Spencer: A Nationalist and Martían Educational Institution in Santiago de Cuba (1905–1958)

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the historical evolution of the nationalist efforts and civic-patriotic education developed by Public School No. 3 Spencer in Santiago de Cuba. The research was conducted from a qualitative perspective through a historiographical and documentary review design, based on the critical analysis of specialized sources, including scientific articles, academic journals, and bibliographic works related to the subject. The study employed theoretical methods such as analytical–synthetic, historical–logical, and inductive–deductive approaches, which made it possible to interpret and systematize the available information on the institution’s historical development and its contribution to the preservation of the Martí legacy and the construction of a nationalist culture. The results of the review show that the nationalist work and civic-patriotic education promoted by the Spencer School underwent a progressive evolution during the period studied, materializing in pedagogical, commemorative, and cultural practices that became consolidated at different historical moments. It is concluded that this evolution was marked by transformations in educational strategies and in the symbolic meaning attributed to Martí’s ideals, which allows for a better understanding of the institution’s role in shaping female civic-patriotic education within the sociohistorical context of Santiago de Cuba.