NOV 2 9 1946 
 
 report on the 
 
 CULTURAL 
 MISSIONS 
 of MEXICO 
 
 Bulletin 1945, No. 11 
 
 FEDERAL SECURITY AGENCY 
 U. S. OFFICE OF EDUCATION 
 
[This is the last bulletin of the 1945 series] 
 
 Bulletin 1945, No. 11 
 
 U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington: 1945 
 For sale by the 
 
 Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, 
 
 Washington 25, D. C. Price 15 cents. 
 
report on the 
 
 CULTURAL 
 MISSIONS 
 of MEXICO 
 
 By Guillermo Bonilla y Segura, Chief, Cultural Missions 
 Department, Mexican Secretariat of Public Education. 
 Translated and Edited in the American Republics Section, 
 Division of International Educational Relations, U. S. 
 Office of Education. 
 
 Federal Security Agency.Watson B. Miller, Administrator 
 
 U. S. Office of Education .... John W. Studebaker, Commissioner 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 
 PREFACE . v 
 
 FOREWORD vi 
 
 INTRODUCTION . viii 
 
 Part I. Objectives and Organization of the Cultural 
 M issions 
 
 Need for the Cultural Missions. 2 
 
 Rural Cultural Missions. 3 
 
 Workers’ Cultural Missions. 14 
 
 Urban Teachers’ Cultural Missions. 16 
 
 Part II. Operation of the Cultural Missions Program 
 
 Seminar Discussions. 19 
 
 Instructional Bulletins. 22 
 
 Part III. Achievements and Plans 
 
 Rural Cultural Missions. 47 
 
 Workers’ Cultural Missions. 53 
 
 Urban Teachers’ Cultural Missions. 55 
 
 PHOTOGRAPHS . 57 
 
 RELATED READINGS . 61 
 
 IV 
 
PREFACE 
 
 IN SEPTEMBER 1943, during a short visit in Mexico, I had the privilege 
 of meeting the writer of this report on Mexican Cultural Missions and of 
 visiting with him a group of Indian villages in which one of the Missions 
 was functioning. The report itself and its present appearance in the 
 English language are largely a result of that day spent in the Tlascalan 
 villages, for when I asked Professor Guillermo Bonilla y Segura if he 
 could give me reports on the work of the Missions he informed me that 
 their full story had not yet been written. During the succeeding months 
 the busy Chief of the Cultural Missions Department himself found time 
 to write this report, the English translation of which is now before you. 
 
 The work being done by Prof. Bonilla y Segura and his colleagues, 
 among whom I should like especially to mention Profs. Enrique Corona 
 Morfin, Ruben Castillo Penado, Alfonso Fabila Montes de Oca, Luis 
 Vargas Pinera, and Francisco Castro Ruiz, has been an inspiration to 
 me as an educator and as a citizen of a neighboring country. The broad 
 educational objectives and the methods employed in this project for 
 teaching Indian people a better way of life gives confidence and inspires 
 one with the belief that an isolated and somewhat estranged people of a 
 great land will, through these means, be prepared for modern life and 
 brought into the fold of genuine citizenship. The people and their coun¬ 
 try will reap a rich harvest from the sympathetic efforts of this group of 
 modest teachers who toil through the years with courage and patience 
 that others may benefit from their labor. The work of these missioners 
 recalls another great Mexican of an earlier day who was also a friend of 
 the Indians and who, when his supporters pressed titles upon him, chose 
 to be called “Servant of the Nation."’’ 
 
 Professor Bonilla y Segura began teaching at the age of 16 as Director 
 of the Rural School in the Indian village of Cuapancingo, after com¬ 
 pleting his elementary education. Realizing the limitations of his prep¬ 
 aration for what he refers to as “the high office of education” he enrolled 
 in the Escuela Normal de Profesores at Puebla for a 5-year course. In 
 1913 Professor Bonilla y Segura entered the Federal service as a school 
 inspector. Later he served as director of an upper elementary school in 
 Tepic; as professor in a normal school in the City of Mexico; and in 
 various administrative capacities in local school systems and institu¬ 
 tions, including the elementary school of Mazatlan, an experimental 
 school in Culiacan, the Universidad de Occidente, and the Instituto Nor¬ 
 mal of the State of Puebla. Returning to the Federal service the present 
 chief of the Cultural Missions Department served as director of the 
 “Horacio Man” advanced elementary school of the City of Mexico, and 
 as Director General of Education of the States of Oaxaca, Chiapas, 
 
Guerrero, and Guanajuato. He has also been a member of important 
 committees and administrative councils, chief of the Departamento de 
 Documentacion Pedagogica, and Director General of Elementary Educa¬ 
 tion of the Federal District. He became Chief of the Cultural Missions 
 Department in 1942. 
 
 John W. Studebaker 
 U’. S. Commissioner of Education 
 
 FOREWORD 
 
 Report on the Cultural Missions of Mexico is based on a manuscript 
 written in Spanish by Professor Guillermo Bonilla y Segura, Chief of 
 the Cultural Missions Department of the Mexican Secretariat of Public 
 Education. The report covers the activities of the missions for 1943 
 and also gives limited information concerning the program carried on 
 in 1942. The information included in the Introduction is presented in 
 order that the reader who may have little previous knowledge of Mexican 
 education will be helped to understand the development of the cultural 
 mission program in the years before the period covered in this report. 
 
 In order to assist the reader to interpret the materials prepared by 
 Prof. Bonilla y Segura, the manuscript has been edited and rearranged, 
 and additional information included. The translation of the manu¬ 
 script and the information concerning the background of the cultural 
 missions presented briefly in the Introduction were prepared by the 
 American Republics Section, Division of International Educational 
 Relations, of the U. S. Office of Education. 
 
 Part I, Objectives and Organization of the Cultural Missions, provides 
 the basis for the organization and administration of missions for rural 
 people, workers, and urban teachers and includes data concerning the 
 budgets for the programs described in the report. The duties of the 
 missioners, as mission staff members are called, are also explained. 
 On page 4 is a map which shows the location of the three types of 
 cultural missions, a list of rural missions, and schedules for workers" 
 and urban teachers’ missions. 
 
 Part II, Operation of the Cultural Missions Program, consists of a 
 series of short articles, each describing some aspect of the mission pro¬ 
 gram. The first three articles are based on seminar discussions in which 
 the chiefs of the three types of missions participated, and the others are 
 instructional bulletins which were issued by the Cultural Missions De¬ 
 partment. 
 
 The accomplishments of the three types of missions are included in 
 Part III, Achievements and Plans. Some of the specific accomplishments 
 
 vi 
 
of the rural cultural missions are presented graphically, and an outline 
 is given of plans for subsequent missions, the program for which is still 
 operating under the direction of Prof. Bonilla y Segura. 
 
 Following the three parts of the manuscript, a number of photographs, 
 supplied by the author, are presented. In order that the reader may 
 secure further information concerning cultural missions in Mexico, 
 either from English or Spanish sources, a list of related readings, pre¬ 
 pared in the Division of International Educational Relations, is found 
 on page 61. 
 
 It is hoped that this report will contribute to a greater understanding 
 of the outstanding educational accomplishments of our nearest southern 
 neighbor, and that it will constitute an inspiration and a challenge to 
 the educators of the United States. 
 
 VII 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 The first cultural mission left Mexico City in the fall of 1923 to establish 
 headquarters in the town of Zacualitipan in the State of Hidalgo, north 
 of Mexico, I). F. This was but one evidence of the rebirth of education 
 in Mexico. The mission’s purpose was secular: the reconstruction of 
 the social institutions and the living habits of the rural people. Thus, 
 the term “cultural” refers to fundamental factors in the total fabric of 
 Mexican rural life, such as methods of agriculture, personal and com¬ 
 munity health, and recreation. Unlike most social institutions, the cul¬ 
 tural missions were sent to the people to work with them in the solu¬ 
 tion of their everyday problems of living. 
 
 Prior to this time the Federal Government had exercised almost no 
 influence upon the tragically inadequate schools which then existed. 
 The Federal Bureau of Education which had been in operation for 
 many years was replaced by a Federal Secretariat of Public Education 
 with Jose Vasconcelos as Secretary. Mexico’s Revolution, which began 
 with the winning of independence from Spain in 1810, experienced a 
 resurgence in 1910, and in the 20’s entered a period of reconstruction. 
 In harmony with the spirit of the Revolution, the program of the new 
 Secretariat of Public Education was directed toward liberating the In¬ 
 dians of the country from poverty and ignorance. The rural schools, 
 coeducational for the first time, were established to accomplish nothing 
 less revolutionary than to show the people how to live. These rural 
 schools assumed many of the functions which in more mature societies 
 are carried out by other agencies. 
 
 In 1922, approximately 100 untrained teachers were struggling to 
 maintain a few Federal rural schools. Clearly, the need was for more 
 schools and for a vast army of teachers of a new type to operate the 
 new institution. Supervising teachers, called missioners, went out in¬ 
 dividually to work with those who were serving as teachers, to gain the 
 support of the people for the new schools, and to do all the things neces¬ 
 sary to make the rural schools an institution which would actually teach 
 the rural people a new pattern of living. These first missioners served 
 as administrators, teachers, supervisors, research workers, and philoso¬ 
 phers. After the first school term under the new program, the Congress 
 of Missioners met in Mexico, D. F., in September 1922, and resolved 
 that arable land should he given to the schools for use, since agriculture 
 was indispensable to the program of the rural schools. From the very 
 first, the missioners demonstrated their practical leadership in bringing 
 to the new schools a validity that the existing schools lacked, and agri¬ 
 culture was established as the essential basis for the rural school pro¬ 
 gram. 
 
 vm 
 
Inspired by the early activities of the missioners, a significant new 
 type of institution, the cultural mission, was established. The cultural 
 missions were organized because the missioners had been successful in 
 their efforts to establish the new rural schools, in training the new type 
 of teacher needed, and in improving public support for the new institu¬ 
 tion. Officials in the Secretariat of Public Education foresaw the pos¬ 
 sibilities of creating an institution which would strengthen and supple¬ 
 ment the work of the new rural schools, which had been established to 
 redeem the people—all of the people—of Mexico. 
 
 The first cultural mission, which established itself in Zacualitipan, 
 was headed by Professor Rafael Ramirez, later Chief of the Department 
 of Rural Education in the Secretariat of Public Education. The staff 
 which made up this early mission included an instructor in soap-making, 
 a tanner, two agriculturalists, a carpenter, and a homemaking teacher. 
 After 3 weeks’ work in Zacualitipan an exhibit was held of the work 
 accomplished. These earliest cultural missions had much in common 
 with those of 1943, which are described in the present report of the 
 Chief of the Cultural Missions Department. The following year Profes¬ 
 sor Ramirez served as Chief of a cultural mission in Cuernavaca in the 
 State of Morelos. 
 
 The cultural missions program continued to grow, and beginning in 
 1924 they aided in the extension of the rural schools. Moises Saenz, an 
 anthropologist and an educator who was vitally interested in improving 
 the lot of the Indians, became Sub-secretary in the Secretariat of Public 
 Education and worked effectively to strengthen the program of the cul¬ 
 tural missions. By 1926, six missions were in operation, and in that 
 year more than two thousand rural teachers attended the institutes 
 which had become a regular part of the cultural mission program. In 
 the same year Elena Torres became head of the new Bureau of Cultural 
 Missions. 
 
 Certain of the activities carried on by the early cultural missions 
 proved to meet the needs of large numbers of the people they served. 
 These activities have been carried on by subsequent missions and have 
 become a part of their program. However, from the beginning the pro¬ 
 grams have been flexible, sensitive to local conditions, and capable of 
 continuous adaptation, characteristics which are apparent in the mis¬ 
 sions described in this report. 
 
 In 1933-34, after several years of experimenting with a small number 
 of permanent establishments, the cultural missions were transformed 
 from traveling to stationary institutions. During this period they were 
 attached to agricultural schools, or to schools which had been developed 
 to provide adequately trained teachers, and they were able to do a more 
 thorough job than was possible when but 3 to 6 weeks were spent in 
 
 678728 5 — 46—2 
 
 IX 
 
each community. At the end of a trial period, however, it was decided 
 that the need for traveling missions was more pressing than for institu¬ 
 tions of the permanent type, and itinerant groups of missioners once 
 again sought those communities which were geographically and cul¬ 
 turally remote. In 1935, 18 missions were operating and more than four 
 thousand teachers were being directly affected by their activities. The 
 administration of the cultural missions was later transferred to the 
 Ministry of Indian Affairs and from 1938 to 1942 the program was dis¬ 
 continued. 
 
 The cultural missions again became a part of the Secretariat of Public 
 Education in 1942, and the Auxiliary Office of Cultural Missions was 
 established. In 1943, the Auxiliary Office was changed to the Cultural 
 Missions Department, and the report which follows tells of its activities 
 in renewing this unique, thoroughly Mexican, educational institution. 
 
 x 
 
Part I. Objectives and Organization of the 
 
 Cultu ra I M issions 
 
 Professor Guillermo Bonilla y Segura 
 
 In preparing the 1942 budget, the Mexican Secretariat of Public 
 Education was fully conscious of the need to take definite steps toward 
 solving the difficult problems of rural education. It was decided to pro¬ 
 vide for the regions that were most ready to profit thereby, and to help 
 teachers in service to attain a higher educational and professional level. 
 A budget of $952,480 was set up for the operation of the cultural mis¬ 
 sions for the year. Of this amount $626,680 was spent for salaries, 
 $251,810 for equipment, and the balance of $73,990 for other expenses. 1 
 
 A resolution was adopted which provided for: (1) 20 rural cultural 
 missions to improve the economic, educational, and social standards of 
 rural communities, particularly those that were still at the lower levels 
 of existence because of their geographic and social isolation; (2) 10 
 special cultural missions to carry on certain types of activities among 
 workers in regions where the need could not be met by the regular pro¬ 
 gram of the rural cultural missions; (3)2 urban missions to improve the 
 training of the primary school teachers who were teaching in the state 
 capitals and the more important cities of the country. Cultural missions 
 of th ese three types were operated during 1942. 
 
 For th e year 1943 the program was continued and 10 incomplete spe¬ 
 cial missions were converted into rural cultural missions, making a total 
 of 30 of this type. In addition, 2 workers’ missions and 2 urban teachers’ 
 missions were in operation. The amount expended for the cultural mis¬ 
 sions program was increased over that for the previous year by $140,- 
 747.50, making a total for 1943 of $1,093,227.50. The amount of $820,392, 
 which was paid in salaries to a total of 330 employees in the Cultural 
 Missions Department and in the missions, was also an increase over that 
 for the previous year. The sum of $163,500 allotted for equipment and 
 educational material in 1943 was smaller than that spent in 1942, since 
 much of the equipment purchased in 1942 was still in use and in good 
 condition. 
 
 1 Editor’s note: The monetary unit here used is the Mexican peso, valued at 201/2 cents, United 
 States money. 
 
 1 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 The 1943 budget was expended as follows: 
 
 Salaries . $ 820,392.00 
 
 Information and Advertising Expenses. 9,900.00 
 
 Traveling Expenses . 41,635.50 
 
 Railroad Tickets. 39,250.00 
 
 Material for First-Aid Kits. 5,400.00 
 
 Working Fund. 6,750.00 
 
 Educational Material . 13,500.00 
 
 Equipment . 150,000.00 
 
 Freight and Handling Charges. 400.00 
 
 Other Expenses. 6,000.00 
 
 Total . $1,093,227.50 
 
 NEED FOR THE CULTURAL MISSIONS 
 
 The Mexican rural people live in an environment which is, in general, 
 agriculturally impoverished, or at least not as rich as people who have 
 not observed the rural regions are wont to believe. It is difficult to carry 
 on agriculture profitably because of the mediocre quality of the arable 
 lands, the irregular and insufficient rainfall, and the abrupt unevenness 
 of the river beds. In addition to the uncertainties of soil, climate, and 
 drainage in some areas, the hot regions and tropical zones of the coasts 
 are unhealthful, although large sections are potentially favorable for 
 the development of agriculture. 
 
 The great majority of the rural population are poor and ignorant, and. 
 their knowledge is primitive. They are burdened by a multiplicity of 
 problems that keep them from attaining a higher standard of living, and 
 they lack even the necessities ordinarily considered indispensable for 
 existence. 
 
 One of the most vital problems affecting the development of rural 
 communities is that of low production. This is evident from the fact 
 that corn and wheat have to he imported for the nourishment of mil¬ 
 lions of rural people, most of whom subsist solely on corn, chile peppers, 
 and salt. Without attempting a complete listing, one also must mention 
 problems of such primary importance as health, nutrition, housing, 
 family life, recreation, educational backwardness and isolation, and 
 many other deficiencies resulting from the long-existing economic and 
 political subordination of the rural masses. 
 
 This serious situation and its alleviation are of primary concern to 
 the Secretariat of Public Education. All the means at its disposal are 
 being used to bring about the economic and social rehabilitation o f the 
 rural population. The Secretariat is convinced that the maintenance, 
 growth, and improvement of its rural school system depend largely on 
 the parallel development of the communities where the schools are 
 
 2 
 
OBJECTIVES ANI) ORGANIZATION 
 
 located, for the educational influence of the community is powerful 
 and its cultural values whether positive or negative are transmitted with 
 extraordinary efficacy. Since the community imposes its values on each 
 generation, existing primitive culture and technical knowledge persist 
 in counteracting the work of our schools, making their efforts futile. 
 Backward communities perpetuate their old customs and low living 
 standards, thus interfering with progress toward the integration of our 
 national life. 
 
