Spanish Language Instruction and Celebration of Bi-Lingualism at Setonia, 1856-Present

Map of Latin American.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (DHEW) memorandum regarding equal rights in terms of learning-based opportunities. The issue of language and the need to educate all children on a nationwide scale regardless of English-language fluency became the major talking point for many viewing the overall theme and subtext of this pronouncement. All grade levels benefited from this renewed attention to linguistic-based instruction objectives.

Around the same time, the Puerto Rican Institute, now known at the Joseph A. Unanue Latino Institute, was founded at Seton Hall University. The creation of the Institute was to support the Hispanic community, ensuring Hispanic youths had opportunities for a full development through a variety of services and activities the university was able to provide. Due to the Institutes groundwork, Hispanic enrollment has increased along with an increase in the interest, recognition, and involvement of the community.

Today, Seton Hall University continues its language education that started during 1897-1898, before the DHEW memorandum and the founding of the Puerto Rican Institute, when only Spanish and Italian were offered. Currently, there are a variety of languages offered, such as Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Spanish, along with studies dedicated to different cultures around the world such as Latin American and Latino/Latina Studies.

 

Cover of the Puerto Rican Institute Inauguration Program – October 17, 1974

 

Additional data points on Spanish-themed resources and the overall scope of Central and South American life can be found within the Latin American Research Guide which is updated by Professor Lisa DeLuca, Professor Brooke Duffy, and Professor Lisa Rose-Wiles.

For more details about the history of the Spanish-language experience at Seton Hall University and other aspects of Latin America please feel free to consult the Joseph A. Unanue Latino Institute at Seton Hall University or contact Ms. Ana Campoverde, Executive Director by e-mail: latinoinstitute@shu.edu or phone: (973) 761-9422.

Additional aspects about the history of Latino and their contributions to Seton Hall can be researched via the Monsignor William Noé Field Archives & Special Collections Center.  Please feel free to consult our website at: https://library.shu.edu/archives or contact Alan Delozier, University Archivist by email: Alan.Delozier@shu.edu or phone: (973) 275-2378.