19. Benito Juarez, a poor Indian boy, was twelve years old when he left his village home in December 1818. Benito walked forty-one miles to the city of Oaxaca, high in the mountains of Mexico. When he heard Spanish spoken by the city people, Benito didn't know what they were saying.
First, Benito became a servant (仆人) for a wealthy gentleman, Serer Maza. Soon, he went to work for Antonio Salanueva, a church librarian. With the help of Antonio, Benito learned to speak, read, and write Spanish.
At that time in Mexico, many people believed that Indians were not smart enough to read or learn. Antonio knew that was not true. Indians had been prevented from learning by a lack of schools. The first Spanish missionaries (传教士) who came to Mexico had educated the native people. In fact, churches from Spain had built the first college on the North American continent for the Indians. As more Spanish came to Mexico, however, the Indian children were crowded out of the schools.
Benito was a good and bright student, so Antonio developed a plan for him. In 1821, when Benito was fifteen, Antonio decided to send him to a school for boys. Antonio taught Benito what he needed to pass the entrance test for the school.
Benito became a student at the school. His studies were difficult, and he was laughed at because he was the only Indian student there. He succeeded although there were many challenges. Later, as the laws changed, Benito was able to attend a public college with other Indians.
Benito Juarez continued his education and became a lawyer and, much later, the President of Mexico from 1861 to 1872.