Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-02-22
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.
ANNUAL RERORT
or tho Storey County superintendent
of Public Instruction,
Hon. 4. F. White, Superintendent Of Public IN
s~trueti0n for che STATE Of Nerdda:

the lnIOT III TtEuTu 10 the TrCelDtS and dis
bursemcnts OF school moneys In this county, for
what purposes expended, tho amount OF cash In the
hands Of the County Treasurer, the names OF the
teachers employed. the number Of schools, and the
tendance, an abstract irom the reports OF the Census
School Marshal. School Trustees, Teachers, and
such general as the School Law requires.
Perhaps q few words. by way OF explanations and
suggestion, In this connection. may not be ont Of
place.
the special school law OF November, lSG2, which cX-
emptcd Storey county from the school law approved
November, 1861, under which the Storey county
Hoard OF Education was organized, and worked with
rrrat efficiency for nearly three years. This change
abolished the old Board OF Education and brought
our schools under the provisions OF the new law,
which was poorly adapted 70 meet inc wants OF this
The schools Of this county, were placed under my
supervision on the 10Th day Of May. last past; |
found the county, which formerly consisted Of but
one School District, carved up. By my predecessor
who, by q decision OF the Supreme Court, held the
office Of County superintendent without legal al-
from a paucity Of population. could not maintain a
school for a time sufficient 10 cntitle them TO draw
the funds, distributed BY the State Board OF Ednca-
| ton, without r~csOrting TO district taxation; ,thongh
| one OF these districts embraced the extensive Re'
ductlon Works Of the Gould & Curry Mining CON-
pany, aud seven or eight Quartz Mllls-having an
amount OF taxable property, the school fund from
which If expended IN that district, would literally
support q tiUuriShlng school for the entire year. Con-
slderlng so much Of the action OF my predecessor as
illegal. tllt IlNlIcu the county lnlO lOuT ulsltlSlS. a
restored The same TO one School District, with a view
OF making the schools more efficient, by, bringing
them under one management, anu appointed LOT
School Trustees for Storey school District, MessrS'
three gentlemen well known for their public spirit,
energy OF character. business capacity, and devotion
to the interest and prosperity OF popular cducalloi.
These gentlemen addressed themselves at once 10
the important work Of cnlarging, repairing, renOvat-
ing, ventllatIng and furnishing those school houses,
which were constructed or fitted temporary Tor
r,k,nIA NHVpenz q n 1sfp upI lscr NpIfh ihn lIpn thut
they would soon be displaced by more conlmodiOus
and permanent school cdlilces. These Improve
wcr,, IndIspcnsahly necessary. Their labors have
been arduOus. They have already accomplished
very much, but much more remains TO be accom-
plishcd. The result Is, the Board OF Education has
now eleven school rooms, which are comfortable.
neat, spacious. well lighted and well ventilated, and
equal TO the school demands of the present, and VIII
probably serve n good purpose for q few years In the
future, These houses have yard room, which, In
this city. are fenced In and covered, In part, by sheds
10 protect the pupils from rain and sun. The Board
| own all these school houses with the exception OF
two. Two OF these are well constructed, hard finish
ed buildings. The school furniture consists OF two
| hundred and ten chairs and single mahogany desks,
for the accommodation OF the more advanced pupils.
The balance Of the school rooms In the county are
| furnished with neat and convenient desks, by which
the smallest pupils have comfortable seats. and by
means OF which can use their states without incon-
vcnIence. 1t IS safe 10 affirm that there are not on
the Pacific coast, san francisco not excepted, more
| comfortably furnished rooms than those OF Storey
county. The corps Of teachers employed will COM
pare favorably with any In other cities. Under their
administration the schools are rapidly rising In pub
lie estimation. Though the population OF the county
Is diminishing, the schools have increased about IS
| per cent, and are rapidly augmenting In numbers.
Two new schools have been organized, and ! am
| happy TO be able TO report that our schools arc IN 4
healthy and ilourishing condition. The Board OF
Education employ a singing master, who devotes
himself entirely 10 the work Of instructing the pupils
In all the schools In the county, In vocal music. The
influence upon the scholars has been Of u soItcning
and %subduing character. This enterprise thus fur
The county school lax for Is6i and IS65 was nxed
BY the Board OF County Commissioners at Is cents
on each $40 OF surface taxable property In the cOun-
ty-a tax hardly equal to the wants OF this depart.
we shall probably be able TO maintain the schools In
the county through the year.
SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
District School Libraries constitute one OF the
most efficient auxIlinrIes 10 our Public Schools that
can be employed. Their Importance, when wisely
selected and JudIciously managed. can not be easily
over estimated There are books admirably niapt.
cd, both In style and thought. 10 every grade "
mind, rich In Information, moral lessons and religious
Instruction. u~ntalntcd with sectarian blas. Whcr-
ever these libraries have been successfully estal-
lshcd they have awakened and cultivated II spirit
for reading, and have essentially modified the char
actcr OF those districts for good; Il the legislature
would offer the Trustees OF each School District u
premium Of my cents for each person, between SIX
and eighteen years. OH the condition that private
donations In cash should double that sum, anu 10 DC
added thereto, l feel confident that In less than one
wear from the passage Of that Act, there would BE-
| reading matter for the little folks In every prominent
School District In the State, insurlng pleasure and
profit TO the pupils. and q rich reward. particularly
In the future, TO the public. One thousand dollars
expended In this way by the State. would produce
results Of great moment:
1t Is very important Tor the continued prosperity
OF our Public Schools, especially In towns and cities.