 RURAL CULTURAL MISSIONS 
 
 The Secretariat of Public Education is determined to do its share in 
 raising living standards of the Mexican rural population hy restoring 
 the rural cultural missions which were not in operation from 1938 to 
 1942. The objectives and programs of the new missions are being estab¬ 
 lished on the basis of the experience of the earlier missions, and take 
 into account the recommendations made hy chiefs and supervisors of 
 missions during conferences called by the Chief of the Cultural Missions 
 Department. 
 
 Working Principles and Specific Objectives 
 
 At the conferences of mission chiefs and supervisors the following 
 general purposes and working principles were set forth: 
 
 1. Fundamentally, the work entrusted to the rural cultural missions is that of 
 
 promoting the rehabilitation and improvement of rural communities, raising 
 their economic standard of living, bringing the level of their development 
 closer to the accepted living standards of our times, and improving them as 
 social units so that they may become integral parts of the Mexican nation. 
 We hope to reach this goal by teaching rural groups, and through well- 
 planned, vigorous, and continuous action, to make full use of their own 
 resources and latent powers. 
 
 2. The rural cultural missions will promote the organization and further the 
 
 development and progress of educational institutions that serve the vital 
 needs of the people. 
 
 3. The rural cultural missions will serve the regional groups of the lower economic 
 
 and cultural levels which, because of their geographic and social isolation, 
 are still living under such primitive conditions that they are unable to con¬ 
 tribute to the general progress of their country. At the same time, the rural 
 cultural missions shall work with more advanced groups which need guidance 
 in order to retain their small gains and to work profitably under the private 
 property system guaranteed by law. 
 
 4. The regions where the cultural missions are to operate will be determined hy 
 
 the Cultural Missions Department after careful consideration of economic 
 and cultural problems, and location with respect to mountains and rivers, 
 distances between communities, and means of communication and trans¬ 
 portation available. (See map on the following page.) 
 
 3 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 'Px/rv 
 
 (f^efxyvt 
 
 Uxxurn^ m/iz&xim 
 
 Rural Cultural 
 Minion 
 
 Urban Teacher* 
 Cultural Minion 
 
 Worker*' Cultural 
 Minion 
 
 4 
 
OBJECTIVES AND ORGANIZATION 
 
 CULTURAL MISSIONS IN OPERATION IN 1943 
 RURAL CULTURAL MISSIONS 
 
 Rural cultural missions operated in and in the area surrounding each 
 
 of the following places: 
 
 No. 1 Cuautempan, Puebla. 
 
 No. 2. Hueyapan, Puebla. 
 
 No. 3. Cbietla, Puebla. 
 
 No. 4. Tanlajas, San Luis Potosi. 
 
 No. 5. La Trinidad, Mexico. 
 
 No. 6. Tibosuco, Quintana Roo. 
 
 No. 7. Kanxoc, Valladolid, Yucatan. 
 No. 8. Ciudad Guerrero, Chihuahua. 
 No. 9. Villa V. Guerrero, Tlaxcala. 
 No. 10. Tingambato, Michoacan. 
 
 No. 11. Villa Victoria, Michoacan. 
 No. 12. Acatempan, Guerrero. 
 
 No. 13. El Ticui, Atoyac de Alvarez, 
 Guerrero. 
 
 No. 14. Motozintla, Chiapas. 
 
 No. 15. Tequixtepec, Oaxaca. 
 
 Workers' Cultural Missions 
 
 No. 1 
 
 Rio Blanco, Vera Cruz. 
 Santa Rosa, Vera Cruz. 
 Nogales, Vera Cruz. 
 
 Atlixco, Puebla. 
 
 No. 16. Zacatepec, Mixes, Oaxaca. 
 
 No. 17 Jalpan, Queretaro. 
 
 No. 18. San Antonio, Baja California, 
 Distrito del Sur. 
 
 No. 19. El Fuerte, Sinaloa. 
 
 No. 20. Xichu, Guanajuato. 
 
 No. 21. Coyutla, Vera Cruz. 
 
 No. 22. Ilamatlan, Vera Cruz. 
 
 No. 23. Bolanos, Jalisco. 
 
 No. 24. Santiago Ixcuintla, Nayarit. 
 
 No. 25. Tepehuanes, Durango. 
 
 No. 26. San Atenogenes Poanas, Durango. 
 No. 27. Concepcion del Oro, Zacatecas. 
 No. 28. Comalcalco, Tabasco. 
 
 No. 29. Pabellon, Aguascalientes. 
 
 No. 30. Palizada, Campeche. 
 
 No. 2 
 
 Parral, Chihuahua. 
 
 San Francisco del Oro, Chihua¬ 
 hua. 
 
 Santa Barbara, Chihuahua. 
 
 Nueva Rosita, Coahuila. 
 
 Schedules of Urban Teachers' Cultural Missions 
 
 No. 1 1942 
 
 Queretaro. Queretaro, March 16 to 
 April 17. 
 
 Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, April 
 27 to May 22. 
 
 Zacatecas, Zacatecas, June 1 to June 26. 
 
 Pachuca, Hidalgo, July 6 to August 7. 
 
 San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi, 
 August 17 to September 18. 
 
 Tepic, Nayarit, September 28 to Oc¬ 
 tober 31. 
 
 Colima, Colima, November 9 to De¬ 
 cember 12. 
 
 No. 2 1942 
 
 Chilpancingo, Guerrero, March 16 to 
 April 17. 
 
 Cuernavaca, Morelos, April 27 to 
 May 22. 
 
 Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, June 1 to June 26. 
 
 Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, July 6 to 
 August 7. 
 
 Villahermosa, Tabasco, August 17 to 
 September 18. 
 
 Campeche, Campeche, September 28 
 to October 30. 
 
 Merida, Yucatan, November 9 to De¬ 
 cember 11. 
 
 5 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 No. 1 1943 
 
 Oaxaca, Oaxaca, February 22 to 
 March 27. 
 
 Tampico, Taniaulipas, April 5 to 
 May 15. 
 
 Ciudad Victoria, Taniaulipas, May 24 
 to June 26. 
 
 Guanajuato, Guanajuato, July 12 to 
 August 14. 
 
 Saltillo, Coahuila, August 23 to Sep¬ 
 tember 25. 
 
 This mission will organize two more in¬ 
 stitutes during the remainder of the 
 year: 
 
 Durango, Durango, October 4 to No¬ 
 vember 6. 
 
 Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, November 
 15 to December 18. 
 
 The rural cultural missions shall operate in order to achieve the fol¬ 
 lowing specific objectives: 
 
 1. To develop communities economically by improving techniques in the cus¬ 
 
 tomary occupations in order to increase productivity, and by introducing 
 new occupations, if necessary. 
 
 2. To introduce new crops, increase the number of domestic animals, and bring 
 
 about the production and sale of products which will result in a higher 
 living standard for rural workers. 
 
 3. To improve public health and hygiene through community campaigns and the 
 
 establishment of the organizations necessary for such programs. 
 
 4. To improve nutrition and clothing standards. 
 
 5. To develop improved recreational opportunities. 
 
 6. To establish well-organized, well-equipped homes. 
 
 7. To awaken an appreciation for education and to establish community schools. 
 
 8. To eliminate any foreign influence which tends to undermine the basis of our 
 
 national life. 
 
 9. To provide opportunities for further training for the rural teachers in service. 
 
 Teachers should he helped to improve the physical condition of their schools, 
 to complete those school buildings which are unfinished, and to organize 
 and conduct their schools. 
 
 The Mission Staff 
 
 The following staff is assigned to each rural cultural mission: 
 
 1. Chief, a normal school teacher with 5 years of professional experience and a 
 
 wide knowledge of rural life and its problems. 
 
 2. Social worker. 
 
 3. Nurse and midwife. 
 
 4. Teacher of agriculture. 
 
 5. Construction teachers. 
 
 6. Two or more teachers of trades and industries. 
 
 7. Teacher of mechanics and operator of motion picture projector. 
 
 8. Teacher of music. 
 
 9. Leader of recreational activities. 
 
 No. 2 1943 
 
 Chihuahua, Chihuahua, February 22 
 to March 27. 
 
 Mexicali, Baja California, April 5 to 
 May 15. 
 
 Tijuana, Baja California, May 24 to 
 June 26. 
 
 Chetumal, Quintana Roo, August 9 to 
 September 5. 
 
 This mission will organize two more insti¬ 
 tutes this year: 
 
 Jalapa, Vera Cruz, September 20 to 
 October 24. 
 
 Toluca, Mexico, November 1 to De¬ 
 cember 5. 
 
 6 
 
OBJECTIVES AND ORGANIZATION 
 
 The work of the cultural missions is carried on throughout the year. 
 An annual vacation of 40 days is given to each missioner, but each must 
 await his turn. During the absence of the chief of the mission the leader 
 of recreational activities serves as acting chief. 
 
 Each week the missioners are informed concerning the place or places 
 where they are to he stationed and the particular work they are to carry 
 out. It is the duty of the missioner to be at the station assigned to him 
 each week and to complete his special work in the time allotted. 
 
 Duties of Missioners 
 
 The individual members of the staff assigned to each rural cultural 
 mission carry out their activities as follows: 
 
 The Chief of the Mission organizes, coordinates, guides, and super¬ 
 vises projects so that desired results are achieved. He promotes the 
 construction, conservation, and improvement of municipal roads, high¬ 
 ways, telephone lines, and post offices. In order to lower living costs he 
 strives to organize cooperative associations for the production of live¬ 
 stock, agricultural and industrial goods, and consumer cooperative 
 groups to distribute basic essentials. He organizes a general supply 
 warehouse that will make available at cost essential working facilities, 
 tools, apparatus, machinery, and raw materials which the people need 
 in their daily work. The establishment of companies for the storage 
 and distribution of finished products is encouraged in order that the 
 best prices may be obtained. Every resource available which might raise 
 the professional standard of rural teachers and improve school facilities 
 is utilized. Cooperative educational centers and institutions for the pro¬ 
 fessional improvement of teachers in his zone are being organized in 
 accordance with instructions issued. 
 
 The Social Worker, through tactful work in the homes of the people, 
 encourages family and home industries and the production of agricul¬ 
 tural products sufficient for domestic needs. This missioner also works 
 to achieve absolute cleanliness and the extermination of parasites and 
 vermin in homes. She encourages the use of furniture and utensils, the 
 improvement of the appearance and decoration of homes, and teaches 
 the women how to make wearing apparel, household linens, and baby 
 layettes. Also of concern to the social worker is the best arrangement 
 of the home for health and comfort, utilizing available facilities. He 
 should help to bring about the assignment of domestic duties according 
 to the ability of each member, thus lightening the burdens of the mother 
 and providing time for the care and education of the children. The so¬ 
 cial worker encourages compliance with the Family Relations Law, ad¬ 
 vises against premature or very late marriages, and advises concerning 
 the rearing and educating of children. The worker assists young girls 
 
 678728 °— 46—3 n 
 
 l 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 about to be married to prepare for the responsibilities of borne and 
 family life and encourages borne recreation for the family through 
 story-telling, reading, games, and songs. Friendly relations between 
 families in the community and community planning for moral welfare 
 of its children are also encouraged. The use of alcohol and other social 
 evils are constantly combatted. The social worker strives to improve 
 the efficiency of homemaking teachers. T oung women who show special 
 ability and interest in social work are trained to carry out the duties of 
 the worker after the mission leaves the community. Groups which will 
 care for children and provide food and clothing through consumer co¬ 
 operatives are organized on a self-sustaining basis. 
 
 The Nurse and Midwife must take the steps necessary to insure that 
 drinking water is kept pure, and teach the people how to avoid con¬ 
 tracting disease from contaminated water. She also strives to maintain 
 absolute cleanliness in the markets, streets, public buildings, and meet¬ 
 ing places; and urges compliance with the laws concerning burials. She 
 nurses the sick, cares for expectant mothers before and during delivery, 
 and teaches the fundamentals of child care. Measures are taken to pre¬ 
 vent and control endemics and epidemics; to establish a general health 
 and maternity clinic; and to organize a small pharmaceutical service 
 for the community, using the supplies provided by the Secretariat of 
 Public Education, the Health Department, and by the community itself. 
 She works to improve the effectiveness of rural teachers by giving in¬ 
 struction in nursing, and to train four or five intelligent women as 
 nurses and midwives so that they may continue the operation of the 
 health clinic, thus making it a permanent community service. 
 
 The Teacher of Agriculture organizes the farmers to enable them to 
 obtain the best results from their labor, to make contracts for rentals or 
 partnerships that are fair to all concerned, to apply for cooperative 
 farms to which they may he entitled according to law, and to secure 
 the equipment that small property owners need in order to farm profit¬ 
 ably. The property system prevailing in the particular community is 
 scrupulously observed. The teacher of agriculture seeks to intervene 
 tactfully in the solution of problems concerning the use and appropria¬ 
 tion of irrigation water, and the regulations concerning use of municipal 
 irrigation water. He also studies the problem of obtaining irrigation 
 water where none is available. The intelligent cultivation of suitable 
 crops, the improvement of working methods, the rotation of crops, con¬ 
 trol of plant diseases and pests, and^better storage of the harvest are 
 also the concern of this missioner. He organizes farmers to sell their 
 crops to the best advantage, and to secure the benefits to which they are 
 entitled under the Farm Credit Law, thus freeing them from the obliga¬ 
 tion to pay premiums to money lenders and profiteers. He works to 
 
 8 
 
OBJECTIVES AND ORGANIZATION 
 
 improve the quality and use of pasture land and, through selection and 
 cross-breeding, to improve the quality of livestock and prevent and 
 control livestock diseases. Small cattle dealers are organized to use the 
 best markets in the sale of their cattle and dairy products and thus ob¬ 
 tain the best prices. The teacher of agriculture also promotes the estab¬ 
 lishment of nurseries; intensifies the campaign for planting, trans¬ 
 planting, and propagating trees during the proper seasons in favorable 
 localities; and makes known the best methods of cutting wood, removing 
 hark, making charcoal, and extracting resin. He encourages the people 
 to utilize the services of government agencies which promote improve¬ 
 ments in agriculture and animal husbandry, and encourages the observa¬ 
 tion of the forestry law and fishing and hunting regulations. He strives 
 to improve the quality of services provided by water supply systems, 
 markets and slaughterhouses, roads, parks and gardens, or to establish 
 such if they are not already available. After making a study of the 
 work needs of the locality in various seasons, this missioner suggests 
 means of utilizing profitably the free time of the people. He cooperates 
 with the social worker in educating the rural people to use available 
 land for gardens and orchards; to breed animals profitably; to construct 
 small chicken coops, pigsties, and apiaries; and to make needed repairs 
 and alterations of their homes. Finally, he contributes to the profes¬ 
 sional improvement of the rural teachers working in the area by impart¬ 
 ing to them essential information concerning agricultural problems. 
 
 The Construction Teachers instruct in masonry, including the uses of 
 lime, brick, tile, adobe, and other construction materials; they direct 
 construction of new houses; and guide and assist residents concerning 
 the improvement of their homes. With the cooperation of the com¬ 
 munities, they construct bridges, aqueducts, sewers, and other necessary 
 public conveniences. These missioners participate in the organization 
 and direction of educational centers and institutes for the professional 
 development of teachers. 
 
 Each mission is provided with necessary equipment, but the individ¬ 
 ual missioners carry their own portable tools, instruments, and other 
 materials that are indispensable for their work. 
 
 Teachers of Trades and Industries give instruction in such new enter¬ 
 prises as the preservation of meats, fruits, and vegetables; making of 
 milk products, candy, pastry, and bakery goods; the manufacturing of 
 articles from broom and reed grass; extracting of essences and dyeing 
 materials; tanning, saddle making, and shoemaking; weaving of wool 
 and cotton materials, and the cutting and sewing of clothes; carpentry, 
 ironworking, and other small industries that will supplement home in¬ 
 come. They install adequate shops in the schools and instruct teachers 
 in their use. In order to insure that the work will continue, they par- 
 
 9 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 ticipate in the organization and direction of centers for study and insti¬ 
 tutes for the education of teachers. 
 
 The Teacher of Mechanics and Operator of Motion Picture Projector 
 helps interested citizens to install corn mills, pumps, hydraulic rams, 
 small hydroelectric plants, and similar equipment; and renders service 
 without charge to rural people who have mechanical problems. He 
 supervises the laying of pipes for drinking water and other sanitary 
 facilities. In addition, he operates a motion picture projector in the 
 communities served by the mission and, whenever possible, photographs 
 interesting aspects of community life, the work of the mission, and the 
 scenic beauties of the region. He cooperates in the organization of fes¬ 
 tivals, and of civic and social programs, and, like all other members of 
 the staff of the mission, participates in the organization and operation 
 of centers of educational cooperation and conducts institutes for teach¬ 
 ers. 
 
 The Music Teacher directs music and singing for the boys and girls 
 of the community, instructs teachers in methods of teaching music in 
 their schools, organizes musical groups in every community, assists them 
 in obtaining the necessary instruments, and organizes groups of singers 
 among those who have special abilities. The music teacher cooperates 
 closely with the committee on recreational activities in promoting and 
 organizing festivals and civic and social programs. An important part 
 of his work is to study and collect all types of regional musical composi¬ 
 tions, including popular music. He shares in the conducting of the edu¬ 
 cational centers, and encourages the performance of music and regional 
 songs by conducting contests between communities. 
 
 The Leader of Recreational Activities is the promoter of athletic ac¬ 
 tivities within the community, and seeks to encourage everyone to par¬ 
 ticipate in at least one sport that is healthful and recreational. Oper¬ 
 ating a program of competitive games that will interest the participants 
 and serve as recreation for the entire community is the responsibility 
 of this missioner. This missioner seeks to preserve regional sports and 
 to foster participation in them. The sports which are most common 
 and easiest to learn are encouraged, and facilities locally available are 
 utilized. Members of the community are stimulated to provide at their 
 own expense such buildings and equipment as are necessary. The mis¬ 
 sioner in charge of recreation also directs adult military training, in¬ 
 cluding close order drill and extended maneuvers, in accordance with 
 the regulations that govern this activity. 
 
