On her high
school graduation day in 1944, Jennie Silas Gutierrez enrolled in the Kearney
State Teacher’s College with fifty dollars gifted to her by Ms. Clara Geiger as
encouragement to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher. She received her certificate and applied for
her first job in Eddyville, Nebraska. Imagine on a hot August morning a young
teacher driving to a hayfield to meet with three school board members as they
took their lunch break for an interview. That was the only interview Jennie
ever had, after that schools contacted her to teach their children. It is
believed that Jennie may very well be the first Mexican-American teacher in
Nebraska.Jennie continued her educational pursuits and earned a Bachelor’s Degree and two Master’s Degrees from Kearney. The family has memories of her husband Primo Gutierrez, Jr. driving her to evening classes and then waiting patiently for her in the library or car. Jennie continued teaching in a total of eight Dawson County rural schools over a period of 35 years, and with her husband Primo raised a family of five children. Many years later she and her mentor Clara both lived in a retirement center in Lexington and she held Clara’s hand as she passed on.
Jennie was very involved in her community and the state of Nebraska. She served on the American Red Cross Board, Dawson County Housing Authority, the school boards of St. Ann’s and Lexington Public Schools, the Nebraska State Education Association, the Mexican-American Commission, and a 4-H teacher/leader for over 35 years. She was named First Hispanic Woman of the Year in 1985, and in 2000, the Small Business Administration presented her the Community Partner Award. Also in 2000, she received the UNK Distinguished Alumni Award.
In their retirement, Jennie and Primo helped organize The Haven Center and The Newcomer Center for immigrants coming to work in Lexington. Jennie taught ESL and citizenship classes to the new employees and also taught Spanish to city officials and police officers.
Jennie’s parents, Herman and Paubla Silas emigrated from Mexico, and though they did not read or write English they realized that education would provide opportunities for their children. This belief became a primary motivation for their coming to the United States. Jennie and her family worked hard in the early years, and she has always been very proud of her beginnings in the beet fields of her community Dawson County. Today more than ever, she loves telling her story and encouraging everyone to do their best and pursue an education and become good citizens.
In many ways, Jennie Gutierrez is a prime example of the great “American Dream” – humble beginnings and many accomplishments.
Jennie was very involved in her community and the state of Nebraska. She served on the American Red Cross Board, Dawson County Housing Authority, the school boards of St. Ann’s and Lexington Public Schools, the Nebraska State Education Association, the Mexican-American Commission, and a 4-H teacher/leader for over 35 years. She was named First Hispanic Woman of the Year in 1985, and in 2000, the Small Business Administration presented her the Community Partner Award. Also in 2000, she received the UNK Distinguished Alumni Award.
In their retirement, Jennie and Primo helped organize The Haven Center and The Newcomer Center for immigrants coming to work in Lexington. Jennie taught ESL and citizenship classes to the new employees and also taught Spanish to city officials and police officers.
Jennie’s parents, Herman and Paubla Silas emigrated from Mexico, and though they did not read or write English they realized that education would provide opportunities for their children. This belief became a primary motivation for their coming to the United States. Jennie and her family worked hard in the early years, and she has always been very proud of her beginnings in the beet fields of her community Dawson County. Today more than ever, she loves telling her story and encouraging everyone to do their best and pursue an education and become good citizens.
In many ways, Jennie Gutierrez is a prime example of the great “American Dream” – humble beginnings and many accomplishments.