Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-03-13
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.
SUPPLEMENTARY Rcport-Conhnued.

Superintcndcnt's Rcport-Continued'
society are plundercd of all undeveloped power and
strength essential to their high mission. our PUB
lie Schools are designed as All antidote TO these rear.
full evils. The Legislature has the powerto prevent
these to q very great extern. Sensible OF their OK,
Istcnce, and feeling that a remedy should be yestca
In the Legislature, the trainers OF the state Constl-
tuition vests the authority In that body In Section
2, Article II. in the following words. to-wit:
= "The Legislature may pass such laws
az Will tend TO secure q general attendance Of tme
children In each school district upon said PUBLIC
Schools"
The great irregularity of the attendance Of chill.
dren OF well meaning parents Is an cvll Oh suSn mag
nitude as to require a remedy 1t Is In Us balelnl In
tiuence next TO non-attendance, which is more eN-
tcnslve than is generally considered. Children are
detained at home for the most Trivial reasons. InIs
Is oite done from thoughtlessness or from lgno-
rance OF the evils that grow out OF repcated absence.
A few days absence In a term generally drops tne
pupil behind his class. II may require . vigorous
Use OF all his powers and prompt attendance 70 CONF
mand d respectable standing. Soon disgust ionOWs
closely upon the heels OF encouragement, and there
Is no longer any attraction either for school asso,
ciatcs, school teacher or school house. Mortliled
ambition cannot endure daily exposure. For the
purposes OF education. children are. I'm q certain
sense. the property Of the State. The law demands
that property shall be taxed to support n Public
School for SIX months In each year. In return for
the payment OF this tax, property has q right TO de-
nland that children between certain ages shall avail
themselves OF these expensive facilities for a like
term, or their equivalent ut private schools. To in.
sure an efficient Public School systematic secure for
II III nv UuDNC cNllllAtlOH lDut POSITION anu conn
dence that the system should I'M the stand
ard OF scholarship on the part OF teachers should be
so raised that persons OF an Indifferent or defective
education, unfortunate In other departments of In.
dustry. would not venture, Us a temporary cSpcdI-
cnt, 10 aspire to the control Of q Public School. The
feeling Is altogether TOO prevalent, that any person
who can read and write Is competent TO Instruct a
Primary School. II Is my deliberate Judgment that
Il requires more skill, a greater amount OF tact, 4
prehcnsIon Of the complicated laws that control dif.
iercnt children IN a school OF forty or nity little ones,
and 10 excite aud maintain an interest among those
who have 10 Idea Of the value Of education, than TO
awaken and maintain a like interest among the
same number OF advanced scholars IN u High School.
Many Of the wlscst educators In the country have
often expressed this sentiment with great feeling
and force. i regard teaching as the most Import
ant as well as the most difficult OF all the profcs.
S~ions-onc that demands Of It's members lndlrld.
uully n more comprehensive knowledge Of mental
AMI moral philosophy, a quicker perception and
knowledge Of childish likes and dIsliEcs Of the MI.
mcrous springs OF action. and how TO turn them 10
awaken Interest, stimulate thought, produce dlsci-
plinc AMI cheerful obedience, than those Of any
other Of the Intellectual professions. No one is re-
Garded competent TO practice any OF the learned pro.
LESSONS who has not gone through n long course or
professional training under the immediate direc-
ton Of their most eminent sarans, 10 qualify him To
discharge inteligently the responsible duties his
tent 10 make a shoe or i shovel. a house or a hand
saw, u coach or 4 rowbar. 4 broom, a bit or a
bucket, without ilrSt serving all apprenticeship.
The man who can make d steam engine, or who can
control Its movement after II Is made, will conf
mand more compensation than the public Is willing
TO pay an ordinary teacher In d Public School,
though every part OF the engine, from lts feed TO It's
exhaust, with Its various individual aud combined
uses, could be learned IN a fortnight by 4 well dlsci.
pllned and well educated teacher, whose mind has q
mechanical tendency. Persons, 10 be- teachers,
should learn their profession By II course Of disciplinc
and trimming, under the direction OF the most sue
cesSful and celebrated educators In the country.
NORMAL SCHOOLS.
Shut out and far removed as our State Is from the
great educational centers Of the country, our oppor-
tunItlcs are slim Indeed 10 secure first class teach.
srs: The best Of the imported educators to The
Educational Boards OF San Francisco, Sacramento
and other parts OF California. and We have nothing
homes. unless our School Boards offer extravagant
pay, which cannot be cSpected-wh!ch would not
be allowed.
