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Nuevas Vistas, A Repert of the AnnualCcnference of the Califcrnia StateDepartment of Educaticn (2nd, Sacramento,California, 1968).California State Dept. of Education,Sacramento.Office of Education (EHEW) , Washington,D.C. Bureau of Elementary and SeccndaryEducation.6S33p.

EBBS Price MF$0.25 HC$1.75*Bilingual Students, *Ccnference Reports,Cultural Factors, *Disadvantaged Youth,Educaticnal Disadvantagement, EducationalImprcvement, *Educational Trends,Instructicnal Innovation, *MexicanAmericans, Research Projects, Sociology

Papers presented at the seccnd annualNuevas Vistas ccnference cf the Califcrnia State Departmentof Educaticn are contained in this report. The hroad areascovered are: (1) sccicicgical views of the MexicanAmerican; (2) problems of Mexican American students; and(3) reports of research projects concerned with MexicanAmerican education. Summaries of panel discussicns onMexican American education are also presented. A relateddocument is ED 020 844. ('IL)

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELFARE

OFFICE OF EDUCATION

THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE

PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT. POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS

STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDUCATION

POSITION OR POLICY.

Yij VAS VISTASA REPORT OF THE SECOND ANNUAL CONFERENCE

CALIFORNIA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Max RaffertySuperintendent of Public Instruction Sacramento, 1969

Nue as istasA REPORT OF THE SECOND ANNUAL CONFERENCE

OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE DEPARTMENTOF EDUCATION

Sponsored by

Mexican-American Education Research Projectand the

Project for Curriculum Development for Adults with Spanish Surnames,California State Department of Education

Planned in Cooperation with

Association of Mexican-American Educators, Inc.California Association of Educators of Mexican Descent

Community Services OrganizationGI Forum

League of United Latin American CitizensLos Angeles Teachers' Association

Mexican-American Political Association

CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE

Eugene Gonzales Chairman

John Plakos General Chairman and Program Chairman

Marie Gordean Conference Coordinator and Chairmanof Exhibits and Protocol

Leonard Olguin Chairman of Facilities, Publications,and Participants

Wesley Balbuena Publicity Chairman

Augmented Conference Planning Committee

Eugene Gonzales Chairman

Wesley Balbuena, Gloria Bray, Julio Escobedo, Julia Gonsalves, Marie Gordean, Ruben Holguin, Edwin Klotz, LeoLopez, Ray Mire les, Ted Neff, Leonard Olguin, John Plakos, and Pete Sanchez

Advisory Committee to RegionalWorkshops and Second Annual

Nuevas Vistas Conference

Robert Calvo, Arthur Cisneros, Bert Corona, Edna Cox, Bruce Crawford, Fernanda Cruz, Mike De Anda, Luis Flores,Susan Flores, Betty Fowler, Eugene Gonzales, Robert E. Gonzales, Charles H. Herbert, Ruben Holguin, Herb Ibarra,Charles F. Leyba, Lino Lopez, Luis Mata, Edward V. Moreno, Cruz Nevarez, Leonard Olguin, Leonardo Pacheco,John Plakos, Daniel Reyes, Edythe Rodriguez, Ernest Z. Robles, Pete V. Villa, and Alfred Villa lobos

This publication was producedwith ESEA, Title V, Funds.

1969

ii

FOREWORD

I called the Second Annual Nuevas Vistas Conference to bring together the manymotivated people who left the first Nuevas Vistas Conference with visions of "newhorizons" and convincing thoughts of "iSi, se puede!" All of us who participated inthe first conference concluded that a thorough exploration of the educational needsof the Mexican-American was overdue. At that meeting I told you we had to developprograms that were educationally sound programs that would keep Juanito inschool.

In the 12 workshops that were held as part of the preparation for the SecondAnnual Nuevas Vistas Conference, which is reported on in this publication, we hadopportunities to explore the educational needs of the Mexican-American child. Andin the sessions of the second conference, we moved ahead in our job of developingeducational programs that will help ensure for all Mexican-American children theeducation they need to become productive members of society.

We have attempted to gather together in this publication the ideas expoundedduring the sessions of our second conference. I feel certain this report will be mosthelpful to us as we examine what we have done, set goals for the future, and commitourselves to the theme of the second annual conference: " i Adelante,, Amigos!"

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Hi

PREFACE

At the first Nuevas Vistas Conference, which was held on April 13-14, 1967,approximately 600 of us gathered in Los Angeles and took a collective look at a nottoo clear and not too inviting horizon, and we said, "iSi, se puede!" "Yes, it can bedone." We said this long before any definitive declaration had been made of what,exactly, was wrong! We all knew it was time to turn some power-packed attention tothe educational conditions enveloping Mexican-American people.

After a year of pushing, climbing, trail blazing, and exerting many kinds ofefforts, we arrived at a point in time when it seemed important to talk over wherewe had been and what we had learned since the first conference.

Project members of Mexican American Education Research, Spanish SurnameAdult Education, plus other staff members of the California State Department ofEducation worked assiduously to prepare for the second annual conference. Themain objective was to pace each day to present maximum interest to the main bodyof participants. Very close to the main objective was the aim to establish situationswhere much "give and take" of feelings and ideas could take place. The observationsI made and the impressions I received from talking and listening to conferenceparticipants lead me to say that the Second Annual Nuevas Vistas Conference waseffective and did serve the purposes for which it was designed.

More than 1,500 people made the second conference live. They talked, theylistened, they argued, they thought, they sang, and they laughed. They picked upthe spirit of true amigos with a common, vital cause, and they left the conferencewith a surge of energy which was accompanied by an inner command: Adelante!

As we all know, a democratic society can survive only with an educated populace.It fills me with pride to have witnessed such a fine group of people work as hard asthe Nuevas Vistas Conference participants did to strengthen and improve Californiaeducation. I invite you to read this report of that conference and to make your ownassessment of the accomplishments of the 1968 conference.

EUGENE 0 ONZ ALESAssociate Superintendentof Public Instruction; and

Chief, Division of Instruction

iv

CONTENTSPage

Conference Planning Committee ii

Foreword iii

Preface iv

Instruction Alone is NOT Education Max Rafferty 1

The Challenge Eugene Gonzales 3

Under, Over, and Precisely: A Balanced Bilingual Program Elizabeth Ott 4

Who is the Mexican-American? rulian Nava 5

Sociological Overview of the Mexican-American in Rural Areas Julian Samora 7

Sociological Overview of the Mexican-American in Urban Areas Ralph Guzman 8

United States-Mexico Commission for Border Development and FriendshipRaymond L. Telles 9

Federal Resources for California Education William McLaughlin 11

Commission of the Californias: California Baja California Mrs. Zan Thompson 12

Mexican-American Education Research Project John Plakos 13

Project for Adult Education: Adults with Spanish Surnames Wesley Balbuena 14

California's Program for the Education of Migrant Children Leo Lopez 15

Panels

English as a Second Language 16

Evolving of Educational Programs in Teacher Training InstitutionsAffecting Mexican-American Students 16

Equal Educational Opportunities 17

Effective Parent and School Communication 18

Migrant Education

Counseling and Guidance 20

Effective Teacher Aide Programs

Tutorial Programs 22

Bilingual Instruction Workshops

Mexican-American Leaders Speak 25

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Photographs for this publication were provided by the Office

of the San Joaquin County Superintendent of Schools, the

Fullerton Elementary School District, and 011y Olivas of

Carpinteria, California.

+.1...k,

"Classroom instruction alone is not education."

INSTRUCTIONALONE

IS NOT EDUCATIONLa sola instruccion no es educaciOn. La educackin es

enserianza dotada adems de sentido etico, histOrico, ysocial: es el dessarrollo de las facultades fisicas, intelectualesy morales para la vida interior y para la vida social delhombre. Su objeto supremo es enseilar a pensar y a sentir, aser hombres, verdaderos hombres.

Translated: Instruction alone is not education. Educa-don is instruction imbued not only by a social, historical,and ethical sense, but it is the development of physical,intellectual, and moral faculties for the social goals of manas well as for his inner existence. The supreme object ofeducation is to teach how to think and to feel to be men,real men.

This statement of,what education is all about, made byPresident Gustavo Diaz Ordaz of Mexico, has been printedin large bright letters and posted in every classroom in theRepublic of Mexico. It is the kind of statement to which Isubscribe, for it reflects the goals of "education in depth."

As a matter of fact, it recalls the original statement ofthe fathers of our California Constitution when theymandated in 1849 that "the Legislature shall encourage byall suitable means the promotion of intellectual, scientific,moral, and agricultural improvement." Perhaps yourMexican forefathers who were at the Constitutional Con-vention in Monterey in 1849 had something to do with thewording of that article. If there is one thing in history thatreveals continuity, it is the similarity of thought and offeeling of men separated by centuries of time.

There have been machos in all ages familiar with thecomplexities involved when training men "to think and tofeel." Now, if it were only the professional problems ofeducating our young people that confront us today, howmuch easier the job would be, for during the conferences,seminars, and symposiums you have held in the past fewyears, you have identified the special problems of theSpanish-speaking citizen of California and of the West ingeneral. In this conference you will be examining in depththe many areas where progress has been made, wherefederal and state financial help has been forthcoming, andwhat new legislation promises.

MAX RAFFERTYSuperintendent of Public Instruction

Education of the Californian of Mexican descent, asPresident Diaz Ordaz says, has a definite historical andethical sense. The professional educator has the task ofdeveloping those technical skills necessary to reach thedepths of inner existance so important to La Raza. Many ofour Mexican-American students are familiar with the termLa Raza. They now read a Spanish language newspaper bythat name. And there is certainly nothing wrong with that.

There can, however, be a lot wrong with La Raza if theterm loses its broad liberal meaning and becomes instead anexpression for an exclusive minority of the Spanish-speaking population dedicated solely to political agitation.El Dia de la Raza in the world south of the border isOctober 12, Columbus Day to us. On that day the Hispanicworld celebrates its marriage of the Spanish with Indiancultures. La Raza as a term is therefore necessarily broadand all-encompassing. It even reminds our "Chicanos" thatthey, the Indians, were here first!

President Diaz Ordaz also said, "Instruction alone is noteducation." He was right again, for today we must also bepolitically oriented in order to grasp what is happening toour society. The fact that groups of Mexicans would picketconferences devoted to exploring the means for improvingthe lot of MexicanAmericans illustrates and emphasizesthis point.