 The missioners in charge of recreation and music work together in 
 studying the regional songs and dances. If none exist for the particular 
 region or if the number is insufficient, those from a neighboring region 
 are taught. Groups interested in theatrical productions, puppet shows. 
 
 10 
 
OBJECTIVES AND ORGANIZATION 
 
 and similar activities are provided with leadership. Glee clubs, in¬ 
 strumental groups, and the improvement of the musical skill of those 
 already adept, are important phases of the recreational program and are 
 the responsibility of both the music teacher and the leader of recrea¬ 
 tional activities. In all musical activities encouragement is given to style 
 and interpretation which are natural, original, and free from outside 
 influences. ii: t ; 'iiv- 
 
 At the conclusion of the mission in each community the results of its 
 activities are displayed with appropriate ceremonies. Such celebrations 
 are frequently held on civic holidays and the people are encouraged to 
 observe them regularly in order to provide wholesome recreation and 
 to cultivate love of country, its heroes, the flag, and the national anthem. 
 
 Although each person in a mission has specific functions to perform, a 
 sustained program of community rehabilitation is the result of unified, 
 collective action toward a common goal. Guided by this objective each 
 missioner is free to exercise initiative, so long as this does not interfere 
 with the development of the total program of the mission. Each mission 
 endeavors to evaluate the relative importance of specific activities in 
 terms of the general plan and avoids activities not in harmony with 
 this plan. ■ i (n; ] .•■iMms.ii. 
 
 Without neglecting the Responsibility and work assigned to each, the 
 specialists on the mission staff sCek to cooperate as' a unit frtr ! the good 
 of all concerned. One missioner may work independently or two or 
 more missioners may work together. The social worker may help the 
 nurse; at other times the construction teacher, the teacher of agricul¬ 
 ture, the music teacher, and the leader 1 of recreational activities will 
 combine their efforts. When the work to he done is urgent, some of the 
 missioners may have a heavier load than they can carry. In such cases, 
 they are entitled to the cooperation of their colleagues, who will work 
 under the direction of the missioner in charge of that activity, in order 
 to complete the unfinished projects according to the plans. 
 
 Conferences and Reports 
 
 One of the most effective means of cooperation between the mission¬ 
 ers is that afforded by periodic conferences for the review and criticism 
 of their work. At each conference the record of the activities carried 
 on since the preceding conference is reviewed and evaluated, the activi¬ 
 ties of the staff appraised, and consideration given to possible changes 
 in methods of work and in revision of plans. 
 
 The t ime required on each task depends on the type of work and local 
 circumstances, and the decision rests with the missioner in charge of the 
 particular task or the chief of the mission. Certain projects can he fin¬ 
 ished in a day, some in a week; others may require several weeks. Once 
 
 11 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 a decision has been made concerning the time needed to be spent on a 
 project it should be completed within that period. Excuses, such as 
 lack of necessary materials or cooperation of individuals or the com¬ 
 munity, are not valid reasons for failure. The missioner should provide 
 in advance for the successful completion of a given task in an assigned 
 place, and each assignment should be completed except for circum¬ 
 stances beyond human control. 
 
 The chief of the mission checks the projects under way, both periodi¬ 
 cally and at their completion. If parts of the work are behind schedule, 
 or if unforeseen difficulties arise, the chief does everything possible to 
 correct the situation and to assist with the work. 
 
 At the first of each month each member of the mission staff submits 
 to the mission chief a report covering the work done the previous month, 
 a copy of which is sent to the Cultural Missions Department. In the 
 report the missioner includes every important task performed, together 
 with complete information concerning work done and places where it 
 has taken place. Based largely on the reports from the missioners the 
 report of each chief of mission is filed within the first 6 days of each 
 month covering the previous month’s work. The report of the chief 
 includes information submitted by the missioners for the month and a 
 summary of personal observations made during supervisory visits. 
 Photographs illustrating the more interesting aspects of the work are 
 included in the report. Outstanding achievements, the manner in which 
 they were performed, participation by the communities, functioning 
 organizations established, and the ways in which supervision resulted 
 in necessary corrections, improved work, or increased services are also 
 included. Finally, the report includes a general statement of the work 
 that will need to be done after the present program has been carried 
 to completion. 
 
 Scope of Activity 
 
 The field of activity of the Rural Cultural Mission is the community 
 itself. All of its activities and programs are designed to fulfill the real 
 needs of the people, and are carried out within the homes, on the plot 
 of land, in the fields, orchards, shops, and schools, and in direct contact 
 with the vital problems of daily life. The program aids small, inde¬ 
 pendent farmers and those working as members of cooperatives, as well 
 as artisans and teachers. As much self-help as is possible is fostered, and 
 active committees should be organized among the people to help pro¬ 
 vide for their own needs. The voluntary and enthusiastic cooperation 
 of the people must always be sought and any form of coercion avoided. 
 
 Although some progress will be made as the communities are im¬ 
 proved and the people trained, it should not be expected that proce- 
 
 12 
 
OBJECTIVES AND ORGANIZATION 
 
 dures, occupations, and equipment that are too advanced will he ac¬ 
 cepted immediately. Nor can it he expected that old habits will be re¬ 
 placed suddenly. Progress must he gradual and progressive, based upon 
 the understanding and abilities of the people. 
 
 Children, as well as adults, are encouraged by the missions to work in 
 the orchards, gardens, and shops, and to care for domestic animals. 
 Children should be supervised by their parents, or by members of the 
 mission staff, and attention given to their physical and spiritual develop¬ 
 ment. Special provision is made in the mission program for the children 
 who cannot attend school regularly because of economic conditions in 
 the home. 
 
 Although the staff of each mission visits the homes and works to solve 
 individual problems as time permits, the greater part of the work is 
 done through organized group activities. By means of clubs, teams, and 
 associations, people interested in the same activities or problems, or 
 who have a common purpose, may work together, thus enabling them to 
 make application of newly acquired knowledge more quickly through 
 combining their efforts and resources. Such cooperation also enables 
 them to carry on the work which the mission starts. Through group 
 work the people can determine for themselves the best means of obtain¬ 
 ing a desired goal. 
 
 In addition to the close relationships that exist among the missioners, 
 the operation of the program is closely correlated with existing govern¬ 
 mental, economic, and social agencies. Organizations with which the 
 mission should work closely include workers’ groups, producers’ asso¬ 
 ciations, cooperatives, credit associations, schools and educational com¬ 
 mittees, water supply and forest protection committees, athletic, rec¬ 
 reation, and literary clubs, and the Public Works Bank. The active 
 cooperation of these organizations must he secured in order to obtain 
 material aid for the mission’s work, such as offices, workshops, and space 
 for other activities. Cooperation of these organizations is solicited also 
 as a means of securing the necessary economic and moral support from 
 the community. These groups are valuable and efficient means of pene¬ 
 trating the inner circle of the community and of gaining the coopera¬ 
 tion needed for the mission's projects. Their cooperation is indis¬ 
 pensable if the continued development for which the missions are 
 valiantly struggling is to take place. 
 
 It is recommended that in every community a Committee on Econom¬ 
 ics and Education he organized in order to make the achievements of 
 the program available to all in the region. It is suggested that this com¬ 
 mittee consist of the presidents of all the economic and educational 
 organizations in the area. In the event that two or more communities 
 wish to combine their efforts, a special committee may he formed by 
 
 13 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 the presidents of the existing committees in each community. Each 
 committee makes regulations based on local needs, regulations which 
 persons of average understanding and ability can understand and ob¬ 
 serve. 
 
 Democratic procedures are to he followed in organizing teams, clubs, 
 and other groups. This is one means of insuring respect for the will of 
 the majority, and of making a valuable contribution to the social and 
 political development of the community. In communities where the 
 standard of living is very low, the staff can make its most effective 
 contribution by emphasizing group rather than individual activities. It 
 may he necessary, however, to give attention to a few exceptional cases 
 that require individual attention. 
 
 It is obvious that clubs, committees, and other active groups organized 
 by the missions must keep in close touch with the mission staff. These 
 groups are guided, however, in such a way that they may eventually be 
 able to act independently in discharging their own responsibilities. 
 
 It is the wish of the Cultural Missions Department that no thought 
 should be given concerning receiving credit for the successful accom¬ 
 plishment of work done by the mission. The mission should attempt to 
 maintain its freedom to take the initiative in inaugurating projects, but 
 the local institution is to be given all the credit connected with pro¬ 
 grams in which it has cooperated. Credit is given to unions, schools, lo¬ 
 cal boards, or other groups which have worked actively on a successful 
 program, even though the program was initiated and encouraged by 
 the mission. Such credit is given also in public addresses and in the 
 reports that are made. 
 
 WORKERS' CULTURAL MISSIONS 
 
 The workers* missions operate in manufacturing, mining, oil, and 
 milling centers. They seek to improve the homes, health, recreation, 
 economic condition, and general education of the workers. 
 
 By working with the management, unions, and the workers them¬ 
 selves, the missions try to prevent industrial accidents. The improve¬ 
 ment of sanitary conditions in industrial establishments is also given 
 attention. These missions do what is necessary to bring about good 
 health conditions in workers’ communities, giving attention to sanitary 
 services, drinking water, personal cleanliness, and the prevention and 
 control of epidemics and endemics. The missions strive to improve the 
 physical condition of homes so that they will have proper outhouses, 
 sanitary services and furnishings, and so that they will be well located 
 and clean, with adequate ventilation, light, and space. 
 
 Instruction is given in nutrition, child care, sewing and other hand¬ 
 work, vegetable and flower gardening, breeding of domestic animals, 
 
 14 
 
OBJECTIVES AND ORGANIZATION 
 
 and the development of small remunerative home industries. Assistance 
 also is given in helping to solve problems of family relations and ad¬ 
 justment. The mission uses its influence to assist in the enforcement of 
 existing rules and regulations concerning the employment of women 
 and minors. 
 
 Athletics and physical education activities are fostered for the pur¬ 
 pose of building physical strength, agility, and self-control, and for 
 developing habits of discipline, self-denial, courage, perseverance, and 
 intrepidity. Encouragement is given to swimming, bicycling, hunting, 
 excursions, horsemanship and premilitary training. The selection of 
 sports which provide recreation and which help to prepare workers for 
 the defense of the country is important. 
 
 Activities such as singing, music, oratory, the theater, dancing, and 
 plastic arts are encouraged. Groups of workers who are interested in 
 similar artistic activities are organized into groups. The custom of or¬ 
 ganizing Saturday or Sunday festivals in which artistic and athletic 
 workers’ groups participate is also promoted by the missioners. The 
 attempt is made to include in such programs lectures on educational 
 subjects, motion pictures, and radio shows, and social gatherings at 
 which nonalcoholic refreshments are served . Workers’ missions attempt 
 to influence employers to meet fully their legal obligations to support 
 adequate schools for the children of their workers. Educational com¬ 
 mittees and parent associations are organized to help improve school 
 plants, provide necessary equipment, encourage regular school attend¬ 
 ance, and he responsible for teachers’ morals. The literacy campaign 
 is encouraged Ivy calling upon teachers and all persons of good will for 
 assistance and by the founding of adequate libraries and other cultural 
 centers. Schools for workers are organized in which workers will he 
 taught the text of the Constitution concerning their rights and duties, 
 the Federal Labor Code, and other pertinent laws, and especially the 
 rights and duties of the Mexican people when their country is at war. 
 
 In order to improve the economic conditions of workers, these mis¬ 
 sions promote the organization of consumer and producer cooperatives, 
 and whenever possible help to secure higher salaries for workers and 
 to establish savings banks. 
 
 The staff of each workers’ cultural mission consists of the following: 
 
 1. Chief. 
 
 2. Leader of recreational activities. 
 
 3. Teacher of mechanics and motion picture projector operator. 
 
 4. Teacher of music. 
 
 5. Social worker. 
 
 The workers are expected to carry on the activities encouraged by the 
 mission through adequate organizations which will operate after the 
 
 C7872S°—46—4 
 
 15 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 missions have left the community to work in other places. Organization 
 plans, reports, and operation of the program follow the procedures 
 outlined for rural cultural missions on pages 7-14. 
 
 URBAN TEACHERS' CULTURAL MISSIONS 
 
 The urban teachers’ missions seek to improve the educational and 
 professional background of elementary school teachers, to keep them 
 informed of recent educational developments, and to develop a pro¬ 
 gressive professional attitude. The missions also seek to develop una¬ 
 nimity among in-service teachers on educational philosophy and prac¬ 
 tice. They help to build public opinion for the support of education, 
 make suggestions to local governments concerning the organization and 
 direction of their school systems, and encourage the development of 
 extracurricular activities. The promotion of important cultural activi¬ 
 ties in these urban centers and the organization of institutions for their 
 permanent support are also of concern to these missions. 
 
 The staff of each urban teachers’ cultural mission consists of the chief 
 of the mission, a kindergarten teacher, recreational leader, music 
 teacher, social worker, teacher of plastic arts, and a specialist in the 
 field of tests and measurements or in the field of small industries. 
 
 The Chief of the Mission must have had as a minimum, a full course 
 in the normal school, 5 or more years of successful teaching experience, 
 and be well informed concerning developments in modern educational 
 methods. He plans and directs the program of the mission and guides 
 and supervises the work of the missioners. In directing the professional 
 improvement of teachers who attend the institutes held at the mission, 
 the chief is responsible for the inclusion of the following topics: Edu¬ 
 cational philosophy, teaching methods, school organization, evaluation 
 of achievement, discipline, and social adjustment of students in the 
 school. The chief visits schools in the area in order to study their or¬ 
 ganization, program, and operation, and in order to advise teachers 
 concerning changes that should be made. The chief also seeks to de¬ 
 velop the cultural life of the community and is responsible for making 
 suggestions to local governments concerning improvements in their 
 schools. 
 
 The Kindergarten Teacher must be a graduate of a normal school, 
 and have good professional training for this type of work. Outstanding 
 success in teaching for at least 5 years is also required, as well as famil¬ 
 iarity with modern developments in the field. This teacher plans and 
 directs the preschool phases of the program for teachers’ institutes, 
 giving special attention to the selection and direction of activities, 
 evaluation of progress, and discipline. Like the chief, the kindergarten 
 
 16 
 
OBJECTIVES AND ORGANIZATION 
 
 teacher visits schools to advise teachers after observing and evaluating 
 the programs in their particular schools. 
 
 The Recreational Leader carries on programs of gymnastics, games, 
 sports, and other recreational activities. In addition to practical demon¬ 
 strations and activities, he provides the theoretical background and 
 related theory. He visits schools and gives assistance in planning and 
 carrying out recreational programs in these schools. He plans and 
 directs community campaigns against alcoholism and develops com¬ 
 munity support for recreational and athletic programs. 
 
 The Music Teacher should be able to sing, compose music, play at 
 least two musical instruments, string and wind, and should have had 
 teaching experience as well as actual work in organizing bands. Visits 
 to schools and musical centers to offer guidance and encouragement are 
 a part of the music teacher’s duties. This missioner’s work with the 
 teachers is for the purpose of training them to teach music more suc¬ 
 cessfully in their classrooms. 
 
 The Social Worker must have teaching experience, ability as an or¬ 
 ganizer, and be a specialist in homemaking activities. The missioner 
 teaches cooking, sewing, hygiene, nursing, child care, and other aspects 
 of homemaking to the teachers attending the institutes. In common 
 with other missioners, the social worker visits schools, advising and 
 assisting whenever necessary. 
 
 The Teacher of Plastic Arts must be a specialist in his field and have 
 teaching experience and organizing ability. At the institutes and in the 
 schools he gives instruction in the teaching of applied plastic arts in 
 the elementary schools. 
 
 The Teacher of Small Industries, like the other missioners, must have 
 teaching experience, be a specialist in his field, and have organizing 
 ability. He visits schools and teaches those in attendance at the teach¬ 
 ers’ institutes regarding small industries which can be taught in the 
 schools. 
 
 All of the members of the mission staff are to assist the chief in im¬ 
 proving the general level of education in the area and in raising the 
 cultural level of the community. 
 
 During the teacher-training institutes conducted by the mission, ex¬ 
 tension courses for others in the community are organized on a regularly 
 scheduled basis at hours convenient to the general public. In each 
 community where an institute functions, a series of well-planned edu¬ 
 cational and artistic programs is organized. These programs are pre¬ 
 sented regularly throughout the period that the mission remains in the 
 community. Intensive social work is carried on in each community 
 where the mission is stationed, and the cooperation of the entire com¬ 
 munity is sought. In areas where special problems exist, the cultural 
 
 17 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 missions Carry on, in addition to their regular work, the organization 
 and direction of appropriate programs to meet the problems that may 
 exist. For instance, along the borders, where the Spanish language and 
 our cultural traditions are being corrupted, local teachers are trained 
 to carry on, after the departure of the mission, programs which will 
 counteract these tendencies. 
 