Our great educational want is a Normal School
an Institution 10 educate those OF our youth Ambi.
tlouS TO he teachers and for educational honorS--to
train them TO meet the educational requirements OF
our mrAand for our peculiar locality: young men
and women whOsy parents, relatives or friends, or
all OF them. reside IN our State. and who probably
OF this character woIld, In addition 70 lis regular
supply FOR our schools of well educated. well drilled
and lvc teachers. do much 10 awaken and foster
throughout the State q 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
4 sufficient number Of pupils could be procured for
the organization OF a training school, 10 be attached
| thereto. Tor u Normal school WITHOUT tnlS lnpOT.
tant adjunct would be as inefficient as q school fol-
the study Of practical chemistry that should ignore
the laboratory. with its menstruums and prccipi.
tants. or Of practical astronomy, without the aid Of
the heavenly bodies, quadrants and telescopes.
There Is, however, q considerable number or young
people of respectable attainments In our midst who
have taught school more or less, and ambitious 10
obtain d respectable rank In the profession Of teach.
Ing, but whose knowledge OF the theory and prac-
t!ce 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 information
AMI a diploma, which should be current with School
Boards In every district. and should displace the
local Boards OF School Examiners throughout the
State. The stay OF this class would be longer or
shorter according TO thelr previous att9lnments and
forth lis first fruits from this class. We're the State
IN d pccunIary condition to organize and support an
Institution OF this character. IL would not be an
public school interest In Nevada. But II need not
necessarily be attended with great expense. The
rent OF o small building, the cost OF furniture and
the salary OF one Professor, with trihing additional
Incidental expenses, would be all the outlay that ut
present would he required. The permanent cdihcC
and various Ornamcntations could follow the growth
OF the school and the increase Of the State School
Fund. II the State would offer two thousand dol
lars annually for the first two years. on condition
that private donations would equal that sum. and
TO be- added TO Il, | feel confident that that amount
could be raised, and a Normal School could be al
once put Into a successful working condition. Some
source OF revenue could BE- created 10 raise this
amount by the State. without seriously depressing
any person or class.
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATION.
There is one subject that l would like 10 bring 10
your notice for your consideration. j am somewhat
in doubt whether the present Is the proper time or
this the proper channel. but with my Ideas as re-
CARDS the comprehensive character OF our, Public
school system sH,T & shs sd PISoP,S es,tIS s,5SSH snS ST IN SII' f t I.
well known that the peculiar character OF the climate
Of the vast ranges Of these elevated tablc-lands be-
tween the Rocky and Sierra Nevada mountains. !:
i h,V ittI, HppuFn hv MIR nus1 nnnnln and worry I'M
perfectly understood BY the people OF the other
States. 4 plan that would secure the proper re
those parts Of the State where Public Schools would
b. likely to b. maintained throughout the year
would be 4 valuable contribution 10 science. and II
the course or II decade OF years would throw nucf
light In regard 10 our climate. One teacher In cact
ofthe principal towns In the State, II furnished witt
the necessary instruments for the heal
and 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 obser-
vations-all Of which the Smithsonian Institute
would undoubtedly checrlully ~supply-would. with
4 trlning addition to his salary. Il so directed BY Law.
accurately perform the task. These observations,
both on the part ofthc teachers, pupils and the pub.
lie generally, habits OF close observation In regard 10
atmospheric changes.
MIspIRECTIoS OF THE PROCEEDS or THE nALf MILL
The proceeds Of the half mill tax. provided for In
section6 OF Education. Article y OF 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
Law, approved March nth, 1865. provides that All
moneys derived from the tax herein levied (halt
mill taxi shall be paid into the State School Fund,
| and be apportioncd In the same manner as other
money IN that mnd"-that Is, the interest aceruing
shall DC distributed to all the counties In the State,
according 10 the ascertained number OF persons be-
tween the ages OF six and eighteen years In said
counties, for the support OF Public Schools. The
| object OF this half mill tax was designed particularly
to create Il fund for the support OF the Mining Col
lege-the mining branch Of the University. II was
the general opinion of the members OF the Constltu.
tional Convention that this tax would yield the first
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 10 establish this branch OF the
University and to put II Into successful operation In
a very short time. The section (6l referred TO above
OF the Constitution, Is In the following language. TO
witt:
half OF one mill on the dollar OF all taxable property
OF the State, In addition 10 the other means pro-
vided for the support and maintenance OF said Uni
versity and common SCHOOL,"
The last three words, land common schools
| above, were coupled with the word University TO
\ make II appear manifestly clear that the university
was a part OF the Public School system. The lnten;
ton Of the Convention, In regard TO the disposal OF
the proceeds OF this half mill tax. VIII more clearly
| Article Of the Constitution, which reads Us ioho"s'
1.-The Board OF Regents shall. from the interest
,ecruInc nom the nrst funds from the half mill taxi
| which come under their control. Immediately organ:
| he and maintain the said Mining Department Soi
| Inc University In such manner as TO make u Inc
nlost eneSlirS aun IL .nn.,r, 70 nv mind TO be