Look at this paradox: You have on the one hand a groupof dissidents within the ranks of La Raza who condemn theuse of Spanish in the early grades to reach children whoselanguage experiences have been almost exclusively inSpanish. Although most of these children are nativeCalifornians, their parents came from Mexico, or Cuba, orChile, or elsewhere. Yet, to help these children enter thestream of Ameridan life, we can be most successful bybuilding upon their knowledge of and ability to use Spanishin those ways that will be most conducive to the children'sadoption and use of English.

Those among you who are sabotaging this noble effortprobably are uninformed regarding the best educationalpractices and unwilling to make the effort required tobecome informed.

1

California as you know was a bilingual state under theFirst Constitution for 30 years; this was later changed in1879. You also know that permissive legislation todayallows Spanish to be used as an official language in theschools. Bilingualism is a state privilege; it was notmandated by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

I received a clipping recently about a short address GeneGonzales made during the dedication of a new school in thePico Rivera area. The school was being dedicated to the lastMexican Governor of California, Pio Pico.

Gene asked the "today-oriented" audience why a schoolshould be dedicated to a Mexican who had not only foughtthe Americans in 1846, but had actually sought a means ofturning California over to the English in order to keep itout of the hands of the threatening gringos!

I think Gene's observations on this personality areinstructive to us all: "Why do we honor Pio Pico?" Geneasked. Then he responded to his own question in this way:

"The man was a Mexican patriot, who wanted to do whathe thought was right for his country. When the relentlessdemands of history proved that an American was to rulethis vast continent from ocean to ocean, Pio Pico with allhis family, and all other Mexicans who resolved to stay inCalifornia, simply became good Californians, good Ameri-cans. They continued to work for the improvement of thelands which they still owned but which were now admin-istered under different laws."

Pio Pico, continued Gene, was an example to all of ustoday, as was Vallejo in the North and de la Guerra in SantaBarbara. Dedicating a school in Pio Pico's honor is, to quoteGene, to "rededicate ourselves to those principles of

2

gallantry common to the Spanish speaking and to theindustry for which the Anglos are famous. Our Californiasociety is indeed a mixture; a healthy mixture. . ."

Our American civilization is a mosaic of cultures. But itis a mosaic woven together by those first principles ofgovernment as understood by our founding fathers andwritten large in the history of the world when theDeclaration of Independence was drafted.

It is certainly true that Americans of that age set theirstandards very high. But the fact is, they did establish them.The fact is that it has been America's destiny ever since tolive up to them. No other nation in the history of mankindhas ever set for itself such goals as did our ancestors. It maybe thatwe mortals can never live up to such ideals. But wemust try. Jefferson tried, Lincoln tried, and the littleMexican-American Sergeant Richard Campos of Sacra-mento, killed in Vietnam and buried next to AdmiralChester Nimitz at Golden Gate National Cemetery, alsotried.

I could not close with words more appropriate thanthose of Gene Gonzales at that Pio Pico dedication. Genestirred his audience when he concluded: "If we take thetrouble to learn, we will find that what is lasting about thememory of a man, or of a nation, is what lasting values thatman or that nation left to posterity.

"Material wealth corrupts and dissolves with time notso with values. This is what this rededication to education isall about.

"Let us heed the lessons of our ancestors, and we will bethe better citizens."

This is indeed what education is all about.

"...the task of developing those ... skills necessary to reach thedepths of inner existence..."

THE CHALLENGE

EUGENE GONZALESAssociate Superintendent of Public Instruction; and

Chief, Division of Instruction

I am pleased to have this opportunity to greet you, theparticipants in this, the second annual statewide conferenceto be devoted to the issue of educating the Mexican-American child and adult. We are here at the request of theSuperintendent of Public Instruction, attending a confer-ence sponsored by the State Department of Education.Since the first Nuevas Vistas conference was held, the StateDepartment of Education has cosponsored at least 12workshops designed to explore the needs of the Mexican-American child, and they were all well attended. Ourpurpose here is to discuss the ways in which we can effectthe improvement of instruction of Spanish-speaking stu-dents in our public schools. Our task, which has so oftenbeen considered an impossible hurdle, can now be consid-ered a worthy challenge. It is your challenge and mine: Todevelop new techniques using tested materials to eliminatethe poor showing of our system of education which hasbeen so insensitive to the needs of the Spanish-surnamedcitizen. I am referring to the American of Mexicandescent the sleeping giant who is now flexing his musclesand gaining attention.

Colleagues, consider these questions: Do we have theunderstanding and support of the policymakers in educa-tion? Would we have the present situation if schoolpersonnel were not continually lulled by the myth of thesubtly condescending stereotype of the Mexican-American?

Why is change so difficult? Why have we not developedadequate approaches to teaching the basic skills of com-munication? Why have we not utilized the obvious attri-butes of the Spanish-surnamed: his native tongue and hiscultural values? Are we aware of the cultural contributionshe is making to the Southwest's way of life?

I believe that, with the knowhow, perception, andexperience gained in the 12 workshops of the past year, elintercambio de ideas of the next 30 hours will enable us toreturn to our respective communities and schools muchwiser and with greater understanding of the questions posedat this conference and of the implications of their answers.

We have teachers and administrators; we have concernedparents; we have spokesmen of reputable organizationscommitted to upgrading educational programs for the

Spanish-surnamed; and tomorrow there will be more ofthem. You and I must be a part of that group, and togetherwe must remove the barricades erected by far too manyyears of maintaining the status quo.

Can anyone doubt that this is the time for change? Thisis the moment for creative innovation, and this is surely theday to accept the Mexican-American as a bona fide citizenand a genuine asset to our nation.

I place before this assembly a charge . . . a challenge:that in the next 30 hours, every ounce of energy wepossess, individually and collectively, be directed to thatwhich will result in the development of the best instruc-tional program yet devised for Spanish-speaking Americans.

This Second Annual Nuevas Vistas Conference wascalled by Max Rafferty to determine what kinds ofinstructional programs should be provided for California'sMexican-Americans. If we truly believe in Juan and Juanita,then we must modify our common, spraygun curriculumand focus our strengths and knowledge on the bilingual,bicultural, and, until now, bypassed American of Mexicandescent!

We entitled the First Nuevas Vistas Conference, i Si, sepuede! and we are doing it!

I know that the many parents and young adults here,today, are interested in assisting us in finding the answers tothe many complex and perplexing educational challengesfacing the community.

I. firmly believe that we can meet the challenge. And thischallenge can be met without pickets, demonstrations,walkouts, or walk-ins! We can repudiate the senselessaccusations of fringe groups that attack the bilingual-instruction approach as communistically inspired or asmeaningless tokenism. We will win the battle to educateAmericans of Mexican descent if we resist being mireddown by our efforts to defend methods and philosophy.

My friends, in accordance with the theme of this SecondAnnual Nuevas Vistas Conference, adelante!

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UNDER,OVER, ANDPRECISELY:A BALANCEDBILINGUAL PROGRAM

Today we are in the midst of a social revolution. Aseducators members of society's most significant institu-tion for its preservation and maintenance we do not havea choice of participation, but rather are automatically castin active, vital roles that are central to the greater issue ofdirecting the future of this country.

The determination of this direction calls for a broad andcareful searching of knowledge in the fields of humanexperience, deep insight and concern for humanity, and thecollective wisdom and intelligence of the total educationcommunity.

Many Americans continue to confront economic,political, and social restraints which have maintained over acentury of residence in this land. Immigrants from othercountries fled poverty, oppression, and despair; they camewith hope, but they often found hostility and discrimi-nation. They also found opportunity. Though they had todig ditches, work in sweatshops, and resort to other typesof stoop labor, they maintained their dignity and earnedthe right to make demands on society, thereby moving upand out.

The waves of Spanish-speaking immigrants from Mexicoarrived during the late part of the nineteenth century andthe beginning of the twentieth century and became themajor labor force in the agrarian economic structure thatwas developing in the Southwest. Their educational needswere ignored, and their principal value was seen as thenumber of hours spent in planting, tending, and harvestingcrops, often with not even subsistence level earnings.

Although in our country there is wide agreement,support, and acceptance of the fundamental value of equaleducational opportunity, when it comes to areas of specificapplication, there is considerable disagreement over its

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ELIZABETH OTTDirector, Language-Bilingual Education Program

Southwest Educational Development Laboratory

meaning. There are evolutionary changes in the interpreta-tion of the concept which give a perspective to bases fordisagreement today, but these changes also indicate someinterpretation of the concept of equal educational oppor-tunity for the future. I propose that for the Mexican-American, equal opportunity of education implies anddemands consideration of his native language and culture.

A primary factor in the educational deprivation of theMexican-American is his general lack of facility with eitherEnglish or Spanish as far as entry into the formalizededucational program of the school is concerned. If the childdid have proficiency in Spanish, it would be of no service tohim in the school systems of this country. The fact that heexists in a bilingual-bicultural context can no longer beignored when educational programs to meet the uniquecapabilities and needs of the Mexican-American are beingdesigned.

For the person whose native language is Spanish,improved language competence in both Spanish and Englishis desirable for the individual's success in school, jobadvancement, and psychological health.

The bilingual-bicultural child may well start life with theenormous advantage of having a more open, receptive mindabout himself and other people and may be among thosemost likely to work out for us a new, nonethnocentricmode of social intercourse which could be of universalsignificance.

Obvious weaknesses of past educational programs andpractices were (1) overemphasis of English language skills;(2) under-estimating the power of the Spanish culture andthe beauty of its language; and (3) the lack of precisely theright balance in an educational program which will fullydevelop the bilingual child and harmonize the two culturesin which he exists.

/ WHO IS THEMEXICAN-AMERICAN?

This is truly a beautiful group of people. Five years ago,and certainly ten years ago, the likelihood of individualslike you coming to a meeting like this seemed so remote;yet here we are at a very timely point in our nation'sdevelopment and in the continuing evolution of publiceducation in the United States.

The fact that we can ask, "Who is the Mexican-American," is a sign of new strength and maturity in theUnited States. I view the question in a purely positive light.All of us are witnesses to the unrest and new demands ofso-called minority groups; however, these demands are ablessing in disguise. They remind us that there are stillmany unfulfilled promises and some preaching that we donot, as a people, fully practice. The demands of minoritygroups are consistent with American tradition. Except forthose minor elements that are clearly negative in attitude,the demands of minority groups today show confidence inAmerica confidence that their demands can be met.

