Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-04-04

SCHOOL srpER1NrENpENr,s REPORT.
STANDARDIZATION Renarf-Continuad.

lie Schools arc designed as an antidoto to these fear
Nnl evils. The Legislature has the powerte prevent
these TO q very great extern. Sensible OF their ex-
istenec, and feeling that a remedy should be vested
In the Legislature, the trainers OF the State Consti-
tuition vests the authority In that body In Section
:. Article II. in the following words. to-wit:
= . "The Legislature may pass such laws
as will tend to secure . general attendance OF the
children In each school district upon said Public
Schools"
The great irregularty OF the attendance Of chill
dren OF well meaning parents Is On evil OF such mag
nitude as TO require q remedy II Is IN Us paielui IN
nuence next to non-attenaance. which Is more ex.
tensive than II generally considered. Children are
detained at home for the most trivial reasons. Thls
Is olte done from thoughtlessness or from ign0-
rance Of the evils that grow out Of repeated ABSENCE:
pupil behind his class. It may require q vigorous
Use Of all his powers and prompt attendance TO com.
mand q respectable standing. Soon disgust follows
closely upon the heels Of ENCOURAGEMENT, and there
Is no longer any attraction either for school asso-
ciates, school teacher or school house. Mortified
ambition cannot endure daily exposure. For the
purposes OF education. children are. in q certain
sense. the property Of the State. The law demands
that property shall be taxed to support u Public
s SSsT pSy lEr stx O 4S tSIs sa N p srSn yst has az ri Esstt 10 d aSr
mand that children between certain ages shall avail
themselves OF these expensive facilities for a like
sure an efficient Public School system-to secure for
II In the public estimation that position and conn.
dencc that the system should command, the stand
so raised that persons OF an Indifferent or defective
education, unfortunate In other departments OF In
dustry, would not venture, as q temporary expedl-
feeling is altogether too prevalent, that any person
who can read and write Is competent TO Instruct a
Primary School. III my deliberate Judgment that
II requires more skill, q greater amount OF tact, a
wider range OF general knowledge. and u clearer aP-
prehens,on Of the complicated laws that control dlf-
ierent children In q school OF forty or hfty little ones,
and to excite and maintain an Interest among those
who have no idea OF the value OF education, than to
awaken and maintain q like interest among, the
same number OF advanced scholars In a High School.
Many OF the wisest educators In the country have
often expressed this sentiment with great feeling
and force. l regard teaching as the most Import
ant as well as the most difficult Of oil the profess
sIons-one that demands OF Its members indivld:
ually a more comprehensive knowledge OF mental
aud moral philosophy. a quicker perception and
knowledge Of childish likes and d!sllkes OF the nu.
merous springs OF action, and how 10 turn them TO
awaken interest, stimulate thought. produce dlsci.
plinc and cheerful obedience, than those Of any
other OF the intellectual professions: No one Is re-
garded competent to practice any OF the learned pro.
fesslons who has not gone through q long course OF
professional tralnlog under the immediate, dlrec-
lion Of their most eminent savans. TO qualify him TO
discharge intclllcently the responsible duties his
profession may require. No one Is retarded c9mps-
tent 10 make a shoe or 4 shovel, a house or q hand
| saw, 4 coach or q crowbar. q broom, q bit or 4
bucket, without first serving an apprenticeship.
The man who can make q steam engine. or who can
control Its movement after II Is made, Will COM.
mand more compensation than the public Is willing
TO pay an ordinary teacher In q Public school,
though every part OF the engine, from It's feed % rs
l eAIlIuslt " 10 NV llAlf luhut eANa SViaaS
uses, could be learned In q fortnight by q well, disci'
pllned and well educated teacher, whose mind has
. TSSals Iea1n t tseGT pTSS:s,I pSr 30 q course 10 DC Of discipline iSsipiSirs;
and training. under the direction Of the most sue
ccssnl and celebrated educators In the country.
NORMAL SCHOOLS.
Shut out and fur removed US our State IL from the
| great educational centcrs Of the country, our Oppor-
tunItles are slim indeed 10 secure first class teach.
ers. The best OF the imported educators 70 the
Educational Boards Of San Francisco, Sacramento
and other parts OF California, and VIC have nothing
by which 10 invite superior educators TO our desert
homes, unless our School Boards offer extravagant
pay, which cannot be cxpected-which would not
be allowed.
an institution to educate those Of our youth ambi.
tlous to be teachers and for educational honorS-io
train them 10 meet the educational requirements Of
our times and for our peculiar locality; young men
all Of them, reside In our State. and who probably
will remain permanently with us. An institution
supply for our schools Of well educated. well dffiiied
and lire teachers. do much TO awaken and foster
throughout the State y spirit Of intellectual culture.
and TO bring permanently before our people the
great value and importance OF popular education.
An Institution Of this character should be located In
one OF the most populous towns Of the State. where
a sufficient number OF pupils could be procured for
the organization Of q training school, 10 be attached
thereto; for q Normal School without this impor.
tant adjunct would be as inenleient as q school for
the study Of practical chemistry that should Ignore
the laboratory. with Its menstruums and preclpl.
tants, or OF practical astronomy, without the aid VI
the heavenly bodies, Quadrants and telescopes.
