The Shasta courier., 1858-11-27
Extracts from the Annual Report oftb,
Superintendent OF Shasta County Pub.
lie Schools.

The great length of Mr.. Godfrey's very inter-
teresting Report to the State Superine .,dent,
prevents its publication entire in our columns.
We therefore quotethe more inrportant portions.
The progress Of popular education, and the
success OF the efforts made to extend IT'S aslyarf-
tages to all the youth of our country, form a
suplecs OF general interest to which il IS proper
At this time to direct public attention.
The moral and intellectual development of the
people constitute the vital strength end true
glory of State.
The gradual improvement and extension OF
our schools form - i saie md durat x ;ou-
ss- ps,.-alut 5;o, .siiti.s. a,.s In,
increasing concern felt for their maintenance
and prosperity is the surest evidence Of their
real worth.
According to the School Marshals' census re-
turns for the year ending Oct. 31st, 1857, there
were FIVE school districts, containing SIG chill
dren between and is years, and where schools
were maintained, 2SS children. Of these l79
were boys and 1877 were grls-is more girls
than boys. Upon an inspection of the statisti-
cal part OF this years report it will be seen by
the census of this county, recently taken, that
there are ten school districts, and the whole
number of white children, between 4 and lS
years of age, entitled to a common school educa-
ton, where schools have been maintained. ia
44S Of the entire census 216 are boys and 232
are girls. In the county there are l6 more girls
than boys, 10 orphans and one deaf and dumb.
Shasta county contains seven townships.
which are divided into ten school districts where
public schools have been maintained showing
the creation of five new school districs and an
increase OF ~ children in the county, of which
81 are boys and 30 are girls and over the num-
Der OF last year, where schools have been main
tanned, there are LAG children.
Number of children under years of age in
the county is 2S4, and 303 children of all ares
born in California. The number of pupils at
tending public schools in the county is 220,
which would be some less than half of the couu-
ty census.
The aggregate number of pupils throughout
the county attending public schools in the course
of the year, is about one-half of the school CEN
sus. The average daily attendance is consider
able less than this, being only about $50 in the
entire county-a little more than one-third of
the school census. Shasta school has an aver
age daily attendance, if equalized among them.
OF about 80 scholars, whilst the country teachers
have only about 10 on average. The school
IN Shasta district is kept in operation all the
year, except the regular vacations, and the
country schools, on an average, about three
months.
The full amount of monthly salaries paid
teachers at the close of the year 1857, was S.
l2e. During the year last past the sum paid
monthly to teachers was $751; The total
amount of teachers wages within the county
during the past school year was S2,Sl6. County
and State funds were used in the payment of
| those teachers to the amount of S1,s26. The
balance of their wages remains unpaid
The amount reported of expenditure for erec-
+s1,z Il r --l
so.
The total amount of all expenditures in the
entire county for school purposes during the
year, was reported to be 4,l23
Teachers in their respective districts have
reported 220 children who have avaled them
selves, for at least a portion of the time of the
advantages afforded by the schools-a gratify-
ing result, as it shows gradually increasing
attention on the part of parents and children to
the necessity of uniformity and punctuality of
attendance upon the exercises of the schools
1t is a source of qualification to know that our
schools are in prosperous condition. During
the year last past an increasing interest has
been manifested in the cause of education among
the people of this county, as is conclusyely evi-
denced by the successive exertions made in the
establishment of new school districts, and the
additional number of pupils in those districts
where schools have been maintained
X =
Shasta county, considering her age, mining
and agricultural advantages will compare ia
vorably with any other in this State in point of
excellence.
Let her become as famed for her schools as she
is for the richness of her minerals, the fertility
of her soil and the salubriousness of her cl-
mate, and a tide of desirable emigration, pos
sessing wealth and moral worth. will soon flow
in upon us and enhance the value of property,
and aid in elevating the tone of society. Judg-
ing from past experience, how true it is that
every school house erected ard every school in
successful operation, aside from the advantages
thus afforded the young, absolutely contribute
to the wealth and happiness of the entire COM
munity.
The public schools of this county afford in
struction to upwards of 1000 children. Five
hundred of these pupils will be educated SO far
as our public school will educate them and no
further. They will never graduate from the pub
lie school to those of higher grade.
If the branches taught in these be sufficient
to draw out discipline, and prepare their minds
to act energetcally; if the system Of instruction
be such as to imbue the mind with love for
truth and thirst for knowledge; if the moral
training be that which will lead the mind from
Nature up to Natures God, we may hope to see
them occupy any place among the enlightened,
virtuous and influential of our nation.
II, on the contrary cur public schools assume
too low a standard, and the teachers employed
in them not well qualified for the response
bic position they occupy, aud if parents mani
fest little or no interest in the education of their
children, what can we expect from the great
mass of mind uneducated? ?
How very important it is then, in a country
like ours, where our republican institutions de-
pend for their support upon the virtue and INTEL
ligence of the people, that the common schools
should be in every respect adapted to the growth
and maturity of the minds of the rising genera
ton.
They should give instruction not only in the
elementary branches, but be so organized and
graded as to afford in them higher departments
"a thorough English and classic education.
Pupils would then be qualified to step from our
common school directly into our first class col
leges and universities.
We want no dull careless, Indifferent work.
men as teachers in developing minds that are to
govern the affairs of our nation.
Our teachers should comprehend perfectly the
nature of their work-to impart knowledge.
The very first duty of the teacher is to bring the
faculties of the mind into action-that is, to
teach pupils how to think, rather than what to
think.