that all the pupils should be vaccinated. Experience
| has demonstrated that there are many parents and
guardians. abundantly able TO bear the small ex'
| pcnsc OF vaccination. who prefer their children
| should remain at home than to conform TO the rules
fthc Board. To Danish children from school on
account OF parental avaricc is contrary TO the genius
| ofour Public School system; works a hardship both
TO the pupil and the public. and should not be tOcr
| ated. In such cases Il certainly seems just that the
school authorities should be invested with the power
to have such children vaccinntcd. at the dcinquentS
expense. after - DAYS notice by the Clerk OF the
Board Of School Trustees for the district.
There are children OF INDECENT parents who should
thu county should bear the burden. as II Is for the
interest Of the county that both children and adults
should be qualified 10 successfully resist the loath'
some disease OF small poX.
NEGRO. INDIAN AID MoSGOLIAS CHILDREN.
Some law more efficient than now exists. should
be framed, to secure educational facilities to the chill
dren OF negroes, Indians and MOngOllhns. A severe
penalty Il attached TO any district that Will admit
children OF any OF the prescribed races into the PUB
lie Schools OF this State-denying any School District
even by u unanimous vote Of its citizens, the right
10 admit one Of these unfOrtunatcs. The California
School Law. OF which ours In It's principal features,
IS a transcript, has been, ] believe, so far modified,
W ulccl at VI auSlHk NpilhV NV hS'. 80 " iVpNal
The report Of the School Census Marshal returns
seven negro, thirteen Indian and fifteen MongolIan
children In this county. between SIX and eighteen
years Of age. The Board Of Education have cNpcnd-
cd much, both uf time and earnest labor TO organize
a Public School for their benefit; but there are mu.
tuai prejudice existing OF one race against another,
almost, II not quite, rs strong as that o. tho superior
race, which bolts the doors Of educational halls
against them all; but thus far, have been unable to
accomplish their purpose, without mourning q much
greater outlay OF money than the occasion, In their
Judgment, seemed TO justify. From the organization
Of the Territory TO the present time the properly Of
Schools. The Assessors books, for lS63, show that
the taxable PROPERTY OF the colorcd people Of Virginia
City, for that year, amounted TO the sum OF Sn2,Ob.
Upon this amount a school tax Of two-titths Of one
per cent. was paid into the County School Fund,
This Is gross outrage upon . helpless ciaSs-onr
sci us 10 terminate or modify this system Of wrong.
IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.
The genius rS OF , our iR hynbwSr 81 rf tSr m mpTInl md r cHS
be illumined only by q system OF popular education.
The Public School system, as now understood
tionsI facilities 10 ali the children OF the State. IRE.
spective OF condition CT claSs-is cmphatically an
American system, II ia the hope, and should be
bound 10 afford these facilities for the children. then
certainly the children are under obligation TO the
State to avail themselves OF these invaluable faclli-
ties. Rights and duties are co relative. The public
cannot afford TO allow any class TO email In ignO-
rance ofietters. Ignorance is the natural enemy to
society. IL generates and carries with II an un-
healthy and contagious atmosphere, vastly more In
furious TO society, and more to be dreaded than
those loathsOmr and Infectious diseases. which
are so strongly guarded against, by oil governments,
by a perfect system Of most stringent sanitary reGu-
lAtlOns.
The School Department Is the most important In
It's conservative influence OF any branch OF the State
Govcrnment-not In cure, but In prevention. The
power OF the State for all the purpose OF good aug
ments with the growing intelligence OF the people
composing Il. In the train or Ignorance follow dis.
ease, poverty and crime. The records OF our crimlnal
Courts testify against ignorance with an e%loquence
and logic that should not pass unhceded. Wisdom,
the fruit OF education. brings security andpcace.
The schoolmastcr conserves-ignorance destroys.
II Is vastly more economical for the State to MAIN
tain schools and schoolmasters than rimlnal Courts
and criminal ofiicers-to construct School,, Academy
rles and gibbets. As the morning dew disappears
before the warm and genial rays OF the ascending
sun, so reccdcs crime with It's necessary appliances
In those communities vitallzed with u comprehcn.
slve education, s0ftcned by moral and religious ln-
nuences. The recent rebelliOn-thc greatest war Of
mature graves. and consumed the earnings OF the
present and past generations, aud lnortgaIed the
labor OF generations u~nborn-wOuld probably not
have occurred had the worth and Importance OF the
s~choolmaster been better understood and apprecia-
ted, and his presence aud influence been invoked In
every part OF our Federal Union. How forcibly, In
this connection, Is illustrated the truth OF the pro-
verb, that Prevention Is better than cure" These
great truths should inspire us to cherish our Public
Schools as the life and hope OF the State. and our
Legislature should give Joyfully for their support.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.
With the great fact staring us In the lace, that
nine-tenths of the present generation or children In
our State will be entirely dependent upon our Public
Schools for their education that more than four.
ffhs OF this number will be drawn into the various
rhnnuelq Of labor before they shall attain TO fourteen