 Each institute conducted by the urban teachers’ mission generally 
 operates for a period of 5 weeks, and an evaluation of results and an 
 official report are made to the Cultural Missions Department at the end 
 of each period. Staff members are appointed for periods not longer 
 than 1 year. In this way the Department is able to select the most effi¬ 
 cient personnel from each preceding year, 
 
 18 
 
Part II. Operation of the Cultural Missions 
 
 Programs 
 
 In accordance with instructions from the Secretary of Public Educa¬ 
 tion, a series of seminars to plan the programs of the cultural missions 
 was held early in the year which this report covers. These seminars 
 were planned in order to take advantage of the experiences of the pre¬ 
 vious year, and the chief of each mission was given an opportunity to 
 relate his experiences and to discuss his plans for the rest of the year. 
 The seminars were held both morning and afternoon for 4 successive 
 days, and the following problems were discussed: 
 
 To what extent have the cultural missions, of all types, achieved their purpose 
 of improving the community as a whole, or the region where each operates? 
 
 What factors contribute to improving life in rural areas, and how may con¬ 
 tinued improvement he stimulated? 
 
 Hoiv have rural recreational activities been improved? 
 
 II ow have the missions improved the economic condition of rural communities 
 in which they have worked? 
 
 Ho w can the health of rural communities be improved? 
 
 What are the functions of the social worker, and what specific tasks should he 
 assigned to her? 
 
 What authority do supervisors have and what procedures should he followed 
 in supervising and inspecting the activities of the mission? 
 
 Summaries of the seminar discussions were made available to the 
 staffs of the missions. The next three sections—Improving Life in Rural 
 Areas, Coordination of the Cultural Missions Program, and Organizing 
 Local Committees—are representative of these summaries. The Cul¬ 
 tural Missions Department also issued a number of instructional bul¬ 
 letins during the year as a basis for study and action by the missioners. 
 Because these bulletins, like the summaries of seminar discussions, 
 describe in a vivid way the operation of the cultural missions program, 
 several are presented on the following pages under the heading “In¬ 
 structional Bulletins,” beginning with Rural Recreation on page 23. 
 
 SEMINAR DISCUSSIONS 
 I. Improving Life in Rural Areas 
 
 The schools which exist in rural communities are important agencies 
 and should be considered as cultural missions, which thev actually are. 
 If the school is to fulfill its essential function, it must carry on its pro- 
 
 678728 °— 46—5 
 
 19 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 gram in an environment which is free from the influence of the low 
 standards of its surroundings. Members of the cultural missions staff 
 must keep in mind that the school is the agency charged with the de¬ 
 velopment of formal and systematic education, especially among chil¬ 
 dren. The work of the schools in the communities in which cultural 
 missions work must not be hindered in any way, nor should the mis¬ 
 sion carry on activities that are already going on in the schools. On the 
 contrary, the missioners must make every effort to guide the work of 
 the schools, and assist in the organization of their activities, in order 
 that they may achieve the objectives toward which they strive. The 
 cultural missions, however, must go beyond activities that are essentially 
 scholastic by developing educational programs which will enable both 
 youths and adults to solve the immediate problems of living in their 
 locality. 
 
 Members of the cultural mission staff should seek the active support 
 and cooperation of groups in the communities in addition to those con¬ 
 nected with the schools. Educational activities of a less formal nature 
 than those carried on in the schools can receive valuable support from 
 nonschool groups. Such organizations should have the support of the 
 municipal authorities. The schools should be closely bound to com¬ 
 munity activities, and teachers of the schools and members of the cul¬ 
 tural missions staff must strive to secure the full cooperation of local 
 groups in carrying out the work planned. 
 
 The missions should provide opportunities for professional improve¬ 
 ment for the teachers in the locality, but these activities should be 
 closely related to the specific problems faced by teachers in their dailv 
 work. It is important that teachers be treated with respect, that appre¬ 
 ciation for their work he expressed, and that they be encouraged in 
 their work in every way. In the periodic meetings of local teachers 
 which are held by the missions, guidance should be offered to teachers 
 concerning problems that are of practical concern and assistance should 
 be given in such a way that it can he put to immediate use by the teach¬ 
 ers. Teachers should participate in the meetings in order to gain ex¬ 
 perience in the study and solution of their own problems and practice 
 in making their own plans. They should also learn to do social work 
 under the direction of the appropriate missioners in order to be able 
 to support and encourage this portion of the program of the mission 
 after it leaves the community. 
 
 In all matters relating to the schools and teachers the missions must 
 coordinate their work with that of the School Inspectors in that zone, 
 and, in order to insure a spirit of harmony and good will among all 
 concerned, they should report to the Directors of Federal Education 
 regarding their work. 
 
 20 
 
OPERATION 
 
 The missions should endeavor to establish libraries, because of their 
 importance as cultural agencies, through the cooperation of the people 
 of the locality and by far-rcaching and sustained campaigns. Libraries 
 should provide facilities for children and should contain useful periodi¬ 
 cals. They should he operated in accord with the best principles of 
 library science. 
 
 Fairs, exhibits, and contests are of great importance in rural areas, 
 for they not only encourage agricultural production and stock raising, 
 hut also offer a great many opportunities for activities of a social, moral, 
 and esthetic nature. Such events should he considered as tangible 
 results of the campaigns carried on hv the cultural missions and the 
 rural schools. 
 
 It is recommended that evening cultural centers he established. In 
 addition to housing the literacy work for adults, they should become 
 places for social activities supported by the authorities, local organiza¬ 
 tions, and the people themselves. 
 
 2. Coordination of the Cultural Missions Program 
 
 After the most urgent problems facing a community have been deter¬ 
 mined and specific objectives have been agreed upon, the coordination 
 of all agencies in the locality is necessary. Each missioner must coor¬ 
 dinate his activities with those of the other members of the mission 
 staff. Regulations and orders which have been issued by the Office of 
 the Chief of the Cultural Missions Department are designed to assure 
 the cooperation of all agencies of the Government with the cultural 
 missions. In addition, the missions must secure the cooperation of 
 other social institutions in order to secure material aid and moral 
 support. When necessary, the work of agencies of the government and 
 the social institutions may be combined or integrated, hut at all times 
 the mission must develop the strength and full independence of each 
 such agency or institution. 
 
 Each missioner must cooperate frankly and openly and accept re¬ 
 sponsibility for overcoming doubts and conflicts. He should be con¬ 
 scientious and enthusiastic in working to accomplish projects planned. 
 Even when an activity is not within his special field, the missioner 
 should assist if opportunity arises. One characteristic of every cultural 
 mission should be that its staff is united in thought and action. 
 
 The missioner is personally responsible for the improvement of 
 plans made, and for taking the initiative in an emergency. Work that 
 he does on his own initiative, however, should not interfere with his 
 primary obligation of carrying on the specific activities assigned to him. 
 
 Periodic meetings of the missioners provide opportunities for com¬ 
 paring and making criticisms and adjustments. New plans then are to 
 
 21 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 be made for the following periods, based on survey and study of the 
 community, the work of the mission, and the report of work accom¬ 
 plished. 
 
 3. Organizing Local Committees 
 
 We have learned from experience that lasting impressions were not 
 made by past missions when established local institutions were not 
 available to continue the work. If the work initiated by the missions is 
 to continue and its results be guaranteed, it is necessary that the com¬ 
 munity’s own institutions be adequately established by the time the 
 mission leaves. Without appropriate agencies to carry on the program 
 the community will return to its previous state of lethargy and indiffer¬ 
 ence to its problems. 
 
 The community as a whole must be able to recognize its various prob¬ 
 lems and to judge their importance. It must first understand the ele¬ 
 mentary steps to be taken concerning those problems that are most 
 important, most practical, or easiest to solve; and then it should work 
 toward the solution of those problems which are more complex or of 
 less importance. 
 
 The following resolutions were proposed by members of the seminar 
 for discussion and approval: 
 
 The mission anti its various components shall organize committees for all 
 phases of their work, and shall give the committees a clear vision of their purpose, 
 leading them in the planning and execution of the work. 
 
 The mission shall organize, among members of the various committees or from 
 the community, a general hoard which will serve as the central committee on 
 activities. This board will include representatives from each local committee and 
 will coordinate the work of all, determining which problems should receive first 
 attention. 
 
 After the missioners leave the community they shall keep in touch with these 
 general boards. During the time that the mission works within the community 
 the missioners should stimulate, advise, and guide their work. 
 
 Special committees, composed of the most capable, interested persons should 
 he formed, to coordinate the mission’s activities within the entire zone. 
 
 In selecting the committees mentioned, the missioners shall consider the ability 
 and willingness of the people who are eligible to direct the specific work to 
 be done. 
 
 INSTRUCTIONAL BULLETINS 
 
 The bulletins which follow were written during 1942 and 1943 and 
 refer to conditions then facing the Mexican Nation, including the War 
 in which Mexico was then a participant. The bulletins were addressed 
 to the missioners, and give instructions concerning their activities dur¬ 
 ing that period. 
 
 22 
 
OPERATION 
 
 I. Rural Recreation 
 
 Th is bulletin is necessary because recreation not only constitutes en¬ 
 tertainment for tbe rural population, but it also helps to create in rural 
 areas a new and better life, one that is enriched spiritually and made 
 more pleasant and satisfying. Recreation is also an important aspect 
 of tbe program with which the cultural missions have been entrusted. 
 Although this letter is especially directed to rural cultural missions, it 
 can be read to advantage by members of all cultural missions, since its 
 suggestions can be adapted for use in other areas. 
 
 Nowhere is life more monotonous, sad, and tiresome than in the 
 country. Only the tourists, poets, or painters who live there for short 
 periods of time can speak of rural life as a thing of beauty. People 
 who live in the country see it in a different light. Eating, working, and 
 sleeping are the only three links in the chain of rural life. Rural people 
 often migrate to the city to avoid boredom and weariness; they find 
 city life less simple, for it has at least one additional link—recreation. 
 
 It is not necessary to do research on rural life to come to the conclu¬ 
 sion that no social or recreational activities are available there, not 
 even those of the most elementary kind. One need only visit a rural 
 settlement to note that residents do not even observe the custom of 
 visiting each other. Occasionally they meet along the roads and ex¬ 
 change a word of greeting or inquire about the health of relatives. 
 They talk about the weather, and exchange best wishes, but that is the 
 extent of their social relations. Nor is there any kind of social life 
 within the homes. Now and then the members of a family speak of 
 their work or of their neighbors and relate bits of gossip concerning 
 a neighboring ranch. On rare occasions there may be a community 
 dance which usually ends with much shouting and striking of one 
 another with hats. There may be an annual celebration, like a small 
 fair, tbat lasts 2 or 3 days and commemorates the anniversary of the town. 
 Sundays, as a rule, are particularly monotonous in rural communities. 
 If the custom of marketing is established in a town, it is the only diver¬ 
 sion for the people. There are no athletic fields, children’s playgrounds, 
 piddic gardens, or walks which might offer recreation to the residents. 
 Nor are there any theaters, motion picture theaters, libraries, or musi¬ 
 cal programs. There is not even a convenient place for neighbors to 
 meet casually and talk. Life, as it is lived in small settlements, ranches, 
 and villages is not really living. Life should be happy, beautiful, and 
 inspiring, so that human beings will want to live on to accomplish 
 things in this world. Since the horizon of rural life is so limited and 
 lacking in opportunities, our Department believes it is most urgent for 
 the missions to enrich it, at least to the extent of stimulating social and 
 
 23 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 recreational life. Rural life, which is now mostly an animal-like exist¬ 
 ence, would thus acquire some spiritual value; the monotony of exist¬ 
 ence would be broken, even if only temporarily, and sad and painful 
 thoughts would be forgotten. A new feeling of joy would be born 
 within the people and this would lead them to love life and be hopeful. 
 If only for this circumstance, social and recreational life would he 
 worth while. Cultural missions will achieve good results if they firmly 
 resolve to introduce recreation in the ranches, rural villages, and settle¬ 
 ments. 
 
 When we speak of recreation, we naturally refer to social and recrea¬ 
 tional activities which are wholesome. Many leisure-time activities are 
 undesirable, such as gatherings in saloons or canteens where intoxi¬ 
 cating beverages are sold, and where cock fights, gambling, and similar 
 diversions are practiced. The worst of these is the saloon, for addiction 
 to alcohol leads to habitual drunkenness and begets all kinds of misery 
 and misfortune. 
 
 The Department feels that there are other reasons to justify its strong 
 recommendation to the missions for the encouragement of social life 
 in rural areas. People live in the country in isolation, and recreation 
 would bring them together, unite them, and, to use a pedagogical term, 
 socialize them. However, it is not sufficient merely to bring these people 
 together; in order to socialize them we must replace their self-centered 
 thoughts and feelings with altruism and mutual understanding. Then 
 the people would not think, feel, or act as isolated individuals but as 
 integral members of society. The feeling of belonging to the same group 
 would be socially useful, for the great tasks of the future must be real¬ 
 ized by people who are moved by a common feeling and similar 
 thoughts. Rural people are individualistic. They are eager to work 
 continuously to increase their personal holdings or to enjoy a greater 
 individual well-being, their main concern being for themselves and 
 their own families. The idea of social or community well-being is hazy 
 and undefined. They cooperate in group tasks or public service only to 
 the extent that it directly benefits them because they do not have 
 a spirit of cooperation. If recreation is introduced intelligently and 
 directed wisely, it can awaken the desired spirit of cooperation and 
 keep it permanently alive. This is particularly necessary in rural com¬ 
 munities. The people lack so many public services and community 
 facilities that unless a cooperative spirit is fostered they can never hope 
 to develop such services. Recreation not only socializes the people but 
 unites them culturally. A festival, an athletic meeting, a musical pro¬ 
 gram, a play in the open-air theater, or a fair will bring people together 
 and create social relationships. Such social gatherings would be very 
 beneficial in the rural areas, where people are isolated. Since all the 
 
 24 
 
OPERATION 
 
 farmers in a certain region do not have the same experiences or the 
 same culture, they will have opportunities for an interchange of experi¬ 
 ences and information as they come together for recreation. Through 
 these means our rural population some day may have a homogeneous 
 instead of a heterogeneous culture. 
 
 Whenever our rural people have had to meet to solve one of their 
 collective problems they generally have been very undisciplined. Not 
 that they encourage disorders or create disturbances, but they are dis¬ 
 organized and lack direction. One of our pressing needs now is to 
 guide such groups and teach them how to organize and work in a dis¬ 
 ciplined, orderly manner. Rural recreation can be a valuable means 
 of achieving this. Athletic teams and recreational organizations, ini¬ 
 tiated and sponsored by cultural missions, can serve such a purpose 
 effectively. But recreation offers an even stronger disciplinary power. 
 Spectators learn to control their impulses, and this is training which 
 our rural folk need. Recreational activities will profoundly influence 
 mental and emotional health, for such activities indirectly educate the 
 people and make them masters of their passions and impulses. This 
 internal control is known in education as self-discipline. 
 
 In view of the educational value of recreation, the Department hopes 
 that the cultural missions will do their best to leave some recreational 
 activities established in all of the settlements within their zone, whether 
 they are large or small. Alcoholism and delinquency are closely related 
 to the lack of recreation. The more recreational facilities available, the 
 less delinquency will prevail, and vice versa. “Idleness,” according to 
 an old saying, “is the mother of all vices.” Wholesome recreation will 
 draw people away from alcoholism, which in our rural areas constitutes 
 an actual calamity, as well as from other evils and even from crime. 
 
 Rural missioners with initiative, and others who desire to bring about 
 the rehabilitation of our rural population, should certainly establish 
 open-air theaters in the communities where they work. These could 
 he used for local entertainment and for the teaching of social and moral 
 lessons through dramatics. As we all know, about 4 years ago some of 
 our enthusiastic rural teachers presented a group of persuasive plays 
 as a part of a campaign against alcoholism. You may remember seeing, 
 in a small community, a play entitled The Calvary of a Mother, or the 
 Fruits of Alcoholism and in another a skit entitled Health and Wealth. 
 The background of the play presented the evils of drinking and, al¬ 
 though parts of it were lacking in artistry and the technique was some¬ 
 what crude, its plot was part of life itself in the small villages. The 
 spectators thus received an impression that was strong, vivid, and full 
 of meaning. The open-air theater was found to be the best means of 
 keeping the people out of saloons. The teachers began in earnest to 
 
 25 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 write and produce plays, using out-of-door theaters that they themselves 
 had built. The whole neighborhood was their audience. 
 
 The teachers did not stop with the construction of the theater. They 
 proceeded to build athletic fields and encouraged games that would 
 build strong bodies and provide relaxation and spiritual rejuvenation. 
 On Saturday afternoons, Sundays, and holidays, the children, young 
 people, and adults, crowded the athletic fields in search of wholesome 
 recreation. At times, we would listen to these rustic and simple folk 
 as they discussed the new activities. Typical of their remarks were, 
 “How good this is!” “This way we can forget many temptations, and 
 if we forget them often enough, they will cease to exist."* We know 
 some places where the saloons used to he filled with intoxicated people 
 on Sunday afternoons, hut as soon as the athletic fields were opehed, 
 the saloons were deserted as young and old made their way to the com¬ 
 munity games either to play or to watch. 
 
 Above all of the values of recreation that have been mentioned is 
 that rural people can learn hv this means to cultivate beautiful thoughts 
 and noble ideals, for recreation influences their thinking and their 
 feelings. To relax by listening to beautiful music, to enjoy a good play 
 or beautiful dance in the village, to amuse oneself by singing songs or 
 listening to a story, to watch a competitive game with interest—all these 
 things have a cultural and moral influence on rural people that is very 
 wholesome. None of this is idleness. Idleness is evil, but recreation is 
 not idleness. To be idle is to spend time doing nothing that is useful 
 or beneficial; recreation keeps the people’s minds and emotions busy 
 so that they are more completely occupied than at any other time dur¬ 
 ing the day. Without realizing it, while engaging in recreational activi¬ 
 ties, people are creating beautiful ideas or fine emotions. Educators 
 think that there is no better term to express such activities than the 
 word recreation, for to recreate means not only to entertain oneself, 
 hut also to create and renew again and again. In all communities there 
 are children, adolescents, and grown-ups who are eager for recreation. 
 The things chosen to satisfy these desires should he varied and rich 
 enough to please spectators of all ages and to satisfy the emotional 
 needs of both men and women. Recreation should be planned specifi¬ 
 cally for the young, for the old, and for both sexes. Only in an abstract 
 sense can we speak of general recreation for everyone. 
 