There is, however, a Considerable number OF young
people or respectable attachments In our midst who
have taught school more or less. and ambitious TO
ing, but whose knowledge OF the theory and prac-
lice Of teaching Is altogether unequal TO the adj
vanced educational claims Of the present time.
Many Of these would be drawn to an institution OF
this character TO procure the proper
and o diploma, which should be current with School
Boards In every, district, and should displaee the
local boards OF School throughout the
State. The stay OF this class would be longer or
shorter according TO their previous attachments and
aptness TO acquire. A Normal School would give
forth It's tirst fruits from this class. We're the State
IN a pecunIary condition 10 organize and support an
Institution Of this character. IL would not be an
public school interest In Nevada. But It need not
necessarily be attended with great expense. The
rent OF q small building, the cost Of furniture and
the salary OF one Professor, with trining additional
Incidental expenses. would DO all the outlay that al
present would be required. The permanent edihes
and various ornamentatlons could follow the groTtf
or the school aud the increase OF the State Scloo
Fund, II the State would oiier two thousand dol
lars annually for the first two years, on condition
that private donations would equal that sum, AM
could be raised. and q Normal School could be q,
once put Into q successful working condition. Some
source OF revenue could be created TO raise TIL.
amount by the State, without seriously Expressing
any person or class. r'. .# f.a
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.
There is one subject that ! would like to bring to
your notice for your consideration. / am somewhat
this the proper channel, but with my ideas as re.
CARDS the comprehensive character OF our Public
SshSCi system ;HsT t. The sd ITSoP ,sssiIm s1sSe snS SI IN this f s. ?;
well known that the peculiar character ofthe climate
OF the vast ranges or these elevated tabielands be-
tween the Rocky and sierra Nevada mountains; - IS
perfectly understood BY the people OF the other
States. A plan that would secure the proper re.
those Darts or The State where Public Schools would
be likely 10 be maintained throughout the year,
would be a valuable contribution to science, and IN
the course or q decade OF years would throw much
light In regard TO our climate. One teacher In each
OF the principal towns In the State, Furnished with
the necessary Instruments for determining the heat
aud density Of the atmosphere, the direction and
force OF the winds, the amount OF the fall OF rain and
snow, and a book for recording the necessary ooser-
vations-all Of which the Smithsonian Institute
a trining addition 70 his SALARY. lfso directed BY law,
accurately perform the task. These observations,
B pS,S On the s' paf, cfthe Teachers SteGpssp1ayp; pupils mI and II. pub.
lie generally, habits or close observation In regard TO
atmospheric changes.
INSTRUCTION or THE PROCEEDS OF TINE HALF MILL
The proceeds OF the half mill tax, provided for In
section OF Education. Article X or the State Con.
stItution, Il occurs to me, was diverted by the last
Legislature, from the use intended BY those who
formed that instrument. Section 81 OF the School
haS.S SpP SeTSsd n rom i the tax herein levied Chsii
mill taxi shall be paid into the State School Fund,
and be apportioned in the same manner as other
money In that n~ind"-that Is, the interest accruing
shall be distributed 10 all the counties In the State,
according 10 the asccrtained number OF persons be.
tween the ages OF six and eighteen years In said
counties, for the support OF Public Schools. The
object ofthls half mill tax was designed particularly
TO create O fund for the support or the Mining Col
ege-the mining branch OF the University. II was
nc general opinion or the members OF the Constltu.
tlonal Convention that this tax would Yield the irst
wear from ten to nfeen thousand dollars. with q
large annual increase thereafter, and that at an
early day the interest from the proceeds Of this tax,
and from other sources Of revenue; would enable
the Board OF Regents to establish this branch OF the
JniyersIty and 10 put II Into successful operation In
a very short time. The section () referred TO above
or Inc Constitution, Is In the following language, 70
Wit; sn.u r,o,,dss .r.s,,, "a, or m,
half or one mill on the dollar OF all taxable property
or the State, IN addition to the other means pro
vided for the support and maintenance Of said Uni
vcrsity dnd conmoA SCHOOL," ,
The last three words. "and common SCHOOLS
above. were coupled with the word University 70
make II appear 'nanicstly clear that the UnlVenlty
was a part Of the Public School system. Inc lnten,
lion OF the Convention, In regard TO the dlip0sai =.
he proceeds OF this half mill tax, VIII more cissIiy
appear BY reference TO sections 4, OF the EdueaI,ona'
Article OF the Constitution, which resdsH ~ 'o"o"''
1.-THE Board Of Regents shall. from tIs lh M
.ecr1iinY nom the nrst funds ufom the pa. niin az
which come under their control. imn1ealas.D ~, NJ,
ize and maintain the said Mining DspaI.n.eH" ~, Y.
the University In suen manHs Wv
z TroT ne foreToing il appears 10 my mind TO be
EIyuL nj MndIng on the Board or Regents that