Educator Ernestine Edmunds

The Archdiocese of San Antonio is commemorating the life of educator Ernestine Edmunds as part of a series marking the 250th anniversary of the United States.

Edmunds began teaching alongside her mother, Vicenta Yturri-Edmunds, at Morrill Chapel School. The school was established in 1888 in a granary at Mission San José and served as one of the earliest schools in the Harlandale area. During her time there, Edmunds taught Spanish, agriculture, citizenship, and patriotism. Her teaching methods included using music, plays, and picnics to allow students to demonstrate their progress to the community.

A lifelong Catholic, Edmunds' service extended from Southside classrooms into local parishes and immigrant neighborhoods. She was fluent in English, Spanish, and French.