The McClure School is one of the long lost and forgotten schools of San Antonio and Bexar County. This school was known as the McClure School and McClure’s School. McClure School operated from 1789 to 1912.
In 1789, Don Jose Francisco de la Mata petitioned the cabildo (town council) of San Fernando de Béxar for a stipend of 12 reales per pupil for the school he had begun a few years before, thus recording the first clear documentation of schooling in San Antonio outside the Missions. McClure School was established on the east of Military Plaza near the San Fernando Cathedral during the 18th century around 1789. (Ref: https://libguides.utsa.edu/ld.php?content_id=23575951)
There was at least one other schoolmaster in the early days of the 19th century. In this year, Francisco Barrera petitioned for permission to engage in public writing to support his family, mentioning in his petition that he has been a schoolmaster in the Villa of San Fernando. The junta established by the counter-revolution against Juan Bautista Casas in San Antonio presents Don Bicente Travieso with 855 pesos for purposes of building a schoolhouse; however an inventory of said schoolhouse shows it to be in poor condition and containing only a small number of the items Travieso claimed to have purchased. The code of rules for the new schoolhouse stipulates places for 70 students in two classes, taught by a single instructor paid 30 pesos per month. (Ref: https://libguides.utsa.edu/c.php?g=528531&p=3614489)
Governor Juan Bautista Elguezabal made compulsory school attendance for all children under the age of 12 mandatory regardless of race in the year 1802. On January 20th 1803, the town council provisionally accepts José Francisco Ruiz for the position of teacher, with the understanding that he will hold the school in his residence. Governor Juan Bautista Elguezabal mandated a law for fine of 3 pesos set for parents who do not send their children to school and chose not to.
The Republic of Texas usually failed in its efforts to establish a free public school system, because of the lack of funds and the little involvement of Texas citizens. However McClure School seemed to be the exception.
The first mention of an American school in Texas is in a documentation the Bexar County Records, dated July 5th, 1828, referring to the McClure School. McClure School was under Mexican rule, and was probably an institution started for the benefit of the growing Anglo-Saxon colony and Spanish colony. There also existed a Spanish public school. About this time there existed, also, a Spanish publish School, on the east line of the Military Plaza, and another school—referred to in some histories as McClure’s School—attended by English-speaking students. (Ref: https://books.google.com/books?id=Lk4DAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA306&lpg=PA306&dq=%22McClure+School%2)
McClure School was an institution probably started tor the Anglo-Saxon Colony than growing under Mexican rule, a treasured moment of Texas History, the founding of a great statewide school system, now serving our youth. (Ref: https://newspaperarchive.com/alice-daily-echo-oct-07-1948-p-9/)
In an effort to educate the maximum number of students with limited state resources, Coahuila and Texas adopt the Lancastrian System in which one teacher instructs up to 150 students with the help of a few student-assistants. San Antonio’s town charter from this time details how the school day should be spent, including curriculum, evaluation-methods, and seating arrangements; however, it is unclear whether or how many schools were actually in operation. According to statistics included in Messages of the Governor from the Bexar Archives, San Antonio’s population at this time included 297 boys and young men and 334 girls and young women under 25; however only 100 students were enrolled in school in this year.
After this, and until 1839, education in San Antonio received little attention. In that year the corporation evidently saw the necessity of a system of Public Education, and the question aroused general interest, for we find that on February 14th, 1839, J. H. Winchell proposed to the City Council to open a public school on the first of March ensuing, and offers to teach all that may enter therein, the English language, together with penmanship and arithmetic, provided the number shall not exceed thirty pupils. All this for the sum of $800 per annum, payable quarterly or monthly, as the honorable body may think proper. His system of instruction, the good man goes on to say, has met with general approbation, as heretofore pursued by him, but he admits that it is susceptible of much improvement, which he is willing to effect, providing sufficient emoluments be given him, and begs a committee of three to examine fully into the merits of his system and to report thereon. (Ref: https://books.google.com/books?id=VvATAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA39&lpg=PA39&dq="McClure+School”)
Again this subject of education comes up on June 2nd, 1844, when P. L,. Buquor (a well known old City Official) presented a memorial urging the utility of opening a Public School, and stating that he is willing to undertake to do so if sufficient encouragement be given him by the Council. A committee was thereupon appointed, and it reported substantially as follows on June 29th, 1844 :
The committee are of opinion that the law for incorporating the city, passed December 14th, 1837, makes it obligatory upon the Council to encourage by every means in their power the opening of a public school, and also to have a Court House and Jail, and the report goes on to recommend a plan to accomplish these things, and also to repair the old Court House, (this is prior to the " Bat Cave ") and fit it up in such a manner as to serve for both Court House and School House. Certain lots were to be appropriated to this object, for Section 8 of the Charter set aside certain lots for this purpose and for the endowment of a Public School. This was recommended to be done as soon as the lots would fetch a reasonable price. For some reason the land was not ordered to be sold until August 24th, 1849. See Article "The River." Out of the proceeds of this sale and in accordance with the recommendation, the " Bat Cave " was built.
J. N. Devine, in a long address on January 15th, 1849, urged the questions of education, peace, law and order very forcibly upon the people. His action produced the effect of a "Sunday Closing" ordinance, April 5th, 1849, for the closing of Bar Rooms, Workshops, etc., after 9 o'clock A. M , on Sunday. He also closed the Fandangoes for awhile. We mention these things to show that a spirit of reform was abroad, and from this epoch San Antonio has been ever watchful and generous in the matter of Public Education. Indeed, at this time the tide set in which changed San Antonio from a blood-stained border town to a progressive and prosperous modern city. And to-day there is an inherited tradition of liberality toward Public Schools.
McClure School closed during the revolution as most of the schools did, but by the early 1850s the school opened up again. In the late 1850s and 1860s several additional schools were opened. Several public elementary schools followed. (Ref: https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/bexar-county)
The Common School Law in 1858 established that school houses not teaching the English language would not receive state funding. Texas did not have the means necessary to enforce this regulation, and it ultimately was widely ignored.
The Civil War erupted in 1861 profoundly impacting the further development of schools in Texas. In 1862 the School Fund became insecure and unable to support the monetary needs of the county schools. The Abstract of the Treasurer's Report from the 1862 Almanac, cited the "repudiation of the United States bonds" as the main reason the state was unable to achieve the necessary funds for school houses. Many schools closed their doors due to the lack of funding from the state. (Ref: The Texas Almanac for 1862, 46)
The ages of children who attended McClure School fluctuated over 1865-1877 with the youngest age at 4 and the oldest at 18. San Antonio ISD shut down McClure School in 1912 because the school was no longer needed and the opening of several other schools led attendance to decline.
McClure School was somewhere near 117 North Laredo Street, San Antonio, Texas, US 78204.
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