The Colegio de San Juan de Letrán began by calling itself "Colegio para mestizos" and was created in 1548, at the initiative of the peninsular Spaniards who saw an increase in the number of mestizos born in New Spain who required education.
The Colegio de San Juan de Letrán began by calling itself “Colegio para mestizos” and was created in 1548, at the initiative of the peninsular Spaniards who saw an increase in the number of mestizos born in New Spain who required education.
In order to found this institution, they did not ask the permission of Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza, but instead sent a representative to Spain to obtain the authorization of the king, and Don Gregorio de la Pesquera was appointed for said mission. This person in charge obtained the Royal Certificate of authorization issued on August 18, 1548. In its beginnings, the College obtained a game of 600 thousand pesos from mining, private contributions and alms.
He was led by three priests: a rector and two councilors, the rector could last a year in his post and then the other two could occupy the rectory. Reading, Christian doctrine was taught, and later the more advanced students were encouraged to go to university.
The school declined at the end of the 18th century, it survived until Independence and in 1821 it received a great boost but it disappeared permanently in 1857. It was located on the old Calle de San Juan de Letrán between the current Calle Venustiano Carranza and Madero on the sidewalk that it faced east in front of the San Francisco convent that occupied the entire street.
