Was born in Sorlada (Navarra) in 1891. She completed her studies in Pamplona, receiving an education degree at the Teachers’ College to teach Elementary School.
In the “Escuela Normal” in Bilbao she recieved a higher degree in teaching and in Madrid she complemented her studies at the “Escuela Superior de Magisterio” in the Science Department. In 1919 she achieved a position as Professor of the Teachers’ College. During her time in Madrid she met frequently with her colleague Carmen Cuesta at the University Residence of the Teresian Association. There she got to know the educational approach of Poveda, which she admired and from then on it guided her life.
She held a public position led her to several Teachers’ Colleges in Spain. In Cuenca, where she worked from1919 till 1928, her educational activity had interesting social consequences in the city. She acted as Councilor in the Town Hall and then she was promoted to the rank of “Tercer Teniente de Alcalde.” Her political involvement always had a clear objective to improve education.
After a short stay in Valencia as Professor of the Teachers’ College and due to the problems of the Spanish Civil War, se moved to the Teachers’ College in Salamanca to teach pedagogy from 1938 till 1939. In subsequent years se taught at the Schools of Education in Madrid, Guadalajara, and Toledo. Finally she became Secretary of the Pedagogical Museum of C.S.I.C. in Madrid. This allowed her to participate in numerous Education Conferences.
From 1941 till 1961 she worked at San José de Calasanz Institute as the person responsible for the Department of Pedagogical Bibliography. This way she continued the work started by Don Rufino Blanco Sánchez, with whom she had worked on this topic for many years.
In accordance with her professional and intellectual trajectory, she published an important publication, which was the fruit of many years of research. It may be considered her fundamental work: Bibliografía Pedagógica de las obras publicadas en los años 1930-1935 (Pedagogical Bibliography of the Publications between 1930 and 1935), C.S.I.C. Instituto de Pedagogía San José de Calasanz, Madrid, 1947.
Julia Ochoa was able to combine her intense professional and public activity with important responsibilities within the Teresian Association, such as being General Administrator, President of the “Asociación de Cooperadoras Técnicas,” General Secretary and Council, and General Vice-Directress. She died in Rome in 1977.
Collaboration AHIT
