In September of 1871, a public school was organized on Martin Ranch 3 miles from Ysleta with E.N. Ronquillo as the teacher. Martin Ranch was owned by Alexander Martin who owned a lot of property in San Jose. Martin donated land for Catholic Church in 1892.
Classes were conducted in homes until a school building was built in 1915. The San Jose school building was next to the San Jose Catholic church on San Jose Road. In 1896, the County Commissioner’s Court established the Texico Common School district. A school was built in Texaco around 1900. The school was near Tigua on North Loop. The school had a small enrollment and only taught primary grades.
San Jose was consolidated with the Ysleta common School, it was own school district until 1910 and then became the Texico-Ysleta-San Jose Common School District W.4. In 1915, a bond issue was passed by voters to build a new school building. The new school opened in 1916 on the corner of Alameda Avenue and Harris Street. Bricks from the old courthouse were used as the foundations. The first year the school opened, there was an increased in enrollment. On October 23, 1916 the Lone Star newspaper reported about the progress the small school was making, enrollment exceeded 300. Special courses were taught was in Spanish, penmanship, and folk dance.
After 1920 both San Jose and Texico schools were closed and replaced by Cadwallader Elementary in 1924. This building also served as a home for the high school until 1929. This building was razed in 1986 and the school was moved to a new location, on Dorbandt, Circle in 1995.
photo credit: El Paso Main Library Border Heritage Center
joseph longo
EPHS Volunteer
