Columns

A number of years and columns ago, I promised I wouldn’t be writing any more on the overuse of “like.” But like a traitor to the cause, I’m preparing just one more, hoping that by being nauseatingly whining, I can help cure the problem.

By Jesus L. Lopez

Las Vegas prospered for almost a half century before the railroad arrived in 1879. During that short span beginning in 1835, our town saw expansive growth and change. Because of its prime location along the Santa Fe Trail, Las Vegas experienced more bustle and flurry than any other place in New Mexico.

In the 50 years before the railroad, our town witnessed first-hand the major transformative developments of the time, and more than any other place in New Mexico, Las Vegas was at the cross roads of history.

Remember those non-stop grammar lessons in school in which we’d spend long hours pondering whether a particular word was a verb or a noun?

Yes, Sister Grammatica Correcta would drill us on parts of speech; she would use every inch of chalkboard space to diagram sentences, and to be sure, give us enthusiastic students an opportunity to strut our stuff. What fun!

We had a particularly loud end-of-class bell that I prayed would ring. In that school, Immaculate Conception, it was OK to pray — in fact, it was encouraged and often required.

By Jesus L. Lopez

After thriving here for almost 15 years, the Jesuit College closed in 1888, and the Jesuits left Las Vegas and moved to Colorado. It is noteworthy, however, that instruction at the Jesuit College in El Distrito de las Escuelas was offered concurrently in both Spanish and English, making the Las Vegas Jesuits early precursors in establishing a bilingual curriculum.