USA > New Mexico > History of New Mexico : its resources and people, Volume I > Part 37
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It was not until 1882 that the legislature authorized the organization of school districts and the support of schools by public money. And the common school system was not firmly established until the notable law of February 12, 1891, was enacted. This measure created the New Mexico board of education, to consist of the governor, the superintendent of public instruction (an office created by the same act), the president of St. Michael's College of Santa Fé, the president of the University at Albu- querque and the president of the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts.
This law also provided for the election of county superintendents of schools in each county, and elections for three school directors in each district, to be held on the second Monday in May, 1891. The superin- tendent of public instruction was directed by the law to visit each county at least once each year for the purpose of holding teachers' institutes, which should continue for at least two days in each county, and to recom- mend the most suitable text-books in English or in English and Spanish.
The following were declared to be temporary funds for common school purposes : The proceeds of all sales of intestate estates which escheat to the Territory ; all forfeitures or recoveries on bonds of county, precinct or territorial school officers; the proceeds of all fines collected for violation of the penal laws; the proceeds of the sales of lost goods or estrays, and all moneys arising from licenses imposed upon wholesale and retail liquor dealers, distilleries, breweries and wine presses. It further provided for the levying of a poll tax of one dollar upon all voters, for school purposes.
The board of education was vested with exclusive power in the matter of prescribing the text-books to be used in all the schools of the Territory. The county superintendents were directed to hold annually "normal in- stitutes" for the instruction of teachers and those desiring to teach, such institutes to be conducted by some graduate of a state or territorial normal school or other state or territorial educational institution. The second Friday in March in each year was set apart as Arbor day, a holiday in all schools, to be observed by the planting of forest trees for the benefit and
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adornment of public and private grounds. The remaining provisions of this general school law are, for the greater part, similar to the school laws of most of the states.
In the fifteenth annual report of the superintendent of public instruc- tion, issued December, 1905, Professor Hadley gives some graphic com- parisons of the progress made in education since the present school system was established by the law of 1891.
Beginning with territorial institutions in 1890, he says: "There were none, except three on paper. Since then the two Normal Schools, the Military Institute, the School for the Deaf and that for the Blind have been created, and all of these, except the last two, have been developed into a very respectable condition of efficiency. For instance, the university has a fuil college course, fifteen professors and instructors, one hundred and seventy-five students enrolled, $23,000 annual income, library of 6,000 volumes, buildings and equipment worth $100,000. In 1890 the Territory was divided into sixteen counties, and there were very few established common schools. In 1905 the Territory consists of twenty-five counties, each having a superintendent of schools, and annually a teachers' institute. In the common schools of the Territory over 40,000 pupils are enrolled, and of those enrolled nearly every one can speak the English language.
"In 1890 the city of Albuquerque had absolutely no public school property. Whilst not without considerable educational facilities, these were chiefly furnished by different religious bodies, and were sustained by tuition and benevolent contributions. For certain educational privileges free from tuition charges. the small amount of public school funds was turned over to these schools. In 1905 the city owns four eight-room brick ward school buildings, one eight-room brick high school building, and one small frame building. Forty teachers and two regular substitute teachers, besides a superintendent, are employed. The school enumeration is 3,252, and the enrollment in the public schools is 1,800. The annual income for school purposes is $40,000, and the valuation of property is $150,000. The schools are modern in character, and compare favorably with the best of schools in cities of the same size in the states.
"Contiguous to Albuquerque, but not under the city's jurisdiction, is old Albuquerque, that has erected since 1900 a four-room brick school house, and another two-room building is about completed. Six teachers are employed; school enumeration, 807; enrollment, 300; receipts last year, $3,400, and expenditures, $2,900. Also, contiguous to Albuquerque is Barelas with one two-room house, and two other houses are rented. Five teachers are employed. The school enumeration is 503; enrollment, 250; receipts last year were $4.000; expenditures, $2,300.
