The Central Municipal Library of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is currently hosting the exhibition 'Books, blackboard and chalk: Education in the Canary Islands in the 19th century'. Organised by the Autonomous Organism of Culture, this initiative coincides with International Library Day and aims to shed light on the history of education in the archipelago, focusing on how the first generations of schoolchildren were educated during this period.
Located in the General Hall of the Central Municipal Library, the exhibition offers a historical and pedagogical journey through a carefully curated selection of manuals, syllabuses, and school texts from the era. These materials provide insight into the evolution of the educational system, the methods of teaching reading and writing, and the social values that defined a crucial period for literacy development in the islands.
Among the highlighted works are three pedagogical texts by the Canarian Enlightenment thinker José de Viera y Clavijo, which focus on childhood education and guidance for teachers. The exhibition also features the 'Compendium of the History of the Canary Islands' by José María de Zuáznavar y Francia, a prominent jurist whose work represents one of the earliest formal attempts to systematise the history of the archipelago for primary schools. Additionally, various school texts by educator Juan de la Puerta Canseco are included, whose contributions significantly advanced educational resources in the Canary Islands.
This exhibition provides a unique opportunity to understand the educational context of the 19th century through the very materials used in classrooms. The preserved books and teaching resources illustrate how knowledge was transmitted, the content of education, and the roles played by schools and teachers in shaping Canarian society.
The exhibition will be open until 27 January 2027, from 8:00 to 20:00, at the Central Municipal Library of Santa Cruz, located in the TEA building. Guided tours are also scheduled for Tuesday mornings at 11:00.
