El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-08
Magdalena, \. NJ, March 5.

. MaEQa-ena, n. 81, March &
Editor Fl Paso Herald:
have not lived long in New Me-
leo, but during the time I have her
mere, ] have lived IN one almost
"holly Spanish Cor Latin-Amerlcan)
community, and an fairly well ac-
q1ainted in one community which is
1 wholly Latin-AmeriCan- and assume
these communities to be representa-
i've OF others OF their kind through
out the state. -Dlssa tfsfied' saws in
a letter to The Herald, that the Mex
ican population has had all the time
and opportunity since the southwest
Z became American territory IN which
10 learn English.
"All the time" yes; but ali the on
portunity most decidedly, No! There
are 50 miles at a stretch in this state
I without population enough 10 secure
a scnool for any part OF the year
D mere are communities entitled 10 q
{ school which are unable to secure
! english speaking teachers-and this
] know OF my own personal kuoW1-
] edge One OF the communities 10
/ which I referred above implored me
/ TO secure for them an American
] teacher, saying they had been unable.
TO DO so, owing TO the fact that thes
D were all Spanish blood. and mostl
I Spanish speaking. and had not had
school for more than a year.
Thinking 10 would be an easy thine
70 do, tried e, with no success what
ever No teacher OF Anglo-Americau
blood and any teaching qualificat ton
whatever could be induced TO 20 loo
miles from the railroad and live f01
nine months among people Of span
ish blood, customs and language.
Teachers are too scarce in this state
10 make Il necessary for a QualifIe7
teacher TO accept anything she doesn't
want 20.
That community finally. after nearly
= Hnsn Hla.s Sc i
cured man Of Spanish blood. none
too wei qualified. but, as one OF the
school patrons said. is IL not better
that they learn something than moth
ing at all2 And he Is all we can get.r
D have found these people anxious 10
learn the English language and the
American Ways-and they are learn
ing both,
As for that old bitterness for the
ErlnEo'.' to which "Dissatisfied'' re-
'ers, what about the bitterness FOR
the MeEicanE One very sensible
American mother told me not two
days ago that her own little girl had
never heard any difference made be Z
Ween the Spanish-American and the
AnElo-American- that the child had
niayed with both iupartiaIIv. But.
since starting 20 school here in Mas
cal na- II she PLAYED with the ''AIeEi-
can children, she was IRA ctically os- r.
tracised by the Girls OF her own blo07 I
and Just so long as this unre7son-
able, unkind attitude IS u1afntsine7
by the AnElo-American. Just so lon
the~e is bound 60 he edual bitternez
on the part OF the Snanish-America
Let me add that 7 Go not aunro-
n the bi-lin~usl educational project
because firmly believe one learns
Q lan~naEe better end more quick
when that languare Is the only useans .
q eTnressfon and communication
ana this I have seen re--onstra FED i1 .
city Schools whore ITALIAN and PO-
heuian children. living fin colonies o.
their own nationality and hearin@
only their native 1anCuaEe ~ hone. +
have ranidlv and uuderstandinEIr
learned English in school where that
was the only lan~ulEe heard
Mrs. P. ". Ruleau.