 Considering the needs presented above, the Department feels justi¬ 
 fied in recommending to the rural cultural missions now in the field the 
 following as a minimum recreational program for every community: 
 
 1. Construct a chiltlren’s playground with swings, slides, seesaws, balancing 
 apparatus, trapeze, ladders, and bars. This can be done even though only the 
 simplest materials are available. 
 
 26 
 
OPERATION 
 
 2. Equip a puppet theater for string and hand puppets. 
 
 3. Prepare an athletic field for young people and adults with necessary grounds 
 
 and playing areas cleared and marked. A swimming pool should be added 
 if possible. 
 
 4. Provide an appropriate place for lassoing, horsemanship, cowboy stunts, and 
 
 sports with bulls. 
 
 5. Organize a band, orchestra, or musical group in each community. Make avail¬ 
 
 able a park equipped with a pavilion where serenades and programs can 
 he held on Sundays and holidays. 
 
 6. Construct or prepare a suitable place for plays and motion pictures, and 
 
 organize two groups of actors to insure permanent theatrical activity. 
 
 7. Construct an open-air theater and organize choral and minstrel groups, as 
 
 well as groups of string musicians and regional dancers. 
 
 8. Establish community libraries which contain scientific and practical books, 
 
 novels, stories, and travel and adventure books. Provision should be made 
 for the library to receive regularly a rural magazine, a cultural journal, 
 and one of the good daily newspapers. 
 
 9. Make available ample space in the community library for people to meet 
 
 regularly to discuss their problems, to hear informative talks and cultural 
 programs, or simply to chat and get acquainted. 
 
 10. Establish annual fairs commemorating the anniversary of the founding of the 
 
 settlement or celebrating the end of the harvest season. On such occasions, 
 community traditions should be observed by an appropriate program. All 
 educational and athletic groups may participate in such celebrations. 
 
 11. Organize, among interested members of the community, a Committee on 
 
 Social and Recreational Activities, together with subcommittees for par¬ 
 ticular events or programs, in order to insure the adequate and permanent 
 development of this phase of rural life. 
 
 The Department makes the above suggestions to the missions as a 
 program to be developed and amplified in every way possible, in har¬ 
 mony with other phases of the missions operation. Anything less should 
 he considered insufficient. The chiefs of missions are asked to study 
 this bulletin and begin to put it into practice gradually. 
 
 2. Functions of the Music Teacher 
 
 Tou are not only responsible for the teaching of the technical aspects 
 of music in preparation for participation in musical activities, hut also 
 for the important task of getting the participation of people of all ages 
 in artistic activities and productions. Interest in the arts and the ability 
 to express their emotions through the arts are characteristics of the 
 Mexican people. Our ballads, dances, and songs, as well as our beauti¬ 
 fully decorated toys and other articles, are evidence of this interest and 
 ability. Interest in the arts should be encouraged in order to increase 
 the production of beautiful and rich folklore in our country. There¬ 
 fore, one of the most important functions of the music teacher in the 
 cultural mission is to guide and develop the creative spirit of the people, 
 to help keep it pure, and to protect it against foreign influences. If we 
 
 27 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 observe and analyze the folklore and musical production of our past 
 and compare it with that of today, we will find, unfortunately, that the 
 quantity has decreased and the quality declined. We cannot analyze 
 the multiple reasons for this downward trend, but among the most im¬ 
 portant causes is the influence of musicians from the capital upon the 
 music of our country. Some of our musicians and composers from the 
 capital are corrupted and confused by morbidity and foreign influence. 
 The mission teacher should oppose these destructive influences and 
 seek to encourage the ingenuous and the simple, thus liberating the 
 beautiful art of the Mexican people. 
 
 The simplest and most understandable manifestation of the creative 
 arts is singing. The music teacher should encourage all people to sing, 
 but should work especially with those who are capable and interested. 
 These should be organized into formal groups for more serious work. 
 The first song they should learn to sing correctly is the national anthem. 
 The teacher should then select a few appropriate songs for performance 
 utilizing her own compositions and the materials edited by the Auxil¬ 
 iary Office of Cultural Missions. She should select persons of both sexes 
 having the best voices and teach them harmony. The teacher may later 
 organize choral groups among the better students. She should train 
 those who like to sing native songs to sing duets and trios. 
 
 If a musical organization, whether orchestra or band, already exists, 
 the missioner should instruct the members in order that they may im¬ 
 prove the quality of their performances. The inability to read music 
 and to keep proper time are often failings of such groups. These abili¬ 
 ties should be improved by practice in reading music and by rhythmic 
 exercises that are graded in difficulty. Instrument technique should be 
 improved through study of the proper method and through practice. 
 She should teach harmony, which is the indispensable basis for all musi¬ 
 cal performance, and increase their knowledge of music theory. 
 
 When the missioner personally directs an organized group, it should 
 be done with the greatest tact, in order to avoid offending the local 
 director. Any criticism of the local director’s work should be made in 
 private. 
 
 Another common weakness of music groups is the use of poor orches¬ 
 trations. As a result, the repertoire is usually poor, the same pieces 
 having been repeated so often that they no longer interest the audience. 
 Consequently, the teacher must give instruction in orchestration, mak¬ 
 ing the best use of the instruments available. Practice should include 
 waltzes, national airs, and simple pieces until the repertoire is gradually 
 improved to the point where more difficult fantasias and overtures can 
 be played. Preference should always he given to simple music. The 
 results are better when an easy musical number is performed well than 
 
 28 
 
OPERATION 
 
 when a difficult number is rendered poorly. In the localities where no 
 musical group exists the teacher should organize one. For this purpose 
 a harmony course should be offered and the teaching made as enjoyable 
 as possible. If an instrumental group exists, it is preferable that its 
 members be taught the elementary music necessary and the technical 
 handling of their instruments. This should he accomplished largely 
 th rough group practice. However, singing should not be neglected, 
 since it is beneficial in developing good timing and correct intonation. 
 
 Cooperation between the music teacher and the leader of recreational 
 activities should he very close, for they must cooperate in directing 
 dances, dramatizations, and festivals. This collaboration should take 
 place in a friendly spirit so that the work of both will be completed 
 with the least difficulty and delay. The contributions of the music 
 teacher as well as the recreation teacher should be given recognition 
 at all festivals. 
 
 Contests should have the approval of the chief of the mission so that, 
 through official support, they will he given the assistance necessary. 
 There may be contests between orchestras or singers, and the typical 
 musical instruments played. The finals of the contest should take place 
 at the traditional town festivals or during the celebration of an im¬ 
 portant national or local event. 
 
 One of the most important duties of the music teacher in a cultural 
 mission, and one which this Department considers obligatory, is the 
 collection of regional, indigenous music. It is regrettable that, through 
 the negligence of people who are capable of collecting such music, 
 many works of artistic value have been lost. In all parts of the country 
 there are songs, dances, melodies, and rhythms which can be used in 
 the preparation of historical monographs concerning our native peo¬ 
 ples. The Cultural Missions Department wishes to create a library of 
 this type of material which is as complete as possible. The music 
 teacher in the cultural mission should collect such materials and send 
 them to this Department with notes concerning the instruments played. 
 The Department will record the missioner’s name on the material when 
 editing it. In the preparation of the collection of indigenous music, 
 the historical background of each item is of the utmost importance, as 
 are also the circumstances surrounding its origin and discovery, and the 
 meaning or symbolism of each. Thus, in addition to collecting music 
 and dances, the missioner should investigate their origin and history. 
 The choregraphy charts may he made by the leader of recreational 
 activities. The melodies and songs of the Indians and the mestizos are 
 usually extremely simple, ingenuous, and may appear to be of no 
 permanent value. This should not diminish their interest for the honest 
 investigator. He should not attempt to alter the original in any way. 
 
 29 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 since it would corrupt the authentic art of our aboriginal peoples and 
 make it hybrid. Songs should he submitted with the original words, 
 and the text must not be modified even to correct the versification or 
 vernacular speech. 
 
 The materials used by the music teacher must be carefully selected, 
 especially the songs and choruses. Rural children are very fond of 
 themes that are simple enough for them to understand from their own 
 experience, such as songs of nature, animals, or patriotism. Not all 
 Mexican songs, even those which are very beautiful, are appropriate 
 for school use. Selections must be made from songs that are neither 
 morbid nor beyond the emotional or mental age of the child. In 
 choosing materials it is not possible to avoid love songs, for, in general, 
 this is the emotion that inspired the old, traditional songs which we 
 are interested in preserving. Nevertheless, there is a difference be¬ 
 tween the pure and beautiful inspiration of the simple artist, and the 
 foreign perversions such as rumbas, congas, and tangos which are so 
 popular in the cities and which the radio is spreading everywhere. 
 
 It is recommended that songs be used which can be dramatized, acted 
 out, or sung with pantomime, since both children and adults prefer 
 them. The repertoire of hands and orchestras should include, first of 
 all, national airs, waltzes, marches, and simple rhapsodies. Operatic 
 fantasias and serious overtures should be played only before audiences 
 which will appreciate them. 
 
 The missioner should remember that the mother tongue, the natural 
 sciences, natural history, and other subjects can well he taught through 
 the aid of songs. Care should he taken, however, not to allow singing 
 to lose its recreational function. An ideal class would begin with easy 
 songs suggested by the members and then develop new and more diffi¬ 
 cult material through the active participation of the pupils themselves. 
 
 3. Specific Tasks of the Social Worker 
 
 The purpose of this bulletin is to help the social workers, and it 
 should not be considered as a criticism of their work, for many examples 
 of successful results may be cited. Upon receipt of a bulletin, the chief 
 of the mission should call the missioners together to read and discuss 
 its content. 
 
 All our social workers cannot be expected to be specialists in every 
 phase of a program which includes health, home and family relations, 
 remunerative occupations, recreational and school activities. Neverthe¬ 
 less, since they work in these fields, they should have a general knowl¬ 
 edge of them and should also be alert and diligent and have a sincere 
 desire to serve. The Cultural Missions Department is greatlv concerned 
 about the personality of its social workers. It is important that when 
 
 30 
 
OPERATION 
 
 considering the introduction of desirable innovations they he able to 
 grasp quickly the needs of the people and to evaluate correctly the 
 potentialities of the locality in order to inspire them to greater efforts. 
 
 If there is no midwife or nurse in a cultural mission, the social 
 worker is responsible for the health activities in homes, schools, and 
 the community as a whole. It is advisable to make an adequate work¬ 
 ing plan for the solution of these problems, or at least their alleviation, 
 covering the entire zone in which the mission operates, and for a period 
 of one year, since the mission works within one zone for that length of 
 time. If there are no toilets, or if those existing are unsatisfactory, 
 plans must be made to correct the situation. Wells should he kept 
 covered, cleaned regularly, and located well away from graves. Streets 
 and yards should he swept regularly, dumps located far from residential 
 areas, and buildings for domestic animals located far from houses. 
 Measures should he taken to preserve good sanitary conditions in 
 schools, houses should he kept clean and well-ventilated, and flies elim¬ 
 inated. A small drug store or first-aid station as well as a small hospital 
 should he established in each town. The people must he taught to keep 
 clean, to bathe regularly, and to boil water for drinking. Puddles must 
 he prevented from standing in streets and yards, for they are the breed¬ 
 ing places of mosquitoes which transmit malaria. Vermin should be 
 exterminated, not only for the personal comfort of the people, hut also 
 to avoid propagating diseases such as typhoid fever. It should become 
 customary to sweep the streets, gardens, and public squares daily—or at 
 least twice a week. Everyone should he vaccinated in order to prevent 
 common diseases. The social worker is responsible for these health 
 measures when the mission has no nurse or midwife. If a nurse or 
 midwife is available, the social worker should serve as an assistant. 
 
 It is the special duty of social workers to help improve the homes and 
 dignify domestic life in every way possible. Therefore, they should be 
 interested in improving living quarters and their furnishings as well as 
 conditions of domestic work, child care and welfare, nutrition, clothing, 
 home industries, home recreation, and social life. Living quarters in 
 rural areas are,either huts or inadequate dwellings, without sanitary 
 conveniences, sufficient space, light, or air. Often there are no baths, 
 toilets, kitchen utensils, dishes, tables, chairs, or beds. The. grinding of 
 corn and all cooking is usually done on the floor. Social workers must 
 concentrate their efforts toward the alleviation of conditions of inade¬ 
 quate and unbalanced diet and insufficient clothing. The results of 
 their efforts will not be readily apparent, but the work should go on. 
 Although there are resources for food production in,rural areas, rural 
 people do not have sufficient food and their meals are not balanced. 
 Fresh vegetables, cheese, eggs, or meat are rarely eaten; nor is it cus- 
 
 31 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 tomary to drink milk. The rural diet consists of chile, beans, and tor¬ 
 tillas. Although most of these country dwellers are very poor, the social 
 workers can do much for their welfare if they work persistently, cou¬ 
 rageously, and enthusiastically for the improvement of the daily diet. 
 Small cooking classes to teach housewives how to prepare and season 
 food should be organized. They should do what they can to teach 
 mothers how to care for their children. 
 
 There is an urgent need to dignify the position of rural women. Their 
 domestic burdens must be lightened by introducing hand grinders for 
 corn mash, if mechanical grinders are not available in the community. 
 Mashers should be placed at heights convenient for making tortillas. If 
 community sewing rooms cannot he established, sewing machines may 
 be provided. To dignify the position of rural women the social workers 
 should teach husbands and children to be more respectful and con¬ 
 siderate. Campaigns should be organized among school children to 
 improve home and family life. If rural women are not placed on a 
 higher plane, domestic life cannot he improved. 
 
 Although this work is assigned to social workers, the nurse or midwife 
 must assume these responsibilities in cultural missions where there is 
 no social worker. A cultural mission cannot excuse itself for failing to 
 meet these obligations on the ground that no special person was as¬ 
 signed to the work. 
 
 Social workers can accomplish much through the schools. Proper 
 facilities for the teaching of cooking, sewing, and home occupations 
 may be built. Embroidery and crocheting have been looked down upon 
 by teachers and consequently are becoming lost arts. They should, 
 therefore, he taught and encouraged. Social workers should prepare 
 the teachers to be able to continue the homemaking classes after the 
 mission leaves. 
 
 This Department has purchased needles, thimbles, thread, and simi¬ 
 lar working materials for the direct use of social workers in the mis¬ 
 sions. Some of the materials have already been sent to their destination. 
 Consequently, lack of materials can no longer be given as an excuse for 
 poor work. It would he wise to initiate the practice of selling these 
 articles at cost rather than giving them, for the missions are educational, 
 not charitable, institutions. When needy people receive materials 
 without cost they are helped temporarily, but soon return to their pre¬ 
 vious condition. Needed articles cannot be donated indefinitely, for 
 the social workers would soon lack teaching materials. On the other 
 hand, if the missioners show them how they can acquire needed articles 
 and help develop their ability to do so, they are actually being rehabili¬ 
 tated. 
 
 We h ave mentioned a sufficient number of tasks for social workers. 
 
 32 
 
OPERATION 
 
 I hey can never be complacent about their work when so much needs 
 to be done. No matter how much a social worker accomplishes, she 
 should realize that many more problems are still unsolved and that 
 without her leadership the other teachers would not be able to solve 
 them. 
 
 The Cultural Missions Department is interested in learning of the 
 accomplishments of social workers. Each chief of mission is requested 
 to attach the social worker's report to his own when submitting it to 
 this Office. This Office would also appreciate having the personal re¬ 
 ports from all the missioners attached to the chief’s report unless this 
 proves unduly burdensome. 
 
 4. Instructions for Supervisors 
 
 You are hereby requested to leave immediately to supervise the cul¬ 
 tural mission, with headquarters at. You are to super¬ 
 
 vise the work of the missioners and be responsible for their compliance 
 with instructions issued. Because adjustments must he made for each 
 community, these instructions should be carried out on the basis of 
 local geographic, economic, educational, and social factors. Special 
 attention should be given to the economic problems faced by the mis¬ 
 sion, and the cooperation of local authorities and residents should be 
 sought in their solution. 
 
 Your zone of activity should expand until your cultural mission is 
 working with 30 settlements during the present 1-year period. The 
 effectiveness of your work should not decrease as your area of activity 
 increases. 
 
 The mission should use the home, the shop, the school, and the com¬ 
 munity as its workshop. For example, the teacher of agriculture will 
 encourage each family to provide its own fruit and vegetables and to 
 raise its own cattle. The rural people will be taught how to cultivate 
 and irrigate available land to the best advantage. He will instruct 
 teachers concerning the cultivation of school gardens and the construc¬ 
 tion of necessary shelters for cattle. 
 
 All missioners should personally own the equipment considered es¬ 
 sential for their work, and should adjust their activities to the general 
 plan of the mission as well as to the special plan made for their field 
 of work. 
 
 It should be a general rule that missions base their activities on local 
 resources available. When collective efforts are needed, the coopera¬ 
 tion of individuals should be sought through the proper organizations. 
 
 A meeting for educational cooperation should be held weekly in a 
 community previously agreed upon. Whenever possible the coopera¬ 
 tion of the school inspector of that zone should be secured. Teachers of 
 
 33 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 nearby schools may be invited to attend on a voluntary basis, but the 
 missions ought never to interfere with the regular work of the schools. 
 
