Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-22
STUDENTS IN
ALL SECTIONS
WELL SERVED
Consolidated Schools
i've Rural Pupils
Same Advantage AS
Those In Cities

InOSe OF NE Lower RIO GRANGE val
lev is the verdict Of national edu-
cational leaders who have made
surveys Of the Valley school sys-
tens and pronounced them among
the best in the United States.
The Valley schools have been
brought to the highest possible
plane of efficiency by the building
programs Of recent years. In al
cities. towns and rural communities
new buildings have been erected
within the past three years TO sup
ply facilities for the rapidly in
creasing number Of ScholaSticS.
Throughout the rural sections
consultations have resulted In rural
pupils securing the same advan-
tages as those Of the urban dis
trictS. and in no part Of the South
has this trend toward consolidation
been more pronounced.
New structures now being erected
or recently completed include a
grade school and rebuilding of the
old grammar school at Brownsville.
high school and grade school at
Harrington, consolidated school at
Progreso and school for pupils OF
Mexican parentage in the Pharr-
San Juan-Alamo district. IN several
districts additions TO the school
plants and many Improvements
were completed during the summer
months.
Two Junior Colleges
TIE Lower Rio Grande Valley was
ole Of the first sections of the
South to adopt the junior college
plan, and two junior colleges have
been opened. at Brownsville and
Edinburg, offering the first two
years Of college work. Bus lines
have been established by both in
stitutions. providing transportation
facilities for students from all parts
of the Valley. Enrolment in both
institutions has increased rapidly.
Catholic parochial schools have
been established at Brownsville, Nc
Allen, Mission, Rio Grande City and
Roma, st. Joseph's college for boys
at Brownsville. one Of the oldest
educational institutions on the low
n border, and the Villa Maria acad-
envy for girls. bringing to Browns
vile hundreds Of students from
Valley points and northern Mexico.
In practically all cities junior
high schools have been provided
for pupils from the sixth to eighth
grades. this system having been
generally adopted in leading educa-
tional centers throughout the Unit
ed States. In most Of the Valley
cities separate buildings have been
provided for junior high school stu
dents.
Rural Schools Consolidate
The rapid growth and develop
ment Of the school systems Of the
Valley cities and towns has been
duplicated in the rural sections
where consultations have been ef-
fected in all districts where the
number Of scholastics will permit.
The old-time. one-room school has
practically disappeared. and is
found only in the outlying ranch
sections. The frame buildings OF
pioneer days have been replaced
with brick or stucco structures Of
the most modern design, equipped
with every facility. These rural
consolidated schools range from
three-room structures UP to twenty
rooms, rivaling the schools Of the
cities and towns in architectural
beauty and fully their equal. IN the
facilities provided students.
The course offered in the CONSOLE
dated schools IS the same as III
those of the urban district. Prac-
tically all the rural schools have
credits Of utilization with the state
university. indicating the quality Of
their work and the wide range of
their courses. Vocational agricul-
ture and domestic science are Of
fered in practically all the larger
consolidated districts, and AL rural
schools. with the exception Of the
very smallest districts. offer the full
high school course.
Interest in Schools Keen
Throughout the four Valley coun-
ties interest III the progress and
development Of the schools is keen,
ard in every district they are MAIN
tanned at the highest possible point
Of efficiency. The rapid develop
ment Of the Valley. the phenomenal
growth OF the cities and rural COM
munities has presented a problem TO
provide for the rapid increase IN
tn number Of scholastics, but there
has never been any hesitancy on the
part Of taxpayers TO finance ex-
pansion Of the schools. In every
section the schools have been
brought 10 a high plane OF eff
cheney. and have proved an import
ant factor in Valley development.
In several OF the cities and con-
solidated districts the building pro-
grams completed within the past
three years are designed to provide
for the normal growth for three
or four years. Experience has
proved that unless such provisions
are made the district often finds
considerable difficulty in providing
for the rapid increase in enrolment
and the ever-increasing demand Tor
additional facilities. Present indi-
cations are that there viii be no
general cessation in the building
as development OF the Val
iev's is being accelerated
each wear and expansion Of eouca-
tional facilities will be necessary 70
meet changing conditions.
Secure Excellent Facilities
One factor which has contributed
very largely to the development OF
the Valley schools and the high
ratings they have attained has been
the fact that the schools have been
placed in charge Of facilities Of the
highest class. Ten years ago the
valley schools experienced great
difficulty in securing teachers. In