DESCRIPTION

He was born in Pego in 1872. He was ordained a priest in 1896. In 1903 he passed the public examination in Madrid for the teaching of deaf-mutes, and two years later he moved to the Valencian Institute for the Deaf and Blind, being appointed director in 1907. He was the first to implement the Pure Oral teaching method, which was invented in the sixteenth century by the Benedictine friar Pedro Ponce de León. This method proposed to put the deaf-mute in relationship and communication with the listener through the spoken word, lip reading and intuition.

The school also trained future teachers of deaf-mutes, with students from all over Spain and others from South America attending. Her pedagogy was considered pioneering and obtained very satisfactory results. He was so famous that King Alfonso XIII entrusted him with the education of his deaf-mute son, Jaime. But Ferrando rejected him and sent two nuns in his place.

During the Civil War the authorities imprisoned him. However, immediately the political authorities, especially the head of the Communist Party of Valencia, interceded and released him, providing him with a safe-conduct with the only condition that he did not wear the religious costume on the streets of Valencia.

Despite being considered one of the best in Europe, the economic hardships of the post-war period were also noticeable in the Valencian school. The only solution for the Institute not to disappear was for the Provincial Council of Valencia to take care of it. Thus, in August 1944, the deed of surrender was signed.

In 1947, for his excellent pedagogical work, he was awarded the "Cross of the Order of Beneficence of first class and white badge", which was later imposed on the Most Holy Ecce-Homo. That year the city council of Pego named him Favorite Son.

He died in Valencia in 1956. His funeral was multitudinous. A year later, the Valencian Association of Deaf and Dumb paid tribute to him, installing a sculptural piece in relief on the façade of his birthplace on Sant Lluís Street, and labeling a street with his name.