When every year, on 22 December, we get up and turn on the radio or TV, the voices of the children of the School of San Ildefonso become the stars of hope, of the fortune that they will shower over our entire geography, and of the adventure of each of them.

The School of San Ildefonso is definitely, within the institutions of the City Council of Madrid, the oldest primary school. It has operated in the city for 500 years. The schedule of both its internal activities (foster services, education and placement of Madrid orphans) and external activities (celebration of liturgies, public holidays, lottery) has always been very busy.

In addition to drawing the numbers for the Lottery, the children of San Ildefonso also drew the numbers for the so-called "Sorteo de Millones" (Millions Lottery), the cédulas de las prebendas, the diputados de rentas y bola, and however many selections were left to the luck of a ball or the chance of a piece of paper.

As regards the teaching aspect, the Primeras Ordenanzas del Colegio (First School Ordinances), which exist today, are from 1600. They were written by the clerk Francisco de Monzón, Secretary of the City Council, and commissioned by the Corporation. These Ordinances specify that the School is under the responsibility of an ecclesiastical vice-chancellor.

The year 1988 is one of the most significant dates in the history of the School of San Ildefonso. Firstly, due to the building's refurbishment and secondly, because this institution was provided with the staff and the most up-to-date materials in order to fulfil, with renewed hope, the objectives for which it was created in the 15th century and that, strictly speaking, are still in full force today: to correct social inequalities and defray the costs of education and training for the youngest members of the community.

The stamp of the children of San Ildefonso is traditionally linked to the draws of the Lotería Nacional. The Lotería Nacional was created by the Order of 30 September 1763. Its first Director was Mr. José Pella and its offices were located in the square of San Ildefonso. The first draw was held on 10 December 1763. The First Draw in which the children took part, taking out the balls, was held on 9 March 1771, when the Lottery Director was Mr. Miguel Joaquín de Lorién, of the Council of Finance. The first student who sang out the winning numbers was Diego López and the Lottery Management gave the School 500 reales as a donation for this collaboration. The next students who participated in the draw were José Manzano (20 April 1771), Santiago Rubio (1 June 1771), Diego López (13 July 1771) and Cándido Pérez Medel, a student who would later become a priest and vice-chancellor of the School.

Thus, this custom of having the students of San Ildefonso sing out the lottery numbers has been carried out for two long centuries. This old custom even reaches its most-anticipated days in the Christmas Lottery, after which the faces of the boys who took out the balls and sang out the number of the big prize cover the pages of the newspapers. Knowing how to sing out the numbers and prizes has a technique of its own. The history of those days in relation to the singing boys is full of anecdotes and interesting facts. Some of these are revealed in information that at the time is communicated in the media. Other remain in the memory of those who sang out the numbers and prizes that day.

History

It was on 9 March 1771 that, for the first time ever, a student from this charitable institution, a seven year-old boy, Diego López, drew and sang out the prize. Since then, year after year male students at first, and from 1984 also female students, have been participating in the lottery, becoming an integral part of the history of our Lotería Nacional, which is one of the oldest in the world.

Thus our tribute to the children of San Ildefonso is no surprise, as they are symbols of luck, hope and joy.

Datos del Colegio de San Ildefonso

Los origenes del Colegio de San Ildefonso datan de 1543, año en que Carlos V concedió una Real Cédula que dotaba al Colegio de los bienes precisos para atender a sus fines. Desde esta fecha, esta Institución siempre ha estado bajo la tutela del Ayuntamiento de Madrid.

El Colegio dispone de un Director pedagógico y una Administrador, con un competente cuadro de profesores que tienen a sus cargo la instrucción y educación de los niños y niñas.

Finalizados los estudios que se imparten en el colegio el Organismo Nacional de Loterías y Apuestas del Estado se hace cargo de la totalidad de los estudios hasta él más alto grado de cualquier carrera universitaria que realicen los alumnos del Colegio de San Ildefonso que no cuenten con medios económicos para cursarlos. Con este fin el O.N.L.A.E. firmó un convenio con el Ayuntamiento de Madrid con fecha 27 de mayo de 1992, el sistema de becas viene funcionando con éxito desde entonces.

Para actuar en los sorteos de la Lotería, se selecciona a aquellos o aquellas que tienen buen timbre de voz y pronunciación clara, a los que se ejercita para la fácil y rápida lectura de los números y se les adiestra en el manejo de las bolas de los sorteos mediante ensayos continuos con material que la Lotería Nacional ha puesto a disposición del Colegio.

En los sorteos tradicionales intervienen cuatro alumnos en cada tabla, y en total asisten al sorteo 24 para turnarse.

En los sorteos modernos actúan 20 niños; uno de ellos dirige los movimientos que han de realizar los demás en las extracciones de las bolas, exhibición de placas, etc.

La simpatía de toda España hacia los niños y niñas del Colegio de San Ildefonso es extraordinaria, como se ha podido comprobar en los viajes que han efectuado a las distintas poblaciones en que se han celebrado sorteos.

* Información extraída del Boletín LAE.