I think that our generation is one of the most importantin American history, for during our time the minoritygroups will save the majority from itself. Most of us herewill understand what I mean when I say .that the minoritygroups will save the majority. However, many Americanshave forgotten that America is a land of immigrants; all ofus are members of a minority group.

We have set the stage for a look at the Mexican-American minority group as it fits into American history. Itmay not surprise you that the Mexican-American confusesmany people. He does not fit the pattern of the relativelysuccessful immigrant because the theories about immigra-tion, acculturation, and assimilation have been based on thetransatlantic immigrations.

Many people are sincere when they say, "The Germans,the Irish, and the Jews have made it. What's the matter withthe Mexicans?" This is a fair question that cries for answers.Amid the answers we may find a definition of theMexican-American.

Untold thousands of Mexican-Americans have indeed"made it." However, most of these get lost in the Americancrowd. They become "invisible" due to monetary success,professional achievement, and intermarriage. Some changetheir names, while others do believe that blondes have morefun. Many of these people are no longer identified byothers nor do they identify themselves as Mexican-Americans.

JULIAN NAVAProfessor of History

San Fernando Valley State College

Most Mexican-Americans have not been assimilated tothe extent that other groups have, and this is due to eventsand forces in their peculiar history.

Mexican-Americans are a heterogeneous group. Becauseother groups know so little about them, it is understandablethat people talk about Mexican-Americans as if they wereall alike.

It is not surprising that Mexican-Americans reflect someemotional and psychological tensions. Tensions revolvingaround the question of identity have existed in Mexicoitself for centuries; the issue of identity has not beenresolved there either. (There is no monument, no plaza, noavenida in Mexico named after Hernan Cortez; and onetalks about the mestizo or the Indian contribution as anideology connected with the revolution.) Well, since Mexi-cans themselves are still in turmoil over what is a Mexican,it is not surprising that Mexican-Americans will differ inopinion and that others may be even more confused.

There is constant reinforcement of the Mexican culturein America today. No other minority group faces suchpressures from the motherland as does the Mexican-American. I am sure you are aware that Mexican Spanish-

5

speaking radio, newspapers, magazines, movies, and televi-sion abound in the United States. Personal contacts backand forth across the border number in the many millionsevery year. Therefore, even if you would want to, it is hardto escape association with, or shed, your mexicanidad.

The Mexican influence is not declining in importance; itis rising. At home, fewer people are defensive aboutMexico. There is a new pride and confidence in things thatare Mexican. Granted, Mexico has some serious problems,but generally the Mexican stock in art, music, architecture,politics, and economics is steadily rising throughout theworld. In fact, the Mexican peso is now a little "harder"than the American dollar is in Zurich, Paris, and London.Throughout the world, Mexico commands respect.

Many Mexican-Americans have not wanted to becomefully Americanized. Many Mexican-Americans have pre-ferred to preserve such traits as personalism, close socialand family groupings, old loyalties, and other virtues ratherthan to adopt many of those that prevail in our Americansociety, such as industrialism, aggressiveness, financialsuccess, and so forth. Of course, the fear of being rejectedhas caused many Mexican-Americans to refrain frommoving into Anglo-American circles. In short, for severalreasons this group has been more isolated generally thanother American minority groups.

Cultural diversity should be treasured and enjoyed aslong as it is within a framework of loyalty to Americanprinciples, democracy, and desire to improve our country.Whether we are concerned with the Mexican-American out

6

of political necessity or enlightened self-interest, I hopethat all of us would agree that the goal at hand is tostrengthen America, rather than the preservation of thecultural traits of the Spanish, French, German, or othergroups as an end in itself.

Many people have been "crying in the wilderness," so tospeak, on behalf of the educational needs of the Mexican-American. Fortunately, our California Superintendent ofPublic Instruction has been asking good questions and hasbeen acting out principles so as to broaden the base ofopportunity in public education. Superintendent Raffertyhas done more in California to encourage the teachingabout the role and contributions of minority groups, as wellas understanding for cultural diversity, than all previoussuperintendents of public instruction in California. Thiscannot be denied (and I am a Democrat). He deserves thatcredit,and I trust that he will get it.

Finally, in answer to the question: "Who is a Mexican-American?" he is an American. Everything we do and sayshould reinforce this legal fact, and then we should proceedto make it a social reality. I believe that bilingualism orcultural pluralism can enhance being an American ratherthan detract from it.

I trust that all of us realize that the problems theMexican-American faces constitute a challenge like those ofother American minority groups, and, if these problems aregiven prompt, vigorous attention, they will become pros-pects for a stronger and better America.

"Cultural diversity should be treasured and enjoyed..."

SOCIOLOGICAL OVERVIEW OF THEMEXICAN-AMERICAN INRURAL AREAS

JULIAN SAMORAProfessor of SociologyUniversity of Notre Dame

The "sleeping giant" that characterized the Mexican-American of the Southwest has awakened. Between yawnsfrom his long sleep, he stretches his arms and legs, andthose around him are perturbed.

This "giant" will never sleep again. He is no longerdocile, fatalistic, pacifistic, long-suffering, and patient. Hewill no longer be called the invisible minority. He is amongyou. He is on the scene. You see him, you hear him, andyou will hear him even more.

Now that we are finally aware of his presence, itbehooves us to listen to his complaints: those of beingneglected, exploited, and oppressed. In the overwhelminguprising of the poor in this society and in our day, his theMexican-American's is but another voice.

In this decade, farm workers have been organized, laborand school strikes have been staged and some won, bilingualand bicultural education has begun, innumerable studieshave been completed, boycotts have worked, a SouthwestCouncil has been formed, a Mexican-American legal defenieand education organization has been established, demon-strations have brought results, LA RAZA UNIDA isfunctiohing, an interagency committee at the cabinet levelis operating, many Mexican-Americans have been appointedto positions of import, state and federal officials are seekingto create special programs for this minority, foundationsare welcoming projects which they might sponsor, andeducators and students are organized.

Old leaders are losing their influence, and new leadersyoung and impatient are quickly taking their place. It istruly an exciting and frightful decade.

This decade has seen a fantastically large populationmovement in the Southwest. The movement has beentwo-pronged. One prong is represented by those who havemoved from Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona to Texasand California (mainly California); the other populationmovement within the states is the migration from the ruralareas to the cities.

In 1950, 25 percent of the Mexican-Americans inCalifornia lived in rural areas; in 1960, 93 percent wereurban residents. This shift in residence means that ruralpeople who generally are less well educated and havefewer skills have been flocking to the barrios and coloniasof the cities. Although the same thing is happeningthroughout the United States, it is occurring more rapidlyand in greater proportion among Mexican-Americans, whofor centuries have been predominantly residents of ruralareas.

Although the plight of the urban Mexican-American is a

sad one characterized by poor housing, unemployment, loweducational achievement, and inequality before the law, the

position of the rural Mexican-American is even worse.

Let me state unequivocably that these are not minority

group problems (i.e., Negro problems, Mexican problems);

rather, they are American problems, yours and mine.We the society have made them what they are. As

educators, it is our task to use all means at our disposal tobring equality of educational opportunity within reach ofall children. 0

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SOCIOLOGICAL OVERVIEW OFTHE MEXICAN-AMERICAN

IN URBAN AREASRALPH GUZMAN

Assistant Professor of GovernmentCalifornia State College at Los Angeles

In a classroom composed of Mexican-American students,one frequently finds in microcosm the negation of themission of an educator; for even the most sanguine ofeducators would find it difficult to sustain the propositionthat Mexican-American children are prepared to operateeffectively in either the larger American society or in theghetto community. And any educator who reports that themajority of his students are satisfied or content with theirlot in life confesses to a record of failure and deservesimmediate dismissal.

Contrary to the ideologies and contrary to the Mexi-canologists, the Mexican border does not represent a

protective shield from the realities of American .life. Theproximity of the Mexican-U.S. border affects in no wayschool dropouts in East Los Angeles or in San Diego, forthat matter; it does not improve street cleaning in Maravilla;it does not affect de facto segregation in our schools; itdoes not provide jobs for the unemployed; and it does notintegrate housing. The problems that Mexican-Americansface are American problems; they are rooted in Americaand will be resolved in the American political arena. In thissense, Mexican-Americans have declared their independencefrom Mexico, and it is time for the American society torealize it.

The educational system for Mexican-Americans can bestbe understood within the context of a particular urbansetting. Perhaps the most important distinction that can bedrawn is the middle-classness of the American educationalsystem. This, indeed, is probably the focal point of theinability of the majority of American schools to relate tothe needs and problems of the minority groups and thepoor. It is perhaps a most common American trait to take aperfectly functional system and apply it endlessly in allcircumstances. Thus, while the aim of education thegearing for life remains the same, unfortunately so do thetechniques. This means that irrelevant systems frequently

8

become functional to themselves rather than to the task athand. In other words, the complexity of arrangements andinstitutions relevant to Glendale become meaningless inBoyle Heights. In the Mexican-American community, theessential task of providing for an effective educationalsystem one that will enable the Mexican-American tocompete successfully in a middle-class world becomeslost in a welter of memoranda, lesson plans, policystatements, and teacher-training institutes.

The urgency and the complexity of the task of educatingminority groups is such that extravagant bonuses should beconsidered as a means of inducing excellent teachers toassist in accomplishing the task. Minority group neighbor-hoods need excellent teachers more than they needexcellent administrators.

By the same token, we must question archaic andshopworn notions of a profession that confuses itself with amedieval guild. And the suspicion, lurking behind rejectionof service in ghetto areas, does not pass unnoticed. in short,teachers themselves must have enough self-confidence intheir own expertise and abilities to permit uncriticalcooperation with nonprofessionals of the communities andparents being served.

It is not enough for a teacher to know intellectually, outof a book, that every social group contains natural leaders,undiscovered scientists, and undeveloped poets; if he doesnot apply it to students in his class to real humanbeings he is just as much a loss to society as if he neverknew it at all.

Too often men lament the passing of the frontier inAmerican society, the disappearance of vast challenges, andthe lack of opportunity for exploration, but in theeducation of minority children, there are uncharted seasthat Columbus never dreamed of and potential wealth todwarf the Gran Quivida. 0

UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR RAYMOND L. TELLESExecutive Director, United States-Mexico Commission

for Border Development and Friendship

UNITED STATES-MEXICO

COMMISSIONFOR

BORDERDEVELOPMENT

AND FRIENDSHIP

I am highly honored and deeply grateful for theopportunity to be with you this afternoon. In a very sincereand real sense, I feel very close to most all of theparticipants of this conference, and so I speak to you notonly as the Chairman of the U.S.-Mexico Border Develop.ment Commission, but as an old friend and fellowAmerican who has had similar experiences, both as a privatecitizen and as a public servant.

