Atanasio Montoya, 1st Bernalillo County School Superintendent

Timeline:

• 1875, November: Born in Tome, down in Valencia County.
• 1875, Nov. 21: Baptized in Tome's Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
• 1880, June 15: According to the US Census, as enumerated by Melchior Werner, he lived with the family of his father Juan Montoya (age 28, farm laborer) (family includes Juan's wife Anastasia, age 25, housekeeper; and beside Atanasio, younger sisters Soledad, age 3 years, and Aurelia, age 3 months). The lived in Candelarias, near Albuquerque in Bernalillo County, adjacent to grandparents Atanasio (age 56, farmer) and Margaret (age 50) (also living with them were Atanasio's uncles Roman, age 22, and Antonio, age 18, both laborers).
• Before 1896: Studied at the University of New Mexico, likely in Albuquerque (to age 21).
• 1896-1901: Instructor in Spanish at the University of New Mexico in Las Vegas (ages 21-26).
• 1905, Sept. 27: Married Alice Fairchild, a nurse from Illinois employed at Sisters' Hospital in Albuquerque, at Immaculate Conception Church within the city. His wedding was attended by his uncle, Victor Sais, the namesake of the town of Victor, New Mexico. The couple lived together across Tijeras Street from the hospital. He was working as a Spanish teacher at St. Vincent's Academy, and went by the honorific "Professor" (age 30).
• 1907: First child, Anastasia, was born (age 32).
• 1908: Second child, Katherine, was born (age 33).
• 1910, Apr. 20: According to the US Census, as enumerated by Christopher Spanzini, he and his family (wife Alice, age 24, unemployed; daughter Anastasia, age 4; daughter Catherine, age 3; and father Juan, age 59, widowed) lived at 220 North High Street in Albuquerque. He is listed as a real estate dealer. (age 35).
• 1912: Became superintendent of the Beranalillo County School System, credited with modernizing the schools in that county (age 37).
• 1916-1919: Bernalillo County Schools Superintendent (possibly for a lot longer than that, but listed in nation-wide education directories for these years, ages 41-44).
• 1918: Youngest child, Alice, was born (age 43).
• 1918, Sept. 12: Registered for the draft during World War I. Lived at 220 North High Street in Albuquerque, worked as Bernalillo County School Superintendent, with an office at the County Courthouse, lived with wife Alice (next of kin), self-reported that he was crippled from childhood as a result of hep. disease - walks on crutches. Medium height, medium build, brown eyes, black hair.
• 1919: Said to have been responsible for the expansion of the Santa Barbara School in the Martineztown-Santa Barbara neighborhood of Albuquerque (age 44).
• 1920, Jan. 3: According to the US Census, as enumerated by Mrs. Jennnie C. Longfellow, he and his family (wife Alice, age 34, unemployed; daughter Annie, age 13; daughter Katherine, age 12; daughter Alice, age 2 years 2 months; and father Juan, age 65, widowed) were living at 220 North High Street in Albuquerque. He is listed as a school supplies salesman (later in the year, he serves as a field agent for the University of New Mexico) (age 45).
• 1923: George I Sanchez graduates at age 16 from Bernalillo County schools and becomes a teacher - he apparently conflicted with Atanasio Montoya, still superintendent of Bernalillo County schools, over Sanchez's habit of giving rides to unattached female teachers - one argument resulted in Sanchez threatening to wrap the superintendent's crutches around his neck, resulting in Sanchez's reassignment to a more remote school far to the west (age 48).
• 1925: Atanasio Montoya assigns George Sanchez to become a principal at Los Padillas, indicating he's still Bernalillo County schools superintendent (age 50).
• 1 July 1928 - 30 June 1930: State School Superintendent for New Mexico, replacing Lois Randolph (ages 52-54). Bernalillo County superintendent is given over to George Sanchez.
• 1930, January: Interests representatives of the Rockefeller Foundation in a special research program that became next fall the San Jose Experimental School. This was probably the high point of his career.
• 1930, Apr. 11: According to the US Census, as enumerated by Mrs. Claude A. Schumaker, he and his family (wife Alice, age 44, unemployed; daughter Annie, age 23, school teacher; daughter Katherine, age 22, school teacher; daughter Alice, age 12; and father Juan, age 77, widowed) lived at 216 North High Street in Albuquerque (home valued at $15,000 - higher than that of many of his neighbors). He is listed as State School Superintendent. (age 54). (He is succeeded next year by Georgia L. Lusk in this elected capacity.)
• 1935, Sept 6: Passed away at age 59 in Albuquerque. Buried shortly after at Sunset Gardens Cemetery.

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• 1940, April 5: In the US Census, as enumerated by Helen Hammond, surviviing daughter Kitty Montoya (daughter, age 32, teacher), widow Alice (age 54), daughter Alice (age 22, key punch operator) and daughter Ann Lopez (age 33, teacher) with her son John E. (age 6), live at 2112 Oxford Street in University Heights, Albuquerque. Their home is similar in value to those around it (about $4,000).

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From The Albuquerque Citizen of Wednesday, Sept. 27, 1905

https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=22072032&fcfToken=eyJ...

At the Immaculate Conception Church this morning, Prof. Atanacio Montoya, teacher of Spanish at St. Vincent's academy, was married to Miss Alice Fairchild, of the Sisters' Hospital. Rev. Mandalaria performed the ceremony. The groom is a nephew of Victor Sais, of Belen, and Mr. Sais and daughter Miss Ursula Sais were in the city this morning to attend the wedding. Mr. and Mrs. Montoya will take up housekeeping on East Tijeras Avenue, opposite the Sisters' Hospital.

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From The Albuquerque Journal of Monday, Aug. 1, 1949:

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:vScUrk7fHNQJ:...

Atanasio Montoya plaque to hang at Tijeras School

Atanasio Montoya, first Bernalillo County school superintendent, will not be forgotten although the bronze plaque in his honor is almost literally being trodden under foot these days.

The bronze plaque hung for years in the county school offices in the court house. Then county and city schools were consolidated, and school officials vacated the court house offices. The county agent and his staff moved into the offices. In the shuffle, the plaque was taken from the wall and placed on the floor by a filing cabinet until the schools again claim it.

Tom Wiley, former county school superintendent and now an official with the consolidated system, reports plans are to hang the plaque in the almost-new consolidated school at Tijeras. That school was chosen because it bears the name of Atanasio Montoya School, in honor of the first county school head.