The Nevada journal., 1854-02-10
Common Schools.

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of the report of the superintendent of public in
struction, which, from hasty examination,
seems to be of vital importance. From this
document we learn that the capital of the
school fund at present is S463, 800, which at Z
per cent. per annum, gives US an annual fund of
$32 2435.2O.
Of the 100000 acres of land ceded to the
state for school purposes, there remains unsold
26S,32O acres. In order to facilitate the sales,
which have nearly ceased, the superintendent
recommends the sale of these at 81 .25 an acre
which would add to the capital fund s345, 400,
making in all $799, 100, the interest on which,
55,9l3.20, would be an annual fund for the
support of schools.
In addition to this, the superintendent rec
ommends that the 18th and Both sections in
each township of sc sections, be made available
at the earliest day possible. In regard to this
matter the superintendent says:
The interest only of the school fund can be used
hence, suggest that the settlers the 10th and
36th sections who choose to decline the exercise of
their preemption rights with the United States gov
ernment, be permitted, with consent of the town
ship School Commissioners, to file their bonds to the
township with lien upon the lands, providing for the
payment of S1.25 per acre after - years, and pay
ing in advance each year. the interest upon the
the rate of 10 per cent per annum to the proper
officer for township school purposes.
Each township Of six miles square may be expec-
ted to maintain school, and this sum- though small,
would be sensiby felt in the rural districts OF the
State, being applied only to where the town
School Commissioners deem it preferable to loca-
ting elsewhere their two sections 1t must be borne
always in mind that the 10th and 36th sections be-
long peculiarly to purposes of education, WITHIN
the township, and cannot properly go to the State
fund. An Act to regulate the manner OF proceeding
in this relation becomes mperatively necessary. 1t
may be expected that the people of the township,
Immediately interested, will better than any body
ese husband the small means provided, and they
should be sustained by the necessary enactments oi
law"
This will give to each township an additional
fund Of Sl60 per annum,-added to the
sum received from the state, which, by attend
ing to the recommendations of the superintend-
ent, will be greatly increased,-w soon give us
funds sufficient for good and healthy common
schools to equal any state in the union.
We cannot too warmly urge upon the legis-
lature the immediate but careful consideration
of these recommendations We sometimes look
with apprehension of evil upon the too fre.
quent and hasty alterations that are likely to
be made in school laws. Without being fairly
understood they are too apt to be condemned
and the legislature recommended to change
them The legislature, not knowing the COM
plant, but wishing to be obedient to the wish.
es of their constituents, heap up even volumes
of these laws, which are not half read by those
interested, until another change is called for
which, when done, only adds to the mass of con-
fusion already greatly injurious to the cause il
was intended to promote. But slight altera-
tions should be made to the existing laws pre-
scribing the organization of schools, and the
manner of conducting them and those altera.
tions should be couched in the simplest Ian.
guage that can be commanded
We have seen some premature recommenda.
tions in various papers in the state urging the
legislature to make various and extensive alter.
ations, some of which would evidently be unte,-
able Such for instance, as forcible prescrib-
ing for every school a certain series of books,
an unconditional separation of the male and
female departments, and the different grades oil
the schools. Such recommendations evidently
come from persons whose practical knowledge
of these matters, is exceedingly limited. Their
views of larger state and national interests may
be correct; but they are too elevated for such
subjects as this and should leave them for those
whose capacities conform more to their calling.