Edna Coll

Dr. Edna Coll (July 24, 1906 – November 19, 2002) was an educator and author. Coll, who came from a family of Puerto Rican politicians and writers,^{[note 1]} was President of the Society of Puerto Rican Authors in San Juan. Coll was also the founder of the Academy of Fine Arts in Puerto Rico.^[1]

Early years

Coll, (birth name: Edna Coll Pujals) was born in the city of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Her parents were Cayetano Coll y Cuchí, a former President of Puerto Rico House of Representatives.^[2] and Carmen Pujol Toste. Coll received her primary and secondary education in San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. She earned a doctorate in literature and arts from the University of Puerto Rico.^[3]

Puerto Rico's Academy of Fine Arts

Coll was the president of the local chapter of the American League of Professional Artists.^[4] She founded the Academy of Fine Arts in Puerto Rico in 1941. The academy, which is now known as the "Academia Edna Coll" (The Edna Coll Academy) and situated in San Juan, has served as the exposition center of art works by many of the Spaniard artists who fled Spain during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s. Among the artists whose work has been exposed there are Angel Botello, Carlos Marichal, Cristobal Ruiz and Francisco Vazquez.^[5] Coll who presided over the academy from 1941 to 1954, was also a professor of fine arts at the University of Puerto Rico. In 1982, she served as president of the Society of the Puerto Rican Author. According to the editorial of "Indice informativo de la novela hispanoamericana, Volume 5":

"Dr. Edna Coll is known in the Latin American literary world for having consecrated more than twenty years to unravel the sense of fiction creation in Spanish-speaking America, and to organize this sense in synthesis and perspectives which surpass the nations where each one of these authors write."^[6]

Written works

Among the written works published by Coll are the following:

• "Indice Informativo de La Novela Hispanoamericana, Tomo V (Spanish Edition)"; Publisher: La Editorial Universidad de Puerto Rico; 1. ed edition ; ISBN 0-8477-2005-5; ISBN 978-0-8477-2005-7
• "Florilegio (Biblioteca de autores de Puerto Rico) (Spanish Edition)"; Publisher: Editorial Plaza Mayor; ISBN 1-56328-158-9; ISBN 978-1-56328-158-7
• "Chile y los Chilenos en las Novelas de Joaquin Edwards Bello"; Publisher: Lex; ASIN: B003XK46CW
• "Vida Y Literatura"; Publisher: M. Pareja; First Edition; ASIN: B004C4BMF2
• "CRITICA HISTORICO-LITERARIA HISPANOAMERICANA: TERCER TOMO"; Publisher: Ediciones Cultura Hispanica del Centro Iberoamericano de Cooperacion; ASIN: B004XD284G
• "Instantes en el tiempo: Mis memorias"; ASIN: B0000D6BQC

Notable family members

Coll came from a family of Puerto Rican educators, politicians and writers. Besides her father Cayetano Coll y Cuchí, who served as a President of Puerto Rico House of Representatives, her grandfather Dr. Cayetano Coll y Toste (1850–1930), was a historian and writer.^[7] Her uncle José Coll y Cuchí was the founder of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party^[2] and her cousin Isabel Cuchí Coll was a journalist and author who had also served as Director of the "Sociedad de Autores Puertorriqueño" (Society of Puerto Rican Authors). Her son, Jose "Fufi" Santori Coll was a former BSN basketball player, coach and television sportscaster.^[8]

Later years

Coll was married to Jose Santori and had two children, Vicente Santori Coll, an attorney and Jose Santori Coll. On November 19, 2002, she died in the city of San Juan.^[9]

Notes

1. ↑ See: "Notable family members" section

See also

• List of Puerto Ricans

References