Safety Patrol boys kept children safe

While “Safety Sally” took a beating in the streets of Brownsville

By Rene Torres

St Joseph's Patrol Boys

front row l to r:  Fred Champion, Rolando Flores, Hector Gonzalez and Humberto Garcia

back row l to r:: Ruben Recio, Ernest Pena, Willie Cavazos and Edward Medellin

Keeping school children safe on the streets of Brownsville in the 1940s was a serious proposition.  It was so critical that the local schools formed safety patrol groups—kids that took their places on street corners to safeguard movement of their classmates.

In the early days, the idea was not to control car traffic, but to instruct, direct and control the members of the student body in crossing the street at or near school corners during the “rush” to get home.  

In some cities in the Valley, it was common to see a patrol boy hold his arms out from his side, and students would line up behind him.  When the traffic cleared and it was safe to cross, his arms would come down and children would proceed across the intersection.

The Safety Patrol program was started nationally in 1920 by the American Automobile Association (AAA).  Locally, many kids eagerly volunteered for the chance to use their whistle and to wear a belt- like strap across their chest and waist.   Still others were adorned with arm bands, a variety of hat wear and yes, even a dress jacket—as you see in the given photo.

There was upward mobility within the safety patrol organization; the program had a “ranking” system which led to leadership roles.  In some schools, you had to be in a certain grade level in order to participate and if you demonstrated initiative, you could be promoted as an officer of your squad.  It was common to start as a flag bearer and then work yourself up to giving commands with the elusive whistle.

In the 1940s, those school districts involved with the national school safety program could choose to participate in the summer vacation camps.  Those lucky kids chosen to attend a camp went through several days of intensive leadership training and upon returning to their school were promoted accordingly.  

One of those local safety patrol kids of the 1960s that became a role model to others was Victor Rodriguez.  As a youngster, Victor attended Resaca Elementary where he climbed up the safety patrol ladder to become chief officer of the program. 

 Speaking recently, Chief Rodriguez commented that it was also the duty of a patrol boy to monitor behavior around campus.  For instance, “I vividly remember reminding some of my classmates that speaking Spanish on campus was against school rules.”  Victor went to say that the language rule was one of the realities one faced growing up in the Rio Grande Valley in the 1960s. 

Rodriguez moved on to become this city’s police chief and soon after was appointed to the Texas Board of Pardon and Paroles in Austin.  Today, the former safety patrol boy from Resaca Elementary leads all patrol boys and girls as McAllen’s Police Chief.

The familiar safety patrol boys that were stationed at various intersections to safeguard children from traffic hazards is a thing of the past.  The Safety Patrol programs vanished and rightly so, as motorists today are so engulfed with rushing somewhere that they even ignore the flashing lights of a school bus.

“Safety Sally” took a beating in Brownsville…

1946 September

Beyond the school intersections there was another icon on the streets of Brownsville performing the same chores as the patrol boys did.   Her name was “Safety Sally, a metal sign that was placed in the middle of the street warning the careful and careless motorist to drive safely.

In 1946, the little girl that mutely attempted to protect pedestrians took a beating from motorists that ran through and over her smiling face.  There was no exact number of how many were broken, but a newspaper report stated that the breakage was significant.

While little Miss Sally was the pet of Brownsville, she was also seen in other main streets of the Valley.  The gals were brought here in 1942 by the 20-30 club and all 50 of the rosy cheeked Sallies became an instant hit…if you know what I mean. 

According to Gene Barton, Herald staff reporter of then, at one point the young ladies were rather lonely as their dads marched off to war.  Although ignored during WWII, they survived and made a comeback when the local lads returned.  Barton wrote, “In 1945 they went to the ‘beauty parlor’ and again assigned their jobs near school building.”

Soon after the war, there were provisions made for 6 of the gals along 14^th Street, two on 13^th Street, and two each on St. Charles, St Francis and Levee Streets.  Along Elizabeth Street, there were stations for six, Jefferson four, Madison and Adams Streets two each, and 2 at the Los Ebanos School crossing.

Although brave on the job, the little ladies were afraid to venture out to Elizabeth Street as it proved to be one of the most dangerous spots in the city.  It was estimated that about 25 had lost their lives from hit and run drivers.  With those statistics, do you blame them for being afraid?

To the motorists of Brownsville and the Valley, the message was clear.  Next time you see a “Safety Sally,” members of the 20-30 club said, “Think about the 25 who were victims of hit and run drivers and remember one of them could have been your own daughter.”

The 20-30 club was a service organization made up of young men between the ages of 20 to 39 whose mission was to help the children of the community.

A word of advice, “Look both ways before you cross.”