Abstract

ARREGUIN LOZANO, Barbarín. En los treinta, de provincia al Ph. D. Rev. Soc. Quím. Méx [online]. 2002, vol.46, n.3, pp.284-293. ISSN 0583-7693.

What is written below is a memoir of the past, which describes the education in small towns of Mexico from the primary grades and beyond. Children and teenagers to get an education were forced to travel to the State's Capital, and for some careers Mexico City was the obligatory site, this produced an emigration towards the larger cities. But not all the youngsters or their families could afford it, due to economic reasons or distances from their hometowns. The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) was at that time in some cases the only and final Institution to go, its tuition has been always cheap or free. The railroad in those times represented the only way to travel. The country highways were slowly built up, although dirt roads existed, during the rain season some became impassable. Graduate studies started at the middle of the XX century and again, UNAM was the first to introduce them. Nevertheless young Mexicans from rich families in very small numbers may had studied in foreign countries. Modern science in Mexico and particularly chemistry developed at UNAM in the School of Chemistry (1916) and onwards. Later, the Institutes were founded. Now research and graduate programs show a great diversity. Mexico has a reasonable good basic framework for research and organisation at UNAM and in other institutions. We are attempting to reduce the gap with first world countries. Actually there are consolidated research groups scattered in the country with international recognition, but we need to increase their number and geographical distribution throughout Mexico. What is related here is a historical and a personal version and the sum of a long life dedicated to biochemical research and teaching.

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