The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-01-03
SCHOOL SYSTEMS
OF EARLY TEXAS
Educational Efforts Were linn
tied Before Year 1898
SAN ANTONIO THE CENTER
In 1912 Texas Passed Under Mexican
Rule and the Educational System
Was improved Over That
of the Spanish.
SAN ANTONIO THE CENTER
BY GEORGE A. scHREINER.


San Antonio, Tex, January 2.-(Special)
The educational endeavor and methods Of
the Franciscan missionaries has been
treated elsewhere. While their work on
the whole was very creditable in result
II was Of too churehly character to be
brought under this head. 1t Is the pur-
pose to deal here with a secular system
then taking the place of the modern pub
lie schools.
Prior to 17eS there existed no public
schools IN all southwest Texas. The cab
lido. or town council, of San Fernando de
Bexar, in that year. on petition OF Don
Jose Francisco de la Mata, established
the first public school in Texas. The cur
riculum, however, was extremely print
tive, consisting of instruction in the pro
priety Of church service, parental control
and public duties. Besides this, reading
and writing were taught. De la Mata as
sisted by the curate was the teacher. and
received for his efforts the modest stipend
of L reales per pupil. Sometimes the
pedagogue had great difficulty in comb
ting parental interference In the train
ing of his pupils, for his educational
methods do not seem to have met with
universal appreciation. Corporal punish-
ment was of course, inflicted, and De la
Mata was obliged to complain to the cab
lido that the parents OF some of his pupils
had threatened him with violence in the
most insulting manner for having pun
ished them.
The pioneer of this educational move
rnent does not seem to have been wholly
satisfied with the progress made and pc
titioned the governor of the province with
view of getting assistance. This. how
ever. was not granted, and shortly after
ward he was arrested and imprisoned be-
cause there were found in the possession
of one of the alcades of San Fernando
documents criticizing the governor. rms
ended the first educational movement in
the southwest.
Thirteen years later a governor Don
Juan Bautista Elguezabal, issued decree
for the betterment of education and Or
dered the alcaldes and alauazil mayor to
see that parents placed their children in
the schools he had established severe
punishments were imposed for failure to
/ do so. 1t is of interest to note here That
| the salary of the teacher and other ex-
| penses Incurred In the running of these
schools were raised by private subscrip
ton We find that In 1915 the contribu-
ton promised was 500 pesos. but that the
| total collected amounted to So pesos,
| reals and two bushels of Indian corn.
There we're many improvements made
over the curriculum of the first attempt.
! AS a writer puts 1t, the mission of the
teacher was to instruct the youths in
! the ''rudiments Of our holy religion and
the primary branches (primeros letras).
In 1872 southwest Texas passed under
| Mexican rule. Many new efforts We're
! made at first to provide education, but lit
tie came of them. San Fernando was in
such a miserable condition that the sal
airy of teacher could not be raised. In
| 1927, however, q government decree en-
forced the Lancasterian school system,
and teachers were employed at $500 per
year, payable monthly in advance. The
number of pupils for each teacher was
$50, but If more attended the teacher
| could ask for an increase in salary The
| course of instruction consisted of read
ing, writing, arithmetic, the dogma of
| the Catholic church and the catechlsm
! of the arts and sciences.
There is no doubt that on the whole
the Mexican system was far superior to
| that of the Spanish. and results were
| more satisfying. 1t may be noted here
that the sessions were unusually long,
! commencing at 6 In the morning and last
ing until IL. The afternoon seance start
| ed at and closed at 8. During the
| winter months one hour was cut off; the
morning session starting at T.
| 1t Is gratifying to note that the ef-
forts of the Mexicans did not rest with
this, and that the system was constantly
! improved. simultaneously the salary of
the teacher declined, and in 1884 1t had
been reduced to SIS per month. The adj
ministration of these schools was ex-
tremely rigid. careful inventory was
kept and the loss of a pencil had to be
reported to the authorities. What Mex
lean schools in southwest Texas We're
like will be seen from the following taken
from an inventory: THE schoohouse
consists of a hall, with platform, two
doors and one window. The key of ono
door is not servceable, and one window
| is without lock.
A small additional hall had small
| window that had bars only. The furniture
| consisted of lone wooden cross, -FOUR
benches. four tables, two rulers, barrel
for carrying water, with five iron hoops,
one hoop being loose on the barrel" There
| were also a wooden gutter and likewise a
rawhide rope. There were ID b { lists
! which had sustained considerable usage.
| The further equipment of this school con-
sisted of four books, one lead inkstand,
one sand box, one metal ruler and one
print of St. Joseph There was lost at
one inventory one pencil, one old book
| of lives Of staints and two grammars.
Uncle Sans Employees.