I have been indeed fortunate to have had the oppor-tunity to work closely with President Johnson, and he hasasked me to extend to each and every one of you hisgreetings and his good wishes. He appreciates your interest,efforts, and cooperation in the solution of our socialproblems, in the task of creating a great society, and inmaking our communities better places in which to live.

I am confident chat you will agree that our decisions andactions of today will affect our country and the world formany years to come. I realize, as you all do, that the taskbefore us is one filled with difficulty and hardship. But, as afellow American, I am confident that we will be successfulin meeting our problems and our challenges.

As you may recall, our great presidents Lyndon B.Johnson and Gustavo Diaz Ordaz of Mexico met in MexicoCity in April, 1966. At the conclusion of the meeting, ajoint statement was issued in which the two presidentsexpressed their determination to strengthen the friendlyrelations between the frontier cities of both countries andto elevate the lives of those who live in the border region.They agreed to create a commission which would study themanner in which these objectives could be realized bycooperative action to raise the standard of living of therespective communities from a social and cultural as well asa material point of view.

Accordingly, an exchange of notes between the U. S.and Mexico took place on December 3, 1966, whichcreated the U.S.-Mexico Commission for Border Develop-ment and Friendship.

Early in 1967, I was asked to become the chairman ofthe U.S, section of this commission which was to becomposed of top level representatives of many of thefederal departments of the U.S. Government. We have tenmembers at the level of assistant secretary.

My first act, as chairman, was to travel along the entireborder. This trip enabled me to refamiliarize myself withthe problems faced by the people who live along theborder:

As many of you who have travelled along the borderknow, a significant portion of the population isconcentrated in urban areas. With the exception ofthe Imperial Valley in California and the Rio GrandeValley in Texas, the prevailing arid and semiaridconditions preclude a flourishing agriculturaleconomy.

9

7'777,77

We have found that 28 percent of the families livingon the border earn less than $3,000 per year, whilethe national average is $5,660.

A large percent of the people receive some form ofpublic assistance.

The image of the area is one of low family income,out-migration, and unemployment, which has variedfrom 6 percent to 11 percent between 1961 and1967.

According to the 1960 census, almost 21 percent ofthis area's population over twenty-five years of agecompleted less than five years of school.

Those of you who have ever been involved in launching anew government organization know how difficult andtime-consuming such an effort is. I am pleased to say that,in the relatively brief period of time of less than one year,we have created an organization paralleled by a similarorganization in Mexico which can now begin to tacklethe long task ahead.

Last summer our commission held public hearings inseveral cities along the border in an attempt to identifyspecific community projects which could be implementedquickly. We sought projects for which there existed thenecessary technical and financial studies and for which wecould anticipate priority consideration by the federalagencies that help finance such projects through loans orgrants. I am happy to say that we were able to identify abroad range of activities, some of which are now well underway. As examples, I cite the port development programs inBrownsville, Texas; a border industrial development survey;a study of tourism; a manpower training project inCalexico; a range of beautification projects; and manyothers in all four border states.

In terms of our bilateral program, we have actuallysurprised ourselves. We have made far more progress thanany of us dared to hope. Our Mexican colleagues have beenmost friendly and cooperative, and we have agreed to workcooperatively on many matters which affect the welfare ofthe border zones. Some of these are: urban development,

10

public health, transportation, beautification, manpower andlabor, education, and emergency planning.

You must understand, however, that the fruits of ourlabors may not become apparent for another year or two.

I think you may be interested to know also that thecollaboration between our country and Mexico followingHurricane Beulah in the fall of 1967 led to an agreement toestablish a formal mechanism for the development ofcooperative emergency planning and disaster relief mea-sures. These are to become operational in the event of anyfuture natural disaster along the border. The objective is tosave human lives and to minimize the loss of property.

Given the particular interest of this group, I think youwill not be surprised to hear that we have identifiedjob-oriented-vocational-skills training as a priority need forboth sides of the border. A group is now studying thepossibility of creating vocational training centers along theborder to provide service to students from both Mexico andthe U. S. We have also begun to make arrangements for theexchange of technical and vocational teachers and forbinational cultural community centers to serve the needs ofthe poor in at least two twin-city complexes along theborder.

The commission is not empowered to execute projectsdirectly. It has no funds of its own. It operates through themany federal agencies that are focusing attention on abroad spectrum of social and economic problems through-out the U.S. The U.S. section of CODAF (the commission)is an organization whose function is to call to the attentionof the executive departments of the government thoseprojects and activities which are determined to be essentialor desirable for the improvement of the economic andsocial welfare of the border. We are in no way involved inany attempts to sponsor development on the Mexican sideof the border to the detriment of development on the U.S.side.

The commission is not in a position to respond directlyto requests for help by providing grants or loans, but I canassure you that any worthwhile program or activity inkeeping with our objectives and which is called to ourattention will receive our most enthusiastic and vigoroussupport. 0

WILLIAM McLAUGHLINDirector of Elementary and Secondary EducationU.S. Office of Education, San Francisco

FEDERALRESOURCESFOR CALIFORNIAEDUCATION

In terms of the question of federal resources, you areessentially the major resource that the United States Officeof Education has at its disposal. You are the people whounderstand and interpret the program-need of the childrenin our schools.

The second fact of life is that we are responsible forworking with state departments of education and withschool districts working with the states on all of theproblems that relate to the federal funding picture. So thereis a teamwork involved here . . . .

Now the impact of federal money in California educa-tion has been very dramatic since the passing of theElementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Most ofour school people (and I chose the word "most" verycarefully) and many communities (and here again the word"many" is important) have faced reality and have begun theagonizing appraisal called for under such words as "com-pensatory education," "instructional resource centers,""innovative programs," "the handicapped," "the dropout,""improved counseling," "preschool needs," and the new"bilingual program."

During the past three years, we have not had an easytime in dealing with the federal resources, but I feel verystrongly that the years ahead are going to be even tougher,because we have had our initial surge of heavy funding fromthe federal level through the Elementary and SecondaryEducation Act.

410.000.04.,

There are three things I would like to comment onbriefly: first, in reference to all of the federal programs,think we should be more imaginative; second, we need towork on a closer relationship between the curriculum of theschools and the needs of a community; and third, we havenot done much with technology and there could be moreimaginative activities in the technological sense, certainly.

I am appalled by the fact that I have not been able tofind a library receiving funds under Title II of theElementary and Secondary Education Act that has in itmaterials about Mexican-American heritage and bilingualactivities that would allow boys and girls of Mexican-American background to consider that the library belongsto them, too. We have model libraries developing through-out the country, but I would like to know what the statusof these libraries is in terms of meeting the needs of theMexican-American child. Library materials are just as

relevant to the boy who has a tough time speaking Englishas they are to any other child in the school environment,and when any child walks out of the classroom, heshouldn't have to walk past the library, he should be able towalk into it, and preferably into an instructional resourcecenter.

Talk about reaching the unreachable star and of dream-ing the impossible dream . . I think it is appropriate in agroup like this to say that we've reached some of the starsin the initial efforts of the Elementary and SecondaryEducation Act. And I think we have fulfilled a few of thedreams, but now we are at the point where it is going to beincreasingly hard and agonizing to reach the more distantstars. 0

--NOVPOLICE

tql

low

I

we need to work on a closer relationship between thecurriculum and the needs of a community..."

COMMISSION OF THE CALIFORNIAS:CALIFORNIA-BAJA CALIFORNIA

of'

MRS. ZAN THOMPSONDeputy Director, Commission ofthe Californias, California Baja California

o :14 ee* 4N

Ill

4

"... the heritage of yesterday, the richness of today, and the promiseof tomorrow."

12

11_

Lt. Governor Robert H. Finch extends his warmest goodwishes to the Second Annual Nuevas Vistas Conference.The first Nuevas Vistas Conference was an enriching andinformative session for those who attended and will providea firm foundation for the exciting work to be done at thesecond Nuevas Vistas Un Hito En Verdad for thechallenging work remaining to be done for the child ofMexican descent.

The Commission of the Californias was created in 1964and consists of a California delegation and a delegationfrom Baja California. A lofty goal was set: to enrich thesocial, economic, and cultural advancement of both states.

The Commission is focusing on: maintaining and improv-ing the existing excellent interstate relations; encouragingpeople of both states to enjoy tourism; exchanging teachersand teaching materials for the enrichment of edvration;unlocking the treasure stores of the water around BajaCalifornia by a study of oceanography; fostering anexchange of ideas among ranchers and growers of the twostates to realize the full potential of agriculture; andstudying the dollars and pesos of day-by-day business witha hard look at each state's economics.

Members of the Commission are divided into threegroups: public members, legislative members, and specialrepresentatives. Each member has a dynamic interest in thethree Californias. They are people involved in ranching,agronomy, fishing, education, and cultural exchange.

Representatives of the Commission of the Californiashave met several times with the United States-MexicoCommission for Border Development and Friendship andhave assisted in several projects, including Border Beauti-fication Day.

Distinguished testimony to the growing stature of theCommission of the Californias is the interest of thegovernors of the three Californias. Governor RonaldReagan, California; Governor Hugo Cervantes del Rio, BajaCalifornia Sur; and Governor Raul Sanchez Diaz, BajaCalifornia, have attended several sessions of the Commis-sion and are regularly informed of the work undertaken bythe subcommittees.

Lieutenant Governor Finch says that the importance ofmaintaining and widening the relationships of the Cali-fornias cannot be stressed enough. We share a coastline, aclimate, challenges, and problems. As neighbors and friends,we hold in common the heritage of yesterday, the richnessof today, and the promise of tomorrow.

.64,,, 0A,Aa,sa,iO4,::64;4,,,,mir4vtia,-4.41,444,,,c-zaw

JOHN PLAKOSDirector, Mexican-American Education Research Project

California State Department of Education

MEXICAN-AMERICANEDUCATION RESEARCH PROJECT

The educational needs of Spanish-speaking children havebeen discussed and debated among educators and otherinterested persons for several years in an effort to under-stand how these pupils might be best served in our schools.These discussions have come about because of the dispro-portionately high dropout rate of the Mexican-Americanpupils in our public schools.

