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Show 322 LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY TERRITORY it | ote 2 vs a Se Peeseme niet: a — agp _ " = ae we ARTE os ESAT ¥ * ae. CRE se a 2 c e ET Oe four counties, whose citizens were allowed to vote upon the acceptance or rejection, although exempted from the general operation of the law. There were private schools,?47 four colleges, and one or two academies, all under the control of the church, and the reports of 1860 show that these were attended by six hundred pupils, taught by thirty-three teachers. In 1859-1860 the legislature provided for a school in each settlement, supported by a tax of one-half a dollar for each child, the justice of the peace having in charge the employment of teachers and the probate judge acting as county superintendent. Attendance was required from November to April. This system continued for many years. Today it is difficult to understand how such a condition was permitted to exist, but the opposition of the wealthier classes was pronounced and effective. The system of peon- age, then in vogue, had much to do with the public sentiment among the more powerful members of society and they did not believe it the part of good citizenship to provide, by taxing themselves, the means for educating the ‘“peon’’ classes. This was ordered by the proclamation of the governor, of March, 1856, with the following result, viz: Counties For the Law Taos Rio Arriba Santa Ana Socorro 8 19 8 9 sentiment prevailed for and was held on the 31st day Against the Law _ 2150 1928 456 482 —_—_—_——_— 37 5016 OULD ee ‘“The returns show that, in a popular vote of 5,053, there were only 37 we to be found in favor of public schools, a fact which exhibits an opposition tot : cause of education truly wonderful. This great enmity to schools and pe ligence can only be accounted for as follows; that the people are so far ae in ignorance that they are not really capable of judging of the adrae of education. From this result the cause of education has but little hope ee ; popular will, and the verdict shows that the people love darkness rathe than light.’’ 247 Davis, W. W. H.,: Bi Gringo, p. 194, says: ‘‘The education of pe females has, if any thing, been more neglected than that of the males, and as of them who can not read and write is greater. number Gregg, who si “4 years ago, in speaking of female education in New Mexico, says: ‘In sf until very recently, to be able to read and write on the part of a woman was © ne Sidered an indication of very extraordinary talent; and the fair damsel wi? could pen a billet-doux to her lover was looked upon as almost a atoms i“ This picture is a little overdrawn, but, at wealthy families, it is a rare thing to see the same time, except among the a woman who possesses these us accomplishments, ’’ ss . . . . . eful OF NEW Tere MEXICO Me 323 many years and was not thoroughly eradic ated until the coming of the transcontinental railways and the immig ration from the states. With the coming of Rt. Rev. John B. Lamy, and the establishment of day and boarding schools by him at Santa Fé, during this period, a4 great advance was made, but the work of this distinguished prelate can not be given here, and will be found in a Separate chapter. The American missionaries who came to New Mexico at this time endeavored to establish schools, and, in some instances, were able to gather together a few pupils, but the opposition of the Catholic clergy to the children being educated in Prote stant institutions was 80 great that very little was accomplish ed. In the year 1858, the president of the United States recom mended th € appointment of a surveyor-genera l for New Mexico, and congress by an act of July 22, 1854, provided PUBLIC LANDS AND LAND TITLES for the appointment of such an official, extended the operation of the land laws over the territory, and gave to every citizen residing in New Mexico before 1853, or settling in the territ ory prior to 1858, a donation of one hundred and sixty acres, to be patented after an Sccupation of four years. The usual grant of two sections in each township, 16 and 36, for schools, and two townships for a university hai made. William Pelham was named as surve yor-general and arrived in Santa Fé in December, 1854, and, in the month of April, 1855, established an initial point for base and meridian lines at a hill on the west bank of the Rio Grande, in latitude 30° 19’. urveys were gradually made under the direction of this official , but the appropriations being small, little was accomplished, the luthorities at Washington believing that survey s should not be too "apidly made until private and Indian land claims were settled. The full discussion of Spanish and Mexican land grants 248 Pew Mexico is reserved for a subsequent chapter. A land 248 Merion net tts H. H., History of Arizona and New @riculty cite Suseeptible ce old province, settled for two Mexico, p. 647: centuries and a half ‘‘New by an community, the best portions of the territory along the rivers and Under g§ © of irrigation had naturally long been reduced to private ownership Rin peg and Mexican grants, protected in theory by the treaty of 1848. In connection way, these New Mexican private claims, and the problems arising Other ha ; 1 With them, were the same as in California . . . but, on the nd, there was no influx TOverg Publie ‘ie fraud, of settlers and speculators to foment conand to create an active demand for the segregation of the eee |