cover image Barrio Teacher

Barrio Teacher

Arcadia Lopez. Arte Publico Press, $9.5 (96pp) ISBN 978-1-55885-051-4

Lopez came to the United States as a three-year-old in 1913, during the dangerous days of the Mexican Revolution. In their new hometown of San Antonio, Tex., her family faced grinding poverty--a condition made even harder by the advent of the Depression. In spite of these hurdles, however, Lopez had by 1938 earned a master's degree and become one of the first Mexican American educators in the San Antonio school system. She went on to head its experimental bilingual education program, achieving great success, and eventually received a doctorate. Unfortunately, Lopez's memoirs give only a poor glimpse into the challenges of barrio life. Descriptions of family and friends are sketchy, important dates are not included, and there is hardly a mention of either her teaching philosophy or the difficulties of launching a bilingual education program. Ages 12-up. (Aug.)