Gimnasio Moderno

Gimnasio Moderno
Location
Bogotá, Colombia
Information
School type	Private school
Founded	1914
Founder	Agustín Nieto Caballero
Status	Open
Head of school	Juan Carlos Bayona Vargas
Gender	Male
Language	Spanish
Athletics	football, basketball, volleyball and swimming
Rival	Gimnasio Campestre
Website	www.gimnasiomoderno.edu.co

The Gimnasio Moderno is a private all-male traditional and liberal, primary and secondary school located in Bogotá, Colombia. It was founded in 1914 by various prestigious Colombians following the leading initiative of Don Agustín Nieto Caballero. Some of the remarkable personalities who acted as co-founders of this New School (Escuela Nueva) were: Don José María Samper Brush, Don Daniel Samper Ortega, Don Tomás Rueda Vargas, and Ricardo Lleras Codazzi. These gentlemen were predominant freethinkers at the time in Colombia. Since its establishment, it has been considered one of the best schools in the country. Most of the students are among the elite of Colombian society, and many of them are sons of former alumni.

The main influences for the development of the New School in America, the first of its kind in South America, were mainly those of Ovide Decroly, Maria Montessori, and to a lesser extent, Jean Piaget. Don Agustín met all of them personally and engaged in intellectual conversation with them while studying in Europe. He carried their ideas back to America, and applied and modified them in a novel way according to the spirit and environment of Colombia in the 20th century.

Ideals

Gimnasio Moderno

The school's principle of conduct is based on the so-called discipline of trust (disciplina de confianza), following the lines of Maria Montessori's active discipline. This fundamental principle seeks to instill self-confidence and inner discipline in students, as well as furthering their understanding of a deeper sense of responsibility, honesty, loyalty and friendship through the active development of freedom. The Gimnasio Moderno was awarded a national monument status due its longevity and historical stature.

Furthermore, the school centers its approach to teaching around the motto "Educar Antes que Instruir", which translates as "To Educate Rather than to Instruct". This means that teaching moral values and allowing development of students as honest, self-confident, and driven individuals, takes prevalence over technical instruction. This approach results fruitful and the school remains in the top tier of schools in the country by academic standards.

The educational program is divided into four sections. The first section includes Montessori 1, 2, and 3, first Decroly, and second Decroly. The second section includes the third, fourth, and fifth Decroly grades. The third section includes the sixth through ninth grades, and the fourth section includes the tenth and eleventh grades.

Traditions

The school's traditions include:

A marching band (winners of the Silver Baton (Batuta de Plata) competition in 1999 with Sebastián Devis acting as drum major, and again in 2006 with Nicolás Medina as drum major.

A Football (Soccer) championship between Gimnasio Moderno and Gimnasio Campestre, called the 'Tradition Cup' (Copa Tradicion). The school also hosts the Eaglet Cup (Copa Aguilucho), a Football (Soccer) league made up of teams from other schools in Bogotá.

Single and multiple-day excursion trips throughout the country. Following the ideals of Robert Baden-Powell.

Sports Teams: The school has traditionally encouraged and supported its sports teams, such as the, football, basketball, volleyball and swimming teams.

Student awards: The school gives annual recognition to those students who excel in different areas. These areas are called, personal effort, kindness to others, 'excursionist spirit' and a group recognition of friendship awarded to an entire class.

Semana Cultural (Cultural Week) which is an ensemble of cultural activities, including the Manana del Talento Gimnasiano (Morning of Talent) during which students present theater plays, comedy acts, and musical numbers among others. Students often make fools of themselves, but every once in a while true talents are unveiled. The school also hosts the city-wide famous Concurso de Barras (Cheerleader contest) for which cheerleader groups from all-girls schools across the city prepare through the year.

Directors

• Juan Carlos Bayona Vargas - Headmaster
• Félix Antonio Gómez Hernández - Academic Vice-Headmaster
• Jairo Gómez Borda - Discipline Vice-Headmaster
• Gonzalo Mallarino Florez - Finance Director
• Juan Sebastian Hoyos - Secretary General
• Esperanza Chia - Coordinator of the Second Section
• Doris Leon de Díaz - Coordinator of the First Section

Headmasters

• Alberto Corradine Varela (1914)
• Pablo Vila Dinares (1915–1917)
• Tomás Rueda Vargas (1918–1920, 1922–1924, 1927–1933 and 1937–1943)
• Erich Heincke Hoyer (1921)
• Aurelio Tobón Mejía (1925–1927)
• Julio Carrizosa Valenzuela (1934–1936)
• Daniel Samper Ortega (1943–1944)
• Carlos Lleras Restrepo (1944)
• Agustín Nieto Caballero (1945–1975)
• Ernest Bein (El Prof.) (1975–1980)
• Mario Galofre Cano (1981–1984 and 1986–1994)
• Germán Pardo Sánchez (1985)
• Leopoldo Gonzalez Chaparro (1995–1997)
• Juan Carlos Bayona Vargas (1998 - )

Marching band

The marching band of the Gimnasio Moderno is one of the oldest school marching bands in Bogotá, it is more than 50 years old. The instruments played in the band are:

• Lyres
• Trumpets
• Small Drum
• Medium Drum
• Big drum
• Cymbals
• Timbales

• The drum major, or leader, of the band is selected by democratic process in which band members cast a secret ballot. Such process has taken place every year since 1952 and all members of the band vote.

This is one of the most traditional school bands in Colombia.

• The band won the Silver Baton (Batuta de Plata) competition in 1999 with Sebastián Devis as drum major, and again in 2006 with Nicolás Medina as drum major.

Notable alumni and students

Notable alumni of the school include, former Colombian President Ernesto Samper, Former House Representatives Nicolás Uribe, recognized scientists (Rodolfo Llinas), Businessmen Julio Mario Santo Domingo, and authors Eduardo Caballero Calderón, Lucas Caballero Calderón (Klim), Daniel Samper Pizano, Ricardo Silva Romero), as well as sportsmen Eduardo Pimentel, Actors (Diego Trujillo, Jorge Enrique Abello, Felipe Noguera, Carlos Manuel Vesga) and artists (Compañia Ilimitada, Mauricio y Palo de Agua, and Wamba.

Controversial alumni

Ernesto Samper Pizano (involved in the Proceso 8000 scandal)

Alvaro Araújo Castro - Former Congressman involved in Parapolitics Scandal

External links

• (Spanish) gimnasiomoderno.edu.co
• (Spanish) Don Agustin Nieto Caballero
• Montessori Schools in Science Magazine