The Instituto Hispano-Mexicano Ruiz de Alarcón opened its doors in late 1939 with an outstanding group of teachers, an original educational approach, and excellent connections with the Mexican authorities. Contrary to their supporters’ expectations, this high school closed its doors two years later. Its failure was a sore point among the Spanish exiles, given the success of the rest of the schools.  It seems that the financial management of the school was always very sloppy and accumulated a large deficit that the school’s director failed to correct. The center closed in 1942. Most of the students and teachers joined the Colegio Madrid.