 The supervisor should spend 1 or 2 weeks with each group in his 
 zone. His reports covering the supervision of each group are to he sent 
 to the Sub-Secretary of Education through the Cultural Missions De¬ 
 partment and should contain the following information: 
 
 1. A brief description of the zone covered by the mission, mentioning its geo¬ 
 
 graphic, economic, sociologic, and cultural aspects. The settlements where 
 the mission is concentrating its greatest efforts should he specified. 
 
 2. Problems considered of prime importance. 
 
 3. Critical evaluation of the working plans being followed by the mission and 
 
 each of its members. Note should he made of changes in the original plans 
 that the supervisor has suggested. 0 c ‘ 
 
 4. Work accomplished by each missioner. On separate sheets a summary should 
 
 be given concerning the preparation, efficiency, activities, discipline, char¬ 
 acter, and spirit of cooperation of each missioner. 
 
 5. Amount of cooperation given by local authorities and residents in each settle¬ 
 
 ment. 
 
 6. Summary of the supervisor’s work. 
 
 7. A general, critical opinion of the work the mission is developing. 
 
 8. Statistics, photographs, graphs, sketches to supplement the report. 
 
 5. Research Activities 
 
 In order to carry out the program of rural cultural missions, surveys 
 and studies must he carried on from the beginning. This practical re¬ 
 search will show the relation between available resources and the prob¬ 
 lems of the region. The results of the study will he particularly useful in 
 carrying out effective programs in economics, health, family life, recrea¬ 
 tion, and education. This type of study will progress only if the mis¬ 
 sion enlists the community’s cooperation and participation. Such sup¬ 
 port will not only facilitate the collection of data, hut will also serve to 
 interest the local residents in solving their own problems. Although 
 studies will be conducted by the chief of the mission, the members of 
 the mission staff will be responsible for the accuracy and validity of 
 those parts of the report which concern their respective fields. 
 
 The statement of the general plan for carrying out research activities 
 of the mission shall provide for a sufficient number of chapters or parts 
 so that the essential functions and objectives may be presented fully. 
 The statement should be developed by the chief and all the members 
 of the mission staff. One copy is to be sent to the Cultural Missions De¬ 
 partment of the Secretariat of Public Education. 
 
 In preparing the surveys and studies, the factors mentioned in the 
 outline on the following pages should be considered. However, when 
 necessary, the missioners should also investigate any question that is 
 
 34 
 
OPERATION 
 
 closely related to their work, even though it is not included in the 
 outline. 
 
 Outline for Surveys and Studies 
 
 Economic Life. 
 
 Agriculture: Physical factors of production, methods and equipment used, 
 hazards and risks; property system, capital, credit, taxes, transportation and 
 other costs; markets, organization of work, manufacturing and processing of 
 products; introduction of new crops suitable to existing conditions. 
 
 Livestock: Factors of production, such as, soil, climate, topography, pasture 
 lands and watering places, methods of livestock care, animal sanitation, common 
 diseases; census of animals, system of ownership, production costs, marketing 
 conditions, industrialization of products; possibilities of introducing new strains 
 and species. 
 
 The Cooperative Farm: Organization, production programs, economic con¬ 
 ditions. 
 
 Forests: Census of resources, classification of species, system of ownership, 
 methods of exploiting, diseases and dangers, extension of forests, production 
 conditions, manufacturing of forest products, methods of improving and con¬ 
 serving, reforestation. 
 
 The missioner in charge of the work related to the four items above, 
 should also study related problems such as the use being made of water 
 for irrigation, possible increase in areas irrigated, and the establish¬ 
 ment of small irrigation systems where none exist. 
 
 Natural Resources of the Region: Indigenous animal, plant, and mineral re¬ 
 sources, potential \sater power, techniques for development of resources. 
 
 Trades and Industries: Kinds and numbers in operation in the region; tech¬ 
 nical level of methods and materials, production conditions; remunerative trades 
 and industries which might he introduced. 
 
 Directly related to the survey and study of economic life of the com¬ 
 munity, all questions concerning salaries, or other income, and living 
 costs must he investigated. Information should lie classified according 
 to industries and occupations, real income, average family income, sal¬ 
 ary in kind, other income, loans or other benefits such as quarters, fire¬ 
 wood, pasturage, and estimated cost of living. 
 
 Health. 
 
 Hygiene: Climatic and other physical conditions that affect the health of the 
 people; personal hygiene practices of the people, community preventive hygiene 
 practices; domestic, occupational, and school hygiene. 
 
 Public Health: Facilities of the community, including pavements, drainage, 
 garbage disposal, food supplies, slaughterhouses, markets; epidemics, endemics, 
 sporadic diseases, common accidents, home remedies and common medical prac¬ 
 tices; knowledge and influence of quacks and witch doctors; birth rate, mortality 
 according to causes, ages, and sex; hospitals, clinics, emergency stations, sanitary 
 units, maternity clinics, pharmacies, and public baths operating in the region. 
 
 35 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 Home and Domestic Life. 
 
 The Residence: Size of site, type of dwelling, construction materials; arrange¬ 
 ment of rooms, lighting, ventilation; location of kitchens, outhouses, and wells; 
 furniture and utensils. 
 
 Economic Basis: Number in family, domestic occupations of each; tools and 
 equipment, products made for home use, marketable products, earnings and 
 expenses; food supply per person, intoxicating beverages consumed with and 
 between meals; customary clothing, family wardrobe, including items and costs; 
 family expenditures for food, clothing, rent, health, recreation, education, religious 
 festivals and customs, social engagements, diversions and vices. 
 
 The Family: Marriage customs, census of civil, religious, and common law 
 marriages; status of each member in the home; habits concerning meals, clothing, 
 hygiene, rest and sleep, use of leisure time, family celebrations, religious prac¬ 
 tices, superstitions, incentives for school attendance. 
 
 Education. 
 
 Institutions ■ or Schools: Enrollment, attendance, punctuality, withdrawals 
 (with reasons); characteristics of teachers; economic position of children and 
 parents, financial aid provided by local authorities, condition of plant and equip¬ 
 ment; organization of program, courses of study, administration, supervision, 
 outcomes; participation in campaigns which the Secretariat of Public Education 
 states should be in operation in the schools, such as literacy, anti-alcohol, health, 
 conservation, reforestation, and intercommunity communications. 
 
 Other Educational Institutions (including libraries, theaters, movies, radio, 
 agricultural stations, museums, social services, associations, unions, and research 
 centers) : Extent and effect of programs; cooperation with schools to encourage 
 enrollment; attendance and punctuality; programs to improve buildings. 
 
 Social Life, Culture, and Recreation. 
 
 People: Census, according to sex, age, race, language, literacy, and employment. 
 
 Government: Political authorities, councils of elders or experienced men; 
 effects on the people of law, authorities, leaders, and politicians. 
 
 Local Problems: Alcoholism, gambling, prostitution. 
 
 Recreation: Games, festivals, holidays sponsoring institutions or organizations. 
 
 Popular Arts: Handcraft characteristic of the region, regional songs, music, 
 dances, stories, legends, oral and written traditions; commercial and remunerative 
 aspects. 
 
 Religion: Rituals, customs, superstitions, survival of ancient beliefs and re¬ 
 ligious forms, ethical, esthetic, economic, recreational, and educational aspects of 
 religious holidays, prevailing concepts concerning the family, government, and 
 property. 
 
 6 . Arbor Campaign 
 
 Attached is a part of a bulletin issued hv the Secretariat of Public 
 Education concerning a presidential resolution for a campaign to pro¬ 
 mote tree culture. It should be carried out by all educational institu¬ 
 tions in the country. According to directions issued to the Cultural 
 Missions Department, cultural missions are included in this presidential 
 
 36 
 
OPERATION 
 
 resolution and are hereby requested to take the necessary measures for 
 initiating the following activities: 
 
 1. Establishment of a nursery for forest and fruit trees in communities where 
 
 appropriate lands and water for irrigation are available. 
 
 2. Planting of decorative trees on highways, local roads, public squares, gardens, 
 
 driveways, and terraces. 
 
 3. Planting small forests in the outskirts of settlements, and utilizing lands that 
 
 are not privately owned for the cultivation of regional forests. 
 
 4. Propagation of fruit trees common to that locality on the lands of the rural 
 
 people. 
 
 5. Improvement of fruit trees through selection and grafting. 
 
 6. Introduction of new varieties of fruit trees. 
 
 7. Propagation of the white mulberry tree. 
 
 The above suggestions should serve as a basis for the practical teach¬ 
 ing which agriculture teachers and specialists should carry out among 
 rural people. You should get in touch with the regional nurseries and 
 the Department of Agriculture immediately so as to obtain necessary 
 seeds and small trees at the proper time. The teacher of agriculture 
 should include in his monthly reports the number of trees planted in 
 each community, the kinds of trees, and the number of nurseries estab¬ 
 lished. 
 
 7. Promotion of Agricultural Production 
 
 T ou are hereby instructed to take the necessary measures so that 
 agriculture teachers and specialists in your group will intensify their 
 efforts for the increase of agricultural production in all the localities 
 where the cultural missions operate. Tou should take advantage of the 
 season to start cultivating new lands and to direct the work preparatory 
 to planting. In order to insure a better harvest, special attention should 
 he given to the selection and treatment of seeds, as well as to fertilizers 
 and the preparation of lands. Following the instructions already given, 
 it would also he wise to start at once a campaign for the planting of a 
 great number of fruit, decorative, and other trees so as to take full ad¬ 
 vantage of the next rainy season. In this campaign the collaboration of 
 local authorities, schools, and all forces within the community should 
 be sought. Although we are asking teachers to intensify their efforts 
 for the promotion of the above-mentioned activities, they should not 
 fail because of these special duties to carry to completion their regular 
 activities. 
 
 8. Teaching the Care of Silkworms in the Schools 
 
 The Secretary of Public Education has decreed that, without neglect¬ 
 ing other school work, the breeding of silkworms should be taught in a 
 practical manner in the primary schools at Atzcapotzalco, Covoacan, 
 
 37 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 Tacuba, Tlalpan, Xochimilco, ami San Angel. This subject should be 
 taught during the spring, and should include the study of related topics 
 in the fields of zoology, botany, geography. The properties and uses of 
 silk, processes, profits, and centers of the silk-growing industry in 
 Mexico and in foreign countries should also be included. This instruc¬ 
 tion should be accomplished in such a way that students will be able 
 to practice the necessary activities connected with breeding silkworms, 
 observe the biological processes involved, make investigations, and ar¬ 
 rive at conclusions that will convince them of the importance of the 
 silkworm industry. The extent to which it is possible to introduce in¬ 
 struction in silkworm breeding in schools should he reported to the 
 Cultural Missions Department. If such instruction is successful, a new 
 industry might he established in rural homes. The extent to which the 
 school can he effective in stimulating this industry should also he re¬ 
 ported to the Department. This work consists of two parts: First, the 
 propagation of white mulberry trees by schools or rural families, 
 through stakes, transplanting, and nurseries; and second, the imme¬ 
 diate introduction of silkworm breeding in those places where the 
 mulberry trees are already available. The Cultural Missions Depart¬ 
 ment, the Secretariat of Public Education itself, and the Sericulture 
 Experiment Station at Ixtacalco, D. F., provide services and informa¬ 
 tion to teachers concerning silkworm breeding. The Sericulture Promo¬ 
 tion Agency is prepared to supply eggs and to expedite the sale of 
 cocoons. In order to stimulate the interest of teachers and students 
 in this matter the Cultural Missions Department will grant honor 
 diplomas, books, or small cash prizes in schools obtaining the best re¬ 
 sults in this campaign. 
 
 9. The Literacy Campaign 
 
 Illiteracy is one of the greatest obstacles to our goal of attaining 
 common ideals for the different cultural groups that constitute our 
 nation and to the achievement of economic and social well-being among 
 our workers and farmers. Experience acquired during the past few 
 years in attempting to solve the illiteracy problem in Mexico has led 
 the Secretariat of Public Education to organize a national literacy cam¬ 
 paign on a firm foundation and in such a manner as to utilize all of 
 the natural and human resources of the country. 
 
 The literacy campaign which took place several years ago was opened 
 with a conference attended by more than six hundred delegates from all 
 social levels. The conference drew up plans for the elimination of il¬ 
 literacy in Mexico within 3 years and recommended that all the forces 
 within the country should work together to achieve this goal. To carry 
 out the resolutions of the conference, a National Office was established 
 
 38 
 
OPERATION 
 
 by the Secretariat of Public Education, and representatives for each of 
 the States and a commission of 11 teachers were named to serve as field 
 promoters and organizers. Near the end of 1938 the program was re¬ 
 organized and new plans were made which included the division of 
 the country into zones with an official appointed to direct the work in 
 each zone and in each State. Working plans were sent to all directors 
 of education, local governments, workers’ and farmers’ organizations, 
 popular regional associations, all State and autonomous departments, 
 and others. Literacy committees in the States were multiplied in num¬ 
 ber. A Children’s Educational Army was organized with students from 
 the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades; a Youth’s Army was formed with 
 the students of rural regional schools, normal schools, and the National 
 School for Teachers. 
 
 This elaborate organization, however, accomplished very little, and 
 the campaign was felt chiefly by those who were already literate. The 
 program was uncoordinated. No agreement was made between the 
 Federal Government and the State Governments concerning the regular 
 contribution by each of a certain amount for the maintenance of edu¬ 
 cational institutions for adults, just as they do for children. The lim¬ 
 ited collaboration of the States was always requested and received from 
 the governors as a favor. The same may be said concerning the par¬ 
 ticipation of business. Just as business is expected to be responsible 
 for the welfare of its workers by providing medical services, accident 
 compensation, and schools for the children of its workers, legislation 
 might have been introduced in Congress which would have added the 
 education of workers to the benefits now provided. And the educa¬ 
 tional welfare of our workers is essential to the economic and social 
 development of our country. 
 
 Thus, notwithstanding the cooperation given by various groups in 
 earlier campaigns, the task of teaching our laboring people to read 
 and write has only begun. The most important aspect of such a cam¬ 
 paign is its continuity, which can he assured only by setting up new 
 procedures based on a solid foundation. 
 
 The campaign must he conducted according to conditions in the 
 region to he affected. Because of the lack of such experience and the 
 limited funds available in the Secretariat of Public Education this year, 
 the campaign to he initiated now will be on a more modest scale and 
 better organized than the previous one. 
 
 The campaign will he carried out by the Secretariat of Public Educa¬ 
 tion through the Literacy Office of the Cultural Missions Department. 
 It will work through educational institutions of the following types: 
 Urban and rural primary schools; practical agricultural schools; urban 
 and rural normal schools; secondary, prevocational, vocational, and 
 
 39 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 special schools; cultural missions and Federal educational agencies. 
 State governors will be invited to cooperate through State educational 
 institutions. 
 
 In order to do an effective piece of work and to gain experience on 
 which further plans may be based, the campaign will be started in a 
 limited area within the States of Puebla and Chihuahua. In carrying 
 out this campaign, the Chief of the Literacy Office will communicate 
 personally with the governors and school authorities of those two States 
 concerning the regions selected. The Federal directors of education will 
 create a section within their office to he responsible for their part in 
 the campaign. School inspectors will be the chiefs of the campaign in 
 their respective zones and will be assisted by teachers under their juris¬ 
 diction, although their regular work should not he neglected. A list 
 should be made of illiterates in each town, farm, factory, or cooperative 
 farm, giving the name, age, sex, and address of each illiterate and stat¬ 
 ing whether illiteracy is complete or partial. Only persons between 12 
 and 50 years of age should he listed, and each person only once. 
 
 Information should be given concerning workers* syndicates, coop¬ 
 erative farmers, and small farmers, together with the addresses, num¬ 
 bers of persons, types of activity, and names of officers. Complete in¬ 
 formation concerning the schools operating in each community should 
 also be given. 
 
 In small villages where there are no schools, the inspector should 
 designate teachers from nearby schools to compile the list of illiterates. 
 Complete data are necessary if the extent of our oroblem is to be 
 measured accurately. 
 
 While this information is being gathered, the Federal educational 
 agencies will send instructions to the school inspectors for the reor¬ 
 ganization of the literacy groups for young people and adults of both 
 sexes. In places where such groups do not exist, they should he or¬ 
 ganized. At least 1 hour a day should be given over to this work. A report 
 describing the work done should he sent to the Cultural Missions Depart¬ 
 ment and to the appropriate educational office in the State or Territory. 
 
 After this information has been obtained, the worker or farmer or¬ 
 ganizations must be persuaded to influence their illiterate members to 
 attend night school until they have learned to read and write. Until 
 such time as business organizations may be obliged to maintain educa¬ 
 tional centers for their workers, they should be requested to give vol¬ 
 untary financial and moral support to the campaign. Appropriate 
 persons at the employment centers should inform new workers as they 
 are hired concerning the time and place of literacy classes. At strategic 
 points within the zone, reading rooms for workers should be provided 
 and a traveling library service developed. Secondary schools and all 
 
 40 
 
OPERATION 
 
 higher educational centers within the zone should establish literacy 
 and educational extension centers to be operated during the entire 
 school year. 
 
 In order to strengthen this program it is imperative that financial 
 support for the campaign be provided using Federal, State, and munic¬ 
 ipal funds. The budget should provide for fees, school materials, text¬ 
 books, and other publications mentioned in the project. Instructors 
 who teach 30 people to read and write should be given honorable men¬ 
 tion and advanced 5 points in their professional rating by the National 
 Register Commission. 
 