Our research shows that there are 600,000 pupils ofMexican descent in our schools the largest minoritygroup in attendance and that 50 percent of these pupilsdo not complete the eighth grade, and 73 percent do notcomplete high school.

In an attempt to determine some of the reasons for thisdropout rate, surveys were made by the Research P:ojectand some very important information was obtained. Forexample, it was found that 86 percent of the 1,000 schooldistricts that serve pupils of Mexican descent do not havespecial programs for the education of Spanish-speakingpupils; and that 57 percent of the teachers working withthese students have not had any special training in workingwith non-English-speaking children. It was found thatproblems causing the greatest difficulty for Spanish-speaking children are: a limited vocabulary, reading disabili-ties, lack of English fluency, low aspiration level (which isdebatable), low interest in school, speech difficulties, andpoor word-attack skills.

With this information in hand, bilingual instructionalprograms were put into operation in experimental classes in

different areas of the state in an effort to determine thedegree of success the Spanish-speaking children might havein special programs designed around the strengths and needsof these children.

It has been determined that children whose nativelanguage is Spanish and whose cultural backgrounds aredifferent from the traditional school culture upon whichthe curriculum is based may be expected to experiencedifficulty in meeting the demands of the school world.Among the possible causes of failure are these: (1) a lack ofexperiences out of which concepts may grow; (2) aninadequate command of the English language the lan-guage of the instructional program; (3) a lowered self-confidence resulting from repeated frustration and failure;and (4) an unrealistic curriculum which impOses readingand writing requirements in English before skills in listeningcomprehension and in speaking fluency have beenmastered.

In view of these factors, which are generally descriptiveof the school problems of the Spanish-speaking child from alow-income family, programs of instruction have beendesigned that attempt to deal with these failure-producingconditions and to assess the effectiveness of such efforts toimprove the educational opportunities of Spanish-speakingchildren.

As the Mexican-American Education Research Projectcontinues its evaluation of the experimental classes, alluseful information will be disseminated to all interestededucators and community groups. 0

13

PROJECT FOR ADULT EDUCATION:ADULTS WITH SPANISH SURNAMES

WESLEY BALBUENAConsultant, Bureau of Adult Education

California State Department of Education

The principal objective of the Spanish-Surn7me AdultProject is the development and implementation of researchprograms involving adult students with Spanish surnames.In fiscal year 1967-68, we attempted to strengthen theleadership functions of the California State Department ofEducation by improving instructional materials in the areasof English as a second language (ESL), Americanization,and parent education.

Project personnel conducted a statewide survey ofexisting adult-school programs serving adults with Spanishsurnames. The survey questionnaire was carefully struc-tured to elicit specific responses that would be meaningfulto the objectives of the project: (1) to establish auxiliaryservices that would aid in the implementation of thoseexperimental programs that meet the social and educationalneeds of our Spanish-speaking students; (2) to increasecooperation and improve communication among thevarious existing agencies, both private and public, andamong individuals interested in improving the educationalopportunties for Spanish-surnamed adult students; (3) topromote an increased awareness and a renewed concern forbringing into existence exploratory efforts designed toimprove the educational opportunities for Spanish-surnamed adult students; and (4) to provide a professionallibrary as well as a central depository for literature andinstructional materials for use by all persons interested inthe education of the Spanish-surnamed adult student.

Through the project, during 1967.68, we providedcoordination at the state level and supplemented othereducational projects that were established to meet theneeds of the Spanish-surnamed adult student. We were alsoable to (1) develop effective guidelines for a well-plannedand comprehensive school program for the Spanish-surnamed adult student; (2) establish the specific curricu-lum approach needed in dealing with Spanish-surnamedadult students; and (3) survey ongoing projects servingprimarily the Mexican-American student.

14

The project personnel studied the educational assets andproblems of the Spanish-speaking population in order toprovide for the development of untapped potentials.

The project staff improved the level of cooperation andcoordination within and between school districts through-out the state in identifying educational problems andassisted in the mobilization of the educational resourcesthat would enhance the education of Spanish-speakingadults. We also evaluated and distributed curriculum guides,research reports, and other related materials to schooldistricts; prepared research reports and publications; andconducted conferences and workshops for school admin-istrators, counselors, and teachers.

A four-day conference was held at the CaliforniaPolytechnic College at San Dimas, California, December26-29, 1967, to develop bilingual curricular materials inparent education for the Spanish-surnamed adult student.An attempt was made to develop adequate units of studythat would be based on a "survival-English" concept. Theultimate goal of the 13 lessons that were developed was theintegration of all communicative skills. The lessons weredesigned (1) to lead to the development of languagecompetency and to an understanding of the cultural valuesof the United States; and (2) to promote an everydayvocabulary that could be used immediately in the school,the home, and the community. The bilingual materials weredisseminated throughout the state on an experimental basisin order to evaluate and reassess (1) the content of eachlesson; (2) the use of the audiolingual approach; (3) thevariety of materials prepared; and (4) the outcomes whichmight be expected.

The project staff further attempted to identify andpromote the best educational techniques and approachesthat could be used to help students acquire new attitudes,concepts, knowledges; to participate effectively in schooland community activities; and to obtain gainfulemployment. 0

EN

LEO LOPEZChief, Bureau of Community ServicesCalifornia State Department of Education

CALIFORNIA'SPROGRAM FORTHE EDUCATION OFMIGRANT CHILDREN

"Projects that have shown great promise for future educationalsuccess include the Migrant Teacher Assistant Mini-Corps..."

Through the 1966 amendments to Title I of theElementary and Secondary Education Act, the CaliforniaPlan for the Education of Migrant Children was developedand implemented in the spring of 1967. The programconstituted California's first statewide effort to strengtheneducational opportunities for children of migrant agricul-tural workers. Approximately 9,671 children participatedin projects in 21 counties. A major feature of the migrantprogram was the development of a multidistrict andmuitiagency approach to the education of migrant children.Regional and countywide projects were implemented todemonstrate the advantages of coordinated efforts thatcombined the funds and resources of several agencies. Sincemost of the migrant children were Mexican-Americans witha limited command of the English language, the instruc-tional program placed strong emphasis on language develop-ment and English as a second language.

The California Plan for the Education of MigrantChildren called for cooperation with Arizona, Oregon,Texas, and Washington. The five states participated in anexchange of teachers, inservice education of migrant-education staff personnel, transfer of student school andhealth records, and an exchange of information on effectivetechniques in educating migrant children.

The Migrant Program, in spite of the many problemsencountered, has experienced success through the coopera-tive efforts of educators and community agencies.

Projects that have shown great promise for futureeducational successes include the Migrant Teacher AssistantMini-Corps; Multicounty Project; Countywide Project;"Serve Your Neighbors" Program; and the Tutorial Lan-guage Development Project.

The major problem encountered in the implementationof the Title I migrant program was the uncertainty offunds. School districts ordinarily plan programs and employpersonnel far in advance of the beginning of a program.Because of late and uncertain funding, final plans for themigrant program could not be made in time to allowdistricts to hire the best personnel or to obtain materialsbefore the program started. The funding problem cannot besolved at the local or state level; its solution requires federalaction.

Another major problem has been the mobility andvariety of the migrant population. The most difficultproblems encountered in the education of migrant childrenare presented by the wide variations in the amount andquality of their previous education and language problems.Effective programs must be developed that will meet theneeds of migrant children who travel within the state, fromstate to state, and between the U.S. and Mexico. Progress isbeing made in the identification of the migrant population,and further advances are expected as the state recorddepository becomes fully developed.

15

PANELS

English asa Second Language

Harold Wingard, Foreign Language Director for the SanDiego City Unified Schools, pointed out that too manyEnglish-as-a-second-language programs are only tokenefforts to teach English to a child for whom it is a foreignlanguage. He said that programs that provide for a20-minute ESL class once or twice a week will not havemuch success.

He said that a child must be provided with an educa-tional curriculum in his own language, or he obviouslycannot acquire the skills and the knowledges that arenecessary for him to have to be able to function effectivelyin society.

He described the ideal bilingual program as a schoolsituation wherein all pupils would have their educationalprogram presented to them in more than one language.

Leonard Olguin, Consultant, Mexican-American Educa-tion Research Project, California State Department ofEducation, said that Spanish-speaking children who arelearning the English language are confronted with problemsthat are precise rather than general. He explained that whenall the habits of functioning in the Spanish language areinstilled in an individual's mind first, the problems encoun-tered in learning the English language are precise, predict-able, and can be surmounted with the help of a skillfulteacher. As an example, Mr. Olguin pointed out that inEnglish, the volume that is, the rate of flow of air used inproducing words is many times greater than the volume

CHAIRMAN: Leonard Olguin, Consultant, Mexican-American Education Research Project, California StateDepartment of Education, Los Angeles

PANELISTS:Virginia Dominguez, Consultant for English-as-a-second-

language, Los Angeles Unified School District

Harold Wingard, Director of Foreign Languages, SanDiego City Unified School District

of air used to produce words in Spanish. He said that thisdifference causes the student to hear certain sounds and toreproduce them in a distorted manner.

Mr. Olguin explained that to ensure maximum efficiencyin the teaching of English as a second language, the teachermust know about the first language and must understandsome of the difficulties an individual may experience whilelearning English.

Virginia Dominguez, English as a second language Con-sultant for the Los Angeles Unified School District, statedthat the format of a lesson in English as a second languageshould be clearly understood by teachers of English as asecond language. She said that a lesson should containdialogue and structure, and it should be presented throughsimple manipulative media: hand puppets, flannel boardcut-outs, comic strips, filmstrips, the overhead projecter,and marionettes. There is an infinite variety of uses formanipulative materials in teaching English as a secondlanguage.

Mrs. Dominguez emphasized the importance of makingthe dialogue envelop ideas rather than limiting it to aparroting of phrases. She said that choral speaking is a veryeffective technique in teaching English-as a secondlanguage.

Mrs. Dominguez said that the child should be involved inlearning the English language during every activity through-out the day. 0

Evolving ofEducational Programsin Teacher TrainingInstitutions AffectingMexican-AmericanStudents

16

CHAIRMAN: Charles Leyba, Professor of Secondary Edu-cation, California State College at Los Angeles

PANELISTS:Pete Sanchez, Coordinator of Mexican-American Educa-

tional Programs, U.S. Office of Education, SanFrancisco

Xavier Del Buono, Consultant, Bureau of CompensatoryEducation Community Services, California StateDepartment of Education

Gloria Bray, Teacher, Los Angeles Unified SchoolDistrict; and Officer of Los Angeles Teachers' Associ-ation

Panelists agreed that teacher-training institutions mustrecruit and retain more Mexican-Americans for the teachingprofession with whom Mexican-American students mayidentify. Students could say, "This is my type of man; thisis my type of woman. They have done it, and I will do italso."

