Photogallery: Hector Garcia's Youth

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In 1918, the Garcia family legally immigrated to Mercedes, Texas. A young Hector P. Garcia (standing on the far left) is seen here with his parents and six siblings.

When Jose Garcia (Hector's father) learned that his years of training as a teacher in Mexico would not be accepted in Texas, he joined his brothers in running this store.

Interior of Garcia dry goods store in Mercedes, Texas.

Jose Garcia, father of Hector P. Garcia.

This Spanish book written by Jose Garcia was used to teach Hector and other children in Mercedes.

Success for the Garcia family was accomplished against many obstacles. A catastrophic fire destroyed the store. They rebuilt, but the great depression soon forced them to close the store permanently.

Hector P. Garcia graduated from High School in 1932, then for two years he hitchhiked thirty miles to the nearest Junior College in Edinburg.