Residents of Matanzas are expressing their sorrow over the demolition of a historic building that once served as a charitable home and a primary school.
Located on San Carlos Street in the heart of the city, the structure now lies in ruins, as depicted in photos shared on the Facebook group "Matanzas en Fotos."
Numerous former students have recounted their cherished memories of the school, lamenting its current dilapidated state.
"I spent my entire childhood studying at this beautiful school. It was a magnificent place," one commentator reminisced. "I remember the snack kiosk, the hallway leading to the classrooms, and Pedro, the photographer, tending to lettuce and other vegetables. We played baseball during snack time and held activities in the school theater, which I believe is now a cinema. Although the school may be crumbling, it remains vivid and pristine in my heart."
Another commenter noted that the building originally housed the Matanzas charitable home and received donations from Spanish communities for repairs during a period of international cooperation.
"Such immense sadness—destruction without war. Poor Matanzas, poor Cuba," lamented another.
One local reflected on childhood games played within the school, recalling, "We used to play hide and seek inside the Lenin school, avoiding the principal as we played basketball or snuck mangoes and avocados, running across the yard and jumping over the wall."
Another resident expressed frustration, stating, "Today, I believe part of it has become a shelter, while the rest is slowly falling apart due to communism."
"That is the Lenin School. I didn't study there, but I know it well. It was a beautiful structure that has deteriorated like all of Cuba," commented another, highlighting the neglect and lack of interest that has led to widespread decay.
The Plight of Schools in Cuba
In a country grappling with a multi-dimensional crisis, numerous schools have become relics of the past, much to the dismay of former students.
Last year, it came to light that a once-thriving pedagogical school in Cuba has fallen into disrepair, breaking the hearts of alumni and teachers who remember it as a place of joy.
This pertains to the Camila Henríquez Ureña Pedagogical Branch in the Caimito municipality, Artemisa, where the first cohorts of the Manuel Ascunce Domenech Pedagogical Brigade were trained, now left completely abandoned.
Additionally, Cuban creator @ledyhr92 expressed regret last year, noting that "every part" of her old school "was worse than the last."
"I didn't know whether to leave or to scream," she recounted, while revisiting what was once her school in Santa Clara. Thirteen years later, upon returning to Fajardo, she found a landscape of ruin: overgrown corridors, broken floors, collapsed roofs, and classrooms consumed by neglect.
Understanding the Impact of School Decay in Cuba
What historical significance did the Matanzas school have?
The Matanzas school was not only a primary educational institution but also a former charitable home. Its historical significance is tied to its role in the community and its architectural beauty.
Why are many schools in Cuba falling into disrepair?
The deterioration of schools in Cuba is largely attributed to systemic neglect and lack of resources, exacerbated by the country's ongoing economic and political challenges.
How do former students feel about their schools' conditions?
Many former students express deep sadness and nostalgia as they reminisce about their schools, now in ruins, which once were vibrant centers of learning and community.