Charles Leyba suggested that colleges establish com-munity advisory committees to assist in the recruitment ofstudents who have expressed an interest in working withchildren, but for whom there is almost no prospect of goingto college. The students selected would enter a specialprogram, which would include work experience, for whichthey would receive both academic credit and money, andspecial seminars that deal with human relations and theacademic problems which students bring to school.

"During the program, students would be expected to dooutside work in schools serving a Mexican-American com-munity. If 60 of these students graduate as teachers and goto work in the Los Angeles area, you will have raised thenumber of Mexican-American teachers in the Los Angelesarea by 25 percent; in four years, you will have raised it by100 percent," Mr. Leyba said.

Panelists agreed that such programs should be estab-lished; they stressed the need for similar efforts to trainMexican-American teachers for service in rural areas and inmigrant education programs. The Migrant Teacher AssistantMini-Corps Program was cited as an excellent supplemen-tary training program for college students.

Funds are necessary if such programs are to be institutedand continued. Panelists suggested that financial supportfor teacher training programs might be obtained from thefederal government under the provisions of the EducationProfessions Development Act or from the state under theprovisions of California's McAteer Act.

Panelists reminded the audience that programs areneeded to train and retrain all teachers of Mexican-American students, and that colleges and universities havean important responsibility for helping to meet the needs ofthe teaching profession. 0

EqualEducational

OpportunitiesCHAIRMAN: Maurice Schneider, Consultant, Bureau of

Intergroup Relations, California State Department ofEducation, Sacramento

PANELISTS:Joe Aguilar, Director, Office of Intergroup Relations,

San Bernardino City Unified School District

Ernest Robles, Vice-Principal, Washington ElementarySchool, Riverside Unified School District

John Camper, Project Education Specialist, Bureau ofAdult Education, California State Department ofEducation, Los Angeles

Robert Carvajal, Board Member, Colton Unified SchoolDistrict

Bea Hernandez, Office Manager, Operation Contact,Dependency Prevention Commission, San BernardinoCounty

Well integrated schools appear to offer part of theanswer for seeking equal educational opportunities forMexican-American pupils, according to Maurice Schneider,Consultant in the Bureau of Intergroup Relations, Cali-fornia State Department of Education.

Efforts to improve home and school mutual understand-ing are sorely needed, stressed Mrs. Bea Hernandez, whoworks in a San Bernardino community referral center calledOperation Contacts.

Joe Aguilar, Director, Office of Intergroup Relations,San Bernardino City Unified School District, pointed outthat the Mexican-American needs to be taught about hiscultural heritage. This, he said, would help Mexican-Americans to build strong self-images. Such a buildup, heintimated, would strengthen such citizens in their participa-tion in all social activities particularly in school.

Robert Carvajal, Board Member of the Colton UnifiedSchool District, indicated that the Mexican population wasapathetic to the conditions of de facto segregation. He

17

stated that if Mexican-American citizens would face thefact that de facto segregation does exist, they would causechanges to be made in the community which would breakup the barrios and cause changes in school personnel hiringpractices, and soon there would be genuine equal educa-tional opportunities.

Ernest Robles, Vice-Principal, Washington ElementarySchool, Riverside Unified School District, pointed out thateducational bodies have been spending a lot of time indiagnosing the problems of minority groups, but they havenot been able to proceed to the prescriptive stage. He saidthat the "melting pot" philosophy does not apply to theMexican-American because the Mexico-United Statesumbilical cord has not been severed, and the immigration ofMexicans to the United States will continue for a long time.Because of this influx, Mr. Robles said, we must devise aneffective way to educate pupils of Mexican descent.

John Camper, Consultant in the Bureau of AdultEducation, said that the schools have a powerful responsi-bility for teaching every child that he has value. He saidthat much of this teaching should be accomplished throughaccurate presentation of the valuable contributions madeby ethnic groups throughout the history of this country.

Mr. Camper added that children with different back-grounds gain much from going to school with one another.

A lady in the audience said that schools in her districtare completely integrated but that Mexican-American chil-dren are still doing poorly. She suggested that a stumblingblock to the success of these children is the poor attitude ofthe teachers. Without a thorough understanding of thechildren being taught, she added, a teacher can misinter-pret, misunderstand, and thus fail to communicate withthem.

The panelists agreed that there were problems through-out the state which were caused, unfortunately, by theattitudes of teachers and the attitudes of administrators.

The second session was devoted to a discussion of thepresentations made in the first session. The followingcomments are representative of those made at this session:

That's what it's all about attitude.

I think that we should work toward the day when wedo not identify ourselves as Mexican-Americans.

This is the first of these conferences that I haveattended. I think this has been very challenging to mebecause I am a superintendent of schools, and I have aSpanish surname.

Just to move a person out of a ghetto or barriowithout changing the individual is not doing very much.

The great problem of Mexican-Americans in the Stateof California is not that they are bilingual, but that theyhave low language skills in both Spanish and English.

We need to come up with strongly worded statementsthat effectively express our challenges to superintend-ents and board members.

I think I often use the word for love in the Greeksense, "Philos," "love for humanity" and this is onething that teachers very often forget.

The teachers, administrators, and board members aregoing to have to be prepared to try new programs.

I believe that, when you desegregate the schools, youmust provide programs that will offer the children beingintegrated the most positive experience.

Effective Parent and School CommunicationWalt Symons, Assistant Superintendent, Alum Rock

Union Elementary School District, Santa Clara County,opened the session by pointing out that in order tounderstand a child in any classroom, something must beknown of the child's frame of reference. "This frame ofreference is built into the child by his parents, so in orderto learn what makes a child go, there must be effectivecontact made with his parents."

He explained that teachers, counselors, liaison personnel,and all others who seek to learn more about the child's"frame of reference," will, through contacts with his

18

parents, increase his chances of establishing effectivecommunication with the child.

One of the areas in which dramatic changes have beentaking place during the last two generations is that ofcommunity and school communications. The most recentdevelopments are the direct challenges and messages ofdissent being issued to school systems by citizens andstudents. Here is a real situation with which the school andcommunity may test their skills of communication, Dr.Symons suggested.

CHAIRMAN: Walt Symons, Assistant Superintendent,Alum Rock Union Elementary School District, SantaClara County

PANELISTS:Assemblyman William Campbell, 50th Assembly District

Arnold Rodriguez, Director, Community Relations, LosAngeles Unified School District

William J. J. Smith, Project Education Specialist, Bureauof Adult Education, California State Department ofEducation

Tony Sierra, Board Member, Calexico Unified SchoolDistrict

Dr. Symons also suggested that if a school system couldnot handle problems arising from dissent through existingchannels of communication, then it had better broaden thechannels to ensure better opportunity for effective com-munication.

Tony Sierra, school board member, Calexico UnifiedSchool District, said that in every aspect of livingbusiness, society, education much importance is placedon matters involving human relations, and the preservationof good human relations depends on effectivecommunication.

I think it is imperative, Mr. Sierra said, that schooldistricts located in Spanish-speaking communities have onthe staff a person who is able to communicate with thesepeople in Spanish. He added that relatively simple problemsquickly become critH,.al problems when effective communi-cation does 'not exist.

Mr. Sierra said that classroom teachers play an importantrole in good parent-school relations. He suggested thatperhaps home visits should become a required part of ateacher's duties.

Assemblyman William Campbell (55th AssemblyDistrict) opened his presentation with the suggestion thateducation is communication at its highest degree ofrefinement.

The assemblyman reminded the group that moderncommunication has been accelerated by educational tele-vision, radio, and other audiovisual media, and he said thatthis acceleration often widens an already existing communi-cation gap between parents and their offspring.

Assemblyman Campbell explained that this speeded-upcommunication presented a real challenge to educators. Hewent on to say that educators would need to work veryhard to keep the software (curricular material) that thehigh-speed, highly technical hardware (the machines) usesas up-to-date as the machines are.

He said that persons involved in school-communitycommunications must completely understand the impor-tance of such an undertaking and must recognize thenecessity of being prepared to handle the difficulties theywill be required to overcome.

Arnold Rodriguez, Director of Community Relations forthe Los Angeles Unified School District, pointed out that amajor reason for poor communication between the schooland the community is that no effective lines of communica-tion exist. He explained that many education and com-munity programs that are designed for Mexican-Americanchildren (and parents) are planned and produced withoutsufficient contact with Mexican-Americans. Programs ofthis nature would be much more successful if the Mexican-American citizen were involved in the planning andexecution of the programs.

Many communication problems arise, Mr. Rodriguezexplained, because Mexican-Americans are not familiar withprocedures. He said that many administrators are goodtechnicians but very poor human-relations people.

He admonished school people to make effective movesto meet the needs of the Mexican-American communityrather than stand by and let somebody else talk theMexican-American community into making demands.

William J. J. Smith, Consultant in Adult Education withthe California State Department of Education, said that inschool and parent communication, the "transmitter" andthe "receiver" should be on the same frequency, and thatboth should be turned on and in good working order beforeany communication is attempted. He pointed out that theform of the message should be unmistakably clear, and thatwhen a different language might be an obstacle, perhaps thechildren should be used to relay the messages ofcommunication.

Mr. Smith suggested that more effective communicationcould be established if parent-teacher conferences could beconducted in the homes rather than in the schools.

John Erickson, community relations worker from theSweetwater Union High School District in Chula Vista,distributed an information sheet which, he said, outlinedinitial procedures for establishing effective school-community relations. He said school personnel can beeffective in the field; can get parents involved in discussingtheir problems; and can get parents to come to the schooland communicate their problems to school personnel. Hesaid that effective school-community relations depend onhow well the district personnel get to the people and listento what they have to say. He admonished that theconsequences of poor communication would be unbelieve-ably costly. He said he was extremely hopeful that schoolsystems would take positive leadership roles in establishingstrong lines of communication with the communities theyserve.

