The Daycare Centre A.I.S.O ) / Pre-School Bressol
Date: El 18 de septiembre de 1975
Address: Carrer de la Providència, 6
Architects:
In early 1975, a group of residents of the barrio (the ones who had founded the Neighbourhood Association the previous year, then still semi-underground) found out that they could be legalized as a subsidiary of the Valencian Workers´ Social Institute (Instituto Social Obrero de Valencia), under the auspices of a “pro-democratic” sector of the Catholic Church. Since they wanted legalization, they went through the necessary bureaucratic procedures, found premises and finally settled in Cristo de la Providencia street.
Since the ground floor was quite roomy, and even had a backyard with three trees, the neighbourhood association got the idea that it could also serve as a daycare centre, since this was one of the important social needs of the barrio at that time. The necessary repairs for this purpose were carried out thanks to Rafael Arce, who helped out in a most decisive way, completely free of charge.
On September 18th, 1975, the doors of the daycare centre were opened to the first group of girls and boys between one and four years of age. The teachers were associated with the neighbourhood association, for instance Isabel, Marga, Aurora, Pilar G., Lola, Pilar F., Mari Carmen, Mercé, Rafa, Mari Llum, Inma and others.
The A.I.S.O daycare centre was considered a model for pre-school education at a time when most such centres were just “parking lots for children”.
People also remember that it was in this building that the first classes in the Valencian language were held. They were called “Carles Salvador courses” and it is said that the first teacher was the Benimaclet resident Antoni Viñas Almenar.
The daycare centre belonged legally to the A.I.S.O until the late 1970s. A group of citizens from some of the most disadvantaged areas of the city then took the initiative for the Pre-School Foundation (Patronato de Escuelas Infantiles). In order to join the foundation, it was necessary to set up a non-profit cooperative. The first deed with the names of the persons who founded the cooperative is from July 21, 1982, at which time the centre changed its name to the Bressol Cooperative Pre-School for Benimaclet (Escola Bressol Benimaclet Cooperativa Vecinal).