Gabriela Mistral: Who She Was and What She Did for Education [Retrospectroscope]

Education is no doubt the foundation of any healthy society. When it is lacking or substandard in quality, all sorts of misery may arise, from poverty and disease to outright delinquency and destructive (or even self-destructive) behavior. The daily news from all around this troubled world often appalls and frightens us: such atrocious and disgraceful behavior generates a vicious cycle that serves to stir up even greater depravity. It is my contention that most, if not all, of these barbarities could be prevented if more people were provided the opportunity for a well-rounded, thoughtfully conceived education [1].