Special Collections & Archives: History of Education in the LRGV

Summary

This research guide provides links to a variety of physical and digital resources relating to education in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Topics include bilingual education, higher education, migrant education, activism, and segregation.

Background

The earliest schools in deep South Texas were likely small, private endeavors, leaving little to no permanent record of their existence. Parochial schools were established by the Catholic church, including the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament (Brownsville, 1853) and St. Joseph Academy (Brownsville, 1865). Brownsville also boasts one of the region's first public schools, the Brownsville Grammar School, established in 1875. Most municipal schools in the Valley were established between 1910 and 1920 as the population boomed from people migrating from Mexico and across the United States in search of land and opportunity.

As the need for public schools grew with the regional population, so did the demand for higher education in the Valley. Brownsville and Edinburg Colleges began as institutions of higher education within the local independent school districts in 1926 and 1927, respectively. They gained accreditation as State Junior Colleges supported by local tax districts in the 1930s. Pan American College (neé Edinburg Junior College) was established as a four-year college in 1952 and gained full university accreditation as Pan American University in 1971.

Yet, educational endeavor was segregated along racial, ethnic, and language lines well into the mid-20th century across Texas and the U.S. Children of ethnic Mexican descent attended Spanish-language schools (Escuelas Mexicanas), and Black children attended schools of their own, both situated within their segregated parts of town with teachers from their own ethnic or racial background. The first public school for children of African American descent in Texas was established in 1921 in San Benito. Other (K-8) schools for African Americans were established in Weslaco, Harlingen, Edinburg, and Brownsville. The first high school for Black children in the Valley, Booker T. Washington High School, opened in 1942 in McAllen, and students traveled long distances by bus to attend. In 1921, McAllen ISD and Mission ISD also builts separate schools to educate Mexican-American children. The Roosevelt School in Mission operated until 1968 when it was condemned and demolished (Photo inset, Roosevelt School auditorium addition as photographed in 1966). Most early schools for Black and Mexican students were permanently closed during desegregation following Brown v. Board of Education (1954).

At the federal level, the Migrant Education Program (1966) and the Bilingual Education Act (1968) required states to appropriate funds and establish programs for bilingual and migrant education. The Edcouch-Elsa High School Walkout of 1968 was pivotal to the history of Mexican-American students in South Texas, as students sought the right to speak Spanish on campus without punishment and accommodations for migrant children, among other demands. The student walkout triggered subsequent activism among children, parents, and educators in communities throughout Texas. In 1973, the Bilingual Education and Training Act mandated bilingual instruction in Texas elementary schools, and the federal Equal Educational Opportunities Act (1974) prohibited discrimination against students and staff in public schools based on race, color, sex, or national origin. During the decade to follow, many smaller schools and districts consolidated to leverage resources for bilingual and migrant student programs.

Continue learning:

• Read about the history of education in Texas via Max Berger and Lee Wilborn, “Education,” Handbook of Texas Online. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
• Learn about the early years of the Brownsville Independent School District (Tex.) A Chapter in Education: The First Twenty Years [calendar] and A Chapter in Education: 1975-1988 [calendar].

Note: If you are seeking current resources and information on education, teaching, and learning, please visit the Education LibGuide to access resources.

The research guides compiled by UTRGV staff and students are intended to assist patrons who are embarking upon new research endeavors. Our goal is to expand their knowledge of the types of resources available on a given topic, including books, archival materials, and websites. In so doing, our compilers have taken care to include collections, digital items, and resources that may be accessed not only through UTRGV but also via other institutions, repositories, and websites.

We wholeheartedly respect the research interests of others. Therefore, please contact us if you wish to submit a resource for consideration, or if you have a question about or an issue with a specific cited resource.