The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 6, July 1902 - April, 1903 Page: 48
401 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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48 lexas Historical Association Quarterly.
management seemed none too trivial for the consideration of the
"Illustrious Ayuntamiento"; and the mark of a good teacher seemed
to be to give that body plenty of material for action.
The matter of raising the money for a special celebration, such
as that of the twenty-fifth of December, was also in the hands of
the teacher; and, from what we know of money-raising in San
Fernando, this was far from being an easy task. The ayuntamiento
had also permitted Buchetti to cultivate the public lots of the house
of the ayuntamiento during his continuance in office; possibly after
attending to his many executive duties, he might feel the need of
outdoor exercise, although one must wonder where he could find
the time for it. His successor, Huizar, evidently had his hands
full, inasmuch as he petitioned the ayuntanmiento to use its good
offices to have him released from militia service. Very likely he
lacked other things than time, but he may well have thought that
nine hours a day in the school-room, at the munificent salary of
eighteen dollars a month, was all the service in behalf of "God and
Liberty" that could reasonably be asked of him.
For the greater portion of the time one of the members of the
ayuntamiento had charge of the school fund, the ultimate control
always resting with that body. Angel Navarro, the third regidor,
for two years served in this capacity. Usually the keeper of the
fund, in company with another member, served as the committee
for visiting the schools, supposedly once a week. Two visits only
are mentioned during the two years of Buchetti's incumbency, so
it must have been that this regulation was more honored in the
breach than in the observance. All elections of teachers, increase
of salaries, in fact, everything in connection with the school had to
come before the ayuntamiento. It was also the function of this
body, acting through the alcaldes or keeper of the school fund
(depositario), to stir up individual contributors to pay their quotas.
Of these delinquents the teacher usually furnished the list, and
either he or his assistant often helped in collecting from them.
In many masters concerning the public schools the parish curate
acted with the committee of visitors, either ex officio or by special
appointment, as was the case in formulating the code of rules.
With a system involving such elaborate details, evidently planned
for external effect, if not for permanent results, what was the net
result upon the community at large? We can not measure this
with any degree of accuracy, but it is possible to note the fact that
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 6, July 1902 - April, 1903, periodical, 1903; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101028/m1/52/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.