1950-51 List of Students, Faculty, and Staff from “Instituto De Segunda Enseñanza de Güines” School

In early 1937, a committee was formed in Güines to address the pressing need for a high school in the area. Comprised of local authorities, business leaders, religious organizations, and other prominent figures, the committee aimed to negotiate with the authorities and secure the establishment of a high school, recognizing its vital importance to the town and neighboring cities.

The negotiations primarily took place at the Ministry of Education in Havana, with extensive advertising efforts through radio broadcasts and local press coverage. Dr. Alfredo Jacomino Lopez, a representative in the national House of Representatives, along with Dr. Rafael Zervigon Castellanos and Dr. Silvano Herrera Mora, successfully obtained a credit allocation for the creation of Güines High School in the national budget for the fiscal year 1937-1938. This achievement marked the beginning of the school’s operations in November 1937, with Dr. Francisco A. Martell Valdes appointed as the principal and Dr. Aracelia Hernandez de Jacomino as the secretary.

Over time, the school’s leadership changed, with Dr. Jose A. Reyes Gonzalez and Dr. Reinaldo Becerra Ortega assuming the roles of principal and secretary respectively. During their tenure, the student body, officially registered at over 1,000 students, formed the “Pro High School Building” committee. Together with the support of Principal Dr. Reyes and the faculty, they engaged in negotiations with the Ministry of Education, aiming to secure the construction of a dedicated building for the high school. Despite their efforts, these negotiations proved unsuccessful.

Upon the completion of Dr. Reyes and Dr. Becerra’s term, Dr. Enrique Lavernia Saumell became the principal, accompanied by Professor Ruben Morales Garriz as the secretary. These new officials dedicated themselves tirelessly to securing the construction of the high school’s building. In an interview with Minister Jose M. Aleman, he expressed that if they could find the land, he would ensure the necessary funding for the construction.

Fortunately, the acquisition of the land was made possible by the generosity of Mr. Fred James Chambless, an American citizen residing in Güines. Mr. Chambless owned a well-located development known as Reparto Chambless, which still had available empty lots. When the committee approached him with their purpose, Mr. Chambless selflessly agreed to donate the land for the construction of the high school, specifically two blocks in the best location of his development. This act of altruism by Mr. Chambless, valued at several thousand dollars, set the stage for the construction of the new high school building, which was eventually inaugurated in 1948 on Maceo Street (formerly Reina Street).

Under the leadership of Dr. Enrique Lavernia, the school saw further improvements, including the enhancement of laboratories and museums, the establishment of a band of music, and the acquisition of a school bus for student transportation. The school played a vital role in educating young people within the Villa of Mayabeque and nearby cities, serving as a preparatory institution for university studies. Many of Güines’ professionals graduated from this esteemed high school.

Instituto De Segunda Enseñanza de Güines

Count			Title	First Name	First Surname	Second Surname	Remarks
Count	wdt_ID	Picture	Title	First Name	First Surname	Second Surname	Remarks
	1		Cuban Minister of Education	Aureliano	Sanchez	Arango
	2		Dr,	Juan Victor	Alvarez	Garcia
	3		Dr,	Francisco	Martell	Valdes
	4		Dr,	Adelaida	Alvarez	Masdeu
	5		Ms	Berta	Perez	Baquedano
	6		Dr,	Fernandez	Garcia	Tuñon
	7		Dr,	Ana Rita	Dumont	Elie
	8		Dr,	Maria Teresa	Garcia	Gomez
	9		Dr,	Ramona Alicia	Echeverria	Otero
	10		Dr,	Eneida	Garcia	Diaz
∑ = 0
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Picture	Title	First Name	First Surname	Second Surname	Remarks
Picture	Title	First Name	First Surname	Second Surname	Remarks
	Cuban Minister of Education	Aureliano	Sanchez	Arango
	Dr,	Juan Victor	Alvarez	Garcia
	Dr,	Francisco	Martell	Valdes
	Dr,	Adelaida	Alvarez	Masdeu
	Ms	Berta	Perez	Baquedano
	Dr,	Fernandez	Garcia	Tuñon
	Dr,	Ana Rita	Dumont	Elie
	Dr,	Maria Teresa	Garcia	Gomez
	Dr,	Ramona Alicia	Echeverria	Otero
	Dr,	Eneida	Garcia	Diaz

About the Source

This list of students, faculty, and staff was sourced from the “Anuario del Instituto de Segunda Enseñanza Güines (1950-1951)” (yearbook) posted by the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami. To see more of their digitized yearbooks, including this one, click here to check the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami’s website.

(The Cuban Research Project is not affiliated with the Cuban Geneology Club of Miami)

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1950-51 Lista de Alumnos, Docentes y Personal de la Escuela “Instituto De Segunda Enseñanza de Güines”

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