____________ On Facebook, where I check in with less frequency than before, there was a bit of a realistic discussion about being discipline for having spoken Spanish on campus, or worse, in the classrooms during the days that my brothers and I attended McAllen public schools. Actually the rule was also enforced even in the Catholic schools and the few other church-associated schools in the area. There was a bit of grousing about it, but most, even the Latin folks who went through the drill in those years, declared that it was probably for the better. One fellow chimed in during the conversation, declaring that he had been punished for speaking Spanish, even though he was an Anglo in a Roman Catholic school (a very fine school, at that). The other contributors seemed surprised at that, not quite disbelieving, but truly surprised. But, it was a true fact. I decided to contribute a bit of my own experience to the affair, in that I had been sent to "the Anglo school (David Crockett Elementary)" on the furthest northern extremity of the City of McAllen. This was due to the fact that we lived "way out" to the north of town, but well within the McAllen Independent School District. We were "farm people", deeply involved in the citrus orchard care business, the citrus business itself, and the raising of cotton and certain seasonal vegetables. This writer waded in to essentially inform the Latin group that the individual stating that he, an Anglo, was disciplined for speaking Spanish was a true story. Certainly throughout the Lower Rio Grande Valley, all or almost all schools had that same rule, up to around 1967. It is hard for our "Winter Texans" to believe now that McAllen, and Hidalgo County was primarily "Anglo" (actually meaning anyone whose first language was English, and who had no Latin lineage). The ratio of Anglo to Latin was about 3 to 1 when I was born in 1947. Almost all the Latins were either colonial Spanish or refugees from the Maximilian - Republican war period (1867), the post-Revolutionary period and the later Cristero War during the 'teens through the mid-1920s. There were substantial changes in the composition of the demographics of South Texas during the l967 - 1990 period. The ethnic ratios now are about 10% Anglo and 89% Latin of some sort or another. The other one per cent would be people who identify as being of Black African ancestry or Japanese / Chinese origin. There is considerable Latin / Anglo intermarriage...the off-spring calling themselves "Hispanglo"or "Anglexican" in good humour.______________ So, we waded in with our own story and the basis for the point of view that we might have due to our historical perspective. To wit:Elvia Alcazar Diaz We went to Sam Houston Elementary. We learned Spanish from my grandfather who lived on 17 1/2 street just block and a half from the school.
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Orlando Caballero I know a Mexican American family that is this way now. Great for teaching the kids Spanish and for when mom and dad need to say something.
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Orlando Caballero 1709 Mobile Ave. Little corner house. Has been rebuilt several times but still in the family. My grandpa was Severo Caballero.
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David Christian Newton I was paddled at David Crockett when a young girl was brought into the class....all of us we little Gringitos in the 1st grade, about half of us were rural (Including your humble servant). The little girl (very cute) was reluctant to speak or engage. and we were scratching our heads a bit...(perhaps she did not like us). At recess three of us, two boys and a girl from the farms to the north of McAllen, spoke to the girl, Magdalena, and she said, very shyly, "....pues. es que no puedo hablar americano, solamente espanol." We were so dumb that we told Mrs. DeWeese, (a classical old battle ax) that we had spoken to the little Mexican girl and she said she could not speak English, and that she is not mad at us." We thought we had really done our good deed. But no...Mrs. Battle Ax dragged us down, literally alternating ears to pull, and threw us on the mercy of Mrs. Queen, the principal. She invited Mrs. DeWeese to return to her classroom, and assured her that the matter would be resolved. We went into the principal's office one-by-one, each of us dreading the three humiliating strokes. The principal's secretary went in to serve as a "witness". Mrs. Queen took the paddle and whacked her desk-top somewhat deliberately, and hard enough to sound at lease something like a swat. I was first, Bruce King was second, and Suzy Quentin (?) was last. Mrs. Queen told us that if we divulged (told) any of the students that we had not been paddled, that she then would paddle us for that. It was a different time. But remember...everyone who was of Mexican / Spanish origin who went through that procedure, learned well and quickly how to speak English...frequently better than some Angloids whose native tongue is English. My exposure from infancy to scores of Mexican workers....Tarascan Indians from Guanajuato, and white Mexicans from the Monterrey - Allende - Montemorelos - General Teran citrus and industrial areas....all pushed me to learn to speak with them on their terms. It was, of course, one of my eldest brother's and my greatest gift from those industrious, honest, and compliant men who always returned back to work with my father, and Mr. Niece and Mr. Alpers and Mr. Schroeder. My mother and father, in their grove-care business and other farming activities employed over 1,100 Mexicans during the bracero programme, and we also had men who were "tourists". When they went back home for whatever reason, they always refused their money, telling my father to send the money, "por Telegrafos". And, the addresses very frequently were "Domicilio Conocido", Yurriria, Guanajuato (or similar). At times in the early 1950s, my father and/or my mother and I would go over to Reynosa to the Telegrafos and send, at times 2,000 or more dollars to eight or nine different addresses...and the money always arrived.
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What was the workers' reason of wanting their money transferred? Because they might spend it, or because they might get robbed?
David Christian Newton (Apparently my response last night did not "stick".) One reason was because the workers did not like having to show how much cash money or certified checks they had when crossing back into Reynosa to find a bus to the west and south. The Aduana officials would take 10% of their total funds, ostensibly to pay as a required, legal contribution to the returnee's Instituto Mexicano de Seguro Social - IMSS. That, as you know is Mexico's socialised, or public, health system. It also has a bit of a pension element as well. But even more than that, they were concerned about falling prey to seductresses, gambling schemes and gamblers on the bus, train, or at the bars or restaurants along the way, and being cheated or fooled out of their truly hard-earned lucre. Finally, however, their main concern was being held up or just plain robbed by force or otherwise by highwaymen or professional thieves. My parents would give the men a small amount for meals and for the better class of bus transportation, perhaps 100 pesos. It seems so little now, but even as recently as 1963, I remember going to Miquel Aleman, for instance, to a nice little diner across the main street from what passed for a Plaza Mayor there. There I could order a decent, small hamburger (very good, tasty, and well presented), and a small Coke. I would pay with a one peso slightly silver coin, and receive one of those huge 20 centavo coppers in change. I would leave that coin for the waitress. One peso....$0.08 American cents. In the year of our Lord, 1963.
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Like - Reply - 5m - Edited
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We decided to publish some of these stream of consciousness exchanges and experiences, partially because various people have suggested that we compile and circulate these remembrances, and partially because I am old enough now to really not be constrained by reactions people might have concerning my attitudes, beliefs, and experiences.
More later. As always we are profoundly honoured at the attention and time that our readers invest with us.
El Gringo Viejo
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