"It is almost impossible to secure any information about the facilities for public education possessed by Las Vegas in 1890. Subscription schools monopolized the business ; no public school building of any kind or descrip- tion ; a public school taught in a rented building for a few months in that year.
"In 1905 Las Vegas has a thoroughly organized graded school system, taught by seventeen teachers, besides a superintendent. A high school with a regular four years' course and taught by a principal and three regular assistants is sustained. It occupies five rooms and an office in one of the buildings. An excellent physical and chemical laboratory is now being
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equipped. It is expected that a class of ten will be graduated from the high school in 1906. Las Vegas has two fine stone school buildings, con- taining twenty-two rooms, including offices, and costing $20,000 and $30,000, respectively. These buildings are modern, well arranged and well furnished, and are heated by steam and hot water. The organization and courses of study are up to date, and the schools compare favorably with those of any part of the country.
"Santa Fé had no public schools or public school building in 1890. What education the children received at that time was furnished by private and church schools, and these failed to reach the masses. The records show that the first meeting held by a Santa Fé board of education was on May 2, 1892.
"In 1905 Santa Fé has an excellent graded school system, including a public kindergarten, the usual eight grades, and a four years' high school. These are presided over by a superintendent, a principal of the high school, principals of the ward schools, and grade teachers, twelve teachers in all. "The high school each year sends out graduates who are able to enter colleges and universities without examination. The city owns two ward school buildings of two rooms each, and at the present writing a combined grade and high school building, capable of accommodating 500 pupils, is nearly completed. This building is architecturally beautiful, and is con- structed and equipped in the most modern manner. The building and grounds are worth $50,000.
"In 1890 only two official acts were recorded in the office of the county superintendent of Doña Ana county. In 1895 Doña Ana county had thirty- one school districts, twenty-eight teachers, enumeration of 3,699, and few school houses. In 1897 Otero county was taken off Doña Ana county, taking fourteen school districts, among them Tularosa, La Luz, Mescalero, etc. Yet Doña Ana county in 1905 contains twelve school districts with an enumeration of 4,212. Las Cruces has three school buildings, having just completed an eight-room brick building, modern in all respects, at a cost of $16,000. About ninety per cent of the poll tax is collected. Great advance is noted along all lines. The receipts for school purposes during the year were $22,503.04.
"For San Juan county the enumeration in 1890 was 659; in 1905, 1,721; teachers employed in 1890, 19: in 1905, 28; average salary per month in 1890. $35; in 1905, $50; length of term in 1890, 31/2 months; in 1905, 512 months; value of school property in 1890, $1,900; in 1905, $14,150. Included in the above are the towns of Aztec and Farmington, which maintain their schools eight months in the year, have eight teachers, and school property worth $9,000.
"Whereas in 1800 Chaves county contained but one district, one school building, and not to exceed 150 pupils, in 1905 it has twenty-one districts, forty-six teachers employed, and 2,961 children enrolled in public schools. The city of Roswell has three school buildings, costing $41,000, and a finely graded system of schools, modern in every respect. The village of Hager- man has a fine, modern building of five rooms. Dexter district has com- pleted and is now occupying a two-story brick school building. Three other districts are preparing to issue bonds for the purpose of erecting new buildings. At Roswell is located the excellent and fully equipped Military Institute. The Pecos Valley contains also the good schools of Portales,
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Dayton, Artesia and Carlsbad. These have all grown up within the past fifteen years, and some of them, notably those of Portales and Artesia, within five years. Similarly cheering notice might be made of Raton, Santa Rosa, Alamogordo, Deming, Silver City, Socorro, Gallup and many smaller places.
"Where fifteen years ago scarcely a suggestion of a school building existed, today many beautiful, modern, well-equipped ones are found. Some of these are good specimens of artistic design, and they generally rank well when compared with those of the states under similar circum- stances. Santa Fé is just now putting the finishing touches on a large building, beautiful without and commodious within. It would be an orna- ment to any city of equal size."
