St. Stanislaus Kostka College, Málaga

St. Stanislaus Kostka College, Málaga
Location
Málaga, Spain
Information
Type	Jesuit, Catholic
Established	1882 (1882)
Staff	115
Gender	Coeducational
Enrollment	1,800
Publication	Forja
Website	KostkaMalaga

St. Stanislaus Kostka College, Málaga, is an educational center belonging to the Society of Jesus, located in the neighborhood of El Palo in the East District of the Spanish city of Málaga. It covers primary education, compulsory secondary, and baccalaureate, along with basic vocational training.

History

The first Jesuit school in Malaga dates back to 1572 with the foundation of Colegio de San Sebastián. In 1767 Charles III decreed the expulsion of the members of the Society of Jesus from the territories of the Spanish crown, and the school passed into the hands of the crown. It was at the end of the 19th century that Antonio Campos Garín, Marquis of Iznate, along with other members of the bourgeoisie of Málaga at the time, offered the Jesuits the possibility of rebuilding a school in Malaga. The Miraflores estate in the Malagueña district of El Palo was chosen for its location with a design by the Málaga architect Gerónimo Cuervo. The College was inaugurated on 2 October 1882, its first rector being Fr. José María, S.J.

The Second Republic, by a decree of 23 January 1932, dissolved the Society of Jesus. The school became a public institute, "Miraflores." During the Spanish Civil War it served as a field hospital and the building suffered considerable damage. In 1937, with the arrival of the Francoist troops to Malaga, the school was returned to the Jesuits, and on 3 May 1938 the previous decree was repealed. The school and boarding quarters were reopened after the war.

The Jesuits in El Palo Alto built at this time the Catholic Institute of Technical Studies, heir of schools for the children of workers and fishermen of the neighborhood that were run by the Jesuits since the nineteenth century. Xavier Higher College was also founded, in a building now used by the University of Málaga for a law and social service school. At the same time the San Ignacio Football Field was built. In 1975 the College closed its boarding school and in 1986 it began accepting girls throughout. In 2007-2008 the College celebrated its 125th anniversary, with books on the history of the school being published. The events culminated with the delivery to the College of the Medal of the City of Malaga, approved unanimously by the consistory of Malaga.

A group of 65 catechists – parents, teachers, and alumni – prepare almost 650 students for the sacraments.

There is also an Initial Professional Qualification Program (PCPI) of Computer Auxiliary and an FPE cooking course.^[1]

Affiliated groups

The College has San Estanislao Culture Club and the Scout Group "San Estanislao" belonging to the Catholic Scout Movement. There is a Student Union, a Parent Teacher Association, and an association for retired teachers from the school. There is also an infant center.

Alumni association

Kostka Malaga in early 20th century

In 1922 the Association of Alumni of the College was created, after its predecessor dissolved in 1917. The present association includes 600 alumni, active in extracurricular activities and in the pastoral program of the College. The alumni association has its own choir, "Manuel de Terry."

Numerous camps are organized throughout the year in which alumni work together, carrying out activities and enjoying nature. Due to the different personal circumstances of the alumni, a meeting is organized annually to keep in touch and to exchange school memories.

Old featured students

Bibliography

• Soto Artunedo, Wenceslao. The Jesuit College of St Stanislaus of Kostka. Malaga: Loyola Foundation. 2007.
• Calvo Serrano, José Maria. Colegio San Estanislao. Notas para su historia. Málaga, 1982.

References