 During the present year the campaign will be developed in the States 
 of Chihuahua and Puebla, according to the program outlined above. 
 Information concerning these campaigns will be made available to the 
 public. Two primers and two magazines to be used in similar literacy 
 programs, one for workers and the other for farmers, are to be written 
 and published. The literacy work should then be carried on in the rest 
 of the country through institutions that function under the Secretariat 
 of Public Education. 
 
 Plans are to be drawn up for conferences held by the Federal Gov¬ 
 ernment and the State Governments concerning the financial assistance 
 which each should give for the maintenance of educational institutions 
 for adults. A bill which specifies the pro rata contributions of business, 
 based on the number of employees, is to be drafted to create literacy 
 and educational centers for workers. The literacy work among con¬ 
 scripts shall be organized and directed by the Cultural Missions De¬ 
 partment, together with the Department of National Defense. Based on 
 the exeprience gained this year, the plan for next year’s program should 
 he made early. 
 
 10. Educational Institutions and the War 
 
 The state of war existing between Mexico and the Axis countries 
 makes it necessary to mobilize all the branches of our national institu¬ 
 tions so that their objectives may be in harmony with the new social 
 and economic conditions brought about by the war. No one can foresee 
 the duration or consequences of this war, but it will undoubtedly end 
 with the triumph of the nations fighting for liberty, democracy, and 
 social justice. Our nation is fighting with the Allies because of its own 
 convictions. There is every reason for us to be genuinely proud of our 
 nation's entry into this struggle, for it did so with a history that is clean 
 of all stains. Mexico has always defended with honor its liberty, sover¬ 
 eignty, and the integrity of its territory. Mexico firmly condemned the 
 ^ andalic conduct of nations that enslave humanity, and it has main¬ 
 tained the inviolability of treaties made according to international law. 
 
 41 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 for they are the basis of universal peace. Now that foreign dictators 
 would unscrupulously injure our national pride, Mexico, unhesitatingly, 
 and with the courage of one that defends a just cause, has joined the 
 other free peoples fighting to place right above might. This noble and 
 brave attitude obliged us to make certain commitments, and these we 
 must meet as confidently and effectively as possible in order to he pre¬ 
 pared for the postwar period, during which our country’s destiny will 
 he deeply affected. 
 
 It is the teacher’s responsibility to contribute to the education of 
 children, youths, and adults, in the cities and in the country, without 
 thought of long hours or personal discomfort. With a spirit of self- 
 denial and sacrifice, the teachers must work for the following objec¬ 
 tives: Love of country, maintenance of the democratic principles sus¬ 
 taining our institutional life, increased production, development of 
 home economy and public health services, preparation of the people 
 for direct participation in the war and national defense, and organiza¬ 
 tion of civilian defense. 
 
 1. Love of country .—Teachers should pay special attention to the 
 development of patriotism. It has always been of vital importance in 
 the education of children, hut under present conditions it must be given 
 unusual emphasis because of the serious dangers that threaten our na¬ 
 tion. Consequently, all school activities should tend to awaken and 
 strengthen love of our country, admiration for our heroes, and respect 
 for our institutions. Specific activities suggested are the following: 
 
 (a) Teaching of the national anthem, songs about the flag, and patriotic group 
 songs. 
 
 (b) School ceremonies to honor the flag (Monday). 
 
 (c) Patriotic talks on outstanding episodes of the history of the Americas, and 
 of Mexico. 
 
 (d) Public civic programs (Saturday or Sunday) to commemorate historic 
 anniversaries. 
 
 (e) Plays based on historic episodes in which children and adults, of both sexes, 
 participate. 
 
 (f) Compositions and speeches on patriotic subjects. 
 
 (g) Contests in drawing historic subjects. 
 
 (h) Drawing of maps as a means of teaching geographic position of our country 
 in relation to the other countries of America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and 
 Asia. 
 
 (i) Comparisons of government, and of social and economic characteristics of 
 democratic and totalitarian countries. 
 
 (j) Information concerning the devastation caused by the war, inter-American 
 solidarity, the solidarity of all democratic countries, and Axis threats against 
 the sovereignty and honor of our country. 
 
 (k) Reading and commentary of the historic presidential message accepted by 
 Congress, according to its constitutional authority, as the basis for our coun¬ 
 try’s declaration of war against Germany, Italy, and Japan. 
 
 42 
 
OPERATION 
 
 (l) Talks concerning the lofty mission entrusted to our National Army for the 
 defense of our country’s integrity, sovereignty, and honor. 
 
 (m) Commentary on our duties as Mexicans when our country is facing such 
 dangers. 
 
 (n) Strengthening of our people in the conviction that the war will end with the 
 unquestioned triumph of the cause of liberty, democracy, and social justice. 
 
 2. Maintenance of the democratic principles sustaining our institu¬ 
 tional life .—At the same time that the war is being fought in the mili¬ 
 tary fields at the cost of millions of lives and the destruction of the 
 highest values of human culture, the dictatorships are undermining 
 with extraordinary shrewdness the social and political organizations of 
 liherty-loving peoples. The school, press, radio, motion pictures, secret 
 societies, business transactions, social gatherings, and even simple fam¬ 
 ily conversations are means cleverly used to form a veritable army of 
 traitors. Such an army, at a given signal from its master, is ready to 
 undermine the internal defenses and military forces of countries that 
 the tyrants wish to enslave. Their propaganda is tenacious and hypo¬ 
 critical; it presents the democracies as decadent and anarchical govern¬ 
 ments, so weak that they are incapable of leading their people to higher 
 levels of well-being and culture. In the background of all this falsehood 
 one can see clearly the intentions of a man who, under the influence of 
 a weak doctrine of racial superiority, is attempting to gain the absolute 
 domination of all the peoples of the world. Our country, indeed, all of 
 America, is included in these sinister plans. The danger is all the more 
 serious when one realizes that under the protection of freedom the Axis 
 countries were able to build one of the most powerful military forces of 
 all time. Mexico has a high mission to fulfill in this titanic struggle. 
 The unjust threat we received, our historic antecedents, and our loyalty 
 to all the noble causes of humanity, have placed our country among the 
 peoples who are defending the sacred principles of universal democ¬ 
 racy. President Avila Camacho has expressed the feeling and will of the 
 Mexican people in a thoughtful but firm manner. All of us must do 
 our duty calmly, intelligently, and decisively, but our teachers are re¬ 
 sponsible for directing the fight against all open or subversive action 
 taken by the enemy to undermine the foundation of Mexican democ¬ 
 racy. The modest classroom of the elementary school, the professor¬ 
 ship, lecture platform, personal conversation, and the press, are all 
 resources for counteracting the effects of psychological warfare and in¬ 
 sidious enemy propaganda against our social and political institutions. 
 School activities can he so directed that the students will recognize such 
 propaganda and remain unaffected. 
 
 3. Increased production .— (a) Without detracting from their essen¬ 
 tial functions, the practical agricultural schools, special schools, and 
 
 43 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 prevocational and professional technical schools should readjust their 
 schedules and programs to the extent necessary for efficient and accel¬ 
 erated training of specialists and workers needed by war industries. 
 Secondary schools are also obliged to intensify the agricultural and in¬ 
 dustrial training of their students, both boys and girls. The elementary 
 schools, urban and rural, should teach whatever agricultural and indus¬ 
 trial subjects possible within the limits of their resources. Their efforts 
 can be very important, since there are two million children in elemen¬ 
 tary schools. If well directed along these lines the elementary schools 
 can make a significant contribution to production as well as to educa¬ 
 tional progress. Circumstances require that all cattle-raising facilities 
 be utilized; that all school gardens, no matter how small, be cultivated 
 intensively; and that no shops be allowed to remain idle. 
 
 (b) As a measure of precaution, in case the war may be unduly pro¬ 
 longed or may extend its action directly to our soil, it is appropriate 
 to accelerate the agricultural and industrial training of our juvenile 
 and adult population. For this purpose the technical and special 
 schools will offer special courses for people who are not enrolled in 
 the regular courses. These courses should he of a practical nature, 
 taking into account the individual’s physical condition and native abil¬ 
 ity. 
 
 (c) In rural areas, teachers should stimulate inci'eased agricultural 
 and livestock production, and should give appropriate encouragement 
 to the various activities of farmers. It is necessary that each family 
 have a small garden; keep domestic animals, such as chickens and pigs; 
 cultivate fruit trees; and increase small home industries, such as the 
 preservation of meat, fruit, and vegetables, keeping of bees, handling 
 of milk products, and wool and cotton weaving. Rural teachers should 
 use their own homes and schools as small model farms which will serve 
 to demonstrate objectively the results obtained through well-directed 
 agricultural production. In this interesting work, the instructions is¬ 
 sued by the National Production Committee and other special Govern¬ 
 ment agencies should he followed. 
 
 4. Development of home economy and public health services .— (a) 
 One of the serious consequences of the war is the scarcity of essential 
 commodities. It is true that the Federal Government, with the patriotic 
 support of State and municipal governments, has already taken some 
 measures to prevent hunger and the lack of necessary clothing, but 
 teachers will have to cooperate in this work. They should direct cam¬ 
 paigns to avoid waste in the home and help families to acquire the 
 habit of saving. As tactfully as possible they should help fight alcohol¬ 
 ism and gambling, for these are among the principal causes of the 
 poverty which exists in Mexican families. Habits of saving should also 
 
 44 
 
OPERATION 
 
 be extended to the schools in the use of essential educational materials. 
 
 (h) In order to maintain the health and physical vigor of the peo¬ 
 ple, teachers in the cities should work in close collaboration with the 
 public health authorities. Together, they should maintain healthful 
 conditions in the homes and schools and organize auxiliary brigades to 
 perform essential social services during emergencies. In rural areas 
 where there are no social welfare organizations, the teachers will pro¬ 
 vide the impetus in organizing agencies to carry out these social serv¬ 
 ices. Such activities require special teacher training to he given by 
 specialists with the cooperation of various Government agencies. 
 
 5. Preparation of the people for direct participation in the tear and 
 national defense .—Since circumstances may make it necessary at any 
 moment to increase the strength of the National Army to the maximum, 
 we should he prepared by requiring premilitary training in the schools. 
 In the upper grades, marching and maneuvers outlined in premilitary 
 courses should he included in addition to the handling of arms, fighting 
 techniques, construction of trenches and other defenses, scouting serv¬ 
 ices, communication, crossing obstacles, first aid, and handling of motor 
 vehicles. This service should then he extended to the other sections of 
 the population and should he under the direction of military authori¬ 
 ties or other special agencies, if there are such in the locality. In case 
 there are no military authorities or agencies, teachers should he given 
 special training and should assist in the task of premilitary command. 
 
 6. Organization of civil defense .—Nearly all enemy attacks are made 
 when least expected in order to spread panic among civilians and 
 weaken the military strength of the people. In order to he able to he 
 ready for such attacks and in order to free the armed forces for combat 
 against the enemy, the civilian population should he organized and 
 trained to carry out carefully made plans so that it can take care of 
 itself. The National Council of Civilian Defense will issue protection 
 orders to he applied, according to local needs, under supervision of the 
 State or municipal defense hoards. Teacher representatives should be 
 members of the defense hoards. Protection orders should include alarm, 
 traffic, and blackout signals; emergency first-aid measures; and con¬ 
 struction of shelters. Supervisors and teachers will study the best 
 means of protecting students, and take the necessary measures of pre¬ 
 caution. No child should he permitted to come to harm because of 
 negligence or lack of foresight on the teacher's part. The school de¬ 
 fense program should he part of the general defense program of the 
 community. Shelters for school children should he constructed in cities 
 with the cooperation of the Government, the parents, and child-welfare 
 associations. School programs for the protection of children should 
 include plans for maintaining the morale of the children. One of the 
 
 45 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 best means of insuring high morale is a well-planned drill system which 
 children understand and have practiced until they are familiar with it. 
 Inside the shelters children should be cared for in such ways as will 
 prevent physical danger and undesirable behavior; plans should be 
 made for games, group programs, music, plays, and story-telling. Above 
 all, the teachers should be a good example of proper conduct and high 
 morale. Parents, either individually or through their associations, 
 should be kept informed of protective measures being taken for the 
 protection of their children. In order to carry out the measures indi¬ 
 cated in this bulletin, the general directors of the various branches of 
 education, the Department of Medical Services, and auxiliary organiza¬ 
 tions, should meet to study the regulations issued on this subject by 
 the following authorities: The Constitutional President of the Repub¬ 
 lic, the Presidential Staff, the National Production Council, the Na¬ 
 tional Civilian Defense Council, and other special Government agencies. 
 The group should formulate the plans to be carried out in all the 
 educational institutions within their respective areas and provide spe¬ 
 cial courses to train teachers for the patriotic duties forced upon them 
 by present circumstances. All plans made and measures taken in this 
 respect must he submitted for the approval and revision of the under¬ 
 signed, who is the authority responsible for the direction and super¬ 
 vision of all national defense work done hv the Secretariat of Education 
 in cooperation with other public agencies. 
 
 46 
 
Part III. Achievements and Plans 
 
 This report is intended to he a general presentation of the organiza¬ 
 tion and program of the Cultural Missions Department and of the work 
 of the three types of missions: Rural, workers’, and urban teachers* 
 cultural missions. The results of the program described are being 
 slowly but firmly achieved. Progress towards the objectives outlined 
 in the instructional bulletins (examples of which are contained in 
 part II) is beginning to be felt. The teachers in service now have a 
 broader professional outlook, and there is a progressive interest in 
 laying a firm basis for the economic and cultural development of the 
 different sections of our country. The use of our available resources 
 has been stimulated through awakening of the physical, moral, and 
 spiritual energies that are latent in our people. 
 
 Some of the specific achievements of the cultural missions are sum¬ 
 marized on the following pages. 
 
 RURAL CULTURAL MISSIONS 
 Health 
 
 Important achievements in hygiene education, in teaching cleanliness 
 within the homes, and in public health were reported from small towns. 
 The vaccination campaign against smallpox was conducted with the 
 assistance of a group of rural teachers and others. These assistants 
 were trained for their parts in this essential task by mission nurses. 
 There are now entire areas, where in previous years smallpox epidemics 
 had occurred, which are without a single case of smallpox. The cam¬ 
 paign continues with increasing vigor and through persuasion is slowly 
 overcoming the resistance it meets in Indian communities. Preventive 
 measures have been taken in zones where typhoid is considered en¬ 
 demic. Malaria is being controlled in some communities through the 
 use of mosquito nets and quinine, and by preventing stagnant water 
 from standing in streets, public squares, and yards. An effective cam¬ 
 paign has been undertaken in all the settlements to keep the springs and 
 wells which supply the drinking water as clean as possible. 
 
 Modest clinics were established where patients are cared for as well 
 as possible with the facilities available to the missions. Several groups 
 of young women were given courses in nursing. Midwives in small 
 villages are being given practical instruction to improve their knowl¬ 
 edge and skill. 
 
 Home and Domestic Life 
 
 The material condition of homes is being improved through better 
 lighting and ventilation and through construction of additional rooms. 
 The missions have given special attention to the construction of home 
 
 47 
 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITH RELATION TO THE HOME AND TO HEALTH 
 All missions did these things: 
 
 AirrJill 
 
 Constructed Installed corn Built home 
 elevated cooking grinders furniture 
 places 
 
 Started flower and 
 vegetable gardens 
 and orchards 
 
 -L \£ 
 
 Campaigned for better 
 clothing and nourish¬ 
 ment for children 
 
 Vaccinated 
 
 against 
 
 diseases 
 
 Established Attended at 
 
 community births 
 
 medical service 
 
 o o 
 
 m m 
 
 Cleaned Improved house- Combatted Constructed Gave courses 
 
 springs hold equipment endemics and buildings for in nursing 
 
 and wells epidemics domestic animals 
 
 !h 
 
 All missions except Tihosuco, Kanxoc, Ciudad Guerrero, 
 Chih,, Tingambato, San Antonio, El Fuerte, Santiago 
 Ixcuintla, Concepci6n del Oro, Comalcalco, Pabellon, 
 and Palizada organized first-aid clinics. 
 
 All missions except the ones at Ilamatliin organized 
 sanitary brigades. 
 
 
 b b 
 
 Maternity homes were established by the missions at 
 La Trinidad, Cuautempdn, Guerrero, Tlax., JalpAn, 
 Xichd, IlamatlAn, Concepci6n del Oro, 
 
 Suitable drinking water was introduced at Cuautemplua, 
 Teauixtepec, Coyutla, Bolanos and Concepcion del Oro, 
 
 Midwives were trained at Cuautempan, Chietla, La Trini¬ 
 dad, Ciudad Guerrero, Chih,, Tingambato, Villa Victoria, 
 Acatemp^n, Motozintla, Teauixtepec, JalpAn, IlamatlAn, 
 Bolanos and Tepehuanes. 
 
 48 
 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITH RELATION TO RECPEATION AND CULTURE 
 In schools—All missions accomplished, the following: 
 
 Construction of build- Construction of Organization of schools 
 ings and schools athletic fields 
 
 The missions at Chietla, Guerrero, Tlax., Acatempin, 
 Motozintla, Tequixtepec, Jalp&n, San Antonio, El 
 Puerto, and Santiago Ixcuintla constructed and 
 arranged teacherages. 
 
 The missions at Tanlajas, La Trinidad, Kanxoc, Gue¬ 
 rrero, Chih., Guerrero, Tlax., Acatempan, Motozint¬ 
 la, Tequixtepec, Zacatepec Mixes, built playgrounds. 
 
 The missions at Chietla, La Trinidad, Kanxoc, Gue- 
 O Sk rrero, Tlax., Villa Victoria, Acatempan, Motozintla, 
 Tequixtepec, Jalp4n, El Fuerte, Santiago Ixcuintla, 
 Tepehuanes, Concepci6n del Oro, constructed open- 
 air theatres. 
 
