Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-03-07
WONDERFUL PRO-
GRESS OF EDUCATION
In new MEXICO

at the meeting of the Historical Society
in the Capitol last night than attended
it's last meeting. The seating capaci
ty of the main floor of the House o.
Representatives was taxed and the
gallery held the overflow. This in
creased attendance seems to indicate
an increased interest in the Society
and its doings. Ex-Governor L. Brad.
ford Prince called the meeting to or
der and Benjamin M. Read was an
pointed secretary pro TEN. EX-Govern
or Prince called the attention of the
audience to a new acquisition of the
Society--a volume comprising the en-
tire history of the Society from its or
ganization in 1859 to it's disruption on
account of the war. in 1861. This
volume was found among the old books
and records stored away in the Mason
ic Hall, and only brought to light dur
ing the removal incident to the recent
fire. 1t contains the first address de-
livered before the Society on March
s, 1860, almost exactly As years from
1 tllC hlSHI VI tiilo lllCCllhS.
New Mexico School Laws.
Professor Hodgins, of the University
of Albuquerque, made the first address,
dealing with the school laws of the
Territory In substance his address
was as follows: Horace Mann first de-
clared that it was the duty of the peo-
pie to maintain free public schools.
The fundamental law of the school is
unity in everything" but the school
law may not always be in harmony
with the law of the school, In April
1922, the provincial deputation re-
solved that town councils should ar
range for schools, but existing condi-
tions retarded the carrying out of the
resolution. In 1852 private schools be-
gan to be established, and in 1853 the
Sisters of Loretto established their
school in Santa Fe. In 1859 the first
legislation affecting education was
passed, providing for the schooling of
the child In 1860 an act was passed
providing for compulsory attendance.
By this law the justices Of the peace
were compelled to visit the schools
each month and if the teacher was not
in all respects satisfactory he was to
be removed In 1863 the legislature
created the first Board of Education,
consisting of the Governor, the Terri
torial Secretary, the judges of the SUI
preme Court and the Bishop of New
Mexico. This board had full power to
organize and manage the schools.
Later the Office of superintendent was
created, and all funds received for
school purposes were to be in the
hands of the treasurer and to be paid
out by him on warrants issued by the
auditor and approved by the Govern
Or There was but little change in
the laws until 1872, when the super-
visors became the school board for
their county, the probate judge to be
one of the supervisors and the presi-
dent in place of the probate Judge. AS
late as 1889 there was a school law
which stated that no person should be
employed as teacher unless he had
enough education to be able to read
and write either English or Spanish.
In recent years the per cent of litter |
acy in the Territory has greatly de-
creased. The school laws of today
are good, but they should be enforced
and not merely be an ornament upon
the statutes. If the citizens, the legis- |
lature and the law makers will pull to-
gether, education in New Mexico will |
make such rapid strides in the next
few years that statehood can no long
er be denied to the people.
Most Wonderful Progress.
Professor Hiram Hadley, the new
of public instruction.
was present and Ex-Governor Prince
called upon him for a few remarks
Professor Hadley said he would not
take up the time of the meeting but
that he wished to call attention to
one point in the preceding speakers
address concerning the clause relating
to teachers being required to read and
write. He thinks that there was some
wag present in the Assembly which
passed this act and he inserted this
provision, and if such is the case it
should be so stated in any history
that may be written of educational pro-
gress in the Territory. Professor Had
ey thinks that since 1889 and 1890
here has been a more wonderful pro-
yress made in education in New Mexi.
60 than in any of the states in the
Union. In 1890 there were nothing but
religious schools here; in 1900 there
we're public schools all over the Terri.
:ory. And there have been five years
If equally as good and rapid progress ,
since 1900.
The Navajo SquaW's Promise.
Hon. Nestor Montoya spoke of what
le had said to the Congressional Com
nittee at the A1varado in Albuquerque,
the drawbacks with which
education in New Mexico had had to
No aid was received from
he national government, but the peo.
pie were allowed to shift for them.
selves as best they could. The dawn
If education came with Bishop Lamy,
who came to New Mexico and was not
fraid NJ tho hostile Indians NOR ~ tho