In the 1930s Loyd Tireman organized two successful New Mexico experiments in progressive and bicultural education that anticipated contemporary trends. Resisting the nativist and assimilationist sentiments of the time, Tireman saw the necessity of tailoring education to the child rather than fitting the child into a standardized curriculum. His demonstration school at San Jose near Albuquerque, founded in 1930, implemented individualized instruction, peer tutoring, and the use of community resources. A preschool class helped Spanish-speaking students learn English. Instruction at the school was based on activity programs that balanced passive reading with active exploration. Recreational reading and readings from newspapers stimulated students' interest in reading. The school's innovative programs reversed low reading comprehension scores and became an important resource for rural teachers. In another innovative project funded by Cyrus McCormick, the community school at Nambe became a center of village life, helping residents with local problems and drawing parents into efforts to make the schoolroom relevant to children's lives. Started in 1937, when the Great Depression's effects were at their height in rural New Mexico, the Nambe school focused on public health education, community hygiene, agricultural problems, conservation education, and cooperation with other community groups. The appendix describes a series of seven children's books by Loyd Tireman called the Mesaland Series. Conceived of as a child's library of the wildlife of the Southwest mesa, each book focused on a particular animal and habitat; portrayed the hardships, fears, and adversities of wildlife; and conveyed relevant lessons that contributed to the growth and understanding of the developing child. Contains end notes and a bibliography. (TD)