Sarmiento took particular interest in education and in his search for prototypes to serve as a beacon and guide the fate of the young Nation. In this path, he found the key for national development in the northamerican model, anchored in a strong public education system that was common, mandatory and secular for all the population.

In order to implement his project, he relied on his friend Mary Mann and brought 65 women who, because of their convictions and energy, had a predominant role in the early stages of the educational growth of this period.