SLAVERY. Texas was the last frontier of slavery in the United
States. In fewer than fifty years, from 1821 to 1865, the "Peculiar
Institution," as Southerners called it, spread over the eastern two-fifths of
the state. The rate of growth accelerated rapidly during the 1840s and 1850s.
The rich soil of Texas held much of the future of slavery, and Texans knew it.
James S. Mayfield
undoubtedly spoke for many when he told the Constitutional Convention of 1845 that "the true
policy and prosperity of this country depend upon the maintenance" of slavery.
Slavery as an institution of significance in Texas began in Stephen F. Austin's colony. The
original empresario
commission given Moses
Austin by Spanish authorities in 1821 did not mention slaves, but when
Stephen Austin was recognized as heir to his father's contract later that year,
it was agreed that settlers could receive eighty acres of land for each bondsman
brought to Texas. Enough of Austin's original 300 families brought slaves with
them that a census of his colony in 1825 showed 443 in a total population of
1,800. The independence of Mexico cast doubt on the future of the institution in
Texas. From 1821 until 1836 both the national government in Mexico City and the
state government of Coahuila
and Texas threatened to restrict or destroy black servitude. Neither
government adopted any consistent or effective policy to prevent slavery in
Texas; nevertheless, their threats worried slaveholders and possibly retarded
the immigration of planters from the Old South. In 1836 Texas had an estimated
population of 38,470, only 5,000 of whom were slaves.
Peter Beens on 23 Jun 11Teaching Secrets: Communicating With Parents By Gail Tillery Premium article access courtesy of TeacherMagazine.org. You will face many challenging tasks as a new teacher. Dealing with parents is probably among the most intimidating, especially if you are young and in your first career. While communicating with parents can be tricky, a little preparation will help you to treat parents as partners and to be calmer when problems arise. Here's the first rule to live by: Your students' parents are not your enemies. Ultimately, they want the same thing you want, which is the best for their children. By maintaining respectful and productive communication, you can work together to help students succeed. Second, whenever problems arise, remember that parents are probably just as nervous about contacting you as you are about returning the contact-and maybe more so. I'll confess: Even after 26 years of teaching, I still get a little frisson of fear in my belly when I see an e-mail or hear a voicemail from a parent. But I have seen time and again that parents are often more nervous than the teacher is-especially if their child doesn't want them to contact the teacher. Indeed, some parents may even fear that if they raise concerns, their child will face some kind of retaliation. Remember that parents' tones or words may reflect such fears. In your response, try to establish that everyone involved wants to help the child. Here are some practical tips for communicating effectively with parents: Contact every parent at the beginning of the year. Do some "recon." Telephone calls are best for this initial contact, since they are more personal than e-mail. Ask the parent to tell you about his or her child's strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, etc. Make sure to ask, "What is the best thing I can do to help your child succeed?" Remember to take notes! Once you've gathered the information you need, set a boundary with parents by saying, "Well, Ms. Smith, I have 25 more parent