In addition to the information used by Professor Hadley in illustrating the progress made during the past fifteen years, the following mention of selected localities will indicate the condition of education in typical parts of the Territory. With reference to the metropolis of the Territory, the public school system of Albuquerque was organized under the law of 1891 in the fall of that year, with Professor C. E. Hodgin as the first superin- tendent. The school census for that year showed the number of pupils of school age in the city to be 948, with a total enrollment of 660 and an average daily attendance of 375. Of the total number enrolled but fifty were of Mexican parentage. Three buildings were erected, one located at the corner of North Edith street and Tijeras road, one at the corner of South Edith street and Highland avenue, and one on Heining avenue, between Fourth and Fifth streets. The system developed rapidly under the supervision of Professor Hodgin, and the work of his successors is illustrated by the fact that the schools today are the equal of any city of the size of Albuquerque west of the Missouri river. There are now five large buildings. Thirty thousand dollars was expended in making exten- sions to four of the buildings in 1905-6.
The beginnings of education in Silver City were a paid school taught in 1872 by C. M. Shannon, and in the following year a subscription school free to all, which continued until the spring of 1882. In the meantime the citizens had constructed the first free public school building at a cost of $5,000, which was commenced in 1878 and entirely finished in 1880, and, with some additions is still in use. All these facilities were provided by subscription from the people.
The tardiness of educational means in Socorro county is illustrated by the fact that the first public school building was erected in 1883 at Kelly, a Miss McAvy being the first teacher employed. At Socorro it was found necessary to organize and incorporate the Union School Company, in the late eighties, which built a brick school house at a cost of $10,000 and afterward turned it over to the school district.
In nearly all communities the absence of an effective general school system made the establishment of schools dependent upon the enterprise of the citizens. At the town of Deming in 1882 the railroad made a gift of six lots, and with $700 raised among the citizens a schoolhouse was built, and school was kept by a teacher paid three dollars a month. Then, in 1884, Frank Thurmand and John Corbett raised $1,700 for a larger building, and in 1892 the town voted bonds for $12,500 to construct a two- story six-room schoolhouse. Four thousand dollars have since been ex-
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pended in additions, and with the property free from debt and valued at $25,000, with 400 pupils and eight teachers, the progress of education in this town is not less surprising than gratifying.
At Roswell it is related that Miss Lena Tucker, now Mrs. William Chisum, went out among the cowboys and collected sufficient money to build the first schoolhouse in that town. That was in 1884, and the build- ing was erected in what is now Mexican town. These and many other instances that might be given indicate the difficulties that had to be over- come before a really efficient school system could be established in the Territory.
Hiram Hadley, superintendent of public instruction for New Mexico, was born in Clinton county, Ohio, in 1833; was brought up on a farm and attended such common schools as the country afforded, afterwards attend- ing Haverford College, Pennsylvania, and Earham College, Indiana. He did not complete the full course at either, but in 1885 the latter gave him the honorary degree of master of arts. He began teaching in 1850 and has been continuously in educational work since that time, with a vear off occasionally. In 1865 he organized in Richmond, Indiana, Had- ley's Normal Academy, a very successful school. In the building up of the school system of Indiana he was an active factor.
From 1868 to 1878 he was connected with the school book business of Scribner, Armstrong & Co., New York, being stationed in Chicago. The great Chicago fire of 1871 made him penniless. In 1880 he returned to teaching by establishing Hadley's Classical Academy in Indianapolis, which was very successful. In 1887 he came to New Mexico to be nearer his invalid son, the late Walter C. Hadley. In 1888, in company with a few citizens of Las Cruces, New Mexico, he incorporated Las Cruces College, was chosen its president, and assumed the entire management and financial responsibility. He and his friends began working to get the Agricultural College established at Las Cruces. They were successful, and in 1890 this college was opened, Mr. Hadley being elected president. Las Cruces College was discontinued at that time and its students com- posed the entering class of the Agricultural College. In 1894 the Demo- crats gained control of the Agricultural College, and Mr. Hadley not being a Democrat, was dropped from the presidency. He was immediately elected acting president of the Territorial University at Albuquerque. After three years of satisfactory service he resigned and spent the follow- ing year on his farm.
