Ruperto JiménezApril 25

Arcadio Diego is not able to speak a single word of “castle” (“castillo”) [What he means to say is castilla—“Spanish”], but he wants his daughter to marry someone who knows how to read and write [Spanish].

Camilo JiménezMay 2

There are many people who do not want their children to go to school because there they learn how not to work. It’s better that they are in the fields working.

New Ixcatlán; September 16, students (1958)

New Ixcatlán; September 16, students (1958)

Leonardo Ronquillo

Many men do not want their children to learn Spanish because “they are able to eat without knowing how to speak Spanish” (“pueden comer sin saber hablar Castillo.”) (Castillo —see note above.) They believe that there is absolutely no need. Leonardo thinks there is a need in order to go to Córdoba, etc. and to go shopping.

San José Independencia; Market

Vendors of hammocks; Otatitlán

Tomás JiménezMay 3

Tomás learned Spanish on his own, without any schooling. As a tailor he feels the need for Spanish so he is not cheated when he is purchasing cloth. Ladinos (la gente de razón— literally ‘thinking people’) say to the local Indians, “What are you, little monkeys, who don’t know how to speak!” (“¡Que son Ustedes, changuitos, que no saben hablar!”)

Genaro Vasquez, Jesús Florentino

Genaro and Jesύs want their children to go to school, though there are many parents who do not want this. They say that they do not learn anything useful. It’s better to work in the fields. Many parents don’t want to send their girls to school because there are many boys who “are really bastards” (“son muy cabrones”).

Daniel RamírezApril 12

Daniel, a 37 year-old man, went to school in Ixcatlán for two years. His parents sent him, like the parents of many other boys in San Martín. The school had 300 students.