The Ayuntamiento feels the youth of Parral are going astray for lack of instruction and accordingly establish a public school. The school and all materials will be paid for out of public funds. All poor children and huerfanos are eligible, and parents are required to send their children. Rafael Estrella is the first teacher; he received 300.00 a year. He was replaced by Jose Maria udafauregui in 1811, so the school was operational at least from June 1810-March 1811. (P. Hayes) (1977)

0097-0098- armed insurgents heading for Moncloba, capital of Coahuila- citizens of Parral must defend their city in the name of king, god, and country. 0099- list of enlistment for civilian defense (1812). 0103- list of those who cooperated in the defense of 1811. 0108-0115. Informes to the commandante general detailing the miserable condition of Parral- no currency, no quicksilver (Azoque), unemployment, etc.- so little money can be appropriated for defense. Most public funds go towards the public school. 40-60 cavalry and 60-80 infantry have been organized, the geography of the area is cited as an excuse for not having to expend a lot of time, money, and energy for defense. See cat. 022 for persons belonging to Urban defense corps. (P. Hayes) (1977)

Bernardo Bonavia asks the Alcalde ordinario (not named) of Parral if the children whose parents could afford to pay tuition go to the same school as the poor children. He asks about a salary increase for the maestro del referido seminario. Relationship with public school? Film 318-1809-53. (P. Hayes) (1977)

Orders that schools for instruction in the faith and in the castilian idiom be established in all Indian pueblos that do not yet have any. Gives instructions as to how this will be financed and who will be responsible for their operation. (R. Perez) (1977)

Letter concerning the gift by Pedro de Negrete destined for the founding of a colegio in the Valle de Carranza California. Provincial says this area is impractical and hopes an alternate site would be within the spirit of the donation and would satisfy the heirs. (D. Deeds) (1976)

Reports on having found two large houses which would be perfect for a new Jesuit colegio in Parral anticipating trouble from secular bishop, writer sets forth a law in the recopilacion which obligates viceroys to establish colegios in Principal towns in order to educate sons of Indian chiefs, and advocates this line be taken with viceroy. Education of Indian children a major reason for colegio, includes a supporting letter from Owner of house Joseph Quiroga. (D. Deeds) (1977)

Informe concerning complaints from Concepcion against a number of frays from misiones fernandinas. Complains include doctrination of Indians in their own languages, baptism without previous instruction, economic inequality between missions, and a number of petty complaints, Concepcion is accused of being crazy, and transfering him to another colegio is recommended. Follows letter from Concepcion asking for audience from virrey and detailed account of situation. Questionnaire sent by Borica to comandantes of presidios asking about situation in misiones; answers describe in some detail every day life of converted Indians including housing, daily diet and clothing in misiones (folios 10-41). Follows copy of informe previously sent to Branciforte by Borica, and now sent to Azanza. Letter from Buenaventura describing in detail con un Muchacho y Le mando que Se Vaya a fornicar. Borica certifies Arenaza's good record in official document. Follows summary of book-keeping in missions of Nueva California. History of religious, military and civil dominance in California since 1772 is described in some detail by Lull, asking to clear the name of the Missiones in California. Fiscal de la real hacienda suggests sending Concepcion back to Spain to avoid scandals. Unsigned document explaining how missions in California should be divided among different orders. In a long document Laruen summarizes in detail everyday life in missions in California special detail on punishment to Indians, number of lashes, instrument etc, claiming that if something, the treatment to Indians is very soft (mui blando el trato), also very detailed account of aranceles of all missions in California. Laruen asks to dismiss the whole incident with Concepcion, explaining that it is all based in anger of neighbor misiones and presidios due to his bad attitude toward them, follows similar detailed account on housing including measurements of dwellings, materials of clothing, money allocated. This informe and particularly the one that follows are an answer to accusations made by Borica and a number of captains of presidios in the area. (folios 63-101, 104-111). Following is a long document from Arillaga explaining discrepancies between reports from missionaries and military personnel, he explains cada uno dice de la Feria, como Le fue en ella. (folios 112-119). Letters from fiscal de la real hacienda clear the misiones from any fault, concluding the expediente