In 1898 he accepted the position of professor of history and philosophy in the Agricultural College, which he occupied until he was appointed superintendent of public instruction bv Governor Miguel A. Otero in March, 1905, which position he now holds.
Mr. Hadley has been chosen president of the New Mexico Territorial Educational Association three times, and has been active in all educational enterprises. He is the author of Hadley's "Language Lessons," the pioneer book in methods of teaching language to children.
UNIVERSITY.
By an act passed by the territorial legislature February 28, 1889, there was "created and established within and for the Territory of New Mexico
- -
Atiram Hadley.
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an institution of learning, to be known as 'The University of New Mexico.' Said institution is hereby located at or near the town of Albuquerque, in the county of Bernalillo, within two miles north of Railroad avenue in said town."
"The management and control of said university, the care and pres- ervation of all property, the erection and construction of all buildings, and the disbursement and expenditure of all moneys appropriated by this act" were vested in a board of five regents, qualified voters and owners of real estate in the Territory. The first board of regents were: G. W. Mylert, Henry L. Waldo, Mariano S. Otero, Elias S. Stover, Frank W. Clancy. The regents who have been continued from the beginning are E. S. Stover, F. W. Clancy and H. L. Waldo. Others whose names have appeared since are W. B. Childers, J. H. Wroth, J.C. Armijo and E. V. Chaves.
The first faculty elected consisted of, president, E. E. Stover ; principal, George S. Ramsey; Alcinda L. Morrow, Marshall R. Gaines, Albert B. Cristy, G. R. Stouffer and Andrew Groh. Many changes have since occurred in the faculty. Professor Hiram Hadley was vice-president in charge from 1894 to 1897. Dr. C. L. Herrick, the second president of the institution, served from 1897 to 1901. Upon his resignation, Dr. W. G. Tight was chosen by the regents.
After the passage of the act in the legislature of 1889 creating the university, the first board of regents secured the required amount of land, and began the erection of a large building as soon as the funds were available. The structure, known as Administrative Hall, was completed and accepted by the board in May, 1892.
The Normal School of the university was the first to be organized, and was opened on June 15, 1892, for a summer term. In September of the same year the Preparatory School was opened, and in November of 1893 the Commercial School was added.
In 1896 a gymnasium was erected and equipped with as much ap- paratus as the funds would permit.
The Hadley Laboratory, largely the gift of Mrs. Walter C. Hadley, supplemented by donations from friends in Albuquerque and in other parts of the Territory, was erected in 1899. This building affords accommoda- tions for the science work with a special view to climatological investiga- tions, a feature of research desired by Mrs. Hadley.
Dormitory facilities were made possible in 1902, when rooms for men were fitted up on the second floor of the main building, while a cottage on the campus was made into a girls' dormitory. In 1904 the men's quarters were moved to a separate building, situated quite near the campus.
There has taken place a marked improvement on the university campus during the past four years. There is now in operation a complete irrigation system consisting of a two hundred and fifty foot well with a twenty-foot windmill, tanks holding seven thousand gallons, and a reser- voir with a capacity of a quarter of a million gallons. This system has made possible the growth of hundreds of trees and plants. Drives have been laid out with the best landscape effect, and the whole makes a beautiful park of a once barren mesa.
The courses of study and the departments have been extended from time to time during the past twelve years, until now the institution offers full preparatory and college courses of four years each. The Normal
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School gives one year's professional course in addition to four years of academic work. The School of Engineering offers two complete years of technical study.
Since the beginning the university has graduated 116 students. The alumni association was organized in 1894 and has held a meeting and a banquet each year.
NORMAL UNIVERSITY.
The New Mexico Normal University, at Las Vegas, had its origin in an act of the territorial legislature in 1893. But the erection of Normal Hall was not begun until 1897 and class work commenced October 3, 1898. Edgar L. Hewitt, as president, and four instructors were the first faculty. The first name, "The New Mexico Normal School," was changed in 1899 by legislative act to "The New Mexico Normal University."
