The Little School of the 400 Exhibit

The Little School of the 400 is on display at the Houston Public Library Central Library (Jesse H. Jones) through October 31, 2026. It's on the first floor, 500 McKinney St, and it runs from September 19 through the end of October.

The exhibit tells the story of a preschool program from the 1950s that served Spanish-speaking Mexican American children in Texas. Back then, these kids entered a school system shaped by segregation, discrimination, and language barriers. The program's approach was simple: conversation, play, and 400 essential English words to get them ready for school. What started in a single South Texas classroom grew into a statewide educational movement and helped lay the groundwork for the future of bilingual education in Texas.

There are a couple of names behind it that give the story its human side. The 1957 program was championed by LULAC National President Felix Tijerina and inspired by Isabel Verver, who was only 17 at the time and living in Ganado, Texas. Verver helped bring the program to life as a teacher. The exhibit follows how that one classroom in South Texas expanded across the state.

Putting it together took a fair amount of teamwork. C 60 Inc. organized the display, and Gaselle Design handled the curation and design. David Contreras at LEAP (Latino Educational Archival Programs) provided historical research, Arte Público Press took care of the Spanish translation, and archival images came from the Houston History Research Center and the Houston Public Library. The Houston Arts Alliance helped fund it. You can find it on the first floor of the Jesse H. Jones building at 500 McKinney St through October 31.