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Migrant Education

CHAIRMAN: Leo R. Lopez, Chief, Bureau of CommunityServices, California State Department of Education

PANELISTS:Vidal Rivera, Director, Migrant Child Education,

Arizona State Department of Public Instruction,Phoenix

Ramiro Reyes, Consultant, Bureau of CommunityServices, California State Department of Education

Ernest Paramo, Coordinator, Compensatory Education,Monterey County

William Encinas, Teacher Corps Program, University ofSouthern California

Ted Zimmerman, Project Education Specialist, AdultEducation, California State Department of Education

In many ways the educational problems of migrantchildren are similar to those problems of the children wholive in urban areas and who are disadvantaged. Both groupsface language handicaps, healt!. deficiencies, and problemsof cultural identity. Migrant children, however, have oneother important educational handicap which results fromtheir mobility. As their parents follow the crops theirpaths are as unpredictable as the weather the children'slearning experiences are interrupted and their educationalprogress impeded.

Educators deeply concerned with improving educationfor migrant children have asked how we can focus on amoving target. The migrant child moves from county tocounty and from state to state.

Interstate cooperation among educators may help tosolve some of the problems confronted by children whomust move from school to school. A trend is evidenttoward interstate standardization of records, better andmore accessible systems of educational identification, and astandardized curriculum.

In addition, educational material is being developed tomeet the needs of a mobile population. Migrant childrenmay soon be taking "zip tests" and carrying "zip packs" ofeducational material with them as they move from area toarea and school to school. Such materials will helpeliminate breaks in the children's learning continuity.

There is also a trend toward total education. There is agrowing concern to educate all persons who have an effectupon and stake in the future of the migrant child.

Important questions need to be asked about the goals ofeducation programs designed to meet the special needs ofmigrant children. Are educators preparing the migrant childto compete in an industrialized society, or are they failingto teach him the skills which he will need to operate themachinery which in fifteen years will do the work hisparents now do in the fields? Is the child receiving thequality of education which will allow him to choosebetween a life of mobility or of stability for him and hischildren? Will an inefficient educational program prohibitthe child from making a choice about his future?

The answers to these questions will one day determinewhether migrant children will look forward to "NuevasVistas" or look backward in anger.

Counseling and GuidanceSpeakers in this workshop, "Counseling and Guidance,"

agreed that some of the most effective counselors areclassroom teachers. One panelist quoted from ElaineDawson's book, On the Outskirts of Hope EducatingYouth from Poverty Areas: "The teaching of any subjectdepends not so much on techniques as on understanding ofhuman behavior. Techniques are easy to master. A goodteacher has to play many roles. He has to be a counselor,psychologist, a sociologist, cultural anthropologist, andfriend."

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The panel made several strong points in identifying someof the difficulties that the Mexican-American pupil faces:The requirements of living in two cultures and of attempt-ing to communicate in two languages has created amongour Mexican-American youth many problems of identityand learning, the enormity of which has not yet been trulydetermined or accurately appraised. For thousands ofSpanish-speaking families, or children from these families,the public schools have not kept their glibly-made promiseof an education which will prepare them for productiveroles in the economic and social life of our nation.

CHAIRMAN: Steve Moreno, Psychologist, Riverside Uni-fied School District

PANELISTS:Eugene De Gabriele, Project Education Specialist,

Bureau of Adult Education, California State Depart-ment of Education

Robert H. Ponce, Counselor and English-as-a-second-language teacher, Santa Paula High School, VenturaCounty

Henry J. Heydt, Jr., Consultant, Bureau of PupilPersonnel Services, California State Department ofEducation

Mrs. Luella L. Card, Principal, Garfield Adult HighSchool, Los Angeles Unified School District

The objective of still another project, ACT (AdvancedCounseling Technology), is the development of 8mmcartridge films which can be used by the student to seewhat a person in a given occupation is generally expected todo. Current plans call for the production of these 6-minutefilms with sound tracks in both the English and Spanishlanguages.

The panelists agreed that counselors must make positiveand frequent contacts with the parents of the Mexican-

-

American child if they are to provide effective counselingand guidance services. They emphasized that somehow theschool must be made accessible to parents of Mexican-American children. One panelist said, "It is the peoplebarrier that must be broken down not so much thelanguage barrier."

The audience was told that one of the major concerns inthe area of counseling and guidance is how to presentoccupational or vocational information to students in sucha way that they can understand it and use it. The types.ofinformation and materials available to the counselor arevery limited in terms of vocational information. Theacademically-oriented counselor needs practical informa-tion and materials that relate to nonacademic occupationsto assist in counseling his"students. Preparing a counselor tohelp the student is an important job.

One panelist explained that the Bureau of Pupil Person-nel Services is working very closely with EducationalResources International in the production of materialsdirected toward providing assistance to the counselor. Healso explained that the objective of another program,Project VIEW (Vital Education for Educational Work), is topresent on microfilm information about various occupa-tions: schools and training facilities; employers; employ-ment trends; and sources of additional information, includ-ing addresses and telephone numbers.

Effective Teacher Aide Programs

111111k&

"Teacher aides give us an extra chance to provide for each child inthe classroom one more opportunity to learn and to succeed."

CHAIRMAN: Roy Steeves, Assistant Chief, Bureau ofAdult Education, California State Department of Educa-tion, Los Angeles

PANELISTS:John T. Jimenez, Principal, Maple Elementary School,

Fullerton Elementary School District, Orange County

Edward V. Moreno, Foreign Language Consultant,Ventura County

Mrs. Eleanor Thonis, Director, Yuba County Reading-Learning Center, Wheatland

Edwin F. Klotz, Administrative Consultant, CaliforniaState Department of Education

...1..IIITIR11.111M1117111-

Support for teacher-aide programs comes from teachers,aides, administrators, and the community. As a result of theadditional help, teachers are able to spend more time oninstruction and give more service to students. Teacher aidesgive us an extra chance to provide for each child in theclassroom one more opportunity to learn and to succeed.

21

The selection of the teacher aide is crucial to the successof the program. Criteria for the selection of teacher aidesshould include evidence of trainability, maturity, andability to get along with children. Bilingualism would, ofcourse, be a distinct asset.

Preservice and inservice training programs for the teacheraide were also considered critical for both the teacher andthe aide. One panel member noted that "when ourcredentialled staff did not understand the great number ofactivities in which an aide might be used, we lost a lot."

Many types of aides were discussed by the panel.Spanish-speaking persons may be utilized effectively in thefollowing positions:

1. The teacher aide. Sometimes this person is called achildren's aide or a program aide. This aide works inthe classroom under supervision of certificatedpersonnel.

2. The health aide. In some target areas, neither theschool nurse nor the administrator can speak Spanish.A bilingual aide would be of great help in theadministration of the health program.

3. The medical aide. This aide helps children who havephysical handicaps, such as muscular dystrophy.

4. The extended-practice aide. This aide helps teach theSpanish language to students (and often teachers) atthe convenience and under supervision of a certifi-cated person.

5. The parent-service aide. This aide can help to bridgethe gap between home and school.

6. The cultural aide. This worker assists in the super-vision of study trips and other cultural enrichmentprograms.

7. The administrative aide. This aide helps with paper-work and helps to free the principal for otherimportant tasks.

One important shortcoming in most programs wasnoted. Too often, a "performance outcome" or "behavioralguide" had not been prepared for the aide programs, so theopportunities for objective evaluation of the program havebeen limited.

Tutorial ProgramsCHAIRMAN: John Sherman, Superintendent, San Ysidro

Elementary School District, San Diego County

PANELISTS:Antonio Valle, Jr., Volunteer Tutorial Program, Fuller-

ton Elementary School District, Orange County

22

Gilbert J. Solano, County Coordinator, OperationSHARE, Santa Clara County

Fabio Clet, Principal, Nelson Elementary School, Pine-dale, Fresno County

Robert A. Olivas, Councilman, Member of National GI.Forum Education Committee, Carpinteria, SantaBarbara County

Daniel C. Reyes, Former Director, Interstate MigrantEducation Project, Title V, ESEA, Los Angeles

The panel discussed various tutorial programs, includingthe project in Carpinteria. When this project began, 12students participated in a bilingual program that wasconducted on Saturdays with the assistance of tutors fromthe University of California at Santa Barbara. The enroll-ment in the program has increased to 60 students, and theprogram has expanded to include home visitations andstudent-tutor participation in various cultural activities ofthe local and surrounding area. During the summer months,the program was conducted on a daily basis. The programwas financed through the efforts of the UCSB AssociatedStudents.

Another program that is steadily increasing in popularityin Santa Clara County is Operation SHARE. This programis conducted on a one-tutor-for-each-student basis. Thetutor goes to the home of the pupil, meets the student'sfamily, and works in an environment in which the studentis at ease. The tutors are college students, and each collegein the county is represented. This approach serves a dualpurpose: The child is tutored, and there is a culturalexchange between members of various ethnic groups anddiverse social strata. The 1,500 tutorial situations arefinanced through voluntary contributions. The accent is oninvolvement.

These and other programs, ranging from those usingupper-grade under-achievers as tutors to those using adultsas tutors, were discussed in detail. The panel emphasizedthe fact that the tutorial programs involve a learning

situation for both tutors and students, and that the value oftutor-student relationships was enhanced by the propermatching of students and tutors.

The panelists agreed that there is a need for a coordi-nated statewide tutorial program; there must be articulationand continuity; there should be parent-community involve-

ment; tutorial materials should be developed, and tutor-training programs should be established; a means ofevaluation should be developed; and information aboutvarious tutorial programs should be disseminated.

John Sherman, panel chairman, summarized the presen-tation as follows:

1. Tutorial programs are extremely successful up to a 1to 5 tutor-student ratio.

2. The technique employed is not as important as therelationship established between the tutor and thestudent.

3. The organization of tutorial programs depends uponthe areas concerned.

4. The curricular program must be determined by theindividual student's need.

5. Although tutorial programs are in their incipiency asfar as numbers are concerned, those persons involvedin the programs are highly enthusiastic about thepotential value of the programs. 0

"...the value of tutor-student relationships was enhanced by theproper matching of students and tutors."

Bilingual InstructionWorkshops

SPEAKERS:Eleanor Thonis, Director, Yuba County Learning-Reading

Center, Wheatland

Edward Hanson, Project Specialist, Bureau of EducationalPrograms and Subject Specialists, California StateDepartment of Education

Xavier Del Buono, Consultant, Bureau of CompensatoryEducation Community Services, California State Depart-ment of Education

Harvey Miller, Teacher in a bilingual program, CalexicoUnified School District

J. 0. "Rocky" Maynes, Foreign Language Coordinator,Arizona State Department of Public Instruction,Phoenix

The workshops were concerned with the educationalphilosophy supporting bilingual programs and on usefultechniques in implementing bilingual programs .

