color(s)	Black, & Red
Mascot	Lion

Ponce High School
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Puerto Rico
Location	Cristina Street, Ponce, Puerto Rico
Area	1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built	by 1915
Architect	Adrian C. Finlayson
Architectural style	Neoclassical
NRHP reference No.	87001310
Added to NRHP	4 August 1987

The Ponce High School is a public school in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It teaches students from tenth to twelfth grade. The school's main building is a very old and important structure. It is located on Cristina Street, in the Ponce Historic Zone.

Ponce High School has a special place in Puerto Rico's education history. It was the largest school built in the early 1900s. For many years, it had more students than all other high schools in Puerto Rico combined. The building cost about $150,000 in 1915. This building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1987. Ponce High School is the oldest high school in Puerto Rico that has been open without stopping.

School History: A Look Back

The school's story began in January 1899. On January 25, 1899, a big fire happened where the school now stands. This event is known as the "Fuego del Polvorín," or "Fire of the Ammunition Depot." Today, a marker shows where the fire took place.

In November 1899, the new American government decided to open a public high school in Ponce. This school would follow the American way of teaching. The first group of Ponce High School students started in 1902.

In 1903, the Roosevelt Industrial School was built on the same land. Later, around 1904-1905, a two-story building with 12 classrooms was added. This was for the Ruiz Gandia Grammar School. As new buildings were finished, students moved into them. By the 1907-1908 school year, another building, called the McKinley building, was used by Ponce High students.

The main, historic Ponce High School building on Cristina Street began construction in 1915. It officially opened its doors in 1920.

Where to Find the School

The school is located in the Tercero neighborhood. It faces Cristina Street to the north. To the south, it is bordered by Comercio Street (PR-133). Salud Street is to the west, and Trujillo Street is to the east.

The school is only two blocks away from Plaza Las Delicias, a famous town square. It is also across from the Ponce Free School of Music. The old location of Liceo de Ponce, a girls-only school from the early 1900s, is nearby. Teatro La Perla, a well-known theater, is just one block away.

Building Design and Features

The main, historic building faces north. Behind it, there is a large concrete yard with other school buildings. The main building is designed in the neoclassical style. This means it looks like ancient Greek and Roman buildings.

The front entrance has a raised porch and a lobby area. The school library is on the first floor. The auditorium, a large hall for events, is on the second floor.

On both sides of the lobby, there are L-shaped hallways with arches. These lead to the classrooms. The building has three sets of stairs. Some connect to the basement, where more classrooms are located.

The front of the building is very detailed. It has columns and special designs that show its neoclassical style. There are also two small green garden areas in front. The building has a wide roof and a clock right above the main entrance. Most windows are made of wood with slats, allowing air to flow through.

A special part of Ponce High School is its tall, long auditorium. It has a big stage area. There is also a U-shaped wooden balcony supported from the ceiling. Classrooms are bright and airy, with many windows. The original wooden floors are still in the library, auditorium, and many classrooms. Hallways and stairs are made of concrete.

Why This School is Important

Ponce High School is one of the five best school buildings built in Puerto Rico in the early 1900s. It is also one of the most impressive. Between 1900 and 1925, over 3,000 schools were built on the island. Only four of them had fully equipped auditoriums, not just assembly rooms. Ponce High School was one of these four.

This school shows the ideas about school building design that were popular in the United States at that time. Ponce High School was one of the first large construction projects sponsored by the American government on the island. Its neoclassical style, which looks like New York's old Pennsylvania Station, introduced this design to educational buildings in Puerto Rico. Today, Ponce High School is one of the most respected and grand buildings in the city.

The Architect Behind the Design

The exact name of the architect for Ponce High School is not fully known. However, many clues point to Adrian C. Finlayson as its designer. At that time, Mr. Finlayson was the architect for the government's Interior Department. He was responsible for many other buildings of similar size and style. Most historians agree that Finlayson was indeed the architect.

Famous People Who Attended Ponce High

Many important people from Puerto Rico went to Ponce High School. Three of Puerto Rico's governors graduated from here. The school's auditorium also hosted drama events. These events helped shape Puerto Rican theater. The architecture of Ponce High School is important for its history, style, and meaning to the island.

Notable Alumni

• Pedro Albizu Campos, a leader who fought for Puerto Rico's independence.
• Rosa Collazo, another leader for independence.
• María Teresa Babín Cortés, a well-known writer.
• Juan H. Cintrón García (class of 1936), who became the mayor of Ponce.
• José N. Gándara, a respected doctor.
• César Luis González Cardona, a military pilot.
• Manuel González Pató, a professor of physical education.
• Felix Maldonado, a baseball player.
• Francisco "Paquito" Montaner, another baseball player.
• Elin Ortiz, an actor.
• Bolívar Pagán a historian, journalist, and politician.
• Francisco Porrata Doria, an architect.
• Ernesto Ramos Antonini, a politician.
• Teodoro Moscoso, who founded Farmacias Moscoso and was a diplomat and politician.
• Mariana Suarez de Longo, an educator.
• Luis Torres Nadal, a writer of plays.
• Mariano Villaronga Toro, a public servant.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in southern Puerto Rico
• List of high schools in Puerto Rico
• Campo Atlético Charles H. Terry