Bulletin by U .5 .Bureau of ducation
Crusaders—8
while in ttaehington the Managing Director was informed the 4S .Bureau of Education was planning a bulletin for annual distribution to the public schools of the United States outlining studies in national development and tha^the Bureau would be interested in adopting the Did Spanish Trailfer its historical and geographical values. This was arranged. That this bulletin has wide and constant distribution is shown by the letters received at the Old Spanish Trail offices in San Antonio every year from students, teachers, libraries and colleges, requesting printed matter and many interesting school studies have b een reported.	~	^
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war Department Map
The new„map of roadj, needed for public defense, signed by John J. Pershing, Chief of Staff, August 2p,'/,1922, included the Old Spanish Trail together with borderland connections. "hue, the ',Va3hington "ork had brought about general agreement respecting the importance of this far-southern trunkline. federal. State and local officials were never again to doubt its necessity nor 3hrink from its engineering problems and costs.
Travel Maps and Logs
Traveling this southern route was still an adventure but carefully prepared maps and logs now began to appear. The Automobile Club of Southern California came in with its cooperation. In 1925 the club published a strip-map book of the highway and its territory, giving travel information in detail and weaving in the old Spanish romance and interest. They have issued many editions of this book and still continue its publication. Harry Locke published detail map books. Old Spanish Trail headquarters published travelogs and the old history story. Texas Bed Book and others published logs and maps. The aggregate circulation of these publications ran into hundreds of thousands. With all its travel problems, the Old Spanish Trail soon became the moat helpfully supported of any national highway.
The Great Construction Period
The years 192J-192S represent years of rapid construction. The Washington Declarations had cleared away all uncertainties. Federal-aid and State road fUnds became available in increasing millions. The southern people, individually anti through their organizations and local governments, "lived" with their problems until their road or their bridge or seawall waa completed. These men were more than crusaders; they were conquerors leading forces to xuessxa victory. Engineers battled with an endless variety of problems. Contractors and workman struggled with floods in the waterway basins until embankments and bridges
r03e to stay.....often floods carried mpnths of work away. During 1927 and 1926
monster bridges and long sectors of pavement were being opened with celebrations thronged with people proud of their achievements.
The Kewspaoer Editors
Behind these crusaders and workers were the newspaper men. Their work is entitled to praise. The highway association was not much of a membership organization and many could not understand this; it was a coordinating force utilizing local, State and Federal agencies of ail sorts. As the "anaging Director traveled back and forth the editors were kept informed of the plan9 and policies, and of the immediate objectives, and they steadily played the game.