The War for Souls fills an important gap in American history. The settlement of the Southwest was entwined with the conflicts and influences of competing religious traditions. Into that fray came 47-year-old Anna Marie Ross, led by her social conscience and faith to teach Hispanic children in the sparsely populated San Luis Valley. Undeterred by resistance from the Catholic Church and competition from other religious groups, she persevered and in so doing,

laid the foundation for public schools.