Education in what are now the southwestern states began in stops and starts in the mid‑to late‑1800s. School buildings were few and far between on the vast southwestern frontier. There were no public schools at all in Arizona during early territorial days. When the first Territorial Legislature met at Prescott in 1864, there were three small private schools that early settlers had set up at Prescott, Mojave and La Paz; the padres’ school at San Xavier Mission; and three parochial schools in Tucson. However, most of these schools did not stay in operation for very long. Children were commonly taught at home or on the ranch.

On November 11, 1867, the supervisors of Pima County voted to establish Pima County School District Number One and the first public school in Arizona. This school lasted only several months and its doors were closed in 1868. When newly appointed Territorial Governor Anson Peacely‑Killen Safford arrived in 1869, he officially reported that no public school existed in the territory.

As a child, Governor Safford had grown up on a frontier homestead in Illinois where his education consisted mainly of home study and travel, with little formal schooling. But when he came to Arizona, Governor Safford took it upon himself to establish an extensive public school system, ambitiously advocating that schools would do more for civilizing the Wild West than firearms would.

The independent pioneers who had settled the area were not easily won over. All through the year of 1871, not one school resulted from Governor Safford’s efforts. Not until 1872 did some desire for schools begin to appear among the people when eight schools came into existence. Yet many children grew up on ranches miles away from the nearest school building, so it was still not unusual for children in that time to be homeschooled or self‑educated.       

Herbert V. Young, born in 1887 on a central Arizona homestead, was taught at home as a child. He later became secretary to the general manager of the United Verde Copper Company in Jerome and dedicated his memoirs: “To my father and mother, whose love, care, and teaching did so much to shape the lives of their children.” Young wrote: “(We) explored the three R’s under Mother’s tutelage¼She was a good teacher, and had concentrated on reading as the base for all other learning, though she had not neglected writin’ and ‘rithmetic.”

The largely self‑educated Henry Fountain Ashurst (1874‑1962) was born into a pioneer ranching family. Ashurst Cabin, now located at Pioneer Living History Village, was his childhood home in 1878. Much of Ashurst’s education was obtained from ranch hands and reading books. A brilliant orator, Ashurst became one of Arizona’s first two United States senators. U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater, also from Arizona, characterized Ashurst by saying: “He is a living example of the benefits that come to men who live with freedom and independence of thought¼and will serve as a growing example to the generations which follow.”

Home education has been legal in Arizona since statehood was granted on February 14, 1912, making it the oldest homeschool law in the nation. The original state legislators, aware of the remoteness of many areas and the lack of schools, had the foresight to allow for another means of education. As the state’s population increased rapidly after World War II, public schools became more widespread. Even so, Arizonans have always been a boldly independent, adventurous folk. This same pioneering spirit is reflected in a resurgence of homeschooling that began in the 1970s and grew in popularity during the 1980s and 1990s.

In 1986, parents from New River, Desert Hills and Black Canyon City founded the Desert Hills Christian Homeschoolers (DHCH), one of the first homeschool support groups in the state of Arizona. Some families attended the monthly meetings from as far away as Camp Verde. At that time there were only 776 children educated at home in Arizona, compared to approximately 23,000 homeschooled students statewide today. DHCH is now serving the newer communities of Anthem and Tramonto as well. Members have participated in field trips, hikes, fairs, classes, graduation ceremonies, community service projects, social get‑togethers, and more.

DHCH celebrated its 20th Anniversary on May 6 at High Desert Park in Black Canyon City. Special guest speakers included: Len Munsil, gubernatorial candidate; Tom Lewis, Chairman Emeritus of Arizona Families for Home Education; Jennifer Clark of The Center for Arizona Policy; Dean Kramer, the first principal of DHCH; and homeschool graduates Jeralee Maynard and Ryan Corby.

Pastor Joe Oswald (“Coach Joe”) and Rob Porter, Homeschool Director for Athletes in Training, provided fun games for the kids. Other activities included a science/history fair, picnic lunch, and book sale. The day focused on enjoying the company of friends both old and new while reminiscing about our homeschool history and remembering the homeschooling pioneers who paved the way for the rest of us.

Did You Know¼? The number of homeschooled children in the United States is estimated to be at least 1.5 million. This means that more kids learn at home than attend all of the public schools in Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming combined. 

References

www.afhe.org (Arizona Families for Home Education, a statewide homeschool organization.)

www.dhch.org (Web site of Desert Hills Christian Homeschoolers.)

Hopkins, Ernest Jerome. “The Arizona State University Story.” (Phoenix, AZ: Southwest Publishing Company, 1960.)

Lewis, Tom. “From Trauma to Triumph: Our Arizona Home School Roots.” (Phoenix, AZ: Arizona Families For Home Education, July 21, 2001.)

Paré, Madeline Ferrin. “Arizona Pageant: A Short History of the 48th State.” (Tempe, AZ: Arizona Historical Foundation, 1975.)

Sparks, George F., editor. “A Many Colored Toga: The Diary of Henry Fountain Ashurst.” (Tucson, Arizona: The University of Arizona Press, 1962.)

Young, Herbert. “Water By the Inch: Adventures of a Pioneer Family on an Arizona Desert Homestead.” (Flagstaff, AZ: Northland Press, 1983.)

Next Week: Famous Arizona Homeschoolers

Teri Ann Berg Olsen is a home educator and author of the book “Learning for Life: Educational Words of Wisdom.” For more information, please visit www.knowledgehouse.info.