Workshop 1 Elementary

Eleanor Thonis, Director of the Yuba County Learning-Reading Center in Wheatland, California, presented the ideathat many of the materials that are needed to work withprimary-level Spanish-speaking children could be devisedwith the assistance of a Spanish-speaking fellow staffmember. For example, the teacher could collect childrens'poetry and read it to the children or have a Spanish-speaking teacher's aide read to children.

Dr. Thonis suggested that one activity which tends toproduce excellent learning results is the use of manipulativedevices, such as puzzles, puppets, toy animals, color games,and so forth.

She pointed out that a child who speaks Spanishgenerally learns to read Spanish easily because of the highdegree of correspondence between speech and print. Sheindicated that an individual "learns to read" only once, and

23

that after accomplishing that initial learning task, he merelylearns to read a new code when he attempts to masteranother language.

Workshop 2 Elementary

Edward Hanson, Education Project Specialist, Bureau ofElementary and Secondary Education, California StateDepartment of Education, stated that bilingual educationcan be conducted chiefly in the following three ways:(1) teaching of content material to pupils in their nativetongue while instilling tic. skills of English; making thetransfer to English as rapidly as possible with the idea ofabandoning the native tongue of pupils at the earliestpossible time; (2) teaching the child in both his nativetongue and English throughout the school experience; and(3) teaching all children in two languages, with the intent ofproducing a truly bilingual society.

Mr. Hanson explained that Senate Bill No. 53, generallyknown as the "bilingual bill," was permissive rather thanmandatory legislation. He made it clear that school districtswould be allowed to use a language other than English asthe instructional language of the classroom if the childrenwould better benefit by the use of another language.

Workshop 3 Elementary

Xavier Del Buono, Consultant, Bureau of CompensatoryEducation Community Services and Migrant Education,California State Department of Education, spoke aboutsome of the terms which are often used interchangablywhen bilingual education is discussed. He pointed out that"English-as-a-second-language" (ESL) is confused mostoften with "bilingual education."

He explained that bilingual education is a term whichdescribes, generally, the presentation of the educationalprogram in at least two languages. English-as-a-second-language, on the other hand, is a term which describes amethod or technique of teaching English as a secondlanguage.

Many of the participants in the session expressed interestin an educational program being offered to pupils in morethan one language; however, they agreed that the parentswould like to have a voice in the selection of the secondlanguage of instruction.

Workshop 4 Secondary

Harvey Miller, teacher in a bilingual program, CalexicoUnified School District, identified Calexico as a town witha population of about 10,000. It is on the internationalborder with Mexicali, Mexico, a city of 350,000. He

24

pointed out that about 85 percent of the Calixico residentsare of Mexican extraction.

Mr. Miller outlined some of the fundamental goals of thebilingual program in Calexico: (1) to develop and maintainstudy skills in the Spanish language; (2) to develop skills inthe English language comparable to those of native English-speaking Americans; (3) to avoid academic retardation byteaching skills and content subjects through instruction inthe student's native language until the proficiency of thestudent permits transfer to English as the language ofinstruction; (4) to establish pride in, and understanding of,the Spanish cultural heritage as well as the Americanculture.

Mr. Miller said that the positive attitude displayed by theteachers involved in the program and the strong centraloffice support has made it possible for the bilingualeducational programs of the Calexico schools to meet witha high level of success.

He indicated that much more instructional material isneeded and that stronger school and community ties areneeded.

Workshop 5 Secondary

J. 0. "Rocky" Maynes, Foreign Language Coordinator,Arizona State Department of Public Instruction, Phoenix,began his presentation by pointing out that direction of anysecondary-level bilingual program should depend on whatwas done at the elementary level. He stated that great careshould be taken in all cases to define clearly the term"bilingual" and to identify the needs of the "bilingual"child.

Other problems which deter the success of a bilingualprogram, said Mr. Maynes, result from the absence of afeeling that those individuals involved in a bilingualprogram do not "belong" to the rest of the community. Mr.Maynes feels that efforts to involve Spanish-speeking pupilsin all of a school's activities would greatly enhance thesuccess of bilingual programs. 0

MEXICAN-AMERICANLEADERS SPEAK

"...every child deserves respect and dignity."

Ernest Garcia, Associate Professor Education: There hasbeen a great metamorphosis in the organizations made upof Mexican-Americans in this state and throughout theSouthwest. We will hear today from organizations vitallyinterested in the political picture, organizations interestedin rights of veterans and others, and educators and otherorganizations that have changed quite a bit from those thatyou remember as youngsters.

"...the American GI Forum is...open to everybody."

Mario Vasquez, State Chairman, GI Forum: The GIForum was organized 20 years ago to assist veteransreturning from overseas who were being neglected in termsof housing, education, employment, and medical treatment.

Membership in the American GI Forum is not limited tothe Mexican-American; it is open to everybody. However,our efforts are directed primarily toward the problems ofthe Mexican-American in education, veterans' rights, hous-ing, and employment.

Last year we had a problem in education. In one of ourstate colleges near the Mexican border, the Mexican-American was virtually ignored in the recruitment drivethat was taking place on that campus. Our efforts resultedin Mexican-Americans being recruited and even givenscholarships.

"...we are a group that does not haveto be ashamed of its heritage..."

Reynaldo Macias, graduate student of sociology,U.C.L.A., and member of United Mexican American Stu-dents (UMAS): UMAS was formed to let other Mexican-American college students know that we are a group that,first of all, does not have to be ashamed of its heritage;secondly, that could benefit the society and still speakproudly about its MEXICAN descent; and thirdly, thatcould give a direct voice at the college level for theMexican-American.

If anyone is interested in finding out about theMexican-American, there is no class in Mexican-Americansociology at a local university (although there is a classcalled Ethnic and Status Groups that deals solely with theNegro); there are none in Mexican-American history; thereare none in Mexican-American political science. California-history classes deal with the early Spanish California days,but they don't deal with the Mexican-American. This isanother reason for the formation of UMAS.

Let me give you an overview of some of the activities ofthe members of UMAS in the last year:

1. We have provided tutorial services for college studentsof Mexican descent so that they would stay in school;

we also provided tutorial services for junior highschool and senior high school students.

2. At different colleges and universities, we have begun

to provide some teacher-training programs thatemphasize the needs of the Mexican-American child.

3. We are trying to institute classes in the curriculumthat deal with the Mexican-American.

4. We have dealt with the community, and we are in the

community.

5. We are also working with the teen-opportunitiesprogram, which is primarily a program for motivatingminority students to go on to college by offeringthem information about colleges they cannot getfrom their counselors.

Before you judge an organization, find out, first of all,who that organization is and what it is doing. Do not playthe game of just reading your newspaper, listening totelevision, or agreeing with something that sounds good;find out. That's "the educated way."

25

"Some people want muscle; we want dignity."

Ruben Holguin, President, Association of Educators ofMexican Descent: The California Association of Educatorsof Mexican Descent is an organization that is open to all.We are not interested in just having the classroom teacher;we are interested in having administrators, all the way up tosuperintendents. One of the big problems that we have hadin getting our association on the road has been actually aconstant battle between philosophies: Some people wantmuscle; we want dignity.

We have been working diligently with boards of educa-tion, administrators, teachers, and community groups . . . atall times keeping in mind the education of students ofMexican descent.

We have had much help and much encouragement frommany members who are not of Mexican descent, and so theproblem keeps coming up every day: "Why aren't youmaking a big noise? Why aren't you out there carrying apicket sign?" But, we are all professionals, and we feel thatif we are to deal effectively with the problem, it has to bedealt with in a very professional way.

"...every child deserves respect and dignity."

Hector Godinas, Past National President of LULAC,Postmaster of Santa Ana City: The League of LatinAmerican Citizens was organized in California in 1946 andhas, through training programs and education, attempted tohelp the Mexican-American enter the mainstream ofAmerican life.

In its own way, the League of United Latin AmericanCitizens has tried to interpose some of its ideas upon thenation. We are very proud to say that what is now calledthe English-as-a-second-language Program was initiated andfinanced by the League of Latin American Citizens inSugarland, Texas, in 1958. This program was taken over bythe state of Texas in 1959 and then by the federalgovernment.

When our organization was formed in my native city, wewere investigated by the district attorney's office as anorganization that was suspected of being un-American. TheAnglo-Saxon has to be resilient and accept the fact that,although the Constitution says that all shall be equal,equality belongs only to the strong and the understanding,and that if we want to be equal as the Constitution says weare, we have to try a little bit harder. The Anglo-Saxonparent must make little Juan understand that the Mexican-American deserves respect and dignity. School personnelmust also understand that every child deserves respect anddignity, because a child's acceptance or rejection at schoolgreatly influences the development of his attitude, aspira-tion, and his total personality.

26

We must deal with the things that affect

our people in their daily lives..."

Bert Corona, State President of the Mexican AmericanPolitical Association (MAPA ): The Mexican-AmericanPolitical Association could be described as one that seeks toact for Mexican-Americans in this society through thedevelopment of self-determination based on an eventualself-sufficiency.

We are trying to get even the smallest amount of powerat the barrio level from the barrio level and from thecolonial level all the way up to Congress to put pressure onthe President, and so forth.

We believe that whatever little power we can developmust be directed toward a change in this intolerableeducation gap for the Mexicano.

We fully support the organizations of the Mexicanoyouth in all high schools and junior high schools in theSouthwest. We believe that organization for acquiring theability and the resources to influence the direction ofmatters that concern Mexican Americans must start at thejunior high school and high schoollevels.

We must deal with the things that affect our people intheir daily lives: the defense of the barrios and the buildingof better barrios urban renewal without removal; thecreation of distinctively autonomous communities whereour people can live naturally, happily, and with satisfaction.

...emphasize the importance of education..."

Edward V. Moreno, State President of the Association ofMexican-American Educators, Inc.: The purpose of AMAEis to serve as advisers to state and local boards of education,administrators, faculties, and professional organizations inrelation to the educational needs of the children and youthof Mexican descent. At present we are serving on threenational advisory committees.

Another function that we have is to emphasize theimportance of education to all people in our society tointerpret the role of the school to the community and then,most important, to interpret the community to the school.

I want to stress this point: To the school systems forwhich we work, we are resource persons available to helpthe school district do whatever the community and peoplewould like to have done; to the community, or pueblo, weare also resource persons available to help them accomplishwhat they want to accomplish.

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