The grounds of the Normal University comprise about four acres of an eminence in the central part of the city and are easy of access from all directions. Normal Hall, the only building erected up to the present, is a large four-story, brown-stone structure of the Romanesque style of architecture, and commands a view of the western portion of the city, the valley of the Gallinas and the mountains beyond, conspicuous among which is the bold crown of Hermit's Peak, a mountain twelve thousand feet high.
The purpose and scope of this institution are to furnish facilities, first of all, for normal training to the aspirants for places as teachers in the schools of the Territory. But also, owing to a lack of proper educational opportunities in many local schools, several separate departments are maintained in which complete courses of study, from the first grade in public school through the work of high school, may be obtained.
Dr. Edmund J. Vert, who succeeded in June, 1903, the first president of the institution, Professor Hewitt, came here from Stevens' Point, Wis- consin, where he had been superintendent of the public schools. There are eleven other members of the faculty.
SCHOOL OF MINES.
The New Mexico School of Mines, which, rather naturally, ranks first among the Territory's technical schools, has been in existence about ten years. An act of the legislature in 1889 authorized its establishment. Under an act of February 28, 1891, a board of trustees was appointed and an organization effected.
Early in 1892 a circular of information regarding the New Mexico School of Mines, at Socorro, New Mexico, was issued by the board of trustees. In this circular the aims of the school were fully set forth. The following year a president was chosen and students in chemistry were ad- mitted, but it was not until the autumn of 1895 that the mining school was really opened.
The legislative act creating it provides that the School of Mines shall be supported by an annual tax of one-fifth of a mill on all taxable prop- erty. This levy was increased by the legislature in 1899 to twenty-seven and one-half one-hundredths of a mill. The thirty-fourth general assem- bly in 1901 recognized the growing importance of the school by further in-
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creasing the tax levy to thirty-three one-hundredths of a mill. In 1903 the thirty-fifth general assembly raised the millage to forty-five one-hundredths of a mill. This, with greatly increased assessed valuation of property, doubled the income of the school over that of the previous year.
In 1891 a special appropriation of four thousand dollars was made for the partial equipment of the chemical and metallurgical laboratories, and in 1893 another special appropriation of $31,420 was made to enable the School of Mines to be organized in accordance with the policy outlined by the act creating the institution.
By act of Congress, approved June 21, 1893, the New Mexico School of Mines received for its share of certain grants of land fifty thousand acres for its support and maintenance.
The New Mexico School of Mines is located at Socorro, the capital of Socorro county, in the central part of the commonwealth. The loca- tion is on the main line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé railroad, seventy-five miles south of Albuquerque and one hundred and eighty miles north of El Paso. The Magdalena branch of the Santa Fé railway starts from this place.
The School of Mines is not merely a training school for mining en- gineers and those desiring technical equipment in the various courses which it offers. Faculty and students have directed their attention to original work in various directions and have given practical contributions to science. For several years the school has been conducting a geological survey in the Territory. At the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904 the major part of the New Mexico mineral exhibit consisted of the collections pre- pared by the School of Mines.
The first attempt ever made to establish a practical mining laboratory in any educational institution by incorporating an actual mine to work in is believed to be that begun in the summer of 1902 by the New Mexico School of Mines. At that time the possibilities were first considered for the use of the Rio Grande Smelting Works at Socorro as a laboratory of practical metallurgy. As a companion experiment in mining education a laboratory for practical mining was thought of. Considerable time was spent in trying to find a suitable property upon which a model mine could be developed which would likely grow into a paying proposition and which at the same time would come within the limits of the school's purse. After thorough examination a small but promising property was finally acquired and plans made for developing it.
Soon afterward a larger and more attractive mine was found to be on the market and only a short distance from the college campus. Mainly through the generosity of Mr. W. H. Byerts, one of Socorro's prominent citizens, this property, with all its appointments, has come into absolute possession of the school. This property was long known as the Torrance mine. Included in the deal is a bond and lease for a period of years on five adjoining properties.
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