Successes and difficulties of a Protestant project in Argentina: William Case Morris and the Argentine Evangelical Schools (1898-1932)

Abstract

From the early days of their expansion in Latin America, in the beginnings of the 19th century, Protestant churches were prominent in school-building. The Argentine Evangelical Schools (afterwards renamed Argentine Philanthropic Schools and Institutes) are an example of this strategy. Founded in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1898, they were directed by an Anglican pastor, William Case Morris. This article examines Morris´ schools to understand the how and why of such an undertaking, who participated in it and which were their aims, and how this relates to the construction of a self-defined Argentine Protestantism. Finally, it looks into the reasons for the frailty of the enterprise, which quickly collapsed after its founder´s death.