Erasmo Castellanos Quinto (March 27, 1879 – December 11, 1955) was a Mexican professor, poet and lawyer. He was considered the most important specialist in the Miguel de Cervantes' work study of his time in Mexico, a scholar on Classics and universal literature masterworks. He dedicated his whole life to senior high school and college education about this knowledge. He won the 1947 Mexican Cervantist Society Prize, continentally convened competition, for which he has since been called "The first Cervantist in America"; and also won the first Belisario Domínguez Medal.
Early years Erasmo Castellanos Quinto was the firstborn of Erasmo Castellanos González and Juana María Quinto Mendoza. He was born on the Cruztitán ranch, owned by his maternal grandfather, in Santiago Tuxtla, Veracruz, Mexico. He began his primary education at the Escuela Real in his hometown.Eneas Rivas Castellanos, prologue author of: Castellanos Quinto. Erasmo, Las siete murallas del castillo del limbo (The Seven Walls of the Castle of Limbo)", Universidad Veracruzana. México, 1986 edition At eight, due to family economic troubles, he was taken to be educated under his uncle Leando Castellanos González protection,Oropeza Martínez. Roberto, Terebinto en Aroma: semblanza de Erasmo Castellanos Quinto (Terebinth in Aroma: Erasmo Castellanos Quinto Profile), Ed. Escuela Nacional Preparatoria, UNAM, México, 2000, pages 23 y 24 to the then called "The city of bridges and joyful waters", or too "The rainy city", the mystical and cultured city of Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico,Pasquel. Leonardo, Preliminary Study in Castellanos Quinto. Erasmo, “Del Fondo del Abra. Poemas Líricos”. Citlaltépetl Publishing House, Suma Veracruzana collection. Poetry series. México 1961 page XVII where he finished the elementary education at the Escuela Cantonal Modelo, school where he also completed his preparatory level.
In 1900, while still a student, he replaced the poet, short story writer and narrator Rafael Delgado as Greek and Latin professorArticle about Erasmo Castellanos Quinto in commemoration of the Escuela Nacional Preparatoria 150 anniversary. Gaceta del Consejo Universitario de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, año 5, No. 3, octubre - diciembre 2017. https://consejo.unam.mx/cu/gacetas/20230217181314.pdf at the Colegio Preparatorio de Orizaba,School that opened in 1824 in which Law was also studied at the times referred to here. See: https://redmexico.wixsite.com/orizabaantigua/single-post/2014/11/15/el-colegio-preparatorio-de-orizaba thus beginning his teaching vocation. Previously, Delgado, driven by the admiration that the knowledge and learning attitude that the young Castellanos inspired in him, had dedicated his story Justicia popular to him, and a sonnet in which he urged him to know the classics as a foundation to delve into great literature.Oropeza Martínez. Roberto, preface to Castellanos Quinto. Erasmo, Poesía Inédita. Ed. Librería Porrúa, México, 1962, page 9
Professional studies He completed his professional studies at Escuela de Jurisprudencia de Orizaba (Orizaba School of Jurisprudence), making them possible by working in his uncle's business, getting up at six in the morning to sweep it, spending hours behind the counter until it was time to attend school, where he was a lawyer and teacher Silvestre Moreno Cora outstanding student, from who he took example of love for teaching and literature.Pasquel. Leonardo, preliminary study of Castellanos Quinto. Erasmo, Del Fondo del Abra. Poemas Liricos. Ed. Citlaltépetl, Colección Suma Veracruzana. Serie Poesía. Mexico 1961 page XVI Upon returning, he continued working until closing time. At all sleeping time, Erasmo invariably made income and expenses business balance,Morales. Jaime, "Erasmo Castellanos Quinto. Medio siglo en la ruta magisterial" interview, Mañana magazine. México. May 15, 1954, quoted by Oropeza Martínez. Roberto, Terebinto en Aroma: semblanza de Erasmo Castellanos Quinto, Escuela Nacional Preparatoria, UNAM, México, 2000, page 21 until he took his professional exam before State of Veracruz Justice Superior Court to whom he presented his thesis entitled "Cheques" (Checks),Cheques : tesis inaugural / Erasmo Castellanos Quinto. Orizaba : Tip. de la librería escolar José Contel, 1903. 64 páginas. Clasificación: KHF1136 C37 Biblioteca de la Secretaría de Difusión Cultural de la Escuela Nacional Preparatoria. México. in Xalapa City, obtaining his law Xalapa University degree on November 30, 1903,Medina Valencia, José de Jesús y Segura López. Luis, Grandes Maestros de la Juventud: semblanzas biográficas de grandes maestros preparatorianos Great Masters of Youth: biographical sketches of great preparatory masters). Mexico, circa 1977 [exact year of publication and publisher unidentified] page 19 https://catalogos.bibliotecacentral.unam.mx/F/5ENDTIQFCS2P6CMKYLYCTJBQF1YF48PS8F3LPHLP7QBDVX4LX5-29192?func=full-set-set&set_number=024790&set_entry=000002&format=999 studies that he would later endorse in Mexico City.Oropeza Martínez, ibid, page 9Artícle about Erasmo Castellanos Quinto. Escuela Nacional Preparatoria 150 anniversary. Gaceta del Consejo Universitario de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, año 5, No. 3, octubre - diciembre 2017. https://consejo.unam.mx/cu/gacetas/20230217181314.pdf