Signed. Concerns defense of Escandon; begins with minimization of charges and a briefly history of Escandons' ascendant career, merits from king; Escandon was in arms and participating in the ejection of British in Laguna in 1720; 1728, was named by virrey as sargento mayor later virrey gave him the title of Coronel; November 15, 1741, Escandon was named as teniente general de la Sierra gorda he gave missions to Franciscanos religious from San Diego de pachuca and San Fernando; he founded and establish four villages with no cost to the royal hacienda; September 3, 1746 in a royal decree full of eulogys virrey gives to Escandon all responsibilities in the mission of pacification de los barbaros de la Sierra gorda and he is named lugar teniente de la Costa del Seno Mexicano; December 1748, founded the first village in area which by 1759 had 20 villages; on folio 182 details of population; in 1757 virrey sent comission to investigate colony; in 1765 virrey orders Escandon to found five new villages in strategic places to stop the continual Indians attacks; strongest defense allegation is envy of Resendi family against Escandon and their plan to get him out of the colony and appeal to the virrey for the titles for their family; in folio 229 is a Spaniards description of Indians; defense by Escandon who defends himself charge by charge; since Escandon was commissioned by the virrey y la junta real de hacienda, they knew that it was a project that was subject to failure, in other words he was not obligated to succeed in his attempt; in selecting captains Escandon never chose the most specialized but selected the ones that were dedicated to the well being of the village; all that the fiscal imputed to Escandon was never supported with real evidence only anonimous statements from someone who heard rumors but had no hard evidence; not even fray Garcia was found in his mission to testify against Escandon to the auditors Osorio and Palacio; in regard to the murder of Indians by Escandon's captains, the fiscal never found witnesses; some of the crimes were investigated by Escandon and he found that the actions benefited the pacification and well being of the village. Escandon repremanded the captain and notified the capitania general. The women and children were placed in missions when the men were murdered or sent to a presidio but never were they sold and sent to Querataro in a collera as the accusations assert; in treatment of criminals, Escandon always followed the royal laws which permitted pardons of criminals if they serve the king. These people were serving the king by risking their lifes in the establishment of the colony; in regard to his rejection of Apaches, he argues it is well known that Apaches don't want anything except trading, and that Spain suffers terribles consequences when it assumes Apaches will remain peaceful in missions. He argued that too often they will suddenly murder, rape and destroy a village. For this reason Escandon avoided Apaches. On March 29, 1763, the royal cedula expired which authorized captain trenda y el ingeniero de la Camara alta to make the first audit of Escandon and nothing wrong was found except for the plot of the Resendi family, 17800 question the official informe by saying that it was corrupted by la voz de oro y Plata de Escandon pudo mas; but in the second audit nobody knew about it, not even the fiscal o el auditor and the results were no different. Escandon is exonerated from all charges. Descendants of Escandon have the right to claim what Escandon left them. (D. Bautista, November 1989)

Auto describing testimony in defense of Indians. Good detailed description of exploitation of Indians, appropriation of children, violent castigation. Concerns education and indoctrinaton of Indians, missions of de la Virgen y Martin Santa Catalina del Verde. Distribution of lands to Indians. (J. Acheson, March 1988)

Series of documents centering around service of Jose Menendez Valdes as interim asesor y auditor de guerra de la comandancia general de las Provincias Internas. Menendez Valdes served in position, at half salary, upon promotion of Pedro Galindo y Navarro to asesor general del virreynato de Lima. Letters of recommendation and praise for both Menendez Valdes and Galindo y Navarro, including education and work records of both, with emphasis on Menendez Valdes. Discussion of difficult journey to Peru from Mexico (Menendez Valdes). Ultimately, Menendez Valdes returned to Guadalajara. No discussion as to his future position. (M. Longo, October 1989)