There were no formal schools in New Mexico during the Early Spanish, Spanish Colonial and Mexican eras. Franciscan priests provided basic education to the few who sought it. Books were few and mostly privately owned.

Children learned from family members, who provided religious instruction as well as teaching them to care for farm animals, plant, harvest, and preserve food. They learned to build and maintain acequias. They were also taught to make tools, build homes, carros and carretas and they learned the important industry of shearing sheep, carding and dying wool and weaving.

Early settlers also had to know how to care for each other. From mentors the medical providers learned to deliver a baby, set a bone, reduce a fever, take care of infections and much more. They learned the use of herbs for medication.

More instruction came through music, song and dance. It was very much the social life of the times. The most common instruments were guitars and violins.