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Mr. John Sherman 1948 – 1955
Around 1948 the school rented another large house on Avenida Vallarta 1515 on the corner of Vallarta and Marsella. Originally built by Joaquin Cuesta for Antonia Morena de Cuesta, this stunning classical residence had been remodeled to accommodate its new role as a school. It had a large entranceway with primary classrooms downstairs, and two sweeping staircases leading to the Commercial program classrooms on the second floor. There was even a basement where the custodian Don Felipe and his wife lived. Former student Lily Jauregui remembers hearing a rumor at the time that an underground tunnel existed that ran from the basement to the city cathedral.
From 1948 the directorship of the school was taken over by John Sherman. Initially enrollment was around 350 students. Group sizes were small and therefore classes were often composed of combined grade levels. At this time the American School was the only bilingual and co-educational school in the city and attracted families of all nationalities and beliefs. Former student Humberto Ponce remembers that the school was the most cosmopolitan in the city. Mr. Sherman worked hard to promote the school, publishing an annual prospectus and advertising enrollment periods in local newspapers. By 1953 enrollment had risen to more than 450 pupils.
In Kinder, four and five year olds were taught basic English skills to prepare them for primary. Classes taught in primary consisted of English, reading, spelling, math, social studies, health, geography, science, history, and Spanish. Classes in primary were taught in English from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., with Spanish classes from 3:00-5:30 p.m. The secondary school had two separate sections, the high school program and the Commercial program. The high school program prepared students for entrance to colleges in the United States, while the Vocational and Commercial programs trained students to be certified public accountants, bilingual secretaries, or stenographers. For these careers, classes included English, accounting, bookkeeping, typing, and shorthand, as well as some training in Mexican and US law. Sports continued to play a significant part in school life. The school newspaper from 1950-1951 The Reporter mentioned competitions for volleyball, softball, ping-pong, badminton, and cycling. Numerous trophies were won by the girls’ athletics club and many students participated in festivals and parades downtown. Uniforms were compulsory at all times with different styles worn for different occasions. The dress uniform consisted of a short red jacket worn over the everyday uniform of a white shirt and navy blue skirt or pants. There was also a cap bearing the school shield.
Graduation festivities were conducted with the same formality as in earlier years. There was a graduation breakfast, a church mass, and an evening dinner-dance often held at the Círculo Francés restaurant. To celebrate the end of the school year, students and their families were invited to a theatrical show and prize-giving ceremony held at the Degollado Theater each July. Many students participated in the show having learned the dances in their classes at school with Miss Amelia Bell.
The 1950s was a time of political stability and financial growth for Mexico. While important sectors of the economy were nationalized and placed under control of the government (petroleum, railroads, electrical power) there was growth in private industry often set up with funds from the United States. Under President Miguel Alemán (1946-1952) and President Adolfo Ruíz Cortines (1952-1958) the “Mexican Miracle” of economic growth even outpaced the incredible population growth. Between 1940 and 1965 the population of Mexico more than doubled. In Guadalajara the population rose from 250,000 (1952) to one million (1965). The close ties established between Mexico and the United States during World War II continued. In 1952 more than 400,000 American tourists visited Mexico and during the 1950s American Schools throughout Latin America received increased funding from the US State Department.
In the summer of 1955 Mr. Sherman’s directorship came to an end and he returned to the United States. The school was run briefly by Shirley A. de Palos, being owned at this time by Dr. Paul Jensen. When he announced his intention to sell the school in December 1955, a group of Mexican and American citizens, who recognized the need for an English-speaking school in Guadalajara, evaluated the assets of the school. At a subsequent meeting parents voted to buy the school if a reasonable price could be agreed upon, and restructure it as a civil association. However the Board of Directors and Founders voted not to buy the school from Dr. Jensen for the $15,000 dollars he was asking, partly due to the “many problems attached to the school involving teachers’ contracts and syndicates.” Nevertheless a constitution was drawn up, modeled after those of the American Schools of Mexico City and Monterrey and signed on April 27, 1956. From this point the official name of the school became The American School Foundation of Guadalajara, A.C. In May a campaign was begun to raise $200,000 pesos to buy land on the outskirts of the city and build a new school. The day-to-day operation of the school was the responsibility of Lillian Gleeson during this time and students continued to be educated at the Avenida Vallarta 1515 building while plans for the new campus were underway.
Life in Mexico at the Time
1940s-1950s Golden age of Mexican cinema
1950s Acapulco is the playground of the rich and famous
1953 Mexican women gained the right to vote
Jorge Negrete dies
1954 Frida Kahlo dies
First supermarkets open in Mexico
1955 Juan Rulfo’s novel Pedro Páramo is published
1957 Diego Rivera dies
Pedro Infante dies in a plane crash
1950 Mexican population 32 million
Guadalajara population 377,000 |
World Events of 1946-1958
1947 India & Pakistan gain independence from Britain
1948 Gandhi assassinated
State of Israel declared
1950-1953 Korean War
1950s Rock & Roll becomes popular
1954 Segregation banned in US schools
1955 James Dean dies in a car crash. His film “Rebel Without a Cause” is released a month later.
1956 Elvis Presley releases his first album
1957 Sputnik launched by the Russians |
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