| History of the School |
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A Brief History of the Calasanz School in Salamanca The “Calazanz” School in Salamanca is run by the Escolapios or Piarists, the name by which the members of the religious order of Pious Schools are known, founded by Saint Joseph of Calasanz in Rome in the sixteenth century and devoted mainly to the human and Christian formation of boys and girls. Its motto is “Piety and Learning”, that is to say to combine “ Christian Faith and Knowledge” in children’s education.
The first Calasanz School in Salamanca was founded in 1956. An old tanning factory building, conveniently reformed, was used. It is in number one, calle Santiago. The pupils used the classrooms for the first time on 8th October, 1956. So began the Escolapios’ educational activity in Salamanca. In the first school year, 1956-1957, teaching was limited to the academic levels of infant, primary and preparation for ssecondary. In the following years, secondary education was introduced. The Escolapios taught in this building for three academic years, form October 1956 to June 1959. Classes began in the new building in Paseo de Canalejas in October 1959.
During the summer of this year alterations were made in the building to equip it for boarding during the academic year 1959-1960. The first boarders arrived on 8th October 1959.
 While the Calsanz School was operative in calle Santiago, the Escolapios acquired the old Monastery of the Bernarda Mothers, a sixteenth century building in the Paseo de Canalejas, in January 1957. The educational needs required a new distribution of the school area to take in a greater number of school children and provide spacious sports facilities; consequently, some small adjoining properties to the monastery were purchased.
On 14th October, 1958, work began on the new school following the plans of the architect Francisco Gil González. The Escolapios superiors delegated the building and supervision of the work to Father Marino Gayar Baquedano.
 The foundation stone was laid symbolically on 27th November, 1958. The external aspect of the new school is in the neoplateresque style. The church and cloister of the old monastery of the Bernarda Mothers remained as part of the school building; they are in the plateresque style, designed by Gil de Hontañón, and of great artistic value. They were restored by Francisco Gil González.
 The work progressed at a good rate. Classes began in the new school in the year 1959-1960. The classrooms of the new building of the Calle Jardines wing were used for the first time on 12th October, 1959. It was possible to celebrate First Communions in the school chapel on 15th May, 1960.
The Escolapian religious community left the building in calle Santiago and moved to the new school´s residence on 1st October. Two days later, on 3rd October, the boarders arrived to take up residence. At the end of the school year, in June 1961, the first group of secondary pupils took their final exams.
During 1961, restoration work took place on the church and the cloister. On November 26th, the Dominican Friar Francisco Barbado Viejo, Bishop of Salamanca, blessed the church.
 Work on the school finished officially on 1st September, 1962. The Assembly Hall / Theatre was inaugurated on 12th October of this year with a Prize Giving for outstanding pupils of the previous academic year.
 1963-1964 saw the first class of pupils in their pre-university year, some of whom had begun their studies in the school when it was in calle de Santiago. They were the first pupils to receive the “old boys” badge on 17th June, 1964, in an act presided over by Dr. Balcells, Rector of Salamanca University, and Father Agustín Turiel Santiago, Escolapian Provincial Superior.
In the Chronicle of summer 1964, the reporter wrote, “Father Marino (Marino Gayar Baquedano) was the founder and soul of the School from the first steps to its “coming of age” when the first pre-university students graduated. He was a fighter who knew how to overcome each of the many difficulties to do with the school, its site, its project, the quick, coherent and complete construction. He followed the progress and details of the building closely on a daily basis; he was dedicated to making the Calasanz School of Salamanca a model as regards building and installation of the different departments, classes, boarding school, Community area, offices, assembly hall / theatre, sports facilities, etc. In fact, one can say that Father Marino is the father of this School, its founder and builder, whom we must thank for all the good things we can find in it.”
The school has adapted its facilities to the requisites of successive education laws throughout its existence.
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