Pullam deserves BISD recognition

Editor:

Congratulations on publishing the excellent letter of May 5 by Hugh Emerson Jr. to name a school for Mrs. Mittie Pullam. Recognition of her outstanding service to the children and community is long overdue.

As a schoolteacher of some 24 years, I empathize with Mrs. Pullam striving to give the best education possible in a one-room schoolhouse for grades 1-6 on East Fronton Street for 18 years. Eighteen years she brought enthusiastic, challenging support for a group of children who were condemned to learning under such circumstances for one single reason - they were black!

I knew about this one-room school because my father, James Pace, was president of the BISD school board for many of those 18 years of Mrs. Pullam's service on Fronton Street. There was great support from BISD and the community during that period! Why, to help her teach, she had electric lights, a blackboard and chalk, and used textbooks from the white schools.

When her students finished the sixth grade, they had the wonderful opportunity of being bused to Harlingen to continue their schooling with other students "of their kind."

To show their support of Mrs. Pullam's efforts, the school board president and superintendent made a yearly token visit of some 30 minutes to Frederick Douglass Elementary School.

My personal and community feeling of shame can be rationalized by asserting, "That was the way it was in those days." Only the Civil Rights Act of 1964 gave black students equal access to education in Texas. There was no great community conscience awakening.

But the school on Fronton Street was closed; Mrs. Pullam was sent to teach in an "integrated" system, in which she continued to support, challenge and motivate with her enthusiastic caring of all children - black, brown and white.

Surely 33 years after her retirement, Mittie Pullam will be recognized for her contributions to our Brownsville children and community by naming a school in her honor.

James Pace Jr.

Brownsville

Via the Internet