David Farragut American School History
Opened: 1954
Closed: 1958
David Farragut American School opened in 1954. The school was a one-room building located near the tiny fishing village of Rota, Spain, with a total enrollment of twenty-eight students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. The school was named in honor of David Glasgow Farragut, the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and full admiral of the United States Navy. James Farragut was the son of a Spanish immigrant to the United States. After the death of his father, Farragut was adopted by a family friend, US Navy Captain David Porter, who wanted to give James the benefit of an education and the opportunities of a naval career. Later, James changed his name to David to honor his adoptive father. David Glasgow Farragut was the first senior office in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. The name for the school was suggested by Marcia Soloman, one of the original twelve students at the school.
In September 1958, the school moved into buildings located in the housing area at the Rota Naval Station on the Bay of Cadiz in the southern coast of Spain. The naval station was used jointly by the American and Spanish Navy. The complex consisted of nine separate one-story buildings. There wasn’t any gymnasium, library, or cafeteria.