The pedagogical and humanistic growth of
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso was not part of its objectives when it was inaugurated in 1928, but focused on technical and commercial studies. In the late 1940s, the Faculty of Philosophy and Education was created, opening with
Mathematics,
Physics,
Spanish and
Philosophy schools. Seeking to reinforce the university's pedagogy and humanities studies, in 1952, Rector Jorge González Förster SJ, created the School of History and Geography as part of the mentioned pedagogical faculty. Under Raúl Montes SJ, direction, and with a reduced teaching body made up of Professors Rafael Gandolfo (SS.CC), Guillermo Mönckeberg (SDB), Juan Montedónico, and Aída Chaparro Galdames, an initial enrolment of 30 students had to be accommodated, without having an adequate library for academic requirements. The real institutional and academic organization of the School occurred in 1955 when Professor
Héctor Herrera Cajas, from
Universidad de Chile, assumed position as director. The Students Center was created that year and the following year both the Teaching Council and the teaching assistantships began to function. Likewise, that year the teaching staff reached its full complement: Raimundo Barros SJ., Romolo Trebbi del Trevigiano, Fernando Manríquez, Jorge Siles Salinas, Oscar Fabres, Florencio Rivera and teachers María Teresa Cobos Noriega and María Eugenia del Valle. In the following years saw Rómulo Santana, Mario Orellana, Julius Spinner, Lajos Janosa, Marco Antonio Huesbe and
Mario Góngora join as lecturers. At that time, the School was located in Casa Central at
Valparaíso. The students' Reform Movement ended after the
military coup that ousted
President Salvador Allende. The
Military Junta,
Pinochet dictatorship's mainstay, appointed new university authorities until 1990 when
christian–democrat Patricio Aylwin assumed Presidency of the Republic on 11 March 1990. In 1976, university faculties were recreated again, and the History Institute returned to its position within the Faculty of Philosophy and Education. After Reform, the Institute is based in researching and formation of high-school teachers. In addition to the scholastic renewal of the staff, it demanded postgraduate studies for the future teachers.
1985−present From 1985 to date, the History Institute is located at Palacio Valle around Alvares Avenue in
Vina Del Mar. ==See also==