CHAPTER 16

Education

Natalia'sfamily stressed education and regular school attendance beginning when she was a young child. Children walked to school at Santo Niño along cow trails through fields, breaking the ice on the ground in cold weather. When the cold north wind blew, they walked close to the trees and brush for cover. All of the family attended school at Santo Niño, including Praxedis, Eustorgio, Eleuterio, Eugenio, and all the girls in the family.

Their first teacher was Eliza Flores, an aunt to Ramón Flores from San Diego. Their second teacher was Herlinda González, who taught at Santo Niño for about six years. Two other teachers were Lupe García, who was a sister to Santana García, and the other was the wife of Jimmy Vela.

The old school at Santo Niño was torn down about 1934, when a new school was built close to the main road. It stood near Josefa Barrera's house. The teachers at the new school in Santo Niño were Margarita García, Elia Ramón, Alicia Ramón, Herlinda García, Eva González, Belinda González, Josefina Tobin, Salomé Sáenz, and Elida Wilson Alemán. Mrs. Alemán taught school three years, from 1942 to 1945. She boarded first at Diego Gónzalez's residence, the second year at Anastacio Sáenz's residence, and the last year at the Ramón residence.

After the mid-1940s, the school building was physically moved close to the Santo Niño Catholic Church to serve as a parish center. In later years, Señor Jesus Guerra bought the building and moved it to his ranch.

Natalia and Anastaciaremembered how the idea for the construction of the church in Santo Niño came about. Between 1931 and 1932, the community held a big bazaar, or jamaica. The people held a dance and sold lots of tamales and plates of food. The citizens of the community also donated a sizable amount of money. The parishioners raised enough money to buy the lumber to construct the church. Tía Benigna Sáenz Gonzálezdonated the land. At that time, the San Diego Parish served these small mission churches. The Santo Niño church celebrated special masses and held weddings and funerals. Today no visible sign of the church remains except the cemetery a few feet to the east of where the church building once stood.

Anastacia and Natalia were the only members of our ranch family who continued their education beyond high school, attending college at Texas A&I in Kingsville. Natalia completed high school in Benavides. Later, her brother Praxedis sent her to San Diego to study under her first teacher, Eliza Flores, and another teacher, Miss Bernarda Jaime, so she could get a teaching certificate. Natalia went through a difficult period of study to get her three-year teaching certificate, as she lacked formal preparation¹⁰. But she tried her best to succeed at earning the certificate. She says she is forever grateful to Miss Jaime for helping her with a book on United States history. That was one of the hardest books for her.

Texas A&I College at Kingsville was founded in 1925, Natalia's first year of college¹¹. She attended for two semesters, boarding at the house of Tía Manuela Arredondo. Tía Manuela was the wife of Anastacio Dávila, who lived on Lee Street in Kingsville. Natalia walked from there to college. Her professor was Mr. Momeny. Some years later, a gymnasium in Benavides was named after this professor.

Natalia taught school for one year in Santo Niño during the 1924-1925 school year. The second year she taught in a new school in San José and boarded at José María López's house. During the 1926-1927 school year, she taught in El Guajillo. The school at El Guajillo was across from the church.

Nataliamarried Daniel López from the El Guajillo community on August 7, 1927, in the church at La Gloria. The wedding reception and festivities were held in San José because the church was needed for the funeral of Crisostomo Ríos, a first cousin to Natalia. Crisostomo was the son of Fabian Ríos and Natividad Villarreal, a sister to Mamá María.

Anastacia enjoyed school from childhood. She loved to play school. She and Leonor Canales helped their teacher, Herlinda García, with the smaller children. Mrs. García was so impressed with Anastacia's and Leonor's ability to teach the children songs in English and Spanish that she decided to hold a program at the end of the school year. All the older pupils prepared hard for the program, and people from the surrounding community came and applauded each song. Afterward they congratulated the students for a good performance. Everyone was happy and elated. No one wanted to go home, so a dance was held after the program.

Family group of musicians-left to right: unknown, unknown, Eleuterio Sáenz with flute, Benigno Ramón with violin, Praxedis Sáenz with guitar, unknown

Serving as musicians were Anastacia's brothers Praxedis, Eleuterio, Eustorgioand a cousin, Benigno Ramón. Anastacia was ten years old when this happened, so it was during the 1920 school year.

Anastacia suffered from pneumonia when she was sixteen years old. Doctor Tamez was summoned and said her condition was serious. Another doctor, Doctor González, was also consulted. No one was certain if Anastacia would get well. She believed that the two doctors and God doing the major part had saved her life. In fact, it might be said that God granted Anastacia the opportunity to obtain a good education. In 1927 she attended Texas A&I in Kingsville for a whole year and a summer semester, boarding at Don Anastacio Dávila and Manuela Arredondo's house as her sister had done.

Praxedis and Ydolina López Sáenz, parents of the author

The first year Anastacia taught was 1928 at Rancho de Santa Cruz, where she boarded with her brother and sister-in-law, Praxedis and Ydolina. She owned her own car, so she drove to school. During all the years that Anastacia taught, she owned a light blue Ford with black fenders.

The second year, she taught in Vera Cruz, boarding at the house of Victor Gonzálezand his wife, Julia. The third, fourth, and fifth year, she also taught at the Vera Cruz School. This small school stood at the junction of the road leading to Rancho La Candelaria and the road leading to the ranch of Doña Francisca Vera Chapa. Over these years, she boarded with Señor Canuto Benavides; with Próspero Ríos and his wife, Gregoria Vera; at Doña Daria's ranch; at the Don Jorge González ranch; and the last year with Mr. and Mrs. Ismael Chapa. She continued attending college during the summer semesters while she was teaching.

10. The 1921 certification law required that all "future" certifications would be based on college study, but a variety of levels of certification existed, with the lowest requiring only thirty hours of college work and highest requiring a bachelor's degree with twenty-four hours of education coursework including practice teaching.
11. South Texas State Teachers College in Kingsville opened in June 1925. In 1929 the name was changed to Texas College of Arts and Industries. The school is now Texas A&M University at Kingsville.