Salado College: The Early Years

Salado College: The Early Years. Historic Salado College Park. There were no public schools in Texas at the time Salado College opened. Some towns had local private schools, but colleges then in existence were as much cultural institutions as educational centers., Typical first courses of instruction and their tuition at Salado College were: , , - Orthography (spelling), penmanship, arithmetic and geography for $2.00 a month; , - Advanced arithmetic, geography and English grammar for $3.00 a month; , - Elocution, philosophy, chemistry, political economy, algebra, geometry and surveying for $4.00 a month; and , - Languages for $5.00 a month., Have the Rules Changed? Here they are for Salado College:. 1. Punctual attendance at the opening of school. , 2. No whispering, talking, changing of seats, or idleness in school. , 3. Perfect lessons. , 4. No visiting, except by permission. , 5. General obedience and the observance of what is right in all cases. , 6. No bathing in the Salado (Creek) on school days without special leave. , 7. Nothing to be said or done calculated to hinder progress, wound feelings, or in any way, interrupt the prosperity of the school. , 8. No language of an indecent or immoral character, while in school. , 9. Neatness in person and attire at all times, and true courtesy in manners and general deportment, as becomes those who would be ladies and gentlemen. , 10. Students from a distance to be under the parental care of the trustees and teachers. This applies to their morals, their health, their expending money, etc., as well as to the general course of study. (NOTE: This rule was for students from other communities who boarded locally and could not, without permission, have a visitor. This applied particularly to girls. Correspondence between boys and girls was a rules violation, punishable by suspension.), Did you know...Cowboys Attended Salado College . A former student reported this on "cowboys" who attended the college: , "Cowboys came by the score to attend college each year and Dr. R.W. Barton says that he recalls many times where there were as high as 50 cowboys camped along Salado Creek. They had come from the western ranches to learn to read and write and figure,' as they said. They were fine people but couldn't read the letters they put on their brands. Grown men, 40 and 50 years old, would go to school with little boys but they were smart and soon passed them by. They would camp out and ride up to the school every morning, hitch their horses, and go into school. Nearly every time they would forget their spurs and have to be asked to remove them before entering class.", Captions , Upper Middle: From a Houston Telegram newspaper article, Sept. 2, 1869. , Upper Right: In 1870, Salado College had outgrown the capacity of its original building and they planned a two-story addition measuring 45'x60' and two stories high. Completed in 1871, the addition contained two large classrooms on the first floor and one room on the second floor which served as an auditorium