 In the communities - 
 
 o 
 
 m 
 
 Social and cul¬ 
 tural campaigns 
 
 Choral groups Dramatic groups Athletic groups 
 
 P real lit ary 
 education 
 
 o^o 
 
 Festivals, fairs, contests 
 and regional expositions 
 
 Social-recreational 
 
 committees 
 
 Bands or orchestras were organized by the following 
 missions: Cuautempan, Hueyapan, Chietla, Guerrero, 
 Tlax., Tingambato Zacatepec Mixes, Jalp^n, Kanxoc, 
 Pabell6n, Palizada, Motozintla, La O Q_ 
 
 iTrinidad, Coyutla and Ilamatl6n, 
 
 Dance groups were organized at Tingambato, El Ticui 
 and Concepci6n del Oro, 
 
 49 
 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS RELATED TO ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT 
 
 All missions with the exception of Cuautempan, Puebla, accomplished, 
 the following: 
 
 
 Taught seed 
 selection 
 
 Introduced new 
 crops 
 
 Improved labor 
 techniques 
 
 Planted trees 
 
 Established car¬ 
 
 pentry 8 hop 8 
 
 Introduced 
 various small 
 industries 
 
 Organized eco¬ 
 nomic action 
 committees 
 
 Opened and 
 
 repaired 
 
 roads 
 
 All the missions except the ones at Tingambato and 
 at Cuautempan demonstrated and established crop 
 rotation. 
 
 All the missions except the ones at Cuautempan, 
 Guerrero, Chih., and Guerrero, Tlax., arranged for 
 the repair of agricultural implements. 
 
 
 All missions except those at Cuautempan, Chietla, 
 Tanlajas, Tihosuco, Guerrero, Chih., Villa Victo¬ 
 ria, Zacatepee, Coyutla and Comalcalco were active 
 in preventing and combatting livestock diseases. 
 
 - ----V — * V — - v V ' — — --- 
 
 Tihosuco, Kanxoc, Guerrero, Tlax., Jalp&i, El 
 Fuerte and Santiago Ixcuintla introduced water 
 for irrigation. 
 
 The following missions established hatcheries: Hueya- 
 pan, La Trinidad, Tihosuco, Kanxoc, Guerrero, Chih., 
 Guerrero, Tlax., Tingambato, Villa Victoria, Acatem- 
 pan, Motozintla, Solanos. Q 
 
 The following missions established smithies: 
 Kanxoc, Motozintla, and El Fuerte. 
 
 The following missions established tanneries: Hue- 
 yap£n, Kanxoc, Guerrero, Tlax., Acatenplln, Coyutla, 
 Motozintla, San Antonio, Santiago Ixcuintla, San 
 Antenogenes Poanas, Pabell6n and Palizada. 
 
 50 
 
Pottery factories were established, 
 and at Jalp&n, 
 
 Ho mission was able to provide for the storage of 
 harvests. 
 
 at San Antonio 
 
 51 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 equipment; they have taught rural people how to make tables, beds, 
 chairs, wardrobes, and other essential furniture. Hand grinders have 
 been introduced to make corn mash in order to free women from grind¬ 
 ing corn in the primitive manner with stone metates. Housing is being 
 provided for those who need it through a system of cooperative labor. 
 Small vegetable gardens to provide improved nutrition, and flower gar¬ 
 dens to beautify the home are being encouraged. Women are being 
 taught how to use sewing machines and how to make simple clothing. 
 Mothers are being given practical instruction in home organization and 
 the care and education of their children. 
 
 Social Life and Recreation 
 
 Many athletic fields, children’s playgrounds, and open-air theaters 
 have been constructed. Athletic teams and musical, theatrical, and 
 dance groups and glee clubs have been organized. It is gradually be¬ 
 coming customary to celebrate important historical occasions with for¬ 
 mal programs and social activities that combine recreation with educa¬ 
 tion. Competitive games, exhibitions and fairs, and contests in per¬ 
 forming regional music, dances, and songs have taken place. 
 
 Premili+ary Education 
 
 Premilitary education has been organized among youth and adult 
 groups in all the communities within the cultural mission zones, as well 
 as in the schools of those areas. 
 
 Economic Results 
 
 During the past rainy season we succeeded in having cultivated all 
 the tillable lands available in the communities. In some places new 
 ground was broken. The farmers are beginning to select and purify 
 their seed, and to improve their methods of cultivation. The iron plow 
 has been introduced in several places. Several experiments in the in¬ 
 troduction of new crops brought good results. An effective campaign 
 is being carried out for the planting of more fruit trees. Farmers were 
 taught how to care for fruit orchards. An intensive campaign was un¬ 
 dertaken to stimulate the construction of buildings for livestock, and 
 to multiply the number of domestic animals that supplement the in¬ 
 comes of individual families. Farmers were taught how to give injec¬ 
 tions to their animals and how to care for them when sick. Incubators 
 were introduced in some places. The missions also interested farmers 
 in forest conservation and in the intelligent use of their forests. Farm¬ 
 ers are being taught how to use small streams for irrigation purposes. 
 In some places small irrigation works were set up. 
 
 The following occupations were introduced in various communities: 
 Tanning, saddlery, carpentry, baking, soap manufacturing, weaving of 
 wool, fruit preservation, and furniture-making from reed-grass. 
 
 52 
 
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PLANS 
 
 Farmers throughout the mission zones became interested in improv¬ 
 ing local roads. In a few places, such as Villa Victoria, Michoacan, 
 roads suitable for automobile traffic were constructed. The road from 
 the State of Michoacan to the city of Colima is near completion. 
 
 Schools 
 
 We have begun the construction of a good number of school build¬ 
 ing, the most outstanding example of which is the building constructed 
 at Tingambato, Michoacan. There, with the assistance of cooperative 
 farmers, municipal and State authorities, and some civic-minded per¬ 
 sons, a beautiful building was constructed for the local school. Numer¬ 
 ous school buildings were repaired, and school furniture made or 
 repaired. Teachers were given professional instruction and guidance, 
 either at the school as they worked or at the centers for educational 
 cooperation. 
 
 WORKERS' CULTURAL MISSIONS 
 Mission Number I 
 
 W orking conditions. —Spinning and textile factories in Rio Blanco, 
 Nogales, and Santa Rosa were visited, as well as their branch offices, to 
 determine the sanitary conditions under which employees work. Sug¬ 
 gestions were made to factory managers and to union officials for the 
 improvement of working conditions. Talks were given to workers about 
 safety on the job. 
 
 Public health in the communities. —With the assistance of municipal 
 authorities and unions, public health and hygiene in factory areas have 
 been improved. 
 
 Home and domestic life. —Efforts were made to improve the material 
 condition of workers’ homes and to supply these with the most 
 essential furniture. Practical demonstrations and advice were given 
 on the preparation of food. Sewing groups were organized in Rio 
 Blanco, and public sewing rooms are being set up for the service of 
 housewives. Efforts have been made to introduce the cultivation of 
 vegetable and flower gardens, and to increase the number of domestic 
 animals raised by individual families in order to increase the family 
 income. 
 
 Recreational activities. —New musical groups have been formed and 
 old ones improved. Athletic organizations have been formed with the 
 cooperation of the Athletic Federation of Rio Blanco, and new athletic 
 fields have been constructed. 
 
 Civic holidays have been formally celebrated, and weekly social 
 programs have been held in settlements within the factory areas. 
 
 53 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 Mission Number II 
 
 Working conditions .—Mines at the following places were visited: 
 Prieta in Parras; Frisco in San Francisco del Oro; Clarines, Coyotes, 
 Hidalgo, Mina de Agua, Tecolotes, Alejandria, and Cobriza in Santa 
 Barbara. Four other enterprises being developed were also visited. 
 Working conditions were observed during all the visits made, and 
 suggestions were made to the Asarco and San Francisco mining com¬ 
 panies concerning conditions which the mission considered objection¬ 
 able. These companies promised to comply with all the requests and 
 have already begun to improve the sanitary conditions of the places 
 set aside as dining rooms in the interior of the mines. 
 
 Individual and community hygiene .—Intensive hygiene campaigns 
 were carried out in Parral, San Francisco Del Oro, and Santa Barbara. 
 Hygiene weeks have been observed and 177 groups of home visitors ol 
 3 members each, 12 Red Cross groups, and 180 juvenile sanitary police¬ 
 men have been organized with the cooperation of authorities of Fed¬ 
 eral and private schools. Campaigns were conducted to combat alcohol¬ 
 ism, tuberculosis and measles. Sixteen lectures were given on these 
 subjects, and posters displayed. The missions used their materials to 
 especially good advantage at Santa Barbara, where the measles epidemic 
 was brought under control. With the support of the sanitation and 
 other municipal authorities a meeting of midwives and graduate 
 nurses was held to discuss methods of improving the health of ex¬ 
 pectant mothers. 
 
 Home and domestic life. —Seventy-five of the poorest homes were 
 visited; suggestions were made for the improvement of sanitary condi¬ 
 tions and better use of available resources. Housewives were assisted 
 in planting vegetable and flower gardens and in building chicken coops. 
 At Parral, a reforestation campaign was held with the cooperation of the 
 Forest Delegate, and 8,000 trees were planted. Three sewing and do¬ 
 mestic science clubs were formed with a total membership of 338 
 women. Three similar clubs for girls had a combined membership of 
 187 students. A shop where artificial flowers are made from cloth was 
 established at Santa Barbara. 
 
 Improved economic status for workers .—In order to establish con¬ 
 sumers’ cooperatives, in mining Sections No. 9, No. 20, and No. 50, 
 favorable public opinion needed to he developed. Through coopera¬ 
 tives it is hoped to relieve the difficult economic situation caused by 
 the rising cost of living. Consumers’ cooperatives have been estab¬ 
 lished in two districts and a third is being organized. Thirty watches 
 and clocks, 14 radios, 3 typewriters, and 8 sewing machines were re¬ 
 paired. 
 
 Recreational activities .—The mission assisted in the organization of 
 
 54 
 
ACHIEVEMENTS AND FLANS 
 
 7 athletic and recreational clubs, the statutes for which contain special 
 provision for women members. 
 
 A calisthenics demonstration was presented and flags displayed in 
 Parral. An athletic festival featuring human pyramids, games, and 
 athletic contests took place in Santa Barbara. A series of programs 
 which included lectures on educational subjects was held on 12 suc¬ 
 cessive Thursdays. Eleven literary-musical festivals were held, featur¬ 
 ing dance and song numbers on each program. An athletic field was 
 planned in San Francisco del Oro and the children’s playground in 
 Santa Barbara is being reconstructed. Five musical groups with a total 
 of 92 members and 5 choral groups with a total of 40 members were 
 organized. Three marches were composed and dedicated to the people 
 of Parral, San Francisco del Oro, and Santa Barbara. 
 
 Motion pictures were shown 36 times in the poorer sections of these 
 3 towns and in recreation halls in the different sections of the Mining 
 Syndicate. Three kindergartens were established. These are in opera¬ 
 tion at present with an average attendance of 50 children. Four travel¬ 
 ing libraries were formed. 
 
 A printing office was set up in Mining Section No. 20, at San Francisco 
 del Oro; and mural newspapers were used in two districts of Santa 
 Barbara. Two theaters of the Miners’ Union, and one theater in a 
 Federal school at San Francisco del Oro were redecorated. The teacher 
 of recreational activities cooperated in establishing a Center of Educa¬ 
 tional Guidance at Villa Matamoros. 
 
 URBAN TEACHERS' CULTURAL MISSIONS 
 
 Twenty institutes to improve the professional training of kinder¬ 
 garten and primary school teachers have been organized in the cities 
 indicated in the mission schedules which follow the map on page 4. 
 
 Each institute was organized by a group of missioners, and the activi¬ 
 ties included the following: 
 
 Recreation and physical education, the teachers themselves directing the 
 dances and exercises 1 hour daily. 
 
 Crafts and manual activities, school industries, toy making, and sewing. 
 The men and women were in separate classes 1 hour daily, but met together 
 once a week. 
 
 Practical demonstrations of teaching using new teaching methods, with all 
 missioners participating 3 hours daily. Discussion and criticism of the practical 
 demonstration work done by the mission’s specialists, as well as study and 
 instruction in educational philosophy and educational methods. 
 
 Instruction on methods of teaching plastic arts. Educational methods for 
 kindergarten teachers. Group songs and patriotic hymns. Cultural extension 
 programs, including radio broadcasts in the State capitals visited. Social work 
 among organized workers, both men and women. 
 
 55 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 Preparation of hand work, school industries, painting, modeling, and toy 
 making for the final exhibit of work of the institute. 
 
 Preparing cultural programs for festivals, usually done outside the regular 
 schedule (2 hours). 
 
 Lectures, orientation talks, and educational extension work. Cooperation 
 with other educational agencies, time depending on local circumstances. 
 
 PROPOSED PROJECTS 
 
 If the constructive work of cultural missions was ever necessary, 
 it is doubly justified while our nation is facing the problems of a world 
 at war. In fact, the missions are determined in their efforts to realize 
 the war aims of the Secretariat of Public Education; they develop a 
 patriotic spirit, and support or direct the premilitary courses given 
 in rural areas; they teach civics in order to safeguard the democratic 
 principles on which the institutional life of our nation is founded; 
 they are increasing production, strengthening family economy, and 
 striving to improve the health of our people. 
 
 In the light of past experience and after careful study of our educa¬ 
 tional needs, the Cultural Missions Department proposes to continue 
 its program and to work toward the following objectives: 
 
 1. Organize and direct a national literacy campaign, according to the directions 
 
 already given by the Secretariat of Public Education. 
 
 2. Establish appropriate reading rooms and small libraries in rural areas. 
 
 3. Expand the program carried on among young men and adults in premilitary 
 
 education; continue training groups of women for service in case of 
 emergency and as aids to the mission nurses. 
 
 4. Extend the area where cultural missions work so that as many settlements 
 
 as possible will receive their benefits; increase educational activities which 
 improve health, family life, recreation and culture, agricultural production, 
 and which seek to establish new trades and industries. Careful attention will 
 he given to the breeding and selection of domestic animals, planting of 
 vegetable gardens and fruit orchards, improving skills in agricultural work, 
 and introducing new crops that will bring better results. 
 
 5. Surpass the work being done for the professional training of teachers in 
 
 service, and strive for better organization of schools. 
 
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PLANS 
 
 A group of cancio- 
 ner os entertain in a 
 rural community. 
 
 Raising the Flag on 
 a new monument 
 built in Pabellon, 
 Aguascalientes. 
 
 House and field of 
 corn nearCuautem- 
 pan, Puebla—mon¬ 
 uments of mission 
 activities. 
 
 57 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 An aqueduct, built 
 to replace the hol¬ 
 low log (left) for¬ 
 merly used. 
 
 Health committee 
 of a remote village 
 in Chihuahua. 
 
 The entire village 
 of Zacatepec 
 Mixes, Oaxaca, 
 builds an athletic 
 field. 
 
 58 
 
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PLANS 
 
 A school built by 
 the citizens of a 
 community in 
 Tlaxcala. 
 
 A family builds a 
 better home with 
 assistance from the 
 missioners. 
 
 Bridge built by the 
 people of Jalpan, 
 Queretaro. 
 
 59 
 
CULTURAL MISSIONS OF MEXICO 
 
 Prof. Bonilla y Se¬ 
 gura and guests 
 from the United 
 States visit a mis¬ 
 sion. 
 
 A first-aid group of 
 the mission at Co- 
 yutla, Vera Cruz. 
 
 Vaccination against 
 smallpox by the 
 mission nurse. 
 
 60 
 
ACHIEVEMENTS AN1> PLANS 
 
 Related Readings on Mexican Cultural Missions 
 
 Books and Pamphlets in English 
 
 Booth, George C. Mexico’s School-made Society. Stanford University, Calif. 
 Stanford University Press, 1941. 
 
 Cook, Katherine M. The House of the People, An Account of Mexico’s New 
 Schools of Action. Washington, U. S. Government Printing Office, 1932. 
 
 Council for Pan American Democracy. Education and Social Welfare in 
 Mexico (1939). Report. New Tork, 100 Fifth Avenue, The Council, Janu¬ 
 ary 1940. 
 
 Ebauch, Cameron D. The National System of Education in Mexico. Baltimore, 
 The Johns Hopkins University, 1931. (The Johns Hopkins University 
 Studies in Education No. 16.) 
 
 Sanchez, George I. Mexico, A Revolution by Education. New York, The 
 Viking Press, 1936. Chapter V, “The Cultural Missions.” 
 
 Articles in English 
 
 Benjamin, Harold. Education in Mexico’s Six-Vear Plan. School and Society, 
 40:66-68. Nov. 17, 1934. 
 
 -Revolutionary Education in Mexico. The Annals of the American Academy 
 
 of the Political and Social Sciences, November 1935. 
 
 Sanchez, Georce I. Mexico’s Cultural Missions. Mexican Life. September 1938. 
 Mexico, D. F. 
 
 Libros y artfculos en espanol 
 
 Saenz, Sr. Prof. MoisEs. Boletin de la Union Panamericana, November 1929. 
 No. 56 de la Serie de Impresos sobre Education. 
 
 Secretaria de Educacion Publica. Ea Education Publica en Mexico, 10 de 
 diciembre de 1934 a 30 de noviembre de 1940. Tomos I, II, III, IV. 
 Mexico, D. F., 1941. 
 
 - Las Misiones Culturales en 1927 y Las Escuelas Normales. Mexico, 
 
 D. F., 1928. 
 
 - Las Misiones Culturales, 1932-33. Mexico, 1). F., 1933. 
 
 ■fr U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I94G—678728 
 
 61