PART 1. A QUICK INTRODUCTION TO SAN ANTONIO’S FIRST SCHOOL MASTER
Our San Antonio and Medina River area is home to descendants of Colonel José Francisco Ruiz. For several generations his descendants have worked for and served Texas in many capacities. Add this man to your list of True Texan Heroes along with his nephew José Antonio Navarro, and the greats of Texas history from 1700s to 1850…those who lived and worked for then fought (on more than one occasion) to make Texas a free republic.
José began his service to Texas in 1803, about age 20, as the first school master appointed for the Villa de San Fernando de Béxar (now San Antonio, Texas) by the town’s council, the Cabildo. According to Witte Museum information the school was started earlier, in 1801. Since many families in these times conducted their children’s education in their own homes, it is presumed that his father, and mother may have taught children of other families. This author doesn’t know for sure, but supposes he likely did.
José was no stranger to this Presidio and Villa of San Fernando de Béxar as he was born here to parents Juan Manuel Ruiz and María Manuela de la Peña. José’s actual date of birth is not known. Church records do record that he was baptized in the Church of San Fernando de Béxar on January 29, 1783. Thus, his birth was likely about a week before his baptism.
His father, Juan Manuel Ruiz, was an area rancher, and Hidalgo, a nobleman in the Spanish lesser nobility. Juan’s father’s family had been from Queretaro, Nueva España (Mexico) from the early 1700s and in this Villa since the mid-1700s. Juan’s mother (from a brief look at Ancestry.com and respected area Hispanic genealogy sites) was the daughter whose family included Spanish Army officer. These families came to Texas from Saltillo and Coahuila, Nueva España, by the mid 1700s. with other grand and great grandparents, are believed to have been in Nueva España since the early 1600s.
As the son of an Hidalgo, José Francisco Ruiz was expected to be well educated. That meant gaining a solid foundation here then sailing to Spain to complete his formal education. Upon his return in 1803, José Francisco received his appointment as School Master in the Presidio and Villa de San Fernando. His home became, our community’s first, formal, public school. The broad front room of the Ruiz home, located on the south side of the Plaza de Armas, or Military Plaza, on what became known as Dolorosa Street, was our first public school classroom.
WHAT KIND OF EDUCATION DID YOUNGSTERS RECEIVE ON THIS FRONTIER?
Before public schools, one’s education was conducted by the family…in one’s home, or place of business or trade… like money lending, merchandising, or blacksmithing. Both boys and girls needed to learn of their religious faith; reading, writing were always needed by both for record keeping for business or household accounts, with arithmetic and mathematics not far behind for the same reasons. The classics, natural philosophy (science) also began at home for the upper classes. The men of the family instructed the boys and young men of the family in these, especially as they affected the family enterprise — the military, ranching, banking, etc., and this course work depended on the educational level and needs of each family. Fathers who had attended more formal schools and colleges spent time teaching sons all they could before sending them back to Spain, for a completion of their education and scholarship.
Most “regluar families” also saw the need for teaching their children reading and writing. Young men who would become soldiers, or smiths, or farmers, were expected to learn these occupational skills their fathers and families, but even here some readin’ and writin’ were helpful. Their skills and being trained for work in their “real world” was no less important to the success of the community than the classical education for the sons of the Hidalgos.
Mothers taught daughters “their letters” at home for they needed to read accounts and even the Bible to keep the family faith strong. They needed to know “their numbers” to keep household accounts, and if their husband passed away, they would have to manage the family’s business, or ranch, too, just as the men would have done. Girls also needed to know weaving, sewing, knitting, lace making, if they wanted their family to have any clothing to wear. Even learning some art or craft was as important as cooking, cleaning for it could also provide an outlet for building a home’s religious center. The women of the house were responsible for building the family’s altar, saints pictures, and other religious items to teach family of their deep faith. Catholic worship often occurred in the home, which could be far away from the nearest church.
On this Spanish frontier in Texas, young women knew this was a dangerous world. Many has witnessed how dangerous this world could be for military and rancher menfolk. In their world the life a woman faced frequent widowhood as husbands died from accidents, bacteria, or bullets and arrows. Women came to realize they may have to take over the running of the town business or the family rancho. Spanish law treated women equally well as men in most cases. Thus, most girls discovered that their learned numbers and letters, home economic skills and even their religion would serve them well as widows.
In this traditional mixed education and training came the newly appointed school master in the community school. Now more families who could afford the time and the fees, could be introduced to and instructed in a more classical approach to an education and not just basic training. This meant the community’s children would begin a path toward greater general knowledge and perhaps even wisdom.
ABOUT THE PLAZA DA LAS ARMAS/ MILITARY PLAZA
The Ruiz home was located at the south west corner of the Plaza de las Armas, or Military Plaza, and across the street now called Dolorosa Street.
This old Military Plaza is the area located between the modern San Fernando Cathedral (the older church was called Church of San Fernando de Béxar) and the Spanish Governor’s Palace. When the area was the Presidio/Fort, the headquarters and officers were on the north side – the buildings facing the camera. The 30-40 soldiers lived with their families in, what one, source says, were “brush huts.” These were likely just off to the west a block or so where the San Pedro Creek ran with good clean water. This old Military plaza was the open area where the soldiers assembled, heard orders, and drilled. The command never did built any defensive walls, as they did not see a critical need to do so.
As a result commerce was not impeded. Travelers entering from this side of town came in from the west side, often from those roads that had crossed the Medina River, whose main crossings toward the west and southwest were Garza’s on the old Sommersett-Rossville Road, the Pearsall Road crossing toward Laredo, and a crossing at Castroville. When this was no longer a military post, wagons carrying produce/products of all kinds from all over stopped here.
OK...WHAT HAPPENED TO THE RUIZ HOME AND SCHOOL? IT BECAME A STORE.
After 1836, this became the town’s central market place, and on the south west side of this plaza and market, the Ruiz family’s house stood
Above is a photo of the Ruiz family home and first public school on Military Plaza/Dolorosa Street. This photo, taken in 1936, is about 50-60 years after the photos above. This “general store,” catered to area farmers and ranchers, was owned and operated by the Cassiano family for decades, then Paul Broggi, until it’s removal to the Witte Museum in the 1940s.
The Coca Cola sign could still be seen into the late 1960s as that building was the Fawcett Furniture Company, one of the oldest family run furniture companies in Texas at the time.
Source: is the National Archives’ Photograph Collection of Historic Places.
NOW, ABOUT THIS PHOTO ABOVE…
There is an old motor car (with that square back, it looks like a 1930 Ford 4-door, or before…if you can ID the make/model let me know) and the gentleman standing behind it, underneath the Coca Cola sign, also helps to date the photo. When you enlarge the image, there are two clerks/owners? inside the door talking.
The open wooden bin, filled with corn is to the left of the doorway, has the business name on it (OK.ok. okokok, I had to enlarge it 400X to begin to see a couple of letters:_GG__: and FE__STORE and found PAUL BROGGI, FEED STORE at 490 Dolorosa Street, in the 339 page San Antonio City Directory, 1936 -Thank you Ancestry.com). If you check Google Maps, that address is currently the parking lot across Dolorosa Street from the buildings that include the Spanish Governors Palace. So this lot still has the same street and number …. today, in 2020.
THE BACK SIDE OF THE RUIZ HOUSE IN 1936
Note: The number TEX 3 117 is the survey identification number for the photographer’s photos, and can be seen in the Library of Congress’s title of this Ruiz photographic collection.
And, I’m thinking that those square cans (you can find some on the front porch, also, might be containers for cooking oil. I any of you know what those cans might be let me know. (I’ve enlarged the photo but cannot make out the lettering accurately.)
The sign above the store and on the side of the adjacent building is advertising “cabs, limousines, sightseeing coaches.” Could the man standing at in photo #1 possibly be one of the drivers or tour guides and the vehicle one of the cabs with driver for hire? (Thank you inventors of the magnifying glass and computers that enlarge up to 500X. – Sooo much to see.)
THEN, IN THE 1940s IT WAS MOVED…EVERY BRICK...NORTHWARD…TO… THE WITTE MUSEUM
Your job, should you choose to take it, is to check our excellent regional museum, the Witte. After participating in hands-on, interactive exhibits for “kids” of all ages, sashay, (to be pronounced sha-SHAY – as in stroll) over to THE MARKET, on the Witte’s back area, for soft drinks and snacks. THE MARKET has been placed in The Ruiz family home and school. Enjoy the porch, and think about just how important this family, this porch and broad front room has been to the settlement of the Texas frontier and creation of the Republic of Texas.
O.K. What’s next? Part 2: 1810 to 1813, José, the Teacher, becomes a revolutionary, and fights in the Battle of Medina (1813)
SOURCES: If you want to read more about this era here are some excellent reads:
Arellano, Dan. (2005). Tejano Roots: A Family Legend. Self published, Austin, Texas. ( Dan’s story of his family’s ancestry, stories of the many area families, Native Americans, and historic events that built Tejas/Texas.)
Fisher Lewis F. (2014). Chili Queen, Hay Wagons and Fandngos: The Spanish Plazas in Frontier San Antonio. San Antonio, Texas: Maverick Publishing Company. (Wonderful maps and pictures of old San Antonio’s Military Plaza.)
Martinez de Vara, Art (editor). (2014.) The José Francisco Ruiz Papers: Vol I. Report on the Indian Tribes of Texas in 1828. Von Ormy, Texas: Alamo Press. (Introducing us to the José Ruiz who lived with the Lipan and Comanche for several years.
Porter, Amy, (Assistant Professor of History, Texas A&M University at San Antonio). (2015). Women in the Spanish Borderlands, 1750-1748: Their Lives; Their Wills. Lubbock, Texas: Texas Tech University Press. (This is a wonderful look into the lives of these frontier, Spanish Women, who often had to do the work of their husbands upon their death. Texas women today have this old Spanish legal-cultural system to thank for Texas modern community property rights as well as other rights such as being able to make contracts, etc. that several current States do not have in their state legal system that are based on the old British legal system.)