He later migrated to Mexico City, where he practised his profession in the law office of attorney Luis Gutiérrez Otero , who had recommended him Porfirio Díaz, then President of Mexico.Luis I. Rodríguez Senator's speech at the presentation of the first Belisario Domínguez Medal to the teacher Erasmo Castellanos Quinto in 1954. https://archivos.juridicas.unam.mx/www/bjv/libros/7/3364/4.pdf During this period, he held Sunday meetings in his home where literary and musical topics were enjoyed and discussed, attended by, among other personalities, Amado Nervo, Luis G. Urbina, Ricardo Castro, Rafael Ángel de la Peña and Ezequiel A. Chávez.Ibid, same senatorial speech cited above. After a period of professional practice, he abandoned the law when he realized the harshness that his work implied in various cases, an aspect with which he, as a humanist and because he valued compassion for belonging to the Third Order of Saint Francis,Cabello. Yolanda, journalist, Erasmo Castellanos Quinto, el Primer cervantista de América (Erasmo Castellanos Quinto, the First Cervantist in America), El Universal newspapler, Mexico, June 19, 2001. http://archivo.eluniversal.com.mx/estilos/14957.html did not agree, so he chose to continue teaching and cultivating literature.Henestrosa, Andrés. Semblanzas de Académicos. Ediciones del Centenario de la Academia Mexicana. México, 1975, 313 pages. Nota sobre Erasmo Castellanos Quinto https://web.archive.org/web/20090430113616/http://centenarios.org.mx/Castellanos.htm
In 1904, in Mexico City, he married Miss Gabriela de la Torre, Daughter of a distinguished Tuxtla native, local deputy of Veracruz and political leader of the Canton of Orizaba. All his life he would affectionately call her "Bella Gabriela" (Beautiful Gabriela).Oropeza Martínez. Roberto, Terebinto en Aroma: semblanza de Erasmo Castellanos Quinto, Ed. Escuela Nacional Preparatoria, UNAM, México, 2000, page 25
At the Mexico's National Preparatory School
On July 31, 1906, in Mexico City, he joined the teaching staff at the Escuela Nacional Preparatoria (National Preparatory School, senior high school) - then in the New Spain building Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso- as an assistant professor to the poet Amado Nervo, whom he would replace by teaching National Language while Nervo traveled through various countries fulfilling diplomatic and literary commitments. This was done through a competition in which the then already prestigious intellectuals Ángel del Campo (Micrós), Luis G. Urbina and Victoriano Salado Álvarez also participated, among others, whom he surpassed.Oropeza Martínez. Roberto, Terebinto en Aroma: semblanza de Erasmo Castellanos Quinto, Ed. Escuela Nacional Preparatoria, UNAM, México, 2000, page 31 By letter dated August 7, 1906, Justo Sierra Méndez, Minister of Education, congratulated him for having succeeded in the Spanish exam.Justo Sierra. Obras Completas (Complete Works). Tomo XIV Epistolario y Papeles Privados (Volume XIV Correspondence and Private Papers). Nueva Biblioteca Mexicana. UNAM. México 1991. page 328. UNAM Central Library classification: PQ7297.S5 1949 9688372552 tomo 14 On July 1, 1907, he obtained the tenure of that chair, and in time he would become a full professor of Castilian Literature, General Literature, Selected Literary Productions Annotated Readings, and Masterpieces Analysis.
On April 6, 1909 - also by Justo Sierra agreement - Ezequiel A. Chávez appointed him the School deputy director until March 1, 1912. In 1910, he was also interim director, temporarily replacing the famous positivist Porfirio Parra,Preliminary study by Leonardo Pasquel in Castellanos Quinto. Erasmo, Del Fondo del Abra. Poemas Liricos. Ed. Citlaltépetl, Colección Suma Veracruzana. Serie Poesía. México 1961 page XVIII and in 1912, temporarily replacing Antonio Caso.
During the Mexican Revolution, the Villista and Zapatista armies occupied the Mexican capital as Aguascalientes Convention forces, Castellanos officially took over the direction of the National Preparatory School on March 18, 1914.Medina Valencia, José de Jesús. Grandes Maestros de la Juventud: semblanzas biográficas de grandes maestros preparatorianos. México, circa 1977 [año preciso de publicación y editor no identificados] page 19 https://catalogos.bibliotecacentral.unam.mx/F/5ENDTIQFCS2P6CMKYLYCTJBQF1YF48PS8F3LPHLP7QBDVX4LX5-29192?func=full-set-set&set_number=024790&set_entry=000002&format=999 forced by Pancho Villa so that the School would not close,This is what Senator Luis I. Rodríguez says in his speech awarding the Belisario Domínguez Medal in 1954. https://archivos.juridicas.unam.mx/www/bjv/libros/7/3364/4.pdf a position from which he was removed on June 14, 1915, by the engineer Félix Fulgencio Palavicini, Convention government Instruction Minister "for not having behaved in a revolutionary manner during the Victoriano Huerta's dictatorship" and having continued to teach his lessons.Preliminary study by Leonardo Pasquel en Castellanos Quinto. Erasmo, Del Fondo del Abra. Poemas Liricos. Ed. Citlaltépetl, Colección Suma Veracruzana. Serie Poesía. México 1961 page XVIIISomething similar would happen to Alfonso Reyes in 1949 when various national and international universities nominated him to receive the Nobel Prize, but the nationalist Mexican government did not propose him "because he knew and wrote a lot about Greeks